Caterpillar Inc.

David R Schricker

Jagannathan Sarangapani

Satish M Shetty

Masoud K Zavarehi

Rolland D Scholl

Thomas R Sandborg

David G Young

Mark E Rettig

Conrad G Grembowicz

Trent A Simpson

Steven R McCoy

Christopher M Sprock

Donna J Murr

John M Hadank

Kenneth J McGuire

Julie A Gannon

Anthony Ray Fratini

William L Brown

William Kent Rutan

Jon R Greiner

W Kent Rutan

Charles G Boen

A process of enabling and providing a service for improving haulage efficiency in a haulage system includes identifying a customer who may benefit from the service. Haulage vehicles of a fleet of haulage vehicles are equipped with a system for monitoring haulage parameters of the haulage vehicles. Equipment for gathering data on the monitored haulage parameters and for gathering information on haulage vehicle location along haul roads is provided. Target haulage parameters which result in desired haulage system performance are determined. The data is analyzed and deviations of actual haulage system performance from desired haulage system performance are determined.

Service for improving haulage efficiency

A method of controlling a vehicle includes determining an operation assigned to the vehicle along at least one segment of a route assigned to the vehicle and determining at least one control parameter of the vehicle based on at least one operation characteristic. The at least one operation characteristic relates to the operation assigned to the vehicle. The at least one control parameter is determined before operating the vehicle on the assigned route.

Method of controlling a vehicle based on operation characteristics

An apparatus and method for detecting cylinder faults collects temperature data representative of temperatures of exhaust from the cylinder, estimates true temperatures of the exhaust as a function of the collected temperature data and at least one compensation factor, and determines deviations of the estimated true temperatures from at least one reference value. At least one severity symptom value is determined as a function of the deviations, and compared with at least one predetermined reference value for a known cylinder condition.

Apparatus and method to detect cylinder faults of internal combustion engines via exhaust temperature monitoring

A method for determining a condition of a cylinder in an internal combustion engine having a plurality of cylinders. The method includes the steps of reducing an amount of power being generated by a first cylinder, increasing an amount of power being generated by each of the remaining cylinders, monitoring a condition of the engine, and determining the condition of the first cylinder in response to the monitored condition of the engine.

Method for determining a weak cylinder in an internal combustion engine

A method for determining a condition of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system for an internal combustion engine. The method includes the steps of setting an EGR valve located on the EGR system to a first position, determining a first temperature value at a location on the EGR system, setting the EGR valve to a second position, determining a second temperature value at the location, and determining a condition of the EGR system as a function of the difference between the first and second temperature values.

Method for determining a condition of an exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) system for an internal combustion engine

An apparatus and method for diagnosing an engine using computer based models in combination with a neural network which reduces the neural network training and updating required is disclosed. The method and apparatus determine modeled values for a plurality of engine parameters as a function of sensed values in a plurality of initial values; sense a plurality of actual values for the engine parameters; and determine a difference between the actual values and the modeled values for the respective engine parameters. The differences are inputted into a neural network which generates an output pattern as a function of the differences and a plurality of weight values. The weight values and the initial values are then updated as a function of a comparison between the output patterns and a desired pattern, and the engine is responsively diagnosed as a function of the output pattern.

Apparatus and method for diagnosing an engine using computer based models in combination with a neural network

A method and system for detecting torque of a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder and a rotatable crankshaft. This method and system includes sensing rotational crankshaft speed for a multiple of designated crankshaft rotational positions over a predetermined number of cycles of rotation for each crankshaft position and determining an average crankshaft speed fluctuation for each crankshaft position and determining information representative of crankshaft kinetic energy variations due to each firing event and each compression event in the cylinder and then determining information representative of crankshaft torque as a function of the crankshaft kinetic energy variations and the average crankshaft speed and responsively producing a representative crankshaft torque signal.

Method and system for predicting torque from crank speed fluctuations in an internal combustion engine

A method and system for detecting absolute power loss in a cylinder for a reciprocating internal combustion engine, the internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder and a rotatable crankshaft. This method and system includes sensing rotational crankshaft speed for a number of designated crankshaft rotational positions over a predetermined number of cycles of rotation for each of the crankshaft positions and determining an average crankshaft speed fluctuation for each of the crankshaft positions and determining information representative of crankshaft kinetic energy variations due to each firing event or each firing event and compression event in said cylinder and determining information representative of an average fuel flow rate and determining information representative of power loss for the cylinder as a function of the crankshaft kinetic energy variations due to each firing event, the average crankshaft speed and the average fuel flow rate and responsively producing a representative power loss signal and determining information representative of crankshaft torque as a function of the crankshaft kinetic energy variations due to each firing event and compression event and the average crankshaft speed and responsively producing a representative crankshaft torque signal and determining information representative of absolute power loss for each cylinder.

