Maintenance alert system for heavy-duty trucks

• US 6,172,602 B1
• Filed: 03/22/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1999
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Original Assignee: Detroit Diesel Corporation (Daimler Truck Holding AG)
• Inventors: Hasfjord, Lawrence David
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/273,865
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 340/438, 340/439, 340/450, 340/450.2, 340/450.3, 340/451, 340/457, 340/457.4, 340/461, 340/462, 701/29, 701/30, 701/34
• US Class Current: 340/438
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/0234 related to maintenance or repairing of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: F02M 35/09 Clogging indicators ; Diagnosis or testing of air cleaners sensors therefore F02M35/10373
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A real-time maintenance alert system and method for use in a heavy-duty truck having an engine controller with memory are provided. The system includes a sensor operative to indicate an engine condition from the group consisting of: oil filter restriction, air filter restriction, fuel filter restriction, oil level, and coolant reserve tank fluid level. Control logic at the engine controller processes the sensor signal to determine a real-time fault condition, when appropriate.

Claims

1. A real-time maintenance alert system for use in a heavy duty truck having an engine including an air filter at an air inlet, and an engine controller having a communications data link and, the system comprising:

a sensor operative to produce a signal indicative of an air inlet depression;

control logic at the engine controller, the control logic being conjured to process the sensor signal and to determine an air filter restriction real-time fault condition when the air inlet depression falls below a threshold, the control logic being operative to produce an output signal at the data link in response to the air filter restriction real-time fault condition; and

a display device having a memory and configured to transmit and receive information over the data link, the display device processing the output signal and storing a status of the air filter in the memory, and generating an output signal indicative of the status.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the threshold is a function of an engine rpm.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein the threshold is a first value when the engine rpm is less than a predetermined value and, otherwise, the threshold is a second value.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the air filter restriction real-time fault condition is determined in response to the air inlet depression falling below the threshold more than one time during a predetermined time interval.

5. A real-time maintenance alert system for use in a heavy duty truck having an engine including a fuel filter at a fuel inlet, and an engine controller having a communications data link and, the system comprising:

a sensor operative to produce a signal indicative of a fuel inlet depression;

control logic at the engine controller, the control logic being configured to process the sensor signal and to determine a fuel filter restriction real-time fault condition when the fuel inlet depression falls below a threshold, the control logic being operative to produce an output signal at the data link in response to the fuel filter restriction real-time fault condition; and

a display device having a memory and configured to transmit and receive information over the data link, the display device processing the output signal and storing a status of the fuel filter in the memory, and generating an output signal indicative of the status.

6. A real-time maintenance alert system for use in a heavy duty truck having an engine including an oil filter having an inlet and an outlet, and an engine controller having a communications data link and, the system comprising:

a sensor operative to produce a signal indicative of an oil filter pressure differential between the oil filter inlet and the oil filter outlet;

control logic at the engine controller, the control logic being configured to process the sensor signal and to determine an oil filter restriction real-time fault condition when the oil filter pressure differential exceeds a threshold, the control logic being operative to produce an output signal at the data link in response to the oil filter restriction real-time fault condition; and

a display device having a memory and configured to transmit and receive information over the data link, the display device processing the output signal and storing a status of the oil filter in the memory, and generating an output signal indicative of the status.

7. A real-time maintenance alert system for use in a heavy duty truck having an engine including an oil pan, and an engine controller having a communications data link and, the system comprising:

a sensor operative to produce a signal indicative of an oil level;

control logic at the engine controller, the control logic being configured to process the sensor signal and to determine a low oil real-time fault condition when the oil level falls below a threshold, the control logic being operative to produce an output signal at the data link in response to the oil level real-time fault condition; and

a display device having a memory and configured to transmit and receive information over the data link, the display device processing the output signal and storing a status of the oil level in the memory, and generating an output signal indicative of the status.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein the low oil real-time fault condition is determined in response to the oil level falling below the threshold while the engine is not running.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the low oil real-time fault condition is determined in response to the oil level being below the threshold while the engine is not running and has not been running for a predetermined time interval.

