METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR DIAGNOSING A MACHINE

• US 20100161175A1
• Filed: 06/26/2007
• Published: 06/24/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/14/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Sarl (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Shin Caterpillar Mitsubishi Ltd. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Yamada, Hideo, Sakai, Makoto, Matsufuji, Kazumoto, Tanaka, Jun
• Application Number:
  US12/063,466
• Publication Number:
  US 20100161175A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/35
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 29/00 Controlling engines, such controlling being peculiar to the devices driven thereby, the devices being other than parts or accessories essential to engine operation, e.g. controlling of engines by signals external thereto
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/0007 for control of turbo-charged or super-charged engines control of the pumps per se F02B37/12
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/021 Introducing corrections for particular conditions exterior to the engine conjoint control of vehicle sub-units for propelling the vehicle B60W30/18
• CPC Class Codes: F02D 41/22 Safety or indicating devices for abnormal conditions in air/fuel ratio feedback systems F02D41/1495, in electric control linkage F02D11/107, in purge control systems F02M25/0809
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems

Abstract

A machine diagnosing system is provided which can make an abnormality/failure diagnosis of a machine without using threshold values. It is composed of a dynamic state management controller that creates frequency distribution information showing a relationship between signal intensity related to engine output and occurrence frequency whenever the machine body is operated for a predetermined time, a management section that receives and stores pieces of frequency distribution information, and terminal equipment and each of which detects a decrease in engine output by arranging the pieces of frequency distribution information obtained from the management section in time series and by comparing these pieces of information with each other. A decrease in engine output can be detected, without using threshold values, by comparison between the pieces of frequency distribution information stored concerning the output of the engine, unlike a case in which the abnormality/failure of the machine is determined by comparison with a conventional threshold value or in which the degree of such abnormality is ranked by comparison there.

Claims

1. A machine diagnosing method comprising:

allowing a dynamic state management controller, which is mounted on a machine and which has an operating data storage function and a radio communication function, to create frequency distribution information showing a relationship between intensity of a signal related to engine output of the machine and occurrence frequency whenever the machine is operated for a predetermined time;

allowing a management section to store pieces of frequency distribution information transmitted by means of the radio communication function of the dynamic state management controller; and

detecting a decrease in engine output by arranging the pieces of frequency distribution information in time series and by comparing these pieces of frequency distribution information with each other.

2. The machine diagnosing method of claim 1, wherein the signal related to engine output is a power shift pressure that acts on a regulator controlling a pump driven by the engine and that controls an output emitted from the pump.

3. The machine diagnosing method of claim 1, wherein the signal related to engine output is a boost pressure supercharged to an engine intake side by a turbo charger.

4. The machine diagnosing method of claim 1, wherein the signal related to engine output is an engine speed.

5. The machine diagnosing method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

making a determination as to whether an amount of change caused when the output of the engine is reduced falls within a given range, and, if the amount of change falls within the given range,

making a determination that a decrease in engine output has been caused by inferior fuel, whereas, if the amount of change does not fall within the given range,

making a determination that a decrease in engine output has been caused by engine failure.

6. A machine diagnosing system comprising:

a dynamic state management controller that is mounted on a machine and that has an operating data storage function creating frequency distribution information that shows a relationship between signal intensity related to an output emitted from an engine of the machine and occurrence frequency whenever the machine is operated for a predetermined time and a radio communication function;

a management section that receives and stores pieces of frequency distribution information transmitted by the radio communication function of the dynamic state management controller; and

terminal equipment each of which detects a decrease in engine output by arranging the pieces of frequency distribution information obtained from the management section through a telecommunication line in time series and by comparing these pieces of frequency distribution information with each other.