US 11,583,716 C1 (13,259th)
Pump operation panel simulator
David S. Bouwkamp, Dexter, MI (US); William Martin, Perrysburg, OH (US); Nikolaos Dimitri Zachary Kazakos, Ypsilanti, MI (US); James R. Mason, Manchester, MI (US); Dale Eammon Atkin, Dundee, MI (US); Travis Staley, Milan, MI (US); Steven Olson, Ann Arbor, MI (US); Joseph Lewis Clift, Signal Mountain, TN (US); Stuart Ball, Uniontown, OH (US); and Philip C. Duczyminski, Ypsilanti, MI (US)
Filed by FAAC Incorporated, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Assigned to FAAC INCORPORATED, Ann Arbor, MI (US)
Reexamination Request No. 90/019,891, Mar. 28, 2025.
Reexamination Certificate for Patent 11,583,716, issued Feb. 21, 2023, Appl. No. 16/570,717, Sep. 13, 2019.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/732,304, filed on Sep. 17, 2018.
Ex Parte Reexamination Certificate issued on May 14, 2026.
Int. Cl. A62C 99/00 (2010.01); G06T 19/00 (2011.01); G09B 9/00 (2006.01)
CPC A62C 99/0081 (2013.01) [A62C 99/009 (2013.01); G06T 19/006 (2013.01); G09B 9/00 (2013.01)]
OG exemplary drawing
AS A RESULT OF REEXAMINATION, IT HAS BEEN DETERMINED THAT:
Claims 1, 4, 5, and 7 are determined to be patentable as amended.
Claims 2, 3, and 6, dependent on an amended claim, are determined to be patentable.
New claims 8-18 are added and determined to be patentable.
1. An apparatus comprising a pump panel training device , [ configured for training a pump panel operator to operate a fire truck pump panel that controls pump machinery and delivers water to at least one discharge connection, the apparatus ] comprising:
a plurality of simulated gages operable to imitate gages upon a [ the ] fire truck pump panel;
a plurality of simulated controls operable to imitate controls upon the fire truck pump panel; and
a simulated water hose operable to imitate one of water temperature changes , water pressure, and water hose vibration for [ that may occur in actual operation of ] the fire truck pump panel; and
wherein the simulated water hose comprises a hose portion comprising a round hose fitting on a first end and a sealed end on a second end [ ;
wherein the imitated water temperature changes are controlled as a result of simulated operation of the pump machinery and manipulation of the simulated controls by the pump panel operator] .
4. An apparatus comprising a pump panel training device , [ configured for training a pump panel operator to operate a fire truck pump panel that controls pump machinery and delivers water to at least one discharge connection, the apparatus ] comprising:
a plurality of simulated gages operable to imitate gages upon a [ the ] fire truck pump panel;
a plurality of simulated controls operable to imitate controls upon the fire truck pump panel;
a simulated water hose operable to imitate one of water temperature changes, water pressure, and water hose vibration for [ that may occur in actual operation of ] the fire truck pump panel; and
a display operable to display rendered graphics; and
wherein the display comprises an external display attached to the pump panel training device and operable to display details of a simulated environment around the pump panel training device; and
[ wherein the imitated one of the water temperature changes, the water pressure, and the water hose vibration is controlled as a result of simulated operation of the pump machinery and manipulation of the simulated controls by the pump panel operator] .
5. A system comprising a plurality of pump panel training devices, [ each of the pump panel training devices being configured for training a pump panel operator to operate a fire truck pump panel that controls pump machinery and delivers water to at least one discharge connection, ] comprising:
the plurality of pump panel training devices, each comprising:
a plurality of simulated gages operable to imitate gages upon a [ the ] fire truck pump panel;
a plurality of simulated controls operable to imitate controls upon the fire truck pump panel; and
a simulated water hose operable to imitate one of water temperature changes, water pressure, and water hose vibration for [ that may occur in actual operation of ] the fire truck pump panel; and
a computerized device operable to coordinate data between the plurality of pump panel training devices [ ; and
wherein the imitated one of the water temperature changes, the water pressure, and the water hose vibration is controlled as a result of simulated operation of the pump machinery and manipulation of the simulated controls by the pump panel operator] .
