Method and system for managing the hand-off between control terminals
A vehicle control and gateway module comprising an electronic control module controlling one or more vehicle systems, a vehicle communications bus, a wireless communications module, an electronic gateway module acting as a translator of information between the vehicle communications bus and the wireless communications module, and a software program, whereby an operator using a remote mobile device can send and receive wireless commands to and from the vehicle with the electronic gateway module translating messages from one data protocol to the other as required.
1. A system for controlling dynamic equipment, which system comprises:
a first control terminal including a first display;
a second control terminal including a second display;
an electronic control module including a first connection to said first control terminal and a second connection to said second control terminal;
said electronic control module being connected to said dynamic equipment and adapted for receiving control signals from said first and second control terminals and controlling and monitoring one or more functions of said dynamic equipment in response to said control signals;
a software algorithm hosted on said electronic control module and adapted to manage the handoff of control of said one or more dynamic equipment functions between said first control terminal and said second control terminal;
wherein said first control terminal is mounted on or within said dynamic equipment; and
wherein said dynamic equipment includes an agricultural vehicle and an agricultural implement connected to said vehicle, said first and second control terminals being configured to control and monitor said agricultural implement.
2. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 , wherein the first connection is selected from the group consisting of a manufacturer-installed hard-wired connection, a user-installed hard-wired connection, and a wireless connection.
3. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 , wherein the second connection is selected from the group consisting of a manufacturer-installed hard-wired connection, a user-installed hard-wired connection, and a wireless connection.
4. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 , wherein the software algorithm considers the first control terminal to be a default control terminal, wherein control of the dynamic equipment will automatically return to the first control terminal when the second control terminal previously had control but is no longer able to maintain control.
5. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 4 , wherein the default control terminal has the capability of taking control back from the second control terminal upon demand.
6. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 , where the electronic control module comprises a gateway protocol module and a subsystem control module.
7. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 6 , wherein the gateway protocol module is adapted for transmitting and receiving data on the first connection and on the second connection, and where the subsystem control module is adapted for controlling one or more subsystems on the dynamic equipment.
8. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 , wherein the software algorithm has the capability of dividing control of the dynamic equipment between the first control terminal and the second control terminal, such that the first control terminal maintains control of a first subset of functions of the dynamic equipment and the second control terminal maintains control of a separate subset of functions of the dynamic equipment.
9. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 , wherein the software algorithm has the capability of granting control of subsets of functions of the dynamic equipment to a control terminal based on the role that that control terminal is currently serving.
10. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 , wherein the software algorithm has the capability of granting control of subsets of functions of the dynamic equipment to a control terminal based on a state of the dynamic equipment.
11. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 , wherein the software algorithm is capable of allowing an operator using the first control terminal to pre-approve the future handoff of control to the second control terminal.
12. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 , wherein the software algorithm is capable of allowing an operator using the first control terminal to approve requests for access to specific subsets of functions of the dynamic equipment, sent by the second control terminal, as the requests are made.
13. The system for controlling dynamic equipment of claim 1 wherein at least one of said displays includes a touchscreen.