Beacon-Based Equipment Attachment Detection for Shared Work Machines
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Solution Overview
Problem
Monitoring the life cycle of equipment attachable to work machines is challenging due to the equipment being used with multiple machines, and machine hours do not accurately reflect equipment usage.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method that receive information on the operational context of a work machine, detect beacon signals from attachable equipment, determine the proximity status of the equipment, and establish criteria based on the operational context to confirm if the equipment is attached to the work machine.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If machine hours are used to monitor equipment usage, then monitoring is simple, but accuracy of equipment usage tracking deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces beacon signals as an intermediary mechanism between the equipment and the monitoring system. Beacons are attached to equipment and transmit identification signals that the work machine's monitoring system detects, enabling accurate tracking of equipment usage without relying on machine hour measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/time-based monitoring system (machine hours) with an electronic signal-based system (beacon detection). This substitution allows for more precise tracking of actual equipment attachment and usage events rather than relying on cumulative machine operation time.
2Adaptability or versatility
If equipment is shared across multiple work machines, then equipment versatility increases, but monitoring reliability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The beacon acts as a unique intermediary identifier attached to each equipment piece. When equipment is attached to any work machine, the beacon transmits its identification signal, allowing the system to reliably track which equipment is attached to which machine, regardless of how many machines the equipment serves.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the monitoring parameter from machine-based metrics (machine hours) to equipment-based metrics (beacon signal detection). This parameter change enables reliable tracking of equipment-specific usage patterns even when equipment moves between multiple machines.
3Measurement precision
If beacon signal detection is used to determine proximity, then measurement precision improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the identification and proximity detection function into a separate, simple beacon component attached to the equipment. This separates the complexity of the monitoring system from the equipment itself, allowing precise proximity detection through simple beacon signal transmission and reception.
Solution Approach 2:
The beacon serves multiple functions: it provides unique equipment identification, indicates proximity to the work machine, and enables usage tracking. This multi-functionality reduces the need for multiple separate systems, thereby managing complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, method and computer program product are arranged for receiving information on an operational context of a work machine, detecting at least one beacon signal provided by a beacon associated with equipment attachable to the work machine, the at least one beacon signal including a radio signal broadcasted by the beacon, determining, based on the at least one beacon signal, a proximity status of the equipment, the proximity status relating to a proximity of the equipment to the work machine, determining, based on the operational context of the work machine, at least one criterion for the proximity status of the equipment, and determining, in response to determining that the at least one criterion for the proximity status of the equipment is fulfilled, that the equipment is attached to the work machine.