Shovel, Shovel display device

Abstract

To provide an excavator that allows its operator to understand setting conditions suitable for the work situation.SOLUTION: An excavator comprises a communication unit that receives recommended setting condition information indicating recommended setting conditions identified based on state information indicating a state of the excavator from a management device, and a display control unit for displaying the recommended setting condition information on a display device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an excavator and a display device of an excavator. Place It relates to.

Background Art

[0002] In a conventional excavator, it is known that the engine speed is set by an operator turning a dial provided on the driver's seat in the cab.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In the above-described conventional technology, since the setting conditions of the excavator including the engine speed are set by the operator, there is a possibility that setting conditions not suitable for the working situation may be set.

[0005] Therefore, in view of the above circumstances, the purpose is to make the operator grasp the setting conditions suitable for the working situation.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] An excavator according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a communication unit that receives recommended setting condition information indicating recommended setting conditions specified based on state information indicating the state of the excavator from a management device, and a display control unit that causes the display device to display the recommended setting condition information. This includes information regarding the rewards given to the operator when the current settings are changed to the recommended settings. and, a display control unit that causes the display device to display the recommended setting condition information. And, the information regarding the aforementioned rewards, It is an excavator having.

[0007] A display device of an excavator according to an embodiment of the present invention is recommended setting condition information indicating recommended setting conditions specified based on state information indicating the state of the excavator. And, information regarding the reward given to the operator when the current settings are changed to the recommended settings,Obtain the aforementioned recommended setting conditions information And, the information regarding the aforementioned rewards, A display device having a display control unit that displays [something]. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] It allows you to understand the appropriate settings for the work situation. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] This diagram shows an example of the system configuration of a shovel management system. [Figure 2] This is a block diagram showing an example of the drive system configuration for an excavator. [Figure 3] This figure shows an example of the hardware configuration of the management device. [Figure 4] This is a diagram illustrating the functions of the control device in the embodiment. [Figure 5] This is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the control device in the embodiment. [Figure 6] This figure shows an example of the main screen displayed on the display device. [Figure 7] This is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the control device in another embodiment. [Figure 8] The first figure shows an example of a main screen displayed on a display device in another embodiment. [Figure 9] The second figure shows an example of the main screen displayed on the display device in another embodiment. [Figure 10] This diagram illustrates the functions of a management device in yet another embodiment. [Figure 11] This is a flowchart illustrating the processing of a management device in yet another embodiment. [Figure 12] The first figure shows an example of a main screen displayed on a display device in yet another embodiment. [Figure 13] In yet another embodiment, the second figure shows an example of the main screen displayed on the display device. [Figure 14]This is a diagram for explaining the functional configuration of a management device according to another embodiment. [Figure 15] This is a flowchart for explaining the processing of a management device according to another embodiment. [Figure 16] This is a diagram showing an example of a main screen displayed on a display device according to another embodiment.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0011] (Embodiment) Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the system configuration of an excavator management system.

[0012] The excavator management system SYS of this embodiment includes an excavator 100, a management device 200, and a support device 300. In the following description, the excavator management system SYS will be simply referred to as the management system SYS.

[0013] In the management system SYS of this embodiment, the excavator 100, the management device 200, and the support device 300 are connected via a network or the like.

[0014] The excavator 100 of this embodiment transmits state information including setting conditions and the like including various values set in the machine itself to the management device 200 and receives various information from the management device 200.

[0015] The management device 200 receives state information indicating the state of the excavator 100 from the excavator 100, determines setting conditions and the like according to the working conditions of the excavator 100, and transmits them to the excavator 100.

[0016] The support device 300, for example, supports an operator who operates the excavator 100, receives various information from the management device 200 and the like, and provides information to the operator by displaying it on a screen.

[0017] In the example shown in Figure 1, the support device 300 is assumed to be included in the management system SYS, but this is not limited to that. The support device 300 does not need to be included in the management system SYS.

[0018] Furthermore, although the management device 200 is implemented by a single information processing device in the example shown in Figure 1, it is not limited to this. The management device 200 may be implemented by multiple information processing devices. In other words, the functions implemented by the management device 200 may be implemented by multiple information processing devices.

[0019] The shovel 100 of this embodiment will be described below. Figure 1 shows a side view of the shovel 100.

[0020] Excavator 100 has a lower traveling body 1, a slewing mechanism 2, and an upper slewing body 3. In excavator 100, the upper slewing body 3 is rotatably mounted on the lower traveling body 1 via the slewing mechanism 2. A boom 4 is attached to the upper slewing body 3. An arm 5 is attached to the tip of the boom 4, and a bucket 6 is attached to the tip of the arm 5 as an end attachment.

[0021] The boom 4, arm 5, and bucket 6 constitute an excavation attachment as an example of an attachment. The boom 4 is driven by the boom cylinder 7, the arm 5 is driven by the arm cylinder 8, and the bucket 6 is driven by the bucket cylinder 9. A boom angle sensor S1 is attached to the boom 4, an arm angle sensor S2 is attached to the arm 5, and a bucket angle sensor S3 is attached to the bucket 6.

[0022] The boom angle sensor S1 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the boom 4. In this embodiment, the boom angle sensor S1 is an acceleration sensor and can detect the rotation angle of the boom 4 relative to the upper slewing body 3 (hereinafter referred to as "boom angle"). The boom angle is smallest when the boom 4 is lowered to its lowest position, and increases as the boom 4 is raised.

[0023] The arm angle sensor S2 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the arm 5. In this embodiment, the arm angle sensor S2 is an acceleration sensor and can detect the rotation angle of the arm 5 relative to the boom 4 (hereinafter referred to as "arm angle"). The arm angle is smallest when the arm 5 is closed to its shortest extent, and increases as the arm 5 is opened.

[0024] The bucket angle sensor S3 is configured to detect the rotation angle of the bucket 6. In this embodiment, the bucket angle sensor S3 is an acceleration sensor and can detect the rotation angle of the bucket 6 relative to the arm 5 (hereinafter referred to as the "bucket angle"). The bucket angle is smallest when the bucket 6 is closed to its fullest extent, and increases as the bucket 6 is opened.

[0025] The boom angle sensor S1, arm angle sensor S2, and bucket angle sensor S3 may each be a potentiometer using a variable resistor, a stroke sensor for detecting the stroke amount of the corresponding hydraulic cylinder, a rotary encoder for detecting the rotation angle around the connecting pin, a gyro sensor, or a combination of an acceleration sensor and a gyro sensor.

[0026] The boom cylinder 7 is equipped with a boom rod pressure sensor S7R and a boom bottom pressure sensor S7B. The arm cylinder 8 is equipped with an arm rod pressure sensor S8R and an arm bottom pressure sensor S8B. The bucket cylinder 9 is equipped with a bucket rod pressure sensor S9R and a bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B. The boom rod pressure sensor S7R, boom bottom pressure sensor S7B, arm rod pressure sensor S8R, arm bottom pressure sensor S8B, bucket rod pressure sensor S9R, and bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B are collectively referred to as "cylinder pressure sensors".

