Construction Machine Data Transfer Across Communication Gaps
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Construction machines operating in areas without available communication means for transmitting operation data to a server face difficulties in data accumulation, leading to challenges in machine management.
Innovation Solution
A construction machine equipped with both long distance and short distance communication units, along with a storage unit and control unit, which determines communication availability and stores data when long distance communication is unavailable, allowing data transmission via short distance communication when a transmission command is received from a mobile information terminal.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If only long distance communication means is used for transmitting operation data, then the server can manage construction machines in areas with communication coverage, but operation data cannot be accumulated when the construction machine operates in areas where communication is not available
Solution Approach 1:
The communication system is segmented into two independent parts: long distance communication means for server connectivity and short distance communication means for local data transfer. This segmentation allows the system to adapt to different communication scenarios - using long distance communication when available and short distance communication when operating in remote areas, thereby resolving the contradiction between transmission reliability and adaptability to communication-unavailable areas
Solution Approach 2:
A mobile information terminal acts as an intermediary between the construction machine and the server. It receives operation data via short distance communication when the construction machine is in areas without long distance communication coverage, then transmits the data to the server when communication becomes available. This intermediary enables data accumulation and transmission across communication boundaries, resolving the contradiction
2Adaptability or versatility
If both long distance and short distance communication units are equipped, then data transmission flexibility is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile information terminal serves multiple functions: it acts as a short distance communication receiver for operation data, a storage device for accumulating data, and a long distance communication transmitter to the server. By consolidating these functions into a single universal device rather than equipping the construction machine with both communication units, the system achieves communication flexibility while minimizing device complexity
3Loss of information
If operation data is continuously stored in the vehicle-side storage unit, then data loss is prevented during communication outages, but storage shortage occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary data transmission to the mobile information terminal when long distance communication is unavailable, preparing data for future transmission. This preliminary action prevents data loss during communication outages without requiring continuous long-term storage in the vehicle-side storage unit, as data is transferred to the mobile terminal which serves as external storage, thereby preventing storage shortage while maintaining data integrity
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle-side control unit determines whether a long distance communication mechanism is available or not, when determining that the long distance communication mechanism is available, controls a first vehicle-side communication unit to transmit operation data via the long distance communication mechanism, and when determining that the long distance communication means is not available, causes a vehicle-side storage unit to store the operation data, and further determines whether a transmission start command is received from a tablet or not, and when determining that the transmission start command is received, controls a second vehicle-side communication unit to transmit the operation data stored in the vehicle-side storage unit via a short distance communication mechanism.