EP1999734B1 - Method and system for wirelessly transmitting control commands for a controller for lifting gear - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a method for the wireless transmission of control commands for a control of a hoist, wherein a wireless control unit has a firmly embossed unmistakable address and a receiving part of the hoist has a selectable identifier, wherein an unambiguous assignment of the control panel to a receiving part of a hoist.

Normally, operating switches are used in the field of crane technology, via which the operator controls the movements of the crane. These control switches or keypads, for example, corresponding buttons for "raise / lower" movements of the load and possibly other buttons for the process of the crane, z. B. Movement of a trolley.

Systems for the wireless transmission of control commands are used for the control of machines by an operator when the position of the operator with respect to the controlled machine must be changeable. This can be given for reasons of ergonomics or work safety or the portable mobility of the machine. Wireless transmission has the advantage in these applications over wired transmission that the freedom of movement of the operator is not limited by the range of cables or by permanently installed operator stations.

On the other hand, in wired transmission between the control panel and the control of the machine, the assignment by the material connection between the two units is always unique and easily recognizable with appropriate design for the operator.

In a wireless transmission of the control commands, this uniqueness does not exist.

To achieve this uniqueness of the assignment between the control panel and receiver and the connected machine control even with wireless transmission, it is known, the control commands in the transmission additional unique Add address characteristics that are evaluated in the receiving part, so that only those commands are executed that contain the address feature of the associated keypad.

Since the range of modern wireless transmission systems may exceed the field of vision or the area of confined spaces and due to the unrestricted location of the transmission systems or the presence of multiple devices in the reception area, special arrangements must be provided to ensure that the assignment between a control panel and the control unit is unambiguous the receiving part is given and this is also protected against manipulation.

According to the state of the art, this is achieved by providing the corresponding units, operating part or receiving part, each with a unique and unmistakable address firmly embossed by the manufacturer. When commissioning the transmission system, the impressed unique address is permanently transmitted to the corresponding unit or exchanged with each other.

Wireless transmission systems according to the illustrated prior art have the disadvantage that in case of failure of one of the units with the impressed unique address, the system must be set up with the new address of the replacement device, which is associated with the cost of a re-commissioning of the system.

Since control panel and receiver are inherently spatially separated and in many cases the receiving part z. B. is difficult to access in crane systems, emergency tents and costs are significant, if it is necessary to open the receiving part to change the firmly embossed, unique and distinctive address. In applications where the failure or loss of the control unit is intolerable, a replacement control unit is made with the same address. However, this requires special safety measures of the operator of the system in order to unlock the dangers of improper or unintentional parallel use of both keypads.

If transmitting and receiving part are provided with separate addresses that are exchanged during commissioning, both control panel and receiving part must each have a transmitting and receiving unit, which increases the cost of their production. The administration of the unique unmistakable addresses of the control units and receiving parts is complex.

The European patent application EP 1 343 128 A2 relates to a method for the remote control of several industrial or construction equipment such as cranes or trolleys. The industrial or construction equipment or their control units are connected to each other via a wired data bus. In order to be able to control the control units via remote control units, so-called concentrators are included in the data bus whose number is smaller than the number of remote control units. This is to achieve savings because several remote control units communicate with a concentrator. The remote control units operate on distinctive broadcast channels. The respective control units are assigned to a control unit in the concentrator. For this purpose, the concentrator has a programming input. In this remote control method, the assignment of the remote control units to the respective control devices in the respective concentrators thus takes place. The individual remote control units are different from each other via the transmission via separate channels.

Furthermore, from the German patent application DE 42 40 291 A1 a remote radio traction device for exchanging a line rope between two pylons known. The traction device is controlled by command signals received from a remote control receiver powered by a battery. In this case, the command signals to a specially adapted to the remote control receiver address encoding.

The object of the invention is to reduce the cost of the unique assignment of control panel and receiving part of a wireless transmission system and to allow the provision of substitutable operating units without security risks. Furthermore, the commissioning of a control unit or a spare unit should be carried out quickly with little effort. In addition, the structure of the systems should be simplified and made cheaper and the cost of managing the unique addresses should be reduced.

This object is achieved by the method given in claim 1 and the system reproduced in claim 12.