[0027] The boom rod pressure sensor S7R detects the pressure in the rod-side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as "boom rod pressure"), and the boom bottom pressure sensor S7B detects the pressure in the bottom-side oil chamber of the boom cylinder 7 (hereinafter referred to as "boom bottom pressure"). The arm rod pressure sensor S8R detects the pressure in the rod-side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as "arm rod pressure"), and the arm bottom pressure sensor S8B detects the pressure in the bottom-side oil chamber of the arm cylinder 8 (hereinafter referred to as "arm bottom pressure").

[0028] The bucket rod pressure sensor S9R detects the pressure in the rod-side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket rod pressure"), and the bucket bottom pressure sensor S9B detects the pressure in the bottom-side oil chamber of the bucket cylinder 9 (hereinafter referred to as "bucket bottom pressure").

[0029] The upper rotating body 3 is equipped with a cabin 10, which serves as the operator's cab, and is also fitted with a power source such as an engine 11. The upper rotating body 3 is also fitted with a controller 30, a display device 40, an input device 42, an audio output device 43, a storage device 47, a positioning device P1, an aircraft tilt sensor S4, a rotational velocity sensor S5, an imaging device S6, and a communication device T1. The upper rotating body 3 may also be fitted with a power storage unit for supplying electricity, and a motor-generator that generates electricity using the rotational driving force of the engine 11. The power storage unit may be, for example, a capacitor or a lithium-ion battery. The motor-generator may function as an electric motor to drive a mechanical load, or as a generator to supply power to an electrical load.

[0030] The controller 30 functions as a main control unit that controls the drive of the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the controller 30 is composed of a computer including a CPU, RAM, and ROM. Various functions of the controller 30 are realized, for example, by the CPU executing a program stored in ROM. These functions may include, for example, at least one of a machine guidance function that guides the operator's manual operation of the shovel 100, and a machine control function that automatically assists the operator's manual operation of the shovel 100.

[0031] The display device 40 is configured to display various types of information. The display device 40 may be connected to the controller 30 via a communication network such as CAN, or it may be connected to the controller 30 via a dedicated line.

[0032] The input device 42 is configured to allow the operator to input various types of information to the controller 30. The input device 42 includes at least one of the following: a touch panel, a knob switch, and a membrane switch, all of which are installed inside the cabin 10.

[0033] The audio output device 43 is configured to output sound. The audio output device 43 may be, for example, an in-vehicle speaker connected to the controller 30, or an alarm device such as a buzzer. In this embodiment, the audio output device 43 is configured to output various information as sound in response to an audio output command from the controller 30.

[0034] The storage device 47 is configured to store various types of information. The storage device 47 is, for example, a non-volatile storage medium such as a semiconductor memory. The storage device 47 may store information output by various devices during the operation of the shovel 100, or it may store information acquired via various devices before the operation of the shovel 100 begins. The storage device 47 may store, for example, data on the target construction surface acquired via a communication device T1. The target construction surface may be set by the operator of the shovel 100, or it may be set by a construction manager or the like.

[0035] The positioning device P1 is configured to measure the position of the upper rotating body 3. The positioning device P1 may also be configured to measure the orientation of the upper rotating body 3. In this embodiment, the positioning device P1 is, for example, a GNSS compass, which detects the position and orientation of the upper rotating body 3 and outputs the detected values ​​to the controller 30. Therefore, the positioning device P1 can also function as an orientation detection device to detect the orientation of the upper rotating body 3. The orientation detection device may be an orientation sensor attached to the upper rotating body 3.

[0036] The machine body tilt sensor S4 is configured to detect the tilt of the upper rotating body 3. In this embodiment, the machine body tilt sensor S4 is an acceleration sensor that detects the longitudinal tilt angle of the upper rotating body 3 around the longitudinal axis and the lateral tilt angle around the lateral axis with respect to a virtual horizontal plane. The longitudinal axis and lateral axis of the upper rotating body 3 are orthogonal to each other at the shovel center point, which is a point on the rotation axis of the shovel 100.

[0037] The rotational angular velocity sensor S5 is configured to detect the rotational angular velocity of the upper rotating body 3. The rotational angular velocity sensor S5 may also be configured to detect or calculate the rotation angle of the upper rotating body 3. In this embodiment, the rotational angular velocity sensor S5 is a gyro sensor. The rotational angular velocity sensor S5 may also be a resolver, a rotary encoder, or the like.

[0038] The imaging device S6 is an example of a spatial recognition device and is configured to acquire images of the area around the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the imaging device S6 includes a front camera S6F for imaging the space in front of the shovel 100, a left camera S6L for imaging the space to the left of the shovel 100, a right camera S6R for imaging the space to the right of the shovel 100, and a rear camera S6B for imaging the space behind the shovel 100.

[0039] The imaging device S6 is, for example, a monocular camera having an image sensor such as a CCD or CMOS, and outputs the captured image to the display device 40. The imaging device S6 may also be a stereo camera, a depth image camera, etc. Furthermore, the imaging device S6 may be replaced with other spatial recognition devices such as a 3D depth image sensor, an ultrasonic sensor, a millimeter-wave radar, a LiDAR or an infrared sensor, or it may be replaced with a combination of other spatial recognition devices and a camera.

[0040] The front camera S6F is mounted, for example, on the ceiling of the cabin 10, i.e., inside the cabin 10. However, the front camera S6F may also be mounted on the roof of the cabin 10, the side of the boom 4, or other external locations within the cabin 10. The left camera S6L is mounted on the upper left end of the upper surface of the upper slewing body 3, the right camera S6R is mounted on the upper right end of the upper surface of the upper slewing body 3, and the rear camera S6B is mounted on the upper rear end of the upper surface of the upper slewing body 3.

[0041] The communication device T1 is configured to control communication with external equipment located outside the excavator 100. In this embodiment, the communication device T1 controls communication with external equipment via a satellite communication network, a mobile phone communication network, or the Internet network, etc. The external equipment may be, for example, a management device 200 such as a server installed in an external facility, or a support device 300 such as a smartphone carried by a worker around the excavator 100.

[0042] The external equipment is configured to manage construction information relating to one or more excavators 100. The construction information includes, for example, information relating to at least one of the excavators 100, such as operating time, fuel consumption, and work volume. The work volume is, for example, the amount of soil excavated and the amount of soil loaded onto the dump truck.

[0043] The shovel 100 may be configured to transmit construction information about the shovel 100 to an external device at predetermined time intervals via the communication device T1. With this configuration, workers or managers outside the shovel 100 can view various information, including construction information, through a display device such as a monitor connected to the management device 200 or support device 300.

