Apparatus and method for vehicular monitoring, analysis, and control of wheel end systems

• US 20200134942A1
• Filed: 10/25/2018
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/25/2018
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Applied Mechatronic Products, LLC
• Original Assignee: Applied Mechatronic Products, LLC
• Inventors: Root, Jeffrey T., Schell, Carl H., DaDeppo, Lynn, Tedesco, Marcello, Kamal, Ehab
• Application Number:
  US16/350,273
• Publication Number:
  US 20200134942A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/02 Signalling devices actuated by tyre pressure hand-held tyre pressure gauges G01L17/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/041 Means for supplying power to the signal- transmitting means on the wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/127 the pumps being mounted on the hubs
• CPC Class Codes: B60C 23/131 activated by force of gravity
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2233/00 Monitoring condition, e.g. temperature, load, vibration
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 2326/02 Wheel hubs or castors in general B60B
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/007 Encoders, e.g. parts with a plurality of alternating magnetic poles
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 41/008 Identification means, e.g. markings, RFID-tags; Data transfer means
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005

Abstract

A vehicular monitoring system includes a plurality of wheel-end units, each of which is attachable to the wheel-end of a wheeled vehicle. The system monitors sensor readings and may analyze the readings to diagnose conditions related to vehicle components, including tires, axles, bearings or components of the monitoring system. The system may analyze readings to predict, or prognosticate, conditions related to vehicle components or to components of the monitoring system. Each wheel-end unit includes a communications interface for communications among wheel-end units associated with a vehicle monitored by the system.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of wheel-end units for attachment to a wheeled vehicle wheel-end, each including;

a sensor to sense a physical characteristic of a vehicle to which the monitoring unit is attached;

a controller to collect readings from the sensor; and

the controller to employ the sensor readings to analyze operation of the vehicle; and

a communications interface for communications with another wheel-end unit.

2. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the analysis of sensor readings includes trend analysis.

3. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the analysis of sensor readings includes diagnosis of the functionality of the monitoring system.

4. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the analysis of sensor readings includes the diagnosis of the functionality of the vehicle.

5. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the diagnoses of the functionality of the vehicle includes diagnosing the physical state of a wheel-end to which a wheel-end unit is attached and that of a wheel-end to which the wheel-end unit is not attached.

6. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the diagnoses of the functionality of the vehicle includes diagnosing the pressurization state of a plurality of tires associated with a wheel-end to which the wheel-end unit is attached and that of a tire associated with a wheel-end unit to which the wheel-end unit is not attached.

7. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the diagnoses of the functionality of the vehicle includes diagnosing the state of an axle associated with the wheel-end to which the wheel-end unit is attached.

8. The monitoring system of claim 4, wherein the diagnoses of the functionality of the vehicle includes diagnosing the state of bearing associated with the wheel-end to which the wheel-end unit is attached.

9. The monitoring system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to predict operational changes in the vehicle.

10. The monitoring system of claim 9, wherein the controller is configured to predict when a tire associated with the wheel-end to which the monitoring system is attached should be replaced.

11. A method in a

system for monitoring a wheeled vehicle;

comprising a plurality of wheel-end units mounted to wheel-ends of the wheeled vehicle, each wheel-end unit configured to;

include a sensor sensing a physical characteristic of a vehicle to which the wheel-end unit is attached;

a controller collecting readings from the sensor;

the controller employing the sensor readings to analyze operation of the vehicle; and

a communications interface communicating sensor readings or analysis results among wheel-end units mounted to the wheeled vehicle.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the analysis of sensor readings includes trend analysis.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the analysis of sensor readings includes diagnosis of the functionality of the monitoring system.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the analysis of sensor readings includes the diagnosis of the functionality of the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the diagnoses of the functionality of the vehicle includes diagnosing the physical state of a wheel-end to which the wheel-end unit is attached.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the diagnoses of the functionality of the vehicle includes diagnosing the physical state of a plurality of tires associated with a wheel-end to which the wheel-end unit is attached.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the diagnoses of the physical state of the vehicle includes diagnosing the state of an axle associated with the wheel-end to which the wheel-end unit is attached, including obtaining and comparing sensor data or analytical results from another wheel-end unit associated with the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the diagnoses of the functionality of the vehicle includes diagnosing the state of a bearing associated with the wheel-end to which the wheel-end unit is attached, including obtaining and comparing sensor data or analytical results from another wheel-end unit associated with the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 11, wherein the controller predicts changes in the vehicle, including by employing sensor data or analytical results from another wheel-end unit associated with the vehicle.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the controller is configured to predict when a tire associated with the wheel-end to which the wheel-end unit is attached should be replaced.