1. (i) Bilden eines Adressmerkmals aus der Adresse des Bedienteils und dem Kennzeichen des Empfangsteils;
2. (ii) Ausstrahlen des Adressmerkmals in einem Zuweisungstelegramm;
3. (iii) Empfang des ausgestrahlten Zuweisungstelegramms in dem Empfangsteil und
4. (iv) Zuweisen des Bedienteils zu dem Empfangsteil, falls das Empfangsteil sich im nicht-zugewiesenen Zustand befindet, durch Speichern des Adressmerkmals als gültiges Adressmerkmal in dem Empfangsteil,

ist es möglich, lediglich im gut zugänglichen Bedienteil eine unverwechselbare Adresse vorzusehen und nicht auch im Empfangsteil. Dort genügt es, ein Kennzeichen oder Namen für das Empfangsteil vorzusehen, das auf einfache Weise vor Ort vom Betreiber und für den Bediener sichtbar am Kran angebracht wird und zu dessen optischer Identifizierung durch den Bediener dient.Characterized in that, following the method, the following steps for assigning the operating part to the receiving part are carried out:

1. (i) forming an address feature from the address of the keypad and the tag of the receiving part;
2. (ii) broadcasting the address feature in an assignment telegram;
3. (iii) receiving the broadcast assignment telegram in the receiving part and
4. (iv) assigning the keypad to the receiving part, if the receiving part is in the unassigned state, by storing the address feature as a valid address feature in the receiving part,

It is possible to provide a distinctive address only in the easily accessible keypad and not in the receiving part. There it is sufficient to provide a license plate or name for the receiving part, which is easily visible on site by the operator and visible to the operator attached to the crane and used for its optical identification by the operator.

The address of a keypad is a multi-digit number that is assigned only once. In the event of a loss or defect of the operating unit, a new operating unit with a different address must therefore be used.

As a characteristic of a receiving part is preferably a two-digit number between 01 and 99 is used, which represents the crane number in the simplest case. A particular selected flag indicates that a receiver is not assigned. This is preferably the identifier "00".

In addition, the inventive method allows a simplification of the structure of the control unit and the receiving part, since now only a transmitting unit in the control panel and a receiving unit in the receiving part are necessary.

In a preferred embodiment, it is provided for security reasons that the receiving part receives assignment telegrams only in the unassigned state. So an unintentional assignment is not or only difficult possible. The receiving part of the structure recognizes that this is an assignment telegram. B. a header of the received telegram.

In addition, it can be provided that the receiving part in the unassigned state receives no control commands. Thus, it can be prevented that a hoist moves unintentionally.

The security of the method is given because the receiving part only allows an assignment of a control unit at initial startup or in the reset state and in this unassigned state, however, receives no control commands for the control or passes on.

In the assigned state, the receiving part therefore receives control commands only from the assigned operating unit when they are transmitted paired with a valid address feature. This is done z. B. in the form of a command telegram.

The keypad must be in assignment mode for the transmission of an assignment telegram. This mode is selected by a special unusual key sequence or turned on, so that in turn unintentional assignment is impossible or difficult.

It is also preferable if the operating part stores the identifier of the assigned receiving part after the transmission of the assignment telegram. This allows u. a. the waiver of a "handshaking" protocol with the receiving part for positive feedback.

The receiving part is preferably connected to the controller in such a way that control commands are transmitted only in the assigned mode and also the power supply of the controller is controlled by the receiving part. So the controller z. B. be switched via a contact of the receiving part. Then an unwanted movement of the hoist is not possible.

To further increase the security can be provided that the receiving part of a signal unit to acknowledge the successful assignment of a control panel having. Preferably, the signal unit outputs an optical and / or acoustic signal.

In order to allow a new assignment as needed on demand, means for resetting the receiving part to the unassigned original state may be provided. This also allows for a reset if the assigned keypad, which is otherwise used for reset, is lost or defective.

The system for the wireless transmission of control commands consists of a mobile control unit with transmitting unit for the wireless transmission and a spatially separated receiving part for receiving the control commands and the output of corresponding control signals to a controller of a hoist.

The control panel is equipped with commanders for the manual input of control commands. It is supplied with electrical energy preferably from a battery / rechargeable battery and sends the control commands wirelessly preferably radio or infrared signals.

The receiving part receives the wirelessly transmitted signals by means of a receiving unit, evaluates them selectively and recognizes the assignment to a control unit at the transmitted address feature. For this purpose, the received and the stored in the receiving unit address feature for the associated keypad to match are compared.