[0044] The external device may be a communication device mounted on a dump truck equipped with a load weight measuring device, or it may be a communication device connected to a weighbridge that measures the weight of the dump truck. In this case, the shovel 100 can obtain the weight of the soil, etc., loaded on the dump truck's bed based on information from the dump truck or weighbridge.

[0045] Next, the configuration of the drive system of the shovel 100 will be described with reference to Figure 2. Figure 2 is a block diagram showing an example of the configuration of the shovel's drive system. In Figure 2, the mechanical power system, high-pressure hydraulic line, pilot line, and electrical control system are indicated by double lines, thick solid lines, dashed lines, and dotted lines, respectively.

[0046] As shown in Figure 2, the drive system of the shovel 100 mainly includes an engine 11, a regulator 13, a main pump 14, a pilot pump 15, a control valve 17, an operating device 26, a discharge pressure sensor 28, an operating pressure sensor 29, a controller 30, a proportional valve 31, a work mode selection dial 32, etc.

[0047] Engine 11 is the power source for the shovel. In this embodiment, engine 11 is, for example, a diesel engine that operates to maintain a predetermined rotational speed. The output shaft of engine 11 is connected to the input shafts of the main pump 14 and the pilot pump 15.

[0048] The main pump 14 supplies hydraulic fluid to the control valve 17 via a high-pressure hydraulic line. In this embodiment, the main pump 14 is a swashplate type variable displacement hydraulic pump.

[0049] The regulator 13 controls the discharge rate of the main pump 14. In this embodiment, the regulator 13 controls the discharge rate of the main pump 14 by adjusting the swash plate tilt angle of the main pump 14 in response to a control command from the controller 30.

[0050] The pilot pump 15 supplies hydraulic fluid to various hydraulic control devices, including the operating device 26 and the proportional valve 31, via the pilot line. In this embodiment, the pilot pump 15 is a fixed-displacement hydraulic pump.

[0051] The control valve 17 is a hydraulic control device that controls the hydraulic system in the excavator. The control valve 17 includes control valves 171 to 176 and a bleed valve 177. The control valve 17 can selectively supply the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14 to one or more hydraulic actuators through the control valves 171 to 176.

[0052] Control valves 171-176 control the flow rate of hydraulic fluid from the main pump 14 to the hydraulic actuator, and the flow rate of hydraulic fluid from the hydraulic actuator to the hydraulic fluid tank. The hydraulic actuator includes a boom cylinder 7, an arm cylinder 8, a bucket cylinder 9, a hydraulic motor 1A for left-side travel, a hydraulic motor 1B for right-side travel, and a hydraulic motor 2A for slewing.

[0053] The bleed valve 177 controls the flow rate of hydraulic fluid (hereinafter referred to as "bleed flow rate") of the hydraulic fluid discharged by the main pump 14 that flows to the hydraulic fluid tank without passing through the hydraulic actuator. The bleed valve 177 may be installed outside the control valve 17.

[0054] The operating device 26 is a device used by an operator to operate the hydraulic actuator. In this embodiment, the operating device 26 supplies hydraulic fluid discharged by the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the control valve corresponding to each hydraulic actuator via a pilot line. The pressure of the hydraulic fluid supplied to each pilot port (pilot pressure) is corresponding to the operating direction and amount of the lever or pedal (not shown) of the operating device 26 corresponding to each hydraulic actuator.

[0055] The discharge pressure sensor 28 detects the discharge pressure of the main pump 14. In this embodiment, the discharge pressure sensor 28 outputs the detected value to the controller 30.

[0056] The operating pressure sensor 29 detects the operator's actions using the operating device 26. In this embodiment, the operating pressure sensor 29 detects the operating direction and amount of the lever or pedal of the operating device 26 corresponding to each hydraulic actuator in the form of pressure (operating pressure), and outputs the detected value to the controller 30. The operation of the operating device 26 may also be detected using other sensors besides the operating pressure sensor.

[0057] The controller 30 is a control unit that controls the entire shovel 100. Details of the functions of the controller 30 in this embodiment will be described later.

[0058] The proportional valve 31 operates in response to control commands output by the controller 30. In this embodiment, the proportional valve 31 is a solenoid valve that adjusts the secondary pressure introduced from the pilot pump 15 to the pilot port of the bleed valve 177 in the control valve 17 in response to a current command output by the controller 30. The proportional valve 31 operates such that, for example, the larger the current command, the larger the secondary pressure introduced to the pilot port of the bleed valve 177.

[0059] The work mode selection dial 32 is a dial used by the operator to select a work mode, allowing switching between multiple different work modes. In addition, data indicating the engine speed setting and acceleration / deceleration characteristic setting status according to the work mode is constantly transmitted from the work mode selection dial 32 to the controller 30.

[0060] The work mode selection dial 32 allows switching between multiple work modes, including SP mode, H mode, A mode, and IDLE mode. In other words, the work mode selection dial 32 in this embodiment can switch the setting conditions of the shovel 100.

[0061] Note that SP mode is an example of the first mode, and H mode is an example of the second mode. Figure 2 shows the state when SP mode is selected using the work mode selection dial 32.

[0062] SP mode is selected when prioritizing workload, utilizing the highest engine speed and the best acceleration / deceleration characteristics. H mode is selected when balancing workload and fuel efficiency, utilizing the second highest engine speed and the second best acceleration / deceleration characteristics.

[0063] Mode A is selected when you want to operate the shovel with low noise, as it smooths the acceleration and deceleration characteristics of the hydraulic actuator corresponding to the lever operation, improving precise operation and safety. It utilizes the third highest engine speed and the third highest acceleration / deceleration characteristics. Mode IDLE is selected when you want to keep the engine idling. It utilizes the lowest engine speed and the lowest acceleration / deceleration characteristics.

[0064] In the above description, the names of the stages of the work mode were SP mode, H mode, A mode, and IDLE mode, but the names of the stages are not limited to these. For example, the names SP mode, H mode, and A mode may be POWER mode, STD mode, ECO mode, and IDLE mode, respectively. The work mode is not limited to this embodiment and may be set to five or more stages.

[0065] The engine 11 is controlled to maintain a constant rotational speed according to the engine speed of the work mode set by the work mode selection dial 32. Furthermore, the opening of the bleed valve 177 is controlled based on the bleed valve opening characteristics of the work mode set by the work mode selection dial 32. The bleed valve opening characteristics will be described later.

[0066] In this embodiment, each of the above-described work modes is expressed as a setting condition for the shovel 100, and information indicating the setting conditions is sometimes expressed as setting condition information. Setting condition information is information that associates a specified item with the value of that item. The specified item is, for example, an item indicating the state of the engine speed corresponding to each work mode, or an item indicating the state of the acceleration and deceleration characteristics. Therefore, the setting condition information in this embodiment includes an item and its value indicating the state of the engine speed corresponding to each work mode, and an item and its value indicating the state of the acceleration and deceleration characteristics.

