Caterpillar Inc.

Amit Jayachandran

Mary Lou Kesse

Anthony James Grichnik

Michael Seskin

Christopher Lewis Wynkoop

James Mason

Wade D Scrivner

Evan Earl Jacobson

Wade James Robel

James W Landes

Michael S Lukich

James Harris Mutti

Timothy Joe Felty

James Josh Driscoll

Balmes Tejeda

Zhiyong Wei

Liangtao Zhu

Baoyong Liu

Purna Chander Nalla

Mary Louise Yeager

Tim Felty

Ethan D Sanborn

Wade S Willden

Chris L Wynkoop

A system for estimating a payload includes a torque sensor, a grade detector, and a machine acceleration sensor. A controller compares the angle of inclination to its threshold, compares the rate of change in the angle of inclination to its threshold, and compares the machine acceleration to its threshold. An estimate of the payload is determined based upon the output torque from the prime mover, the angle of inclination of the machine, and the unloaded mass but only if the angle of inclination of the machine is greater than the angle of inclination threshold, the rate of change in the angle of inclination is less than the inclination rate of change threshold, and the machine acceleration is less than the acceleration threshold.

System for estimating a mass of a payload in a hauling machine

An exhaust system for use with a combustion engine is disclosed. The exhaust system may have an exhaust passage, a reduction catalyst disposed within the exhaust passage, and an injection device configured to inject reductant into the exhaust passage. The exhaust system may also have a sensor configured to generate a signal indicative of a concentration of an exhaust constituent and the reductant, and a controller in communication with the sensor and the injection device. The controller may be configured to make a comparison of a value indicative of a rate of change of the signal for a period of time with a threshold amount, and make a determination of whether the sensor is sensing a concentration of the exhaust constituent or the reductant based on the comparison. The controller may also be configured to adjust operation of the injection device based on the determination.

Exhaust system having cross-sensitive sensor

A method is provided for a virtual sensor system. The method may include obtaining data records associated with a plurality of input parameters and at least one output parameter and adjusting values of the input parameters based on autocorrelation of respective input parameters. The method may also include reconfiguring the input parameters based on cross-correlation of respective input parameters relative to the output parameter and establishing a first virtual sensor process model indicative of interrelationships between the adjusted and reconfigured input parameters and the output parameter.

Virtual sensor based engine control system and method

A method of introducing reductant to an exhaust stream is disclosed. The method may include ordering a first dosing event, supplying a reductant to a dispensing device in response to ordering the first dosing event, dispensing reductant from the dispensing device into the exhaust stream, and forcing reductant from the dispensing device toward a reductant source, wherein sufficient reductant remains in a pumping device and a fluid passage to keep the pumping device primed.

Method for introducing a reductant into an exhaust stream

An engine system includes an integrated engine and aftertreatment control system via an electronic aftertreatment controller that is in communication with the electronic engine controller. An aftertreatment control algorithm is operable to generate an exhaust control signal and a reductant dosing control signal. The dosing control signal is used to control a flow rate of a reductant (e.g. urea) injection rate into the exhaust system for facilitating a reduction reaction with NOx in the exhaust flow at a suitable downstream catalyst location. The exhaust control signal is communicated to the electronic engine controller, which responds by altering engine operation to change some aspect of the engine exhaust. In one specific example, an ammonia slip event precondition is detected by the electronic aftertreatment controller, and an exhaust control signal in the form of an increase NOx request is communicated to the engine controller, which responds by altering engine operation to increase NOx output in the hopes of preempting the expected ammonia slip event prior to its actual occurrence to maintain undesirable emissions low at the tailpipe.

Integrated engine and exhaust after treatment system and method of operating same

An after-treatment component detection system may include an exhaust system configured to include an after-treatment component configured to remove one or more constituents of the exhaust gases. The detection system may include an upstream temperature sensor configured to measure temperature upstream from the after-treatment component, a downstream temperature sensor configured to measure temperature downstream from the after-treatment component, and a controller. The controller may be configured to receive signals indicative of upstream temperature measurements from the upstream sensor and signals indicative of downstream temperature measurements from the downstream sensor and determine an upstream rate of temperature change and a downstream rate of temperature change. The controller may also be configured to compare the upstream rate of temperature change to the downstream rate of temperature change and generate a fault if the upstream rate of temperature change and the downstream rate of temperature change differ by less than a predetermined amount.

