Electronic controller and turf maintenance vehicle incorporating same

Abstract

A control system for use with a turf maintenance vehicle. In one embodiment, the control system may provide a discrete engine speed input that may provide one engine speed command upon actuation, but result in additional engine speed commands depending on an actuation time of the input. In other embodiments, the vehicle may include an electronic controller (EC) providing resettable property statistics for one or more properties. In still another embodiment, the EC may provide a maintenance monitor onboard the vehicle that indicates maintenance status, when maintenance tasks are due or past due, and permanently records historical information regarding maintenance tasks. The maintenance monitor may further adjust a maintenance interval before the maintenance task is again due based upon inputs to the maintenance monitor.

1 - 14 . (canceled) 
     
     
         15 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . (canceled) 
     
     
         22 . A turf maintenance vehicle comprising:
 a chassis supported upon a ground surface by ground-engaging members;   a prime mover supported by the chassis;   an implement also connected to the chassis, the implement operatively connected to the prime mover when a power take-off (PTO) is engaged, and operatively disconnected from the prime mover when the PTO is disengaged;   an electronic controller (EC) carried on the chassis, the EC comprising a system memory adapted to record one or both of: an accumulated run time of the prime mover; and an accumulated time that the PTO has been engaged; and   a maintenance monitor also carried by the chassis and in communication with the EC, the maintenance monitor comprising:
 an interactive display (ID) adapted to indicate a status of a maintenance interval, the maintenance interval corresponding to performance of a maintenance task, wherein the maintenance interval is either: an elapsed run time of the prime mover since the maintenance task was last performed; or a time that the PTO has been engaged since the maintenance task was last performed; 
 a first input associated with the ID and adapted to receive operator input indicating that the maintenance task is complete, wherein, after receiving the operator input, the maintenance interval is reset to either: a first duration; or a second duration different than the first duration; and 
 a maintenance memory to permanently store, at the time the maintenance task was completed, a record of: completion of the maintenance task; and either: the accumulated run time of the prime mover; or the accumulated time that the PTO has been engaged; 
   wherein a second input associated with the ID is adapted to receive one of either a first or second maintenance input corresponding to a first or second parameter of the maintenance task, respectively, wherein the first maintenance input results in the maintenance monitor setting the maintenance interval to the first duration, and the second maintenance input results in the maintenance monitor setting the maintenance interval to the second duration.   
     
     
         23 . The vehicle of  claim 22 , wherein the maintenance task comprises replacement of oil in the prime mover, wherein the first maintenance input comprises selecting a first oil type, and the second maintenance input comprises selecting a second oil type having a longer expected service life than the first oil type. 
     
     
         24 . The vehicle of  claim 22 , further comprising a transmission, the maintenance task comprising transmission oil replacement, wherein the first maintenance input comprises selecting a first transmission oil type, and the second maintenance input comprises selecting a second transmission oil type having a longer expected service life than the first transmission oil type. 
     
     
         25 . The vehicle of  claim 22 , wherein the maintenance monitor forms part of the EC. 
     
     
         26 . The vehicle of  claim 22 , wherein the first input and the second input comprise one or more switches. 
     
     
         27 . A method of monitoring maintenance tasks for a turf maintenance vehicle, the method comprising:
 recording, with an onboard electronic controller (EC), an accumulated run time of a prime mover of the vehicle, the accumulated run time corresponding to a total time that the prime mover has been operating;   indicating, with an onboard maintenance monitor, that a maintenance task is due, the maintenance monitor in communication with the EC;   providing an operator input to the maintenance monitor, the operator input indicating completion of the maintenance task;   providing a first or second maintenance input to the maintenance monitor corresponding to a first or second selection associated with the maintenance task, respectively, wherein, upon receiving the operator input and either the first or second maintenance input, the maintenance monitor establishes a maintenance interval, the maintenance interval corresponding to a run time of the prime mover to elapse before the maintenance task is again due, and wherein the maintenance interval is set to: a first duration upon providing the first maintenance input; or a second duration, different than the first duration, upon providing the second maintenance input; and   electronically storing an onboard, permanent record of: completion of the maintenance task; and the accumulated run time of the prime mover at the time the operator input was received indicating completion of the maintenance task.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein providing the first or second maintenance input comprises selecting a first or second oil type, respectively. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein selecting the first or second oil type comprises selecting a first or second engine oil type. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 28 , wherein selecting the first or second oil type comprises selecting a first or second transmission oil type. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein indicating that the maintenance task is due comprises presenting a visual indicator on a display attached to the chassis. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein providing an operator input to the maintenance monitor comprises manipulating a switch associated with a display attached to the chassis. 
     
     
         33 . A method of monitoring maintenance tasks for a turf maintenance vehicle, the method comprising:
 recording, with an onboard electronic controller (EC), an accumulated engagement time of a PTO associated with a prime mover of the vehicle, wherein the accumulated engagement time corresponds to a total time that the PTO has been engaged for operation;   indicating, with an onboard maintenance monitor, that a maintenance task is due, the maintenance monitor in communication with the EC;   providing an operator input to the maintenance monitor, the operator input indicating completion of the maintenance task;   providing a first or second maintenance input to the maintenance monitor corresponding to a first or second selection associated with the maintenance task, respectively, wherein, upon receiving the operator input and either the first or second maintenance input, the maintenance monitor establishes a maintenance interval, the maintenance interval corresponding to an elapsed engagement time of the PTO to occur before the maintenance task is again due, and wherein the maintenance interval is set to: a first duration upon providing the first maintenance input; or a second duration, different than the first duration, upon providing the second maintenance input; and   electronically storing an onboard, permanent record of: completion of the maintenance task; and the accumulated engagement time of the PTO at the time the operator input was received indicating completion of the maintenance task.   
     
     
         34 . A method of monitoring maintenance tasks for a turf maintenance vehicle, the method comprising:
 recording, with an onboard electronic controller (EC), an accumulated run time of an engine powering the vehicle, the accumulated run time corresponding to a total time that the engine has been operating, the EC comprising a maintenance monitor;   monitoring the accumulated run time of the engine with the maintenance monitor;   indicating, on a display screen in communication with the maintenance monitor, that a maintenance task is due;   providing an operator input to the maintenance monitor, the operator input indicating completion of the maintenance task;   providing a first or second maintenance input to the maintenance monitor corresponding to a first or second selection associated with the maintenance task, respectively, wherein, upon receiving the operator input and either the first or second maintenance input, the maintenance monitor establishes a maintenance interval, the maintenance interval corresponding to a run time of the engine to elapse before the maintenance task is again due, and wherein the maintenance interval is set to: a first duration upon providing the first maintenance input; or a second duration, different than the first duration, upon providing the second maintenance input; and   electronically storing an onboard, permanent record of: completion of the maintenance task; and the accumulated run time of the engine at the time the operator input was received indicating completion of the maintenance task.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the first maintenance input corresponds to a first engine oil providing a first expected service life, and the second maintenance input corresponds to a second engine oil providing a second expected service life less than the first expected service life. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein the first maintenance input corresponds to a first transmission oil providing a first expected service life, and the second maintenance input corresponds to a second transmission oil providing a second expected service life less than the first expected service life. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein indicating on the display screen that the maintenance task is due comprises displaying engine hours to elapse before the maintenance task is due. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 34 , wherein indicating on the display screen that the maintenance task is due comprises indicating that the maintenance task is past due by displaying a number of engine hours that have elapsed beyond when the maintenance task was due.