[0067] In the configuration diagram of Figure 2, ECO mode is set as one of the modes selected by the work mode selection dial 32, but an ECO mode switch may be provided separately from the work mode selection dial 32. In this case, the engine speed corresponding to each mode selected using the work mode selection dial 32 may be adjusted, and when the ECO mode switch is turned ON, the acceleration and deceleration characteristics corresponding to each mode of the work mode selection dial 32 may be changed gradually.

[0068] Alternatively, the operating mode may be changed by voice input. In this case, the excavator is equipped with a voice input device that inputs the operator's voice to the controller 30. The controller 30 is also equipped with a voice identification unit that identifies the voice input from the voice input device.

[0069] In this way, the work mode is selected by a mode selection unit such as the work mode selection dial 32, the ECO mode switch, or the voice identification unit.

[0070] Next, the functions of the controller 30 in this embodiment will be described. The controller 30 in this embodiment includes a state acquisition unit 301, a condition setting unit 302, a display control unit 303, and a communication unit 304.

[0071] The status acquisition unit 301 acquires status information indicating the status of the shovel 100. In this embodiment, the status information may be, for example, information acquired during the period from when an operator starts working with the shovel 100 until when they finish working.

[0072] Status information includes position information indicating the location of shovel 100, orientation information indicating the direction of shovel 100, posture information indicating the posture of shovel 100, and work content information indicating the work being performed by shovel 100, etc.

[0073] Furthermore, the status information includes, for example, setting condition information indicating the setting conditions set for Shovel 100, and operating information (load rate information, fuel consumption information, etc.).

[0074] The work content information indicates the type of work performed by Shovel 100. This includes, for example, idling, driving, excavation, leveling, crane operation, and lifting magnet operation. The operational information includes both the work content and operating conditions of Shovel 100.

[0075] Load factor information includes the engine load factor. Fuel consumption information includes instantaneous fuel consumption, which is the amount of fuel injected per unit time; average fuel consumption, which is the average of multiple instantaneous fuel consumptions over a predetermined period; and subtotal of fuel injection amounts during the target period.

[0076] The status acquisition unit 301 acquires, for example, the engine load ratio based on the engine speed and intake air volume included in the status information. The status acquisition unit 301 also acquires, for example, instantaneous fuel consumption, average fuel consumption, etc., based on the fuel injection amount included in the fuel consumption information. The status acquisition unit 301 also acquires work content information.

[0077] The condition setting unit 302 sets the specified setting conditions. Specifically, the condition setting unit 302 sets the values ​​of the specified items, including items indicating the state of engine speed and items indicating the state of acceleration and deceleration characteristics, to the specified values. In other words, the condition setting unit 302 sets the state of engine speed and the state of acceleration and deceleration characteristics to the specified state.

[0078] The display control unit 303 controls various displays on the display device 40 of the excavator 100. The communication unit 304 transmits and receives information between the excavator 100 and external devices. Specifically, the communication unit 304 transmits the status information acquired by the status acquisition unit 301 to the management device 200. In other words, the excavator 100 transmits the setting condition information, load factor information, and fuel consumption information included in the status information to the management device 200. The communication unit 304 also receives recommended setting condition information, which will be described later, from the management device 200.

[0079] Next, the management device 200 of this embodiment will be described. Figure 3 is a diagram showing an example of the hardware configuration of the management device.

[0080] The management device 200 in this embodiment is a computer that includes an input device 201, an output device 202, a drive device 203, an auxiliary storage device 204, a memory device 205, an arithmetic processing unit 206, and an interface device 207, all of which are interconnected via bus B.

[0081] The input device 201 is a device for inputting various types of information and can be implemented, for example, by a touch panel. The output device 202 is for outputting various types of information and can be implemented, for example, by a display. The interface device 207 is used to connect to a network.

[0082] The display control program implemented by the components described later is at least a part of the various programs that control the management device 200. The display control program is provided, for example, by distribution of the storage medium 208 or by downloading it from a network. The storage medium 208 on which the display control program is recorded can be of various types, such as storage media that record information optically, electrically, or magnetically, or semiconductor memory that records information electrically, such as ROM or flash memory.

[0083] Furthermore, when the storage medium 208 containing the display control program is set in the drive device 203, the display control program is installed from the storage medium 208 to the auxiliary storage device 204 via the drive device 203. Display control programs downloaded from the network are installed to the auxiliary storage device 204 via the interface device 207.

[0084] The auxiliary storage device 204 stores the display control program installed in the management device 200, as well as various necessary files and data from the management device 200. The memory device 205 reads the display control program from the auxiliary storage device 204 and stores it when the management device 200 starts up. The arithmetic processing unit 206 then performs various processes as described later, according to the display control program stored in the memory device 205.

[0085] Next, the functions of the management device 200 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 4. Figure 4 is a diagram illustrating the functions of the management device of this embodiment.

[0086] The management device 200 of this embodiment includes an information acquisition unit 210, an information aggregation unit 220, a recommended setting condition identification unit 230, a reward calculation unit 240, and an output unit 250.

[0087] The information acquisition unit 210 acquires status information from the shovel 100. In other words, the information acquisition unit 210 receives setting condition information, load factor information, and fuel consumption information from the shovel 100.

[0088] Furthermore, the information acquisition unit 210 may, for example, store the received state information in a storage device such as the memory device 205 each time it receives state information from the shovel 100. In the following description, past state information stored in the storage device may be referred to as the history information of the shovel 100. In other words, the history information in this embodiment is state information collected from the shovel 100 during operation.

[0089] The information aggregation unit 220 aggregates historical information for each work mode. Specifically, the information aggregation unit 220 may aggregate fuel consumption information and load rate information for each work mode (set conditions), for example.

[0090] The recommended setting condition identification unit 230 compares the acquired setting conditions with the operating conditions, and if the setting conditions of the shovel 100 are not appropriate for the work content, it identifies recommended setting conditions for the shovel 100 based on the history information.

[0091] Furthermore, the recommended setting condition identification unit 230 may determine whether the setting conditions of the shovel 100 are appropriate for the work content based on the aggregation results from the information aggregation unit 220. If the recommended setting condition identification unit 230 determines that the setting conditions are not appropriate for the work content, it may identify recommended setting conditions that are appropriate for the work content.

[0092] A state in which the setting conditions are not appropriate for the work content refers to a situation where the workload of a particular task does not match the workload corresponding to the work mode set during the execution of that task. In the following explanation, a state in which the setting conditions of Shovel 100 are not appropriate may be referred to as a work mode mismatch.

