Claims
- 1. An airport rescue fire fighting vehicle comprising:
a turret system, the turret system further comprising an articulated boom assembly, a nozzle, and a penetrating probe, the nozzle and the penetrating probe being mounted at an end of the boom assembly, the penetrating probe being configured to penetrate a skin of an aircraft; and a control system, the control system further comprising
a plurality of input devices associated with the turret system, a plurality of output devices associated with the turret system, a plurality of interface modules, at least one of the plurality of interface modules being associated with the turret system, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to each other by way of a communication network, the plurality of interface modules each being coupled to respective ones of the plurality of input devices and the plurality of output devices, and the plurality of interface modules being operative to control the output devices based on input status information from the plurality of input devices.
- 2. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a cab module and a chassis module, wherein the cab module is mounted on top of the chassis and is modular in construction such that the cab module is mounted on top of the chassis module as a substantially complete stand-alone unit.
- 3. The vehicle according to claim 2, wherein the cab module comprises a plurality of windows having a trapezoidal shape with tops of the windows leaning back toward a vehicle body of the vehicle.
- 4. The vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a camera mounted at an end of the articulated boom assembly near the penetrating probe.
- 5. An aircraft rescue fire fighting vehicle comprising:
(A) a chassis module; (B) a cab module; (C) a control system, the control system further comprising a plurality of input devices, a plurality of output devices, a plurality of interface modules, and a communication network, the plurality of interface modules being distributed throughout the fire fighting vehicle and being coupled to each other by way of the communication network, the plurality of interface modules each being coupled to the plurality of input devices and output devices, and the plurality of interface modules being operative to control the output devices based on input status information from the plurality of input devices; wherein some of the plurality of interface modules are mounted on the chassis module and other ones of the plurality of interface modules are mounted on the cab module; wherein the cab module is mounted on top of the chassis and is modular in construction such that the cab module is mounted on top of the chassis module as a substantially complete stand-alone unit.
- 6. The vehicle according to claim 5, wherein the cab module is mounted on top of the chassis by a process consisting essentially of attaching the substantially complete cab module to the chassis module and connecting the cab module to the communication network and to power.
- 7. The vehicle according to claim 6, wherein the cab module is mounted on top of the chassis by bolting the cab module to the chassis module.
- 8. A vehicle kit for manufacturing a vehicle, comprising:
(A) a plurality of chassis modules including
(1) a first chassis module, the first chassis module further comprising a first plurality of input devices, a first plurality of output devices, a first plurality of interface modules, and a first communication network, the first plurality of interface modules being coupled to each other by way of the first communication network, the first plurality of interface modules each being coupled to the first plurality of input devices and the first plurality of output devices, and the first plurality of interface modules being configured to control the first plurality of output devices; (2) a second chassis module, the second chassis module having a different number of load-carrying wheels than the first chassis module, the second chassis module further comprising a second plurality of input devices, a second plurality of output devices, a second plurality of interface modules, and a second communication network, the second plurality of interface modules being coupled to each other by way of the second communication network, the second plurality of interface modules each being coupled to the second plurality of input devices and the second plurality of output devices, and the second plurality of interface modules being configured to control the second plurality of output devices; (B) a cab module, the cab module further comprising a third plurality of input devices, a third plurality of output devices, a third plurality of interface modules, and a communication network, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to each other by way of the communication network, the plurality of interface modules each being coupled to the plurality of input devices and output devices, and the plurality of interface modules being operative to control the output devices based on input status information from the plurality of input devices; wherein both the first and second chassis modules are configured to receive the cab module and have the cab module mounted thereon as a substantially complete stand-alone unit.
- 9. A vehicle kit according to claim 8, wherein the first and second chassis modules comprise different numbers of load-carrying wheels.
- 10. A vehicle kit according to claim 8, wherein the first and second chassis modules have different load carrying capacities.
- 11. A vehicle kit according to claim 8, wherein the cab module is a first cab module, wherein the vehicle kit comprises a second cab module, and wherein the first and second cab modules are configured to have different passenger-carrying capacities.
- 12. A vehicle kit according to claim 8, wherein the vehicle is an airport rescue and fire fighting vehicle and wherein the first and second chassis modules have different water-carrying capacities.
- 13. A vehicle kit according to claim 8, further comprising means for attaching the cab module to either of the first and second chassis modules.
- 14. A vehicle kit according to claim 13, wherein the means for attaching is bolt assembly.
- 15. The vehicle kit according to claim 8, wherein both the first and second chassis modules are configured to receive the cab module and have the cab module mounted thereon by a process consisting essentially of attaching the substantially complete cab module to the respective chassis module and connecting the cab module to the communication network and to power.
- 16. The vehicle according to claim 15, both the first and second chassis modules are configured to have the cab module attached thereto by a bolt assembly.
