Working Vehicle Attachment Tracking for Nearby Unhitched Tools
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems fail to manage attachments that are present in the vicinity of a working vehicle but not attached to it, leading to inadequate tracking and management of these assets.
Innovation Solution
A working vehicle system equipped with a hitch, a receiver, a position detector, a memory, and a controller that utilizes near-field communication to identify and manage both attached and not-attached attachments, storing their location information and managing their status through operation switches and time counters.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a system uses acceleration sensors and communication units to identify attached attachments, then attachment identification capability is improved, but the ability to manage not-attached attachments remains insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a single receiver unit to perform multiple functions: detecting attached attachments through acceleration signal comparison and detecting not-attached attachments through wireless signal reception. This multi-functional approach extends attachment management coverage without requiring separate systems for different attachment states.
Solution Approach 2:
The wireless signal acts as an intermediary carrier that transmits attachment identification information from not-attached attachments to the receiver. This allows the system to detect and manage attachments that are physically separated from the working vehicle using non-contact communication.
2Ease of operation
If the system only tracks attached attachments, then operational control is simplified, but asset management completeness deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Not-attached attachments autonomously transmit their identification information via wireless signals to the receiver, eliminating the need for manual registration or physical connection to track them. The system passively collects location and identification data from attachments in the vicinity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors wireless signals from attachments and updates the attachment list accordingly. When attachments are picked up or placed down, the system receives feedback through signal changes and automatically adjusts its tracking, ensuring complete and up-to-date inventory information.
3Measurement precision
If the system stores location information for all attachments, then asset tracking accuracy is improved, but data management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments attachment data into distinct categories: attached attachments (with acceleration signal data) and not-attached attachments (with wireless signal data). This segmentation allows for organized storage and retrieval of location information, reducing the complexity of managing diverse data formats.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures the receiver to automatically capture and store location information whenever wireless signals are detected. This preliminary automated action eliminates the need for manual data entry or complex processing, simplifying data management while maintaining accuracy.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables effective tracking and management of both attached and not-attached attachments, ensuring accurate inventory and location data is maintained, facilitating efficient asset management and communication with external processors.
Implementation Method 1
a receiver to receive a wireless signal which is transmitted from a transmitter in or on the attachment and which is compliant with a near field communication standard
Implementation Method 2
The advertisement signal includes vibration information relating to vibration of the attachment detected by a vibration sensor
Data Source
AI summary
A working vehicle includes a receiver to receive a wireless signal which is transmitted from a transmitter in or on an attachment and which includes identification information and vibration information relating to the attachment, and a controller configured or programmed to, if the vibration information included in the wireless signal does not indicate vibration of the attachment, determine that the attachment from which the wireless signal is transmitted is a not-attached attachment not attached to a hitch, and generate management information and cause a memory and/or a storage to store the management information, the management information being information in which the identification information of the attachment determined as being the not-attached attachment is associated with storage location information indicating a storage location of the not-attached attachment, the storage location information being the vehicle position information acquired by a position detector when the receiver received the wireless signal.