[0093] A mismatch in work modes occurs when a work mode for a low workload is set while a high workload task is being performed, or when a work mode for a high workload is set while a low workload task is being performed.

[0094] Specifically, consider a case where the aggregated results indicate that the work mode was mode A, and that work was performed for a certain period of time or longer under conditions where the load rate was between 75% and 100%.

[0095] In this case, the recommended setting condition identification unit 230 determines that the setting conditions (work mode) are not appropriate because the workload for this task is higher than that of mode A, and identifies a work mode with a higher workload than mode A as the recommended setting condition.

[0096] Furthermore, consider a case where the aggregated results indicate that the work mode was SP mode and the load rate was "0% or more and 25% or less" for a certain period of time or longer.

[0097] In this case, the recommended setting condition identification unit 230 determines that the setting conditions (work mode) are not appropriate because the workload for this task is lower than that of the SP mode, and identifies a work mode with a lower workload than the SP mode as the recommended setting condition.

[0098] The reward calculation unit 240 calculates the reward to be given to the operator of the shovel 100 when the operator sets the recommended setting conditions identified by the recommended setting condition identification unit 230 to the shovel 100 and performs the work.

[0099] Specifically, the compensation calculation unit 240 calculates the difference between the fuel cost when the scheduled work is performed with the setting conditions indicated by the status information received from the shovel 100, and the fuel cost when the scheduled work is performed with the recommended setting conditions. Then, the compensation calculation unit 240 calculates the compensation to be paid to the operator based on the calculated difference.

[0100] In this embodiment, the management device 200 may, for example, obtain information indicating the unit price per liter of fuel from an external server via the Internet, and calculate the fuel cost based on this unit price.

[0101] The output unit 250 outputs recommended setting condition information, which indicates the recommended setting conditions identified by the recommended setting condition identification unit 230, and reward information, which indicates the reward calculated by the reward calculation unit 240, to an external device. The output unit 250 may, for example, output this information to the shovel 100 or to the support device 300. The output unit 250 may also display this information on an output device 202, such as a display, of the management device 200.

[0102] Next, the processing of the control device 200 in this embodiment will be described with reference to Figure 5. Figure 5 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the control device in this embodiment. In Figure 5, the processing of the control device 200 when it is determined that the set setting conditions (work mode) of the shovel 100 are not appropriate is shown. Furthermore, the processing in Figure 5 may be executed after a certain amount of time has elapsed since the start of work by the shovel 100.

[0103] In this embodiment, the management device 200 acquires status information from the shovel 100 using the information acquisition unit 210, and identifies the setting conditions (work mode) currently set for the shovel 100 from the setting condition information included in the status information (step S501).

[0104] Next, the management device 200 compares the acquired setting conditions with the operating conditions. If it determines that the setting conditions are not appropriate, the recommended setting condition identification unit 230 identifies recommended setting conditions corresponding to the operating information of the shovel 100 from the aggregated results of the historical information by the information aggregation unit 220 (step S502).

[0105] Next, the management device 200 obtains information indicating the unit price of fuel from an external server via the reward calculation unit 240 (step S503).

[0106] Next, the reward calculation unit 240 determines that the setting conditions identified in step S501 are for the shovel 100. The difference between the fuel cost when the scheduled work time is performed with the settings configured as described above and the fuel cost when the scheduled work time is performed with the recommended settings configured as Shovel 100 is calculated (Step S504).

[0107] Next, the compensation calculation unit 240 calculates the operator's compensation according to the difference calculated in step S504 (step S505). The operator's compensation calculated by the compensation calculation unit 240 may be, for example, a fixed percentage of the difference, and the method of calculating the compensation is arbitrary.

[0108] Next, the control device 200 outputs recommended setting condition information, which indicates the recommended setting conditions identified in step S502, and information regarding the operator's compensation to the shovel 100 via the output unit 250 (step S506), and then terminates the process.

[0109] In this embodiment, when the shovel 100 receives recommended setting condition information and reward information from the management device 200, it displays this information on the display device 40.

[0110] The following describes an example of the display on the display device 40 of the shovel 100. Figure 6 is a diagram showing an example of the main screen displayed on the display device.

[0111] The main screen 41V shown in Figure 6 includes a date and time display area 41a, a driving mode display area 41b, an attachment display area 41c, an average fuel consumption display area 41d, an engine control status display area 41e, an engine operating time display area 41f, a coolant temperature display area 41g, a fuel level display area 41h, a rotation speed mode display area (work mode display area) 41i, a urea solution level display area 41j, a hydraulic oil temperature display area 41k, and a camera image display area 41m.

[0112] The driving mode display area 41b, the attachment display area 41c, the engine control status display area 41e, and the rotation speed mode display area 41i are examples of setting status display areas that show the setting status of the Shovel 100.

[0113] The average fuel consumption display area 41d, the engine operating time display area 41f, the coolant temperature display area 41g, the fuel level display area 41h, the urea solution level display area 41j, and the hydraulic oil temperature display area 41k are examples of operating status display areas that show the operating status of the shovel 100.

[0114] The date and time display area 41a is the area that displays the current date and time. The driving mode display area 41b is the area that displays a graphic representing the current driving mode. The attachment display area 41c is the area that displays a graphic representing the attachment currently installed.

[0115] The average fuel consumption display area 41d is the area that displays the current average fuel consumption. The average fuel consumption is, for example, the amount of fuel consumed over a predetermined period of time. The engine control status display area 41e is the area that displays a graphic representing the control status of the engine 11. The coolant temperature display area 41g is the area that displays the current temperature status of the engine coolant. The fuel level display area 41h is the area that displays the remaining amount of fuel stored in the fuel tank 55.

[0116] The rotation speed mode display area 41i is the area that displays the current rotation speed mode (work mode). The urea solution remaining amount display area 41j is the area that displays the remaining amount of urea solution stored in the urea solution tank. The hydraulic oil temperature display area 41k is the area that displays the temperature of the hydraulic oil in the hydraulic oil tank. The camera image display area 41m is the area that displays the camera image.

[0117] In this embodiment, the recommended setting condition information 41p1 received from the management device 200 and the operator's compensation information 41p2 are displayed in the camera image display area 41m. The recommended setting condition information 41p1 and the compensation information 41p2 in this embodiment may be displayed in a pop-up format within the camera image display area 41m.

[0118] The recommended setting condition information 41p1 of this embodiment includes the recommended setting conditions and a message prompting the operator to change to the recommended setting conditions.

[0119] Furthermore, the compensation information 41p2 indicates the compensation that the operator will receive if they change the settings to the recommended settings and perform the work. The compensation information 41p2 may, for example, simply indicate that the compensation for the work will increase, or it may indicate the amount or percentage of the increase.

[0120] Furthermore, in this embodiment, for example, on the main screen 41V, only the recommended setting condition information 41p1 may be displayed initially, and if the setting conditions are not changed for a certain period of time after the recommended setting condition information 41p1 is displayed, the reward information 41p2 may be displayed.

