Work Vehicle Wireless Status Access for External Maintenance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional work vehicles require workers to repeatedly enter and exit the cab to verify the status or perform maintenance, as display units are only accessible inside the cab, leading to inefficient maintenance work.

Innovation Solution

A wireless communication system that includes a wireless communication device connected to the onboard networks of a work vehicle, allowing it to transmit in-vehicle signals to a portable terminal for external verification and control.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If display units are provided only in the cab, then the device complexity is reduced, but the ease of operation deteriorates as workers must repeatedly enter and exit the cab to verify status

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of status verificationVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a wireless communication device as an intermediary between the onboard network and portable terminals. This mediator captures status information from the onboard network and transmits it externally, allowing workers to view status without physically accessing the cab, thus resolving the contradiction between simplified device structure and operational convenience

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a digital copy of the status information displayed in the cab and transmits it to portable terminals. Workers can view this copied information externally, eliminating the need to enter the cab while maintaining the same information access capability, thereby improving ease of operation without significantly increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If display units are provided only in the cab, then the device complexity is reduced, but the productivity deteriorates due to inefficient maintenance work requiring multiple workers or repeated entries

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemaintenance efficiencyVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The wireless communication device serves as an intermediary that enables external access to status information, allowing maintenance workers to monitor and diagnose issues without entering the cab. This eliminates the need for multiple workers or repeated entries, directly improving maintenance efficiency while adding only a single communication device to the system

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables workers to perform self-service maintenance monitoring by providing them with portable access to status information. Workers can independently verify status and diagnose issues using portable terminals, reducing the need for additional personnel or repeated cab entries, thereby improving productivity with minimal increase in device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3744574B1Work vehicle, and work vehicle wireless communication system
Publication Date: 2026.03.11 TADANO LTD
  • EP3744574B1 patent drawingFigure 1

AI summary

This wireless communication device is equipped with: an acquisition unit for acquiring, from an onboard network of a work vehicle, an in-vehicle signal that travels through the onboard network; and a control unit for controlling wireless communication between the work vehicle and a portable terminal, and transmitting the acquired in-vehicle signal to the portable terminal. As a result, it is possible to provide a wireless communication device with which a worker can verify the status of the work vehicle from outside the work vehicle.