Equipment utilization detector

• US 5,970,436 A
• Filed: 08/05/1998
• Issued: 10/19/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 10/04/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Eric A. Berg, James Fillar
• Original Assignee: Eric A. Berg, James Fillar
• Inventors: Berg, Eric A., Fillar, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, CRAIG S
• Application Number:
  US09/129,683
• Time in Patent Office: 440 Days
• Field of Search: 702/177, 702/176, 702/191, 702/193, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439, 340/457.4, 368/5, 368/6, 701/29, 701/30-35
• US Class Current: 702/177
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/04 using counting means or digital clocks

Abstract

A utilization detector detects when equipment undergoes at least one of a sudden motion or a slowly changing motion. In response to detecting sudden or slowly changing motion of the equipment, the utilization detector causes a production hour meter to accumulate time over which such motion is occurring. In response to detecting an absence of sudden or slowly changing motion of the equipment, the utilization detector causes an idle hour meter to accumulate time over which motion is not occurring. The utilization detector includes an off delay timer for maintaining the production hour meter accumulating time for a predetermined interval after the utilization detector detects the termination of sudden or slowly changing motion. When the production hour meter is accumulating time, the idle hour meter is not accumulating time and vice versa.

Claims

1. A utilization detector attachable to equipment for determining the utilization of the equipment, the utilization detector comprising:

a motion detector which generates an output signal upon a change of its position relative to a plane;

a motion analysis circuit responsive to the output signal from the motion detector and generating at least one of (i) a sudden motion output signal in response to a sudden motion detected by the motion detector, and (ii) a slow motion output signal in response to a slow motion detected by the motion detector; and

a time accumulator responsive to at least one of the slow motion output signal and the sudden motion output signal, wherein;

the time accumulator records at least one of a production interval and a idling interval;

the production interval corresponds to a duration that the motion analysis circuit generates the at least one of the slow motion output signal and the sudden motion output signal; and

the idling interval corresponds to a duration that the motion analysis circuit withholds the slow motion output signal and the sudden motion output signal.

2. The utilization detector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the motion analysis circuit includes:

a sudden motion analysis circuit which generates the sudden motion output signal; and

a slow motion analysis circuit which generates the slow motion output signal.

3. The utilization detector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the motion analysis circuit includes at least one of:

an X-axis sudden motion analysis circuit;

an X-axis slow motion analysis circuit;

a Y-axis sudden motion analysis circuit; and

a Y-axis slow motion analysis circuit.

4. The utilization detector as set forth in claim 1 further including an off delay timer connected between the motion analysis circuit and the time accumulator, wherein:

the off delay timer supplies to the time accumulator an output signal which commences recording of the production interval in response to the generation of the at least one of the sudden motion output signal and the slow motion output signal;

the off delay timer causes the time accumulator to record the production interval for a predetermined duration after the termination of the at least one of the sudden motion output signal and the slow motion output signal; and

in response to termination of the output signal by the off delay timer, the time accumulator at least one of terminates recording the production interval and commences recording the idling interval.

5. The utilization detector as set forth in claim 4 further including an OR gate which receives the at least one of the sudden motion output signal and the slow motion output signal and supplies an output signal to the off delay timer in response to receiving the at least one of the sudden motion output signal and the slow motion output signal.

6. The utilization detector as set forth in claim 5 further including a signal conditioner which receives the output signal from the motion detector, removes electronic noise impressed on the output signal from the motion detector and supplies an output signal to the motion analysis circuit.

7. The utilization detector as set forth in claim 4 wherein the predetermined duration is adjustable.

8. The utilization detector as set forth in claim 1 wherein the motion detector generates an output signal related to its steady state position relative to the plane.

9. A method of determining utilization of a vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

determining an extent of at least one of a sudden change and a slow change in the position of the vehicle;

providing an electrical signal related to the extent;

comparing the electrical signal to corresponding sudden change and slow change reference values;

accumulating a production interval corresponding to the duration the electrical signal is one of greater than and less than at least one of the corresponding reference values; and

accumulating an idling interval corresponding to the duration the electrical signal is the other of greater than and less than the corresponding reference values.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 further including the step of extending the duration the production interval is accumulated for a predetermined period after the electrical signal one of (i) changes between greater than and less than the at least one of the corresponding reference values and (ii) changes between less than and greater than the at least one of the corresponding reference values.

11. The method as set forth in claim 10 wherein at least one of the duration of the predetermined period, the sudden change reference value and the slow change reference value is adjustable.