[0121] As described above, in this embodiment, by displaying recommended setting conditions suitable for the work content on the display device 40 of the shovel 100, the operator of the shovel 100 can understand the appropriate setting conditions according to the work content.

[0122] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by displaying information regarding rewards along with recommended setting conditions, it is possible to motivate the operator to change the setting conditions, thereby increasing the likelihood that the setting conditions of the shovel 100 will be changed to the recommended setting conditions. Therefore, according to this embodiment, it is possible to contribute to reducing the fuel costs of the shovel 100.

[0123] (Other embodiments) Other embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In these other embodiments, the control device 200 instructs the shovel 100 to set the recommended settings when the operator agrees to change to the recommended settings. In the following description of these embodiments, the differences from the previously described embodiments will be explained, and components having the same functional configuration as those in the previously described embodiments will be given the same reference numerals as those used in the description of the previously described embodiments, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0124] Figure 7 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of the control device in another embodiment. The processing from step S701 to step S706 in Figure 7 is the same as the processing from step S501 to step S506 in Figure 5, so the explanation is omitted.

[0125] Following step S706, when the operator changes the settings to the recommended settings based on the displayed recommended settings, the controller 30 changes the characteristics of the engine and hydraulic actuator in response to the input of the change in settings. In this embodiment, an operation button indicating agreement (operation button 41q in Figure 8) may also be provided on screen 41V-1, which will be described later.

[0126] In this case, when the operator presses an operation button to indicate agreement, the controller 30 changes the setting conditions to the recommended setting conditions transmitted from the management device 200, and modifies the characteristics of the engine and hydraulic actuator in accordance with the input of the change in setting conditions. Subsequently, the changed setting conditions are transmitted to the management device 200 and stored in the memory unit of the management device 200. This makes it possible to determine whether the operator has changed to the recommended setting conditions and can be used to evaluate the operator.

[0127] Alternatively, the control device 200 may send an instruction to the controller 30 of the shovel 100 to change to the recommended setting conditions.

[0128] In this case, the management device 200, specifically the recommended setting condition identification unit 230, determines whether or not it has received a notification from the shovel 100 indicating that it has agreed to the change to the recommended setting conditions (step S707). If no such notification is received in step S707, the management device 200 terminates the process.

[0129] In step S707, if the relevant notification is received, the control device 200 sends an instruction to the controller 30 of the shovel 100 to change to the recommended setting conditions via the output unit 250 (step S708), and terminates the process.

[0130] When the controller 30 of the shovel 100 receives a command from the management device 200 to change to the recommended setting conditions, the condition setting unit 302 changes the setting conditions to the recommended setting conditions indicated by the received recommended setting condition information. In other words, the condition setting unit 302 changes the value of the specified item included in the status information to the value indicated by the recommended setting condition information.

[0131] In addition, the controller 30 may display on the main screen 41V on the display device 40 that the setting conditions have been changed to the recommended setting conditions.

[0132] The following describes an example of the display of the main screen of this embodiment with reference to Figure 8. Figure 8 is a first diagram showing an example of the main screen displayed on the display device in another embodiment.

[0133] In the main screen 41V-1 shown in Figure 8, the camera image display area 41m displays recommended setting condition information 41p1 and reward information 41p2, along with operation buttons 41q and 41r that allow the operator to choose whether or not to agree to change to the recommended setting conditions.

[0134] In this embodiment, when the operation button 41q, which is operated when the user agrees to change to the recommended settings on the main screen 41V-1, is operated, the excavator 100 sends a notification to the management device 200 indicating that the user has agreed to the changes.

[0135] Furthermore, if the operation button 41r of the shovel 100 is operated, it may send a notification to the management device 200 indicating that it does not agree to the change.

[0136] Furthermore, when the operator of the shovel 100 operates the operation button 41q to indicate consent, the controller 30 may change the setting conditions and display on the main screen 41V-1 that the setting conditions have been changed. In addition, when the management device 200 sends an instruction to the controller 30 of the shovel 100 to change to the recommended setting conditions, the controller 30 may change the setting conditions and display on the main screen 41V-1 that the setting conditions have been changed when it receives the instruction from the management device 200.

[0137] Figure 9 is a second figure showing an example of the main screen displayed on the display device in another embodiment.

[0138] The main screen 41V-2 shown in Figure 9 is an example of the main screen after the recommended settings have been changed. The main screen 41V-2 shown in Figure 9 shows the current working mode as SP mode, the recommended settings as H mode, and the operator's agreement to change to the recommended settings.

[0139] On the main screen 41V-2, the rotation speed mode (work mode) displayed in the rotation speed mode display area 41i has been changed from SP mode to H mode, and the rotation speed mode display area 41i is highlighted.

[0140] In this embodiment, when the work mode (setting conditions) is changed by control by the controller 30, the display mode of the rotation speed mode display area 41i is changed, making it easy for the operator to understand that the setting conditions have been changed.

[0141] (Third embodiment) Further embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In this further embodiment, information regarding the maintenance time when work is performed with the recommended setting conditions set for the shovel 100 is displayed on the display device 40, which differs from the embodiment described above. In the following description of embodiments, the differences from the embodiment described above will be explained, and components having the same functional configuration as the embodiment described above will be given the same reference numerals as those used in the description of the embodiment described above, and their explanation will be omitted.

[0142] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the functions of a management device in yet another embodiment. The management device 200A in this embodiment includes an information acquisition unit 210, an information aggregation unit 220, a recommended setting condition identification unit 230, a reward calculation unit 240, an output unit 250, and a maintenance time calculation unit 260.

[0143] The maintenance time calculation unit 260 in this embodiment calculates the maintenance time for each part of the shovel 100.

[0144] The calculation of maintenance time in this embodiment will be described below. In this embodiment, maintenance information is stored in a storage device such as the memory device 205, which associates replacement parts that require periodic replacement in the shovel 100 with the time period until the parts need to be replaced. In the following description, the time period until the parts need to be replaced may be referred to as the maintenance cycle.

[0145] Replacement parts that require regular replacement will deteriorate more rapidly the longer they are used under high workload conditions, shortening the maintenance cycle. Conversely, replacement parts will deteriorate more slowly the longer they are used under appropriate workload conditions, potentially extending the maintenance cycle.

[0146] Furthermore, the workload is lower when the settings for the Shovel 100 are properly configured for the work being done, compared to when the settings are not properly configured. Therefore, the maintenance cycle can be extended by setting the Shovel 100 to the recommended settings appropriate for the work being done.

[0147] In other words, the maintenance cycle for replacement parts varies depending on the settings configured for the Shovel 100.