Method and system for determining an absolute power loss condition in an internal combustion engine

An apparatus and method for diagnosing an engine including at least two cylinder banks using an exhaust temperature model is disclosed. The apparatus and method are operable for: (a) determining an actual exhaust temperature value for the first cylinder bank, an actual exhaust temperature value for the second cylinder bank, and an average exhaust temperature value for the first and second cylinder banks; (b) determining a plurality of parameters; (c) determining a modeled exhaust temperature value for the first cylinder bank, a modeled exhaust temperature value for the second cylinder bank, and a modeled average exhaust temperature value for the first and second cylinder banks, as a function of the plurality of parameters; (d) comparing the modeled and actual exhaust temperature values for the first cylinder bank, comparing the modeled and actual exhaust temperature values for the second cylinder bank, and comparing the modeled and actual average temperature values, and responsively determining a difference value for the first cylinder bank, a difference value for the second cylinder bank, and an average difference value, respectively; and (e) diagnosing the engine as a function of at least one of the difference value for the first cylinder bank, the difference value for the second cylinder bank, and the average difference value.

Apparatus and method for diagnosing an engine using an exhaust

A method for detecting a power loss condition of an internal combustion engine, the engine having at least one cylinder and a crank shaft, the method including the steps of sensing rotational crank shaft speed for a plurality of designated crank shaft rotational positions over a predetermined number of cycles of rotation, determining an average crank shaft speed fluctuation for each crank shaft position, determining information representative of crank shaft kinetic energy variation due to each firing event in the cylinder, and determining information representative of an average fuel flow rate. Information representative of a power loss for the cylinder is determined as a function of the crank shaft kinetic energy variation, average crank shaft speed and average fuel flow rate and a representative power loss signal is responsively produced.

Method for detecting a power loss condition of a reciprocating internal

An apparatus for predicting a fault condition for a machine is disclosed. The machine has a plurality of parameters being dependent upon machine performance. A sensor connected to the machine produces an electrical signal in response to one of the plurality of machine parameters. A computer produces a data trend of the parameter in response to the electrical signal, calculates the duration and slope of the trend, and predicts the time period in which the trend will exceed the warning level.

Method and apparatus for predicting a fault condition

A method for monitoring the condition of oil in an engine is disclosed which includes the steps of determining a plurality of parameters, determining a fuel injection model, determining the area of the cylinder walls that is coated with soot, and responsively determining a soot model. The method may include the additional steps of calculating a value of residual soot, and calculating a value of soot dispersed by dispersants. The accumulation of soot determined from the model may be trended over time to predict the useful life of the oil.

Method for determining the condition of engine oil based on soot modeling

In one aspect of the present invention, a method for detecting a powerless condition of a reciprocating internal combustion engine is provided. The engine has a plurality of reciprocating components, at least one cylinder and a crankshaft. The method includes the steps of sensing angular velocity of the crankshaft and responsively producing an angular velocity signal and determining a rate of fuel supplied to the one cylinder and responsively producing a fuel rate signal. The method further includes the steps of determining an indicated torque for the one cylinder as a function of the angular velocity signal and the fuel rate signal and responsively producing an indicated torque signal. Further, the method includes the steps of determining a requested torque for the one cylinder as a function of the fuel rate signal and the angular velocity signal and responsively producing a requested torque signal. An indication of powerless of the one cylinder is determined as a function of the requested torque signal and the actual torque signal.

Method for detecting a powerloss condition of a reciprocating internal

A method for detects a change in the condition of a road traversed by a fleet of at least one mobile machine. The method includes the steps of sensing a plurality of machine parameters as the mobile machine traverses a segment of the road and responsively calculating a plurality of machine resistance factors each time the mobile machine traverses the segment. An average resistance factor is calculated as a function of the series of machine resistance factors and the fleet factor average is trended over time in order to detect a change in the road condition.

Method for detecting an abnormal condition of a road surface by trending

A method for providing information relating to a machine to a user is provided. The method includes the steps of sensing predetermined events relating to the machine and producing corresponding event signals, delivering the event signals to a remote site, comparing the event signals to a profile of events corresponding to the user, and delivering a notification signal to the user if the event signals match the profile.

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Dunlap, IL, United States of America

David R Schricker