The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 06, 1994
Filed:
Nov. 10, 1993
Ricky D Vance, Washington, IL (US);
Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, IL (US);
Abstract
Instruments, for example monitoring and diagnostic systems, are often designed to operate in connection with a variety of machine types. Advantageously, the instrument may receive data for each parameter from either the sensor directly or from another controller depending on the machine to which it is connected. The subject invention provides a method and apparatus for selectively receiving data from one of a plurality of sources. A plurality of sensors produce signals in response to sensed parameters and deliver a first group of one or more signals to an instrument via a wire harness. A control receives a second group of one or more of the sensor signals and responsively delivers the second group to the instrument via a communication link. A processor determines whether one of the plurality of sensor signals is being delivered via the wire harness or the communication link and responsively monitors one of the wire harness and communication link.