[0148] In this embodiment, with regard to the points mentioned above, the operator of the shovel 100 is notified of recommended setting conditions and compensation information, as well as information regarding the maintenance timing of replacement parts.

[0149] The maintenance time calculation unit 260 in this embodiment calculates the maintenance cycle for replacement parts based on the ratio of the operating time when the load factor is above a certain value to the cumulative operating time of the shovel 100.

[0150] Specifically, for example, the maintenance time calculation unit 260 obtains the cumulative operating time of the shovel 100 and the operating time under high load conditions with a load factor of 75% or more from the aggregation results of the information aggregation unit 220. Then, if the ratio of operating time under high load conditions to cumulative operating time is above a predetermined threshold, the maintenance time calculation unit 260 shortens the maintenance cycle of a specific replacement part by a certain period.

[0151] Furthermore, the maintenance time calculation unit 260 extends the maintenance cycle of a specific replacement part by a certain period if the ratio of operating time under low load conditions to cumulative operating time is above a predetermined threshold. The predetermined threshold for the ratio and the specified period may be predetermined by the administrator of the management system SYS, etc.

[0152] Furthermore, the maintenance time calculation unit 260 may, for example, estimate the ratio of operating time under high load conditions to cumulative operating time when the setting conditions of the shovel 100 are changed to recommended setting conditions and the work is performed for the scheduled time, and calculate the maintenance cycle (first maintenance cycle).

[0153] Furthermore, if the setting conditions of the shovel 100 are not appropriate, the maintenance time calculation unit 260 may estimate the ratio of the operating time under high load conditions to the cumulative operating time, assuming that the work is performed for the scheduled time without changing the setting conditions, and calculate the maintenance cycle (second maintenance cycle).

[0154] The maintenance time calculation unit 260 may also calculate the difference between the first maintenance cycle and the second maintenance cycle.

[0155] The operation of the control device 200A will be described below with reference to Figure 11. Figure 11 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of a control device in yet another embodiment.

[0156] The process from step S1101 to step S1105 in Figure 11 is the same as the process from step S501 to step S505 in Figure 5, so the explanation is omitted.

[0157] Following step S1105, the management device 200A calculates the maintenance cycle using the maintenance time calculation unit 260 (step S1106).

[0158] Specifically, the maintenance time calculation unit 260 estimates the maintenance cycle when the scheduled work is performed with the setting conditions identified in step S1101, and the maintenance cycle when the scheduled work is performed with the recommended setting conditions identified in step S1102. Then, the maintenance time calculation unit 260 calculates the difference between these maintenance cycles.

[0159] Next, the control device 200A transmits recommended setting condition information, reward information, and maintenance cycle information to the shovel 100 via the output unit 250 (step S1107), and then terminates processing.

[0160] When the excavator 100 receives recommended setting condition information, reward information, and maintenance cycle information from the control device 200A, it displays them on the display device 40. When the operator changes the settings to the recommended settings based on the displayed recommended settings, the controller 30 changes the characteristics of the engine and hydraulic actuator in response to the input of the setting condition change. Subsequently, the changed settings are transmitted to the control device 200 and stored in the memory unit of the control device 200. This allows it to determine whether the operator has changed to the recommended settings and can be used for operator evaluation.

[0161] The following describes an example of the display of the display device 40 with reference to Figure 12. Figure 12 is a first diagram showing an example of the main screen displayed on the display device in yet another embodiment.

[0162] In the main screen 41V-3 shown in Figure 12, the recommended setting conditions information 41p1 and maintenance cycle information 41p3 are displayed in the camera image display area 41m.

[0163] The maintenance cycle information 41p3 of this embodiment indicates that the maintenance cycle will be extended if the setting conditions are changed to the recommended setting conditions indicated in the recommended setting condition information 41p1. This includes the extended period.

[0164] Furthermore, although not shown in the example in Figure 12, the camera image display area 41m of the main screen 41V-3 may also display information regarding rewards 41p2, along with recommended setting condition information 41p1 and maintenance cycle information 41p3.

[0165] Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the excavator 100 receives an operation to instruct the display of maintenance information 41p3, it may send a request to display maintenance information to the management device 200. When the management device 200A receives an operation from the excavator 100 to request the display of maintenance information, it may send maintenance information with the maintenance cycle changed by the maintenance time calculation unit 260 to the excavator 100.

[0166] Figure 13 is a second figure showing an example of the main screen displayed on the display device in yet another embodiment.

[0167] In the main screen 41V-4 shown in Figure 13, maintenance information 41p5 is displayed in the camera image display area 41m. In the example in Figure 13, the maintenance cycle for the engine oil filter, one of the replacement parts, is highlighted in the maintenance information 41p5, indicating that the maintenance time for this replacement part has been extended from 500 hours to 600 hours.

[0168] In other words, maintenance information 41p5 can be described as information that shows the variation in the maintenance cycle of replacement parts due to performing work for the time specified in the recommended settings.

[0169] Thus, in this embodiment, the operator can be made aware that the maintenance cycle of the replacement parts of the shovel 100 varies depending on whether the setting conditions for the work content are appropriate or not.

[0170] Furthermore, in this embodiment, by prompting the operator to set recommended configuration conditions, it is possible to extend the lifespan of replacement parts and reduce maintenance costs.

[0171] (Another embodiment) Further embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings. In these further embodiments, the operator is identified, and the settings used when the identified operator last operated the shovel 100 are used as the recommended settings for starting work with the shovel. In the following descriptions of embodiments, the differences from the previously described embodiments will be explained, and components having the same functional configuration as those described in the previously described embodiments will be given the same reference numerals as those used in the previously described embodiments, and their descriptions will be omitted.

[0172] Figure 14 is a diagram illustrating the functional configuration of a management device in yet another embodiment. The management device 200B in this embodiment includes an information acquisition unit 210, an information aggregation unit 220, a recommended setting condition identification unit 230A, a reward calculation unit 240, an output unit 250, an operator identification unit 270, and an operation history storage unit 280.

[0173] The recommended setting condition identification unit 230A of this embodiment identifies the recommended setting conditions for when work is started by the shovel 100, based on the operator identified by the operator identification unit 270 and the operation history information stored in the operation history storage unit 280.

[0174] When the operator identification unit 270 receives operator identification information assigned to each operator of the excavator 100 from the excavator 100, it refers to the operation history information stored in the operation history storage unit 280 and identifies the operator.

[0175] The operation history storage unit 280 stores operation history information for each operator. In this embodiment, the operation history information includes operator identification information that identifies the operator and status information.

[0176] In this embodiment, when the operator starts operating the shovel 100, operator identification information is input to the shovel 100. The controller 30 of the shovel 100 associates the input operator identification information with status information and transmits it to the management device 200B.

[0177] The processing of the management device 200B of this embodiment will be described below with reference to Figure 15. Figure 15 is a flowchart illustrating the processing of a management device of yet another embodiment.