- 17. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the cab module comprises a plurality of windows having a trapezoidal shape with tops of the windows leaning back toward a vehicle body of the vehicle.
- 18. The vehicle according to claim 8, wherein each of the plurality of interface modules stores I/O status information for each of the remaining ones of the plurality of interface modules to provide each of the plurality of interface modules with total system awareness, and wherein each of the plurality of interface module modules processes its own inputs and outputs based at least in part on the I/O status information received from the remaining ones of the plurality of interface modules.
- 19. An aircraft rescue fire fighting vehicle comprising:
(A) a chassis module; (B) a cab module; (C) an articulated arm; (D) a power distribution and control system, the power distribution and control system further including
(1) a power source, (2) a power transmission link, (3) a plurality of output devices, (4) a plurality of input devices, (5) a communication network, and (6) a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the power source by way of the power transmission link, the plurality of interface modules being interconnected to each other by way of the communication network, and the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the plurality of input devices and to the plurality of output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links; and wherein the plurality of interface modules, the plurality of input devices, and the plurality of output devices are distributed throughout the fire fighting vehicle; wherein each respective interface module is locally disposed with respect to the respective input and output devices to which the respective interface module is coupled so as to permit distributed data collection from the plurality of input devices and distributed power distribution to the plurality of output devices; wherein some of the plurality of interface modules are mounted on the chassis module and other ones of the plurality of interface modules are mounted on the cab module; and wherein the cab module is mounted on top of the chassis and is modular in construction such that the cab module is mounted on top of the chassis module as a substantially complete stand-alone unit.
- 20. A vehicle comprising:
(A) a power distribution and control system, the power distribution and control system further including
(1) a power source, (2) a power transmission link, (3) a plurality of input devices, (4) a plurality of output devices, and (5) a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the power source by way of the power transmission link, the plurality of interface modules being interconnected to each other by way of the communication network, the plurality of interface modules including first and second interface modules and a plurality of additional interface modules distributed throughout the vehicle, each of the plurality of interface modules being coupled to respective ones of the plurality of input devices and to the plurality of output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links, the plurality of interface modules cooperating to control the plurality of output devices based on input status information from the plurality of input devices; (B) a chassis; (C) a vehicle module, the vehicle module being mounted on the chassis and the weight of the vehicle module being supported by the chassis, the vehicle module having at least one of the plurality of interface modules mounted thereon, the vehicle module including a mechanical drive device capable of imparting motion to solid or liquid matter that is not part of the vehicle, the vehicle module being removable and replaceable with other vehicle modules having other mechanical drive devices, the interface module being connected to a subset of the plurality of input devices and to a subset of the plurality of output devices which (1) are located on the module and (2) are associated with the mechanical drive device, such that the operation of the mechanical drive device is at least partially controlled by the interface module mounted on the vehicle module.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Prov. No. 60/388,451, filed Jun. 13, 2002, entitled “Control System and Method for an Equipment Service Vehicle,” hereby expressly incorporated by reference. This application is also a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 10/325,439, filed Dec. 20, 2002, entitled “Equipment Service Vehicle With Network-Assisted Vehicle Service and Repair,” pending, which (1) is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/927,946, filed Aug. 10, 2001, entitled “Military Vehicle Having Cooperative Control Network With Distributed I/O Interfacing,” pending, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/384,393, filed Aug. 27, 1999, entitled “Military Vehicle Having Cooperative Control Network With Distributed I/O Interfacing,” now U.S. Pat. No. 6,421,593, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/364,690, filed Jul. 30, 1999, entitled “Firefighting Vehicle Having Cooperative Control Network With Distributed I/O Interfacing,” abandoned; (2) is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Ser. No. 09/500,506, filed Feb. 9, 2000, entitled “Equipment Service Vehicle Having On-Board Diagnostic System,” allowed; (3) claims priority to U.S. Prov. No. 60/342,292, filed Dec. 21, 2001, entitled “Vehicle Control and Monitoring System and Method;” (4) claims priority to U.S. Prov. No. 60/360,479, filed Feb. 28, 2002, entitled “Turret Control System and Method for a Fire Fighting Vehicle;” and (5) claims priority to U.S. Prov. No. 60/388,451, filed Jun. 13, 2002, entitled “Control System and Method for an Equipment Service Vehicle;” all of which are hereby expressly incorporated by reference.
Provisional Applications (4)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60388451 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
|
60342292 |
Dec 2001 |
US |
|
60360479 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
|
60388451 |
Jun 2002 |
US |
Continuation in Parts (5)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
10325439 |
Dec 2002 |
US |
Child |
10460756 |
Jun 2003 |
US |
Parent |
09927946 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Child |
10325439 |
Dec 2002 |
US |
Parent |
09384393 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Child |
09927946 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Parent |
09364690 |
Jul 1999 |
US |
Child |
09384393 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Parent |
09500506 |
Feb 2000 |
US |
Child |
10325439 |
|
US |