12. An equipment utilization detector which detects the utilization of equipment, the utilization detector comprising:

(a) a motion detector which detects motion in at least one of an X-axis and a Y-axis with respect to the equipment and which generates an output signal corresponding to the detected motion;

(b) a signal conditioner which receives the output signal from the motion detector and removes electronic noise therefrom and which generates an output signal;

(c) at least one of;

(i) a sudden motion detector which receives the output signal from the signal conditioner and detects therefrom when the equipment undergoes sudden motion and which generates an output signal which is a function of the sudden motion; and

(ii) a slow motion detector which receives the output signal from the signal conditioner and detects therefrom when the equipment undergoes gradual motion and which generates an output signal which is a function of the gradual motion;

(d) an OR gate connected to receive at least one of the sudden motion detector output signal and the slow motion detector output signal and generate an output signal in response to receiving the at least one of the sudden motion detector output signal and the slow motion detector output signal; and

(e) a time accumulator which accumulates production time in response to the output signal from the OR gate and which accumulates idling time in response to the absence of the output signal from the OR gate.

13. The equipment utilization detector as set forth in claim 12 wherein the slow motion detector includes:

a long time constant filter which receives the output signal from the signal conditioner and filters voltage spikes on the output signal from the signal conditioner and which generates a filtered voltage signal;

a sample and hold circuit which receives and samples the filtered voltage signal and which generates a sampled voltage signal;

a differential amplifier which receives the sampled voltage signal and the filtered voltage signal and which outputs a difference voltage that is the difference between the sampled voltage signal and the filtered voltage signal;

an adjustable gain amplifier which receives and amplifies the difference voltage and which generates an amplified difference voltage; and

a comparator which receives the amplified difference voltage and which compares the amplified difference voltage to a trigger voltage and which generates a high signal to the OR gate in response to the amplified difference voltage exceeding the trigger voltage.

14. The equipment utilization detector as set forth in claim 13 further including:

an oscillator that generates a first constant frequency signal;

a frequency divider which receives the first constant frequency signal and generates a second constant frequency signal; and

a one shot generator which receives the second constant frequency signal and generates pulses for the sample and hold circuit at the frequency of the second constant frequency signal.

15. The equipment utilization detector as set forth in claim 14 further including an off delay timer connected to receive the output signal from the OR gate and to supply an output signal to the time accumulator, wherein:

in response to receiving the output signal from the OR gate, the off delay timer supplies its output signal to the time accumulator;

the frequency divider supplies a third constant frequency signal to the off delay timer; and

the off delay timer terminates its output signal to the time accumulator in response to counting a predetermined number of cycles of the third constant frequency signal.

16. The equipment utilization detector as set forth in claim 13 wherein the trigger voltage is adjustable.

17. The equipment utilization detector as set forth in claim 12 wherein the sudden motion detector includes:

a long time constant filter which receives the output signal from the signal conditioner and filters voltage spikes on the output signal from the signal conditioner and which generates a filtered voltage signal;

a differential amplifier which receives the filtered voltage signal and the output signal from the signal conditioner and which outputs a difference voltage that is the difference between the filtered voltage signal and the output signal from the signal conditioner;

an adjustable gain amplifier which receives and amplifies the difference voltage and which outputs an amplified difference voltage; and

a comparator which receives and compares the amplified difference voltage to a trigger voltage and generates a high signal to the OR gate in response to the amplified difference voltage exceeding the trigger voltage.

18. The equipment utilization detector as set forth in claim 17 further including:

an off delay timer connected to receive the output signal from the OR gate and to supply an output signal to the time accumulator, wherein;

in response to receiving the output signal from the OR gate, the off delay timer supplies its output signal to the time accumulator;

the off delay timer has a clock input connected to receive a constant frequency signal; and

in response to the OR gate terminating its output signal to the off delay timer, the off delay timer counts a predetermined number of cycles of the constant frequency signal and terminates its output to the time accumulator.

19. The equipment utilization detector as set forth in claim 17 wherein the trigger voltage is adjustable.

20. The equipment utilization detector as set forth in claim 12 further including an off delay timer connected to receive the output signal from the OR gate and to supply an output signal to the time accumulator, wherein:

in response to receiving the output signal from the OR gate, the off delay timer supplies its output signal to the time accumulator;

the time accumulator accumulates the production time in response to the output signal from the off delay timer;

the off delay timer supplies its output signal to the time accumulator for a predetermined interval after the OR gate terminates its output signal to the off delay timer; and

the time accumulator accumulates the idling time in response to the absence of the output signal from the off delay timer.