Caterpillar Inc.

Vincent John Neyens

Martin A Lehman

Scott F Shafer

Andrew O Marrack

Thomas Jeffrey Crowell

Tryg Carl Tow

Anurag Menon Kunnath

Brian R Huffman

Jon Ashley Johnson

Ross Wetzel

Brian C Hogan

Fernando Venegas

Joseph Brock Oelze

Marian Elizabeth L Neal

A plug configured to be at least partially inserted into a central housing of a turbocharger. The plug includes a body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and a threaded portion extending from the second end to a location on the body between the first end and the second end. The plug further includes a heat sink coupled to the second end, and a microchip mounted to a substrate that is coupled to the heat sink, the microchip configured to store information related to the turbocharger, wherein the microchip is at least partially submerged in coolant in the central housing when the plug is inserted into the central housing of the turbocharger.

Method and apparatus for tracking a life cycle of turbocharger

Operating a machine system includes triggering, based on activation of an on-board electronic control system, interrogation of electronically controlled components installed in a machine to read a plurality of electronic trim files each resident on a different one of the electronically controlled components. A data structure on an electronic storage medium in the control system is populated with the electronic trim files each time the control system is activated, such as by turning on an ignition switch. Operating the machine system also includes outputting control signals based on the electronic trim files to run the machine system based on operation of the electronically controlled components responsive to the outputted control signals.

Machine system and operating strategy using auto-population of trim files

A tamper detection system is disclosed. The tamper detection system may include an electronic control module (ECM) of a machine and a tamper detection module. The tamper detection module may detect, while the machine is powered off, an opening of a switch that is associated with a component of the machine. The opening of the switch may indicate tampering with the component of the machine. The tamper detection module may set, while the machine is powered off, a state of a latch based on detecting the opening of the switch. The state, while set, may indicate that the switch was opened. The tamper detection module may cause, when the machine is powered on, the ECM to provide an indication that tampering with the component of the machine has occurred based on the state.

Machine tamper detection

System and methods for monitoring machine components are disclosed. A method may include detecting, by an electronic chip having a globally unique identifier and being integrated within the component of the machine, installation of the component in the machine. The method may include determining, by a monitoring module operatively connected to the electronic chip via a communication bus, a date or time of the installation based on receiving information regarding the installation from the electronic chip. The method may include monitoring, by the monitoring module, the component to determine an amount of time that the component has been operating. The method may include transmitting, by a transmitter module operatively connected to the monitoring module, information that identities the globally unique identifier, the date or time of the installation of the component in the machine, and the amount of time that the component has been operating.

Monitoring system for monitoring usage of uniquely identifiable machine components

Growing community of inventors

Peoria, IL, United States of America

Vincent John Neyens