[0178] In this embodiment, the management device 200B acquires status information from the shovel 100 using the information acquisition unit 210, and identifies the setting conditions (work mode) currently set for the shovel 100 from the setting condition information included in the status information (step S1501).

[0179] Next, the management device 200B identifies the operator using the operator identification unit 270 (step S1502). Specifically, the operator identification unit 270 acquires operator identification information associated with status information.

[0180] Next, the management device 200B uses the recommended setting condition identification unit 230A to identify the recommended setting conditions based on the operator identification information (step S1503).

[0181] Specifically, the recommended setting condition identification unit 230A refers to the operation history information stored in the operation history storage unit 280 and identifies the operation history information that shows the most recent operation history from among the operation history information that includes operator identification information that matches the acquired operator identification information. Note that the operation history information includes information indicating the date and time when the operator operated the shovel 100, and the recommended setting condition identification unit 230A may identify the operation history information that shows the most recent operation history based on the information indicating the date and time.

[0182] In other words, the recommended setting condition identification unit 230A identifies the operation history information of the last time the identified operator operated the shovel 100.

[0183] The recommended setting condition identification unit 230A then identifies the setting conditions indicated by the status information included in the identified operation history information as the recommended setting conditions for the start of operation of the shovel 100.

[0184] Next, the control device 200B transmits recommended setting condition information for the start of work and setting instructions to the shovel 100 via the output unit 250 (step S1504), and then terminates the process.

[0185] When the shovel 100 receives recommended setting condition information and setting instructions for the start of work, the condition setting unit 302 of the controller 30 sets the recommended setting conditions, and the display control unit 303 displays information on the display device 40 indicating that the recommended setting conditions have been set.

[0186] Figure 16 shows an example of the main screen displayed on the display device in yet another embodiment.

[0187] In the main screen 41V-5 shown in Figure 16, information 41s indicating that the settings from the operator's previous operation are set is displayed in the camera image display area 41m.

[0188] In this embodiment, the operator's operation history information is used to set the initial settings for the shovel 100. Therefore, according to this embodiment, the operator does not need to change the settings to their preference each time they start work, and can start work quickly.

[0189] Furthermore, in this embodiment, after the setting conditions have been set by the process in Figure 15, it may be determined whether the recommended setting conditions at the start of the work are appropriate for the work content after the work has been performed for a certain period of time.

[0190] Furthermore, if the recommended settings at the start of the operation are not appropriate, the process shown in Figure 5 may be executed, and the operator may be notified of the new recommended settings.

[0191] Furthermore, the operation history information of this embodiment may include information indicating whether the operator agrees to change to the recommended settings when prompted to do so. In this embodiment, the process shown in Figure 15 may be performed on operators who have a history of accepting changes to the recommended settings.

[0192] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the recommended setting conditions at the start of work are based on the operator's operation history information, but this is not limited to this. In this embodiment, the recommended setting conditions at the start of work may be specified according to the type of end attachment attached to the tip of the arm 5 of the shovel 100. Also, in this embodiment, when the end attachment is replaced, the recommended setting conditions according to the type of end attachment may be set in the shovel 100 each time.

[0193] Furthermore, the functions of the control device in each of the embodiments described above may be realized by the controller 30 of the shovel 100 or by the support device 300.

[0194] In this embodiment, the recommended setting conditions identified by the control device 200 are transmitted to the shovel 100, but this is not limited to this. For example, if the shovel 100 is being remotely controlled by an operator in a remote control room, the recommended setting conditions identified by the control device 200 may be transmitted to a remote control device installed in the remote control room and displayed on a display device in the remote control room. Thus, this embodiment can also be applied when the shovel 100 is being remotely controlled.

[0195] Furthermore, although the shovel 100 was described as an example of a work machine in each of the embodiments described above, the work machine is not limited to a shovel.

[0196] Although preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and various modifications and substitutions can be made to the embodiments described above without departing from the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0197] 30 controllers 40 Display device 100 Shovel 200, 200A, 200B management device 210 Information Acquisition Department 220 Information Aggregation Department 230 Recommended setting conditions identification section 240 Compensation Calculation Department 250 Output section 260 Maintenance Time Calculation Unit 270 Operator Identification Section 280 Operation history storage unit

Claims

1. A communication unit that receives from a management device recommended setting condition information indicating recommended setting conditions identified based on status information indicating the state of the shovel, and information regarding the reward given to the operator when the operator performs an operation to change from the current setting conditions to the recommended setting conditions, A shovel having a display control unit that causes a display device to display a screen including the current setting conditions, recommended setting condition information, information regarding the reward, and operation buttons for changing the current setting conditions to the recommended setting conditions.

2. The aforementioned recommended setting conditions information is: The excavator according to claim 1, which includes a message prompting the operator to change from the current settings to the recommended settings.

3. The information regarding the aforementioned compensation is, The excavator according to claim 1 or 2, which is information corresponding to the difference between the fuel cost when the work is performed for a specified time with the current setting conditions set and the fuel cost when the work is performed for a specified time with the recommended setting conditions set.

4. It has a condition setting unit that sets setting conditions in response to setting instructions from the aforementioned management device, The aforementioned communications unit is Upon receiving an operation indicating agreement to change to the aforementioned recommended settings, a notification indicating agreement to the change to the aforementioned recommended settings is sent to the management device, and the management device receives an instruction to set the aforementioned recommended settings. The condition setting unit is, The excavator according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the control device receives an instruction to set the recommended setting conditions and changes the current setting conditions to the recommended setting conditions.

5. The aforementioned communications unit is Maintenance information indicating the variation in the maintenance cycle of replacement parts when work is performed for a specified time with the recommended setting conditions set is received from the management device. The display control unit, The excavator according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the maintenance information is displayed on the display device.

6. It has a condition setting unit that sets setting conditions in response to setting instructions from the aforementioned management device, The aforementioned communications unit is The management device receives instructions to set recommended settings based on operation history information showing the operator's latest operation history. The condition setting unit is, In accordance with the setting instructions, the recommended setting conditions are set as the setting conditions at the start of the operation. The display control unit, The excavator according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the display device displays information indicating that recommended setting conditions based on the operator's operation history information have been set.

7. The information regarding the aforementioned compensation is, The excavator according to any one of claims 1 to 6, including information indicating that the compensation for work given to the operator will increase if the current settings are changed to the recommended settings.

8. A display device for an excavator, comprising: a display control unit that acquires recommended setting condition information indicating recommended setting conditions identified based on status information indicating the state of the excavator, and information regarding the reward given to the operator when the operator performs an operation to change from the current setting conditions to the recommended setting conditions, and displays a screen that includes the current setting conditions, the recommended setting condition information, the reward information, and an operation button for changing the current setting conditions to the recommended setting conditions.

Images