In order to enable the operation of the receiving part with changing operating parts without security risks, the receiving part can assume the states "assigned" or "unassigned" and change between these states.

In the state "not assigned", the receiver has not stored a valid address of a keypad or license plate. Although wirelessly transmitted signals can be received and evaluated in this state, control commands can not be issued. This has before startup Receiving part the state "not assigned". This condition can only be changed by the assignment procedure with a keypad.

In the "assigned" state, the receiving part has stored a valid address feature, that is to say a combination of the assigned operating part and its identifier. In this state, control commands can be received and output. However, only those control commands are issued or passed on to the controller, which had the stored address feature or were paired with this in the transmission, z. B. in the form of a command telegram.

An assigned or assigned receiving part can be remotely controlled with the associated control panel or by means of the receiving part, z. For example, reset a reset button to the "unassigned" state.

Thus, the address of the keypad becomes a valid address feature for the transmission of control commands, such that it is supplemented or combined with at least one additional tag that is assigned by the operator to distinguish the receiving parts or machines. The input of the additional flag occurs during the assignment procedure, which is executable with the keypad.

The assignment procedure stores the additional identifier in the keypad and transmits it to an unassigned native receiver that stores the combination of the keypad keypad and additional keypad combination as a valid address feature for receiving control commands.

The receiving part assigned in this way can optically / acoustically acknowledge the successful assignment with a signal and then "assigns" the status.

To carry out the assignment procedure, the keypad may be equipped with a display having the entered identifier, e.g. B. can display a two-digit crane No. and the operator in other operations can display messages. In the method, control commands for the controller are thus wirelessly radiated to the receiving part with the associated control unit, wherein the control commands are paired with the valid address feature consisting of the unique address of the keypad and the selected identifier of the receiving part in a command telegram.

A wireless transmission control system control system for a hoist control according to the invention is thus provided with a wireless control panel having a unique address and a transmission unit and a receiving part associated with a selectable tag and having a receiving unit and the controller is connected to receive from the keypad originating control commands and pass it to the connected controller, wherein the receiving unit is configured with a verification unit, the assignment of the keypad to the receiving part by storing a combination of the address of the associated keypad and the selected flag as valid Address feature in the receiving part makes when the receiving part is in the unassigned state.

The checking unit is preferably a logic unit that is programmed and / or interconnected to carry out the check.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Übersicht eines Systems aus Bedienteil und Empfangsteil und

Fig. 2

eine schematische Übersicht des Ablaufs der Zuordnung eines Bedienteils zu einem Empfangsteil darstellt.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment with reference to the drawing, in which

Fig. 1

a schematic overview of a system of control panel and receiver and

Fig. 2

a schematic overview of the sequence of assignment of a control panel to a receiver represents.

The designated as a whole with 1 system comprises in the present case, a control panel 2 and a receiving part 3, which is a manual control of a cable or Kettenhubwerks, the z. B. by means of a trolley is movable.

The receiving part 3 is connected to a machine control 4 such that it receives the movement commands to be executed of the hoist and the trolley from the receiving part 3 and at the same time supplies the in turn connected electric drives 6 with power.

At the receiving part 3, a signal unit 5 is also arranged, which serves to acknowledge the successful assignment of a control unit 2. In the present case, the signal unit 5 outputs an acoustic signal. The signal may consist of a sequence of tones that allows a conclusion on the assignment of the control unit 2. Furthermore, the signal unit 5 can also output further signals, the z. For example, you can see the reset or the failed association.

Also not designated is a receiving unit in the receiving section 3 for receiving signals 10 radiated from the operating section 2. Also not designated is means for entering or setting a flag, such as crane number 8, and means for resetting the receiving unit 3 in the unassigned state ,

The control panel 2 is a wireless handset with command generator 7, so if necessary multi-level buttons for the movement to be executed of the hoist and / or trolley, with a battery compartment 8 for power and with a display 9 for displaying assigned as a characteristic number of the receiving part crane number or the current operating state.

Not designated is a transmitting unit in the operating part 2 for transmitting signals 10, which can be received by the receiving part 3 or its receiving unit.

The signals 10 may be radio or IR signals.

In order to assign the operating part 2 to the receiving part 3, the following steps are carried out, wherein the receiving part 3 is in the unassigned state, that is, has a code "00".