After-treatment component detection system

A method for transforming machine sensor data between a time domain and a combustion pulse domain is disclosed. The method may include determining a number of pulse events per rotation of a shaft and determining a sampling rate per pulse event. The method may also include sampling one or more sensors at the sampling rate per pulse event. The method also may include transforming the samples into the combustion pulse domain.

System and method for transforming data between the time domain and the combustion pulse domain

A method for providing a virtual sensor network based system. The method may include obtaining project data descriptive of a virtual sensor network to be used in a control system of a machine; establishing a virtual sensor network including a plurality of virtual sensors based on the project data. Each virtual sensor may have a model type, at least one input parameter, and at least one output parameter. The method may also include recording model information, measurement data, and performance information of the virtual sensor network including the plurality of virtual sensors; creating one or more calibration certificates of the virtual sensor network including a plurality of virtual sensors based on the model information, the measurement data, and the performance information; and generating a documentation package associated with the virtual sensor network. The documentation package may include at least an identification, the project data, and at least one calibration certificate of the virtual sensor network including a plurality of virtual sensors.

Virtual sensor network (VSN) based control system and method

An exhaust system for use with a combustion engine is disclosed. The exhaust system may have an exhaust passageway, and a reduction catalyst disposed within the exhaust passageway. The exhaust system may also have a first sensor located to generate a first signal indicative of an operational parameter of the reduction catalyst, and a second sensor located to generate a second signal indicative of a performance parameter of the reduction catalyst. The exhaust system may further have an injection device located to inject reductant upstream of the reduction catalyst, and a controller in communication with the combustion engine, the first sensor, the second sensor, and the injection device. The controller may be configured to determine a NOproduction of the combustion engine, determine an amount of reductant that should be injected based on the NOproduction and the first signal, and adjust the amount based on the second signal.

Exhaust system implementing feedforward and feedback control

A method is provided for designing a product. The method may include obtaining data records relating to one or more input variables and one or more output parameters associated with the product; and pre-processing the data records based on characteristics of the input variables. The method may also include selecting one or more input parameters from the one or more input variables; and generating a computational model indicative of interrelationships between the one or more input parameters and the one or more output parameters based on the data records. Further, the method may include providing a set of constraints to the computational model representative of a compliance state for the product; and using the computational model and the provided set of constraints to generate statistical distributions for the one or more input parameters and the one or more output parameters, wherein the one or more input parameters and the one or more output parameters represent a design for the product.

Probabilistic modeling system for product design

A prediction based engine control system is disclosed. The engine control system may have sensor configured to sense a current engine operation and generate a corresponding signal and a controller in communication with the sensor. The controller may be configured to receive the signal, compare the current engine operation to an allowable range of engine operation, predict a future engine operation based on the signal, and limit current engine operation based on the prediction, even when the current engine operation is within the allowable range of operation.

Prediction based engine control system and method

A method is provide for providing sensors for a machine. The method may include obtaining data records including data from a plurality of sensors for the machine and determining a virtual sensor corresponding to one of the plurality of sensors. The method may also include establishing a virtual sensor process model of the virtual sensor indicative of interrelationships between at least one sensing parameters and a plurality of measured parameters based on the data records and obtaining a set of values corresponding to the plurality of measured parameters. Further, the method may include calculating the values of the at least one sensing parameters substantially simultaneously based upon the set of values corresponding to the plurality of measured parameters and the virtual sensor process model and providing the values of the at least one sensing parameters to a control system.

Virtual sensor system and method

A method of controlling engine NOx production is provided. The method may include determining a desired amount of NOx production for at least one engine cylinder at a first time and determining at least one engine operating parameter to produce the desired amount of NOx using a feed-forward neural network.

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Peoria, IL, United States of America

Amit Jayachandran