Caterpillar Inc.

Caterpillar Global Mining Equipment LLC

Christopher Lewis Wynkoop

Mary Lou Kesse

Amit Jayachandran

Dustin Dale Denning

Anthony James Grichnik

Jason Lee Miller

James Mason

Brett Michael Nee

Srikar Thaduvayi

Abhishek Awana

Robert Nicholas Harper

Timothy Joe Felty

Matthew Michael Tinker

Sairam Gopalan Velamakanni

Karl P Schneider

Mary Louise Yeager

Matthew James Sirovatka

David Pavlik

Tim Felty

Shanmugahari Murugesan

Nicholas Dodge

Andrew Saxsma

Luke T Melchior

Andrew Olson

F Walter Duren

Peter H Huang

Mariappan Paramasivan

A method for controlling an electric motor driving a hydraulic pump for a battery-powered electric mobile machine includes receiving one or more command signals for one or more hydraulically-driven systems. The method also includes determining a minimum pump speed for each of the one or more hydraulically-driven systems, and determining a highest minimum pump speed for the one or more hydraulically-driven systems. The method further includes converting the highest minimum pump speed to an electric motor command, and sending the electric motor command to the electric motor.

Systems and methods for a hydraulic system

As part of a start-up sequence, a controller of a machine causes one or more activation components of a battery of the machine to be enabled, then causes one or more electrical components associated with the battery to be enabled, then causes one or more non-accumulator components of a hydraulic system to be enabled, then causes one or more accumulator components of the hydraulic system to charge, and then causes one or more propulsion components to be enabled. As part of a shut-down sequence, the controller causes the one or more propulsion components to be disabled, then causes the one or more accumulator components of the hydraulic system to bleed, then causes the one or more non-accumulator components of the hydraulic system to be disabled, and then causes the one or more electrical components associated with the battery to be disabled.

Systems and methods for starting up and shutting down a machine

A controller of a machine identifies that a battery of the machine is connected to an electrical power connector component. The controller then causes one or more charging components of the battery of the machine to be enabled, then cause one or more electrical components associated with the battery of the machine to be enabled, then causes one or more cooling components of the machine to be enabled, then causes one or more propulsion components of the machine to be disabled, then causes one or more accumulator components of a hydraulic system of the machine to bleed, and then causes one or more non-accumulator components of the hydraulic system of the machine to be enabled. In this way, the controller causes the battery of the machine to enter into a charging state.

Causing a battery of a machine to enter into a charging state

The present disclosure relates to a method of controlling gear selection in a transmission of a vehicle in response to a directional shift requested by an operator and to a control system for controlling gear selection to manage directional shifts in vehicles, from a first direct to a second direction (e.g. forward to reverse). The method compares the current transmission output speed with a predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed. If the current transmission output speed is less than or equal to the predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed, the transmission is caused to execute a direction shift from the initial first direction gear to the same second direction gear, or a next highest second direction gear if there is no second direction gear which corresponds to the initial first direction gear. If the current transmission output speed is greater than the predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed, the direction shift is inhibited until the current transmission output speed slows to less than or equal to the predetermined direction shift threshold transmission output speed.

Directional shift control in vehicles

A method of controlling gear selection in a vehicle transmission comprises detecting a change in a direction control signal (DCS) from a neutral signal state. If the current TOS is less than or equal to a predetermined neutral shift threshold TOS, the transmission selects one of a plurality of first direction gears if the DCS was changed to a first direction signal state or one of a plurality of second direction gears if the DCS was changed to a second direction signal state. If the current TOS is greater than the predetermined neutral shift threshold TOS, the transmission selects one of the plurality of first direction gears if a machine motion direction parameter indicates that the vehicle is moving in the first direction or one of the plurality of second direction gears if the machine motion direction parameter indicates that the vehicle is moving in the second direction.

Method system for control of gear selection in vehicles

A method for controlling an engagement of a lock-up clutch (LUC) of a torque converter of a machine is disclosed. The method includes detecting a pedal tap of a pedal, wherein the pedal tap is detected when the pedal is depressed from a position corresponding to a pedal displacement less than a first threshold displacement to a position corresponding to a pedal displacement greater than a second threshold displacement, and then released to a position corresponding to a pedal displacement less than the first threshold displacement within a threshold time duration. The method further includes causing the LUC to move to the LUC unlocked position if the pedal tap is detected.

Retarding system and lock-up clutch engagement control

A control system for a machine with a rotatable operator station includes sensors to produce data indicative of suitability and unsuitability of the machine for initiating and completing adjustment, respectively, between a first control configuration where the operator station is at a first orientation and a second control configuration where the operator station is at a second orientation. A control device in the control system transitions the control system between a locking state for inhibiting rotation of the operator station and an unlocking state for permitting rotation, based on the suitability data and the unsuitability data.

Control system and operating method in machine having rotatable operator station

A braking reduction and transmission control system is implemented in a vehicle or machine having a power source and an automatic transmission connected by a torque converter providing a fluid coupling between a power source output shaft and a transmission input shaft. A lock-up clutch operatively connect to the torque converter is locked when the shafts are rotating at approximately the same speed. The braking reduction and transmission control system unlocks the lock-up clutch when operating conditions of the machine indicate that a transmission downshift will occur, such as when a combination of a brake input device displacement and a machine ground speed compared to a transmission downshift schedule indicate that the downshift will occur. Prior to downshifting the transmission and unlocking the torque converter, the drivetrain assists the service brakes in slowing the machine.

Braking reduction using transmission control

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

An engine exhaust aftertreatment system including an catalyst-based device configured to reduce an amount of NOx in exhaust gases produced by an engine using reductant stored in the catalyst-based device. The system includes a controller configured to determine a starting quantity of stored reductant in the catalyst-based device at the start of the engine. The starting quantity is based on a shutdown quantity of stored reductant in the catalyst-based device determined at the shutdown of the engine.

Stored reductant state for startup

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.

Growing community of inventors

Eureka, IL, United States of America

Christopher Lewis Wynkoop