HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEMS AND METHODS WITH VEHICLE IDENTIFICATION

• US 20110130915A1
• Filed: 11/30/2009
• Published: 06/02/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Wright, Mark Allen, Wright, George, Simons, Mark, Gordon, Grant
• Granted Patent: US 8,380,389 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/32
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/04 Suspension or damping

Abstract

A health monitoring system is provided for a vehicle with an identity configured to travel on a surface. The system includes a body positioned on the surface and configured to stimulate a dynamic response from the vehicle as the vehicle travels over the body; a response sensor associated with the body and configured to measure the dynamic response from the vehicle; and an identification sensor associated with the body and configured to collect data corresponding to the identity of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A health monitoring system for a vehicle configured to travel on a surface, the vehicle having an identity, the system comprising:

a body positioned on the surface and configured to stimulate a dynamic response from the vehicle as the vehicle travels over the body;

a response sensor associated with the body and configured to measure the dynamic response from the vehicle; and

an identification sensor associated with the body and configured to collect data corresponding to the identity of the vehicle.

2. The health monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the body is a cleat that produces a localized elevation change relative to the surface.

3. The health monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the response sensor and identification sensor are housed within the body.

4. The health monitoring system of claim 1, further comprising

a processing unit coupled to the response sensor and the identification sensor;

and

data storage coupled to the processing unit.

5. The health monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the processing unit and data storage are housed within the body.

6. The health monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the processing unit is configured to receive the dynamic response from the response sensor and to evaluate the health of the vehicle based on the dynamic response.

7. The health monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the data storage includes a plurality of models for evaluating the health of the vehicle, and wherein the processing unit is configured to select and execute one of the models based on the identity of the vehicle.

8. The health monitoring system of claim 6, wherein the processing unit is configured to incorporate the dynamic response into a historical trend based on the identity of the vehicle.

9. The health monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the processing unit is further configured to receive the data from the identification sensor and to determine the identity of the vehicle based on the data.

10. The health monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the identification sensor includes a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader configured to receive an RFID signal from the vehicle indicating the identity.

11. The health monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the identification sensor includes a barcode reader configured to read a barcode on the vehicle indicating the identity.

12. The health monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the identification sensor includes a microphone configured to receive an acoustic signature broadcast by the vehicle indicating the identity.

13. The health monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the identification sensor includes a laser interrogator configured to interrogate a modulated corner cube on the vehicle that indicates the identity.

14. The health monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the identification sensor includes an image device configured to capture an image of at least a portion of the vehicle that indicates the identity.

15. A method for monitoring the health of and determining the identity of a vehicle configured to travel on a surface, the method comprising the steps of:

stimulating a dynamic response of the vehicle by positioning a cleat on the surface such that the vehicle rolls over the cleat as the vehicle travels on the surface;

measuring the dynamic response of the vehicle to the cleat;

evaluating the health of the vehicle based on the dynamic response;

collecting identification information from the vehicle; and

determining the identity of the vehicle from the collected identification information.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the step of collecting identification information includes at least one of

interrogating an RFID tag on the vehicle,

reading a barcode on the vehicle,

capturing an image of the vehicle;

receiving an acoustic signature from the vehicle or

interrogating a modulated optical corner cube on the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein evaluating step includes selecting and executing a health model based on the identity of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising creating an historical health trend for the vehicle based on the dynamic responses over time.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising stimulating a dynamic response of a plurality of vehicles, measuring the dynamic response of the plurality of vehicles, evaluating the health of the plurality of vehicles;

collecting identification information from the plurality of vehicles, determining the identity of the plurality of vehicles;

aggregating the identity and health information from the plurality of vehicles; and

selecting a group of vehicles from the plurality of vehicles based on the aggregated identity and health information.

20. A health monitoring system for a vehicle configured to travel on a surface, the vehicle having an identity, the system comprising:

a cleat comprising a body positioned on the surface and configured to stimulate a dynamic response from the vehicle as the vehicle travels over the body;

a response sensor housed within the body and configured to measure the dynamic response from the vehicle;

an identification sensor housed within the body and configured to collect data corresponding to the identity of the vehicle;

a processing unit coupled to the response sensor and the identification sensor and configured to receive the dynamic response from the response sensor and to evaluate the health of the vehicle based on the dynamic response and to receive the data from the identification sensor and to determine the identity of the vehicle based on the data; and

data storage coupled to the processing unit and storing a plurality of models for evaluating the health of the vehicle, the processing unit being configured to select and execute one of the models based on the identity of the vehicle,

wherein the identification sensor includes at least one of a radio-frequency identification (RFID) reader, a barcode reader, a microphone, a laser interrogator for an optical corner cube, or an image device configured to capture an image of at least a portion of the vehicle that indicates the identity.