First, the control unit 2 emits its unique address, this address having a generally valid identifier of a receiving part paired, which has been selected or entered by the operator. This is triggered by appropriate key combinations of the keys 7, this being so provided that no unintentional actuation of the assignment procedure is possible. Subsequently, an assignment telegram is emitted by the transmitting unit as a signal 10, which contains an address feature. The assignment telegram contains a special header, on which the receiving part 3 recognizes that it is a telegram for assignment.

The address of the control unit 2 is thereby a valid address feature for the transmission of control commands, that it is supplemented by at least one additional identifier, which is awarded by the operator to distinguish the receiving part 3 or crane. The entry of the additional identifier takes place during the assignment procedure, which is executable with the control panel 2. In the present case, the valid marks are between "01" and "99".

By the assignment procedure, the license plate is stored in the control panel 2 and transmitted to the not yet assigned receiving part 3, which stores the combination of impressed address of the control unit 2 and additional flag as a valid address feature for the reception of control commands.

This telegram is received in the receiving part 3 of the receiving unit. There, an assignment of the operating part 2 to the receiving part 3 is then made if the receiving part 3 is actually in the unassigned state and it is an assignment telegram. Command telegrams are thus ignored in the unassigned state. If this is the case, the address of the associated control unit 2 in the receiving part 3 is stored together with its selected identifier.

For safety reasons, the receiving part 3 in the unassigned state receives no control commands and in the assigned state controls commands only from the associated control section 2. For this purpose, commands emitted by the operating unit 2 must be paired with the valid address feature, so that the receiving part 3 can check the correctness of the commands.

For this purpose, the received and stored in the receiving unit address feature or only the address for the associated control panel 2 are compared to match in the verification unit.

Thus, a distinctive address must be provided only in the easily accessible control unit 2 and not in the receiving part 3. There it is sufficient to provide a license plate for the receiving part 3, the selected in a simple way as a crane number once on site by the operator, easily visible attached to the crane and during the assignment procedure is input via the keypad and transmitted to the receiving part.

In addition, the method according to the invention makes it possible to simplify the construction of the operating part 2 and the receiving part 3, since now only one transmitting unit in the operating part 2 and one receiving unit in the receiving part 3 are necessary. The receiving part 3 acknowledges the successful assignment of the operating part 2 to the signal unit 5, which outputs an acoustic signal.

It has now "assigned" the state and stored a valid address of the associated keypad 2. In this state, control commands can be received and output to the engine controller 4. However, only such control commands are output which have the stored address or were paired with it during the transmission, that is to say have been transmitted together with a valid address feature.

An assigned receiving part can be remotely controlled with the associated control unit or by means of the receiving part itself, z. For example, reset a reset button to the "unassigned" state. This is usually done by an appropriate procedure from the keypad. The means on the receiving part itself are provided only for emergency, so the loss or defect of the assigned control panel.

The method for assigning the operating part 2 to the receiving part 3 will now be schematically illustrated by means of Fig. 2 be explained.

After switching on a control panel 2, which is not yet assigned, that is in the unassigned state, for example by pressing the stop button longer, its display shows 9 as a crane number or flag "00" (step S1). This displays the unassigned state of keypad 2.

If the operating part 2 were assigned to a receiving part 3, then the display 9 would display its identification or crane number.

In order to assign an unassigned operating part 2 to a certain likewise unassigned receiving part 3, a change is initially made to the mode for changing the settings by a predefined sequence of keys (step S2).

The display 9 now shows "0" and flashes.

The operator can now by pressing appropriate buttons, eg. "Left" and "right" select the two-digit flag by incrementing or decrementing the displayed number (step S3). Subsequently, by pressing the signal button for the signal unit, the selected flag is confirmed and continuously displayed on the display (step S4A).

If the present display is only a one-digit display, the method just described can be repeated for each digit of the two-digit crane number.

Finally, by pressing the "raise" key, the mode for changing settings or assignment is left. If the selected flag is actually not equal to "00", the further assignment takes place, otherwise an abort (step S5A). The selected characteristic of the receiving part 3 is then stored in the operating part 2 (step S6).

Furthermore, the selected identifier and the address of the control unit 2 are transmitted as a telegram in the form of a suitable signal 10 to the corresponding receiving part 3 (step S7).

This acknowledges the reception and the successful assignment by means of a double actuation of the signal unit 5, thus, for example, a double horn (step S8A), and stores the combination of the unique address of the control unit 2 and selected indicator of the receiving part 3 as a valid address feature.

