Caterpillar Inc.

Thomas M Sopko

Brian Dean Kuras

Michael John Barngrover

Jackson Wai

Brian Douglas Hoff

Hongliu Du

Robert Wayne Lindsey

Frank A DeMarco

Bruce Henry Hein

Jesse R Gerdes

Ahmed Khalil

Sangameshwar Sonth

Jason Lee Miller

Michael David Beyer

Robert Roy Sychra

James Michael Thorne

Gregory J Speckhart

Eric D Stemler

Carlos Eduardo Nino Baron

Ankit Sharma

Daniel D Podany

Amara Ashfaq

Sajan Abdul

Saurabh Pandey

Richard Geist Auch

A control system for a machine includes one or more component controllers for one or more components of the machine. The control system also includes a supervisory controller, connected to the one or more component controllers, and having at least one supervisory processor configured to perform operations comprising receiving supervisory system inputs, including at least one of a machine component status input, a key switch input, a directional input, or an operator presence input, from an operator of the machine, requesting and receiving, from each of the one or more component controllers, a status of the one or more components, and, upon receiving an indication that a status of a component, of the one or more components, is faulted, disabling the faulted component, and disabling any other components, of the one or more components, that require the faulted component for operation.

Modular system mode controller and related methods

A work machine includes a frame, a traction system supporting the frame, a power source mounted on the frame, a switched reluctance motor, an inverter configured to control power to the motor from a power source, and a controller. The controller is configured to receive a signal indicating a desired torque and determine if the desired torque is between an upper threshold and a lower threshold. If the desired torque is between the upper threshold and the lower threshold, pulse width modulation is used to produce a PWM adjusted torque command, and the motor is commanded based on the PWM adjusted torque command. The PWM adjusted torque command is configured to cycle between the upper threshold and the lower threshold to produce the desired torque.

System and method of overcoming a dead-band in a switched reluctance motor

A fault detection system for a machine having a plurality of electrical conducting elements insulated from a frame ground of the machine is disclosed. The fault detection system may include a high voltage DC power source, a positive high voltage bus connected to a positive terminal of the high voltage DC power source and providing high voltage electrical power to the plurality of electrical conducting elements, and a negative high voltage bus connected to a negative terminal of the high voltage DC power source and returning high voltage electrical power from the plurality of electrical conducting elements. At least one of the positive and negative high voltage buses may be selectively connected through a plurality of switches to plural zones of the electrical conducting elements, with each of the plural zones being electrically connected in parallel, and selectively connected to the high voltage DC power source by one of the plurality of switches. A low voltage DC power source may be configured to form part of a leakage current detector selectively connected through each of the plurality of switches to each of the plural zones for detecting leakage current between an electrical conducting element and the frame ground.

Fault detection system with leakage current detection

A machine is described that includes an electric drive for propelling the machine along a ground surface. The machine includes an electric power supply system configured to deliver operating electrical power to the electric drive. The electric power system includes a first generator and a second generator. The electric power system also includes a first rectifier coupled to the first generator and having a first direct current (DC) output and a second rectifier coupled to the second generator and having a second DC output. Both the first DC output and the second DC output are coupled to the single DC bus, thereby providing an arrangement for the first rectifier and the second rectifier to simultaneously provide power to the single DC bus. The electrical power system also includes a first inverter/controller coupled to the single DC bus and configured to provide a controlled alternating current to a first motor.

Dual generator single DC link configuration for electric drive propulsion system

A method of controlling a power converter in an electric drive machine is disclosed. The method may include determining a first switching frequency and determining a second switching frequency. The method may also include comparing the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency. The method may further include selecting a power converter switching frequency from the lesser of the first switching frequency and the second switching frequency to control a power converter.

Method and system for temperature-based power converter control

A system for controlling a machine with a continuously variable transmission includes a first control device configured to produce a first signal based on a first operator input and a second control device configured to produce a second signal based on a second operator input. The system also includes a control system configured to receive the first and second signals from the first and second control devices and generate a raw torque value based on the first and second signals. The control system is also configured to determine an output torque value based on the raw torque value and transmit the output torque value to the transmission to control the transmission.

System for controlling a machine with a continuously variable transmission

A method of adjusting the operation of an engine-driven machine to avoid engine under-speeding entails converting a received speed or torque command into a power command. When an engine under-speed condition is sensed, the system performs underspeed correction in the power domain before converting the underspeed processed power command back into the units of the original domain. The converted underspeed processed power command is issued to the transmission or other component to alleviate the engine under-speeding condition.

Power-based underspeed control

A system and method for controlling a variator operate to detect variator torques and/or internal pressures and generates a preliminary corrective command. The preliminary corrective command is transformed via a dynamic transform to account for system characteristics during transient operating conditions such as machine acceleration, such that the acceleration of the system during transient periods is not torque-limited by static torque-control map values. In an embodiment, the acceleration may be positive or negative, and in a further embodiment, braking is automatically applied in the case of negative requested power or desired machine retarding.

Feedback acceleration reduction for fluid supply valves

A system and method for optimizing machine performance using speed shaping in a machine having an engine and a drivetrain implementing engine underspeed module receives a throttle command requesting an increase in engine speed and transmits the throttle command to the engine. If the requested increase exceeds a predetermined function, the predetermined function is forwarded to the engine underspeed module as a speed standard. The engine underspeed module determines whether the actual engine speed attained by the engine is less than the speed standard by more than a predetermined gap value and, if so, reduces the power required by the drivetrain to avoid lugging of the engine.

Part-throttle performance optimization

A method is provided for controlling braking in a vehicle having a motor and a brake. The method includes sensing an actual operating parameter of the motor and receiving a desired operating parameter of the motor. The motor is controlled based on the actual operating parameter and the desired operating parameter of the motor. The brake is controlled based on the actual operating parameter and the desired operating parameter of the motor and an output from the motor control.

Brake control system for an electric drive vehicle

An electric drive system has a power source and a generator operatively connected to the power source. The generator is configured to produce a power output. The electric drive system also has at least one capacitor configured to store a supply of power. The electric drive system further has a common bus configured to direct the power output to the capacitor. The electric drive system also has at least one motor configured to receive power from the common bus. The electric drive system additionally has a controller in communication with the at least one motor and the generator. The controller is configured to receive at least one input associated with the motor, to determine a requested motor power as a function of the at least one input, and to operate the generator to produce the requested motor power.

Electric drive system having DC bus voltage control

A method of dissipating power in a propelled machine having an electric drive includes converting undesired power to electric power by the electric drive, and driving an internal combustion engine with at least a portion of the electric power prior to substantially dissipating power with any other power dissipating device.

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East Peoria, IL, United States of America

Thomas M Sopko