7. A system comprising a pump panel training device [ configured for training a pump panel operator to operate a fire truck pump panel that controls pump machinery and delivers water to at least one discharge connection ] and a driver training device, comprising:
the pump panel training device, comprising:
a plurality of simulated gages operable to imitate gages upon a the fire truck pump panel;
a plurality of simulated controls operable to imitate controls upon the fire truck pump panel; and
a simulated water hose operable to imitate one of water temperature changes, water pressure, and water hose vibration for [ that may occur in actual operation of ] the fire truck pump panel;
the driver training device operable to simulate driving operation of a fire truck, and a computerized device operable to coordinate data between the pump panel training device and the driver training device [ ; and
wherein the imitated one of the water temperature changes, the water pressure, and the water hose vibration is controlled as a result of simulated operation of the pump machinery and manipulation of the simulated controls by the pump panel operator] .
[ 8. An apparatus comprising a pump panel training device configured for training a pump panel operator to operate a fire truck pump panel that controls pump machinery and delivers water to at least one discharge connection, said apparatus comprising:
a cabinet;
a plurality of simulated gages disposed upon the cabinet and operable to imitate gages upon the fire truck pump panel during simulated operation of the pump machinery and simulated delivery of the water to provide visual information to the pump panel operator of a status of operation;
a plurality of simulated controls disposed upon the cabinet and operable to imitate controls upon the fire truck pump panel for the pump panel operator to manipulate and simulate operation the pump machinery while maintaining and adjusting the status of operation thereof;
at least one simulated connection fitting extending therefrom; and
a simulated water hose having a first end comprising a hose fitting operable to be attached to the at least one simulated connection fitting and a second end defining a hose portion between the first end and the second end, wherein the simulated water hose is operable to imitate one of water temperature changes, water pressure, and water hose vibration that may occur in actual operation of the fire truck pump panel and that may be sensed by the panel operator through contact with the simulated water hose, wherein the imitated one of the water temperature changes, the water pressure, and the water hose vibration are controlled as a result of the simulated operation of the pump machinery and manipulation of the simulated controls by the pump panel operator.]
[ 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the simulated connection fitting includes an intake fitting.]
[ 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the intake fitting includes a five-inch diameter hose connection.]
[ 11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the imitated one of the water temperature changes, the water pressure, and the water hose vibration are provided as an output to the pump panel operator and wherein the pump panel operator is scored based upon a reaction to the output.]
[ 12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the imitated one of the water temperature changes, the water pressure, and the water hose vibration is the water temperature changes; and
further comprising a thermal control device disposed within the cabinet and operable to affect the water temperature changes.]
[ 13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the imitated one of the water temperature changes, the water pressure, and the water hose vibration is the water pressure; and
further comprising a substance pressure control device disposed within the cabinet and operable to affect the water pressure.]
[ 14. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the imitated one of the water temperature changes, the water pressure, and the water hose vibration is the water hose vibration; and
further comprising a substance pressure control device disposed within the cabinet and operable to affect the water hose vibration.]
[ 15. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a computerized pump panel control device including at least one processor, in communication with the plurality of simulated controls and the plurality of simulated gages, and configured to operate a computerized simulation to generate the simulated operation of the pump machinery.]
[ 16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computerized pump panel control device is further operable to affect imitation of the one of the water temperature changes, the water pressure, and the water hose vibration that may be sensed by the panel operator through contact with the simulated water hose.]
[ 17. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computerized pump panel control device includes programming configured to enable communicative connection of the apparatus to a second pump panel training device and to simulate two fire trucks operating in series.]
[ 18. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the computerized pump panel control device includes programming configured to enable communicative connection of the apparatus to a driver training device and to simulate coordination between the pump panel operator and a fire truck driver operating driving controls of a fire truck including the fire truck pump panel.]