Subsequently, both the control unit 2 and the hoist of the receiving part 3 are in stop mode. The display 9 now displays the assigned identifier of the receiving part 3.

Was the receiving part 3 already assigned, so there is no new assignment and there is also no confirmation by the signal unit. 5

The method just described can be left or canceled at any time by pressing the stop button or timing without input (time out), which is indicated by corresponding arrows in Fig. 2 is indicated.

The receiving part 3 can now only be controlled via the assigned operating part 2 in order to receive control commands for the machine control 4 or to be reset to the new assignment.

To cancel the assignment of an operating part 2 and a receiving part 3 is as above procedure, with the new flag "00" is selected. Subsequently, both the corresponding operating part 2 and the receiving part 3 are in the unassigned state. The steps S4B, S5B and S7 are accordingly also run through, which differ from their "A" counterparts in that an assignment takes place only if the new flag is "00".

To distinguish the successful reset, an acknowledgment is also made by the signal unit 5 in the form of a triple horn (step S8B).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

system

2

control panel

3

receive part

4

machine control

5

signal unit

6

drive

7

commander

8th

battery

9

display

10

signals

Claims (15)

1. Method for wirelessly transmitting control commands for a controller (4) for lifting gear, wherein the control commands are transmitted from an operating part (2) to a receiving part (3) of the lifting gear, characterized in that the wireless operating part (2) exhibits an unmistakable address and the receiving part (3) of the lifting gear exhibits a selectable identifier, wherein an unambiguous allocation of the operating part (2) to a receiving part (3) of a lifting gear is created, comprising the following steps for the allocation of the operating part (2) to the receiving part (3):

   (i) Formation of an address feature from the address of the operating part (2) and the identifier of the receiving part (3);

   (ii) Transmission of the address feature in an allocation message;

   (iii) Reception of the transmitted allocation message in the receiving part (3),
   and

   (iv) Allocation of the operating part (2) to the receiving part (3), if the receiving part (3) is in the non-allocated state, by storing the address feature as a valid address feature in the receiving part (3).
2. Method according to Claim 1, characterized in that the receiving part (3) only accepts allocation messages in the non-allocated state.
3. Method according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the receiving part (3) in the non-receiving state does not accept any control commands.
4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiving part (3) in the allocating state only accepts control commands from the operating part (2) allocated to it if this is transmitted paired with a valid address feature.
5. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating part (2) must be in the allocation mode in order to transmit an allocation message.
6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the operating part (2) stores the identifier of the allocated receiving part (3) after the transmission of the allocation message.
7. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiving part (3) acknowledges a successful allocation of an operating part by means of a signal unit (5).
8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiving part (3) is connected to the controller (4) and forwards control commands only in the allocated mode.
9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the power supply of the controller (4) is controlled by the receiving part (3).
10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the receiving part (3) can be set back into the non-allocated state.
11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that control commands for the controller (4) are wirelessly transmitted by the allocated operating part (2) to the receiving part (3), wherein the control commands are paired with the valid address feature to form a command message.
12. Wireless transmitting system (1) for control commands for a controller (4) of lifting gear, with a wireless operating part (2), which exhibits a transmitting unit, and with a receiving part (3), which exhibits a receiving unit and is connected to the controller (4), in order to receive control commands deriving from the operating part (2) and forwarding them to the connected controller (4), wherein the receiving unit (3) is designed with a checking unit, which undertakes the allocation of the operating part (2) to the receiving part (3), characterized in that the operating part (2) exhibits an unmistakeable address, a selectable identifier is allocated to the receiving part (3), and a checking unit undertakes the allocation of the operating part (2) to the receiving part (3) by storing a combination of the address of the allocated operating part (2) and the selected identifier as a valid address feature in the receiving part (3) when the receiving part (3) is in the non-allocated state.
13. System according to claim 12, characterized in that the receiving part (3) is designed such as to accept an address feature in the form of an allocation message only in the non-allocated state, and that the receiving part (3) is designed such as not to accept any control commands in the non-allocated state.
14. System according to one of claims 12 to 13, characterized in that the receiving part (3) is designed such as to accept control commands in the allocated state only from the allocated operating part (2) if these are transmitted paired with the valid address feature, and the receiving part (3) exhibits a signal unit (5) for acknowledging the successful allocation of an operating part.
15. System according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that the power supply of the machine controller (4) is controlled by the receiving part (3).

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