10. A real-time maintenance alert system for use in a heavy duty truck having an engine including a coolant reserve tank, and an engine controller having a communications data link and, the system comprising:

a sensor operative to produce a signal indicative of a coolant level;

control logic at the engine controller, the control logic being configured to process the sensor signal and to determine a low coolant real-time fault condition when the coolant level falls below a threshold, the control logic being operative to produce an output signal at the data link in response to the low coolant real-time fault condition, wherein the threshold is sufficiently high such that engine shutdown is not required upon the presence of the low coolant real-time fault condition; and

a display device having a memory and configured to transmit and receive information over the data link, the display device processing the output signal and storing a status of the coolant reserve tank in the memory, and generating an output signal indicative of the status.

11. The system of claim 10 further comprising:

a primary coolant level sensor operative to produce a signal indicative of a sufficiently low coolant level to demand engine shutdown, wherein the control logic is further configured to determine an engine shutdown fault upon the presence of the primary coolant level sensor signal.

12. A real-time maintenance alert system for use in a heavy duty truck having an engine, and an engine controller having a communications data link, the system comprising:

a sensor operative to produce a signal indicative of at least one engine condition from the group consisting of;

an oil filter restriction condition, a fuel filter restriction condition, an air filter restriction condition, an oil level, and a coolant level in a coolant reserve tank;

control logic at the engine controller, the control logic being configured to process the sensor signal and to determine a real-time fault condition when the engine condition falls outside of a predetermined acceptable range, the control logic being operative to produce an output signal at the data link in response to the real-time fault condition; and

a display device having memory and configured to transmit and receive information over the data link, the display device processing the output signal and storing a fault condition status in the memory, the display device having an indicator operative to alert a user of the real-time fault condition.

13. A real-time maintenance alert method for use in a heavy duty truck having an engine, and an engine controller having a communications data link and, the method comprising:

generating a signal with an engine sensor, the signal being indicative of at least one engine condition from the group consisting of;

an oil filter restriction condition, a fuel filter restriction condition, an air filter restriction condition, an oil level, and a coolant level in a coolant reserve tank;

processing the signal with control logic at the engine controller to determine a real-time fault condition when the engine condition falls outside of a predetermined acceptable range, the control logic being operative to produce an output signal at the data link in response to the real-time fault condition;

receiving the output signal over the data link at a display device having a memory; and

storing a fault condition status in the memory.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

generating an alert signal on the display device to alert a user of the real-time fault condition.

15. A display device for use with a real-time maintenance alert system for a heavy duty truck having an engine and an engine controller having a communications data link, the display device comprising:

a housing;

an interface configured to communicate with control logic at the engine controller over the data link, the control logic being configured to process a sensor signal indicative of an engine condition from the group consisting of;

an oil filter restriction condition, a fuel filter restriction condition, an air filter restriction condition, an oil level, and a coolant level in a coolant reserve tank, and the control logic being further configured to determine a real-time fault condition when the engine condition falls outside of a predetermined acceptable range, the control logic being operative to produce an output signal at the data link in response to the real-time fault condition, the interface receiving the output signal;

a memory for storing a fault condition status based on the output signal; and

an indicator device affixed to the housing and in communication with the interface, the indicator device producing a visual indication when the output signal corresponding to the real-time fault condition is received at the interface.

16. The display device of claim 15 wherein the control logic is further configured with engine protection shutdown logic operative to provide an engine protection fault condition signal to the interface, the display device further comprising:

an engine protection indicator device affixed to the housing and in communication with the interface, the engine protection indicator device producing a visual indication when the output signal corresponding to the engine protection fault condition is received at the interface.

17. The display device of claim 15 wherein the control logic is further configured with periodic maintenance logic operative to provide a periodic maintenance fault condition signal to the interface, the display device further comprising:

a periodic maintenance indicator device affixed to the housing and in communication with the interface, the periodic maintenance indicator device producing a visual indication when the output signal corresponding to the periodic maintenance fault condition is received at the interface.

18. The display device of claim 15 further comprising:

a reset switch in communication with the interface, wherein the interface and the control logic are configured such that assertion of the reset switch causes a refreshing of the sensor signal.

19. The display device of claim 15 further comprising:

a test switch in communication with the indicator device, wherein the indicator device is configured to produce the visual indication for a predetermined period of time in response to assertion of the test switch.

20. The display device of claim 15 wherein the indicator device comprises:

a light emitting diode.