Crown Equipment Corporation

Sebastian Sick

Lewis Henry Manci

Andreas Simon

Juergen Buchmann

A system for controlling an industrial vehicle comprises an information linking device, a badge communicator, an operator badge, and a controller. The controller controls the industrial vehicle operating state by identifying that an operator possessing the operator badge has approached the industrial vehicle, communicating with the server via the information linking device to authenticate the operator as authorized to operate the industrial vehicle, and pairing the operator badge with the industrial vehicle upon determining that the operator is authorized to operate the industrial vehicle. Moreover, the controller controls the industrial vehicle operating state by controlling the industrial vehicle based upon a location of the operator badge relative to the industrial vehicle.

Electronic badge to authenticate and track industrial vehicle operator

Electronic badges are indirectly tracked by detecting, by a badge communicator on a select industrial vehicle of a fleet of industrial vehicles, the presence of an electronic badge and performing a badge logging transaction in response to detecting the electronic badge. The badge logging transaction includes receiving, by the badge communicator, a badge identifier transmitted by the detected electronic badge. The badge logging transaction also includes determining, by the badge communicator, an offset measurement of the electronic badge relative to the select industrial vehicle, electronically determining a vehicle location of the select industrial vehicle, and identifying a badge location based upon the determined vehicle location and the measured offset. The badge logging transaction can also include generating a time stamp, and wirelessly communicating a badge locator message to a remote server, the badge locator message including the badge identifier, the badge location, and the timestamp.

Indirect electronic badge tracking

A process uses electronic badges to convey a condition associated with an environment to an industrial vehicle. The process comprises identifying a condition in a limited, defined environment and associating the identified condition with a badge ID. The process also comprises programming an electronic badge based upon the identified condition and positioning the electronic badge within a work area of industrial vehicles. Still further, the process comprises receiving, by a processor on an industrial vehicle, information from the electronic badge including at least one of the associated badge ID and the identified condition. The information is received via a badge communicator that communicates with electronic badges that are within a predetermined range of the industrial vehicle via a first wireless communication link. The process also determines the condition from the information from the electronic badge, and controls the industrial vehicle to take a predetermined action based upon the determined condition.

Electronic badge as a talking marker

An industrial vehicle passing maneuver is authorized by an automated process. The process comprises receiving, by a processor, a first message, a second message and a third message. The first message indicates a position of a first industrial vehicle in a work environment. The second message indicates a position of an electronic badge that is detected by the first industrial vehicle. The third message indicates a position of a second industrial vehicle within the work environment. The processor determines that the second industrial vehicle intends to pass the first industrial vehicle, and determines an instruction comprising a select one of an instruction related to a passing maneuver or an instruction not to pass based upon the position of the first industrial vehicle, the position of the electronic badge, and the position of the second industrial vehicle. The instruction is communicated to the second industrial vehicle.

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Vaterstetten, Germany

Sebastian Sick