User interface device for industrial vehicle

Abstract

A processing device comprising a graphical user interface in an industrial vehicle is provided. The processing device comprises a touch screen display that receives touch gesture commands from a vehicle operator, memory storing executable instructions, and a processor in communication with the memory. The processor when executing the executable instructions: defines a plurality of widgets, wherein each widget comprises a visual representation of a current state of an associated function of the vehicle, displays a subset of the plurality of widgets on a portion of the touch screen display defining a plurality of widget spaces, and displays an icon tray on the touch screen display comprising one or more icons, in which at least one of the one or more icons corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of widgets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A processing device comprising a graphical user interface, the processing device comprising:
 a screen display;   memory storing executable instructions; and   a processor in communication with the memory, wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 defines a plurality of widgets, wherein each widget comprises a visual representation of a current state of an associated function; 
 controls display of a subset of the plurality of widgets on a portion of the screen display defining a plurality of widget spaces, wherein one of the widget spaces comprises a locked widget space; 
 controls display of an icon tray on the screen display comprising one or more icons, wherein at least one of the one or more icons corresponds to a respective one of the plurality of widgets; 
 detects activation of one of the one or more icons corresponding to the respective one widget; and 
 in response to detecting the activation of the one icon:
 automatically moves the respective one widget to the locked widget space; 
 locks the respective one widget in position in the locked widget space; and 
 shifts the remaining one or more widgets in the subset to the one or more remaining widget spaces. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 defines the icon tray as a separate portion of the screen display from the plurality of widget spaces, the icon tray being spaced apart from the plurality of widget spaces.   
     
     
         3 . The processing device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the screen display comprises a touch screen display that receives touch gesture commands from a vehicle operator; and   the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 shifts a position of the remaining one or more widgets of the subset on the touch screen display following detection of a touch gesture on the touch screen display. 
   
     
     
         4 . The processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 controls display of a first menu associated with the respective one widget when a first menu portion of the respective one widget is activated by a vehicle operator.   
     
     
         5 . The processing device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the screen display comprises a touch screen display that receives touch gesture commands from the vehicle operator;   the first menu comprises a list, a sidebar, or a scroll wheel; and   a display of options in the first menu is altered by one of a tap gesture, a swipe gesture, or a slide gesture on the touch screen display, the options within the first menu being color-coded with a different color.   
     
     
         6 . The processing device of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the screen display comprises a touch screen display that receives touch gesture commands from the vehicle operator; and   the first menu portion of the respective one widget is activated by the vehicle operator touching or selecting the first menu portion.   
     
     
         7 . The processing device of  claim 4 , wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 defines a plurality of sub-menus, each sub-menu corresponding to a particular option within the first menu, wherein one sub-menu is displayed on the screen display after the corresponding option within the first menu has been selected.   
     
     
         8 . The processing device of  claim 7 , wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 color codes at least a portion of the one sub-menu using a same color associated with the corresponding option within the first menu.   
     
     
         9 . The processing device of  claim 7 , wherein one or more of the first menu or the sub-menus are displayed within the respective one widget. 
     
     
         10 . The processing device of  claim 7 , wherein one or more of the first menu or the sub-menus are displayed in a separate window that is temporarily superimposed over one or more of the widget spaces. 
     
     
         11 . The processing device of  claim 7 , wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 defines the respective one widget as a rack height select (RHS) widget, the RHS widget comprising a workspace zone menu defining the first menu, the workspace zone menu comprising a plurality of workspace zones, each workspace zone having a corresponding sub-menu comprising a plurality of stored rack heights associated with the workspace zone.   
     
     
         12 . The processing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 at least a portion of a visual depiction of each workspace zone comprises a different color; and   at least a portion of a visual depiction of each corresponding sub-menu comprises a same color as the associated workspace zone.   
     
     
         13 . The processing device of  claim 1 , wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 defines one of the plurality of widgets as a rack height select (RHS) widget, the RHS widget comprising:
 a workspace zone selection portion defining a first menu portion; 
 a rack height selection portion defining a sub-menu portion; and 
 a load presence indicator. 
   
     
     
         14 . The processing device of  claim 13 , wherein the RHS widget is the respective one widget that is locked in position in the locked widget space and wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 detects a selection of a particular workspace zone and a particular stored rack height related to the particular workspace zone, wherein after the selection of the particular workspace zone and the particular stored rack height:
 the workspace zone selection portion comprises an identifier of the particular workspace zone selected, 
 the rack height selection portion comprises an identifier of the particular stored rack height selected, and 
 the load presence indicator comprises a visual indication of a presence or an absence of a detected load. 
   
     
     
         15 . The processing device of  claim 14 , wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 overrides the indication of the absence of a detected load upon activation of the load presence indicator by a vehicle operator.   
     
     
         16 . The processing device of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a vehicle network system connecting the processor to at least one vehicle network bus, wherein the processor extracts a current position of a carriage assembly and a current sensed load weight,   wherein the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 defines one of the plurality of widgets as a capacity data monitoring (CDM) widget, the CDM widget comprising a visual representation of the current position of the carriage assembly and the current sensed load weight. 
   
     
     
         17 . The processing device of  claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle operator control section comprising one or more physical input control elements, wherein the one or more physical input control elements are used to make selections on the screen display. 
     
     
         18 . The processing device of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more physical input control elements comprise at least one of a five-button control, a trigger switch, or a rotary control knob. 
     
     
         19 . The processing device of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the screen display comprises a touch screen display that receives touch gesture commands from a vehicle operator; and   the processor when executing the executable instructions:
 determines if a speed of the industrial vehicle is below a threshold speed; and 
 changes one or more of the widgets of the subset on the touch screen display following detection of a touch gesture on the touch screen display and if the speed of the industrial vehicle is below the threshold speed.