Method of making a decision on the status of a mechanical system using input and response data acquired in situ

• US 7,395,167 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2006
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/29/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: University of Vermont & State Agricultural College
• Original Assignee: University of Vermont & State Agricultural College
• Inventors: Frolik, Jeffrey L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau; Tung S
• Application Number:
  US11/413,025
• Publication Number:
  US 20060265144A1
• Time in Patent Office: 796 Days
• Field of Search: 702/113, 702/33, 702/103, 73/110.1, 700/275
• US Class Current: 702/113
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2206/90 Maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2600/042 Monitoring means
• CPC Class Codes: B62K 25/04 for mounting axles resiliently on cycle frame or fork for sidecars, forecars or the like B62K27/06
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 13/028 Acoustic or vibration analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/04 Suspension or damping
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

An in-situ monitoring system is engaged with a mechanical system for which it is desired to assess or monitor the in-situ performance of the mechanical system. The in-situ monitoring system includes at least one input sensor and at least one output sensor for collecting data corresponding, respectively, to input into, and output from, the mechanical system. The monitoring system also includes an analyzer that utilizes the input and output data to generate an in-situ response representation of the mechanical system. The in-situ representation may be used to make a decision regarding the status of the mechanical system, e.g., to replace all or part of it, to adjust it or to do nothing. In one embodiment, the analyzer is programmed to adapt to the operating conditions of the mechanical system by automatically selecting which one of a number of target representations should be used to characterize the in-situ representation.

Claims

1. A method of making a decision on a status of a biomechanical system, comprising:

selecting a biomechanical system responsive to at least one operating input load so as to have an operating response to said at least one operating input load;

collecting input load data representing said at least one operating input load;

collecting operating response data representing said operating response;

generating an in-situ representation of said operating response of said biomechanical system as a function of said input load data and said operating response data; and

assessing said in-situ representation so as to make a decision regarding the status of said biomechanical system;

wherein the method is performed in a manner that does not control said operating response of said biomechanical system.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising a step of obtaining a target-response representation of said biomechanical system, said step of assessing said in-situ representation comprising comparing said in-situ representation and said target-response representation with one another so as to determine a difference between said in-situ representation and said target-response representation.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of collecting said input load data includes collecting said input load data using a first accelerometer and said step of collecting said operating response data includes collecting said operating response data using a second accelerometer.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of selecting a biomechanical system comprises a step of selecting an artificial biomechanical system.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein said decision is to tune said biomechanical system and the method further comprises a step of tuning said biomechanical system.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein said decision is to replace said biomechanical system and the method further comprises a step of replacing said biomechanical system.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating said in-situ representation comprises a step utilizing multidimensional signal processing techniques.

8. A method according to claim 1, wherein said step of generating said in-situ representation comprises a step generating at least one of the following:

an impulse response, a frequency-domain transfer function, frequency response function and digital filter coefficients.

9. A method of monitoring performance of a biomechamnical system, comprising:

selecting a biomechanical system responsive to at least one operating input load so as to have an operating response to said at least one operating input load;

at a plurality of intervals over an extended period;

collecting input load data representing said at least one operating input load;

collecting output response data representing said operating response; and

generating an in-situ diagnostic representation of said operating response of said biomechanical system as a function of said input load data and said output response data; and

assessing said in-situ diagnostic representation so as to monitor the performance of said biomechanical system;

wherein the method is performed in a manner that does not control said operating response of said biomechanical system.

10. A method according to claim 9, further comprising a step of obtaining a baseline-response representation of said biomechanical system, said step of assessing said in-situ diagnostic representation comprising comparing said in-situ diagnostic representation and said baseline-response representation with one another so as to determine a difference between said in-situ diagnostic representation and said baseline-response representation.

11. A method according to claim 9, wherein said step of collecting said input load data includes collecting said input load data using a first accelerometer and said step of collecting said operating response data includes collecting said operating response data using a second accelerometer.

12. A method according to claim 9, wherein said step of selecting a biomechanical system comprises a step of selecting an artificial biomechanical system.

13. A method according to claim 9, wherein at each of said plurality of intervals, temporarily placing a plurality of sensors in operative relationship with said biomechanical system for collecting said input load data and collecting said operating response data.

14. A method according to claim 9, wherein said step of generating said in-situ diagnostic representation comprises a step utilizing multidimensional signal processing techniques.

15. A method according to claim 9, wherein said step of generating said in-situ diagnostic representation comprises a step generating at least one of the following:

an impulse response, a frequency-domain transfer function, frequency response function and digital filter coefficients.

16. A method of making a decision on a status of a bicycle suspension, comprising:

selecting a bicycle suspension responsive to at least one operating input load so as to have an operating response to said at least one operating input load;

collecting input load data representing said at least one operating input load;

collecting operating response data representing said operating response;

generating an in-situ representation of said operating response of said bicycle suspension as a function of said input load data and said operating response data; and

assessing said in-situ representation so as to make a decision regarding the status of said bicycle suspension;

wherein the method is performed in a manner that does not control said operating response of said bicycle suspension.

17. A method according to claim 16, further comprising a step of obtaining a target-response representation of said bicycle suspension, said step of assessing said in-situ representation comprising comparing said in-situ representation and said target-response representation with one another so as to determine a difference between said in-situ representation and said target-response representatton.

18. A method according to claim 16, wherein said step of collecting said input load data includes collecting said input load data using a first accelerometer and said step of collecting said operating response data includes collecting said operating response data using a second accelerometer.

19. A method according to claim 16, wherein said decision is to tune said bicycle suspension and the method further comprises a step of tuning said bicycle suspension.

20. A method according to claim 16, wherein said decision is to replace said bicycle suspension and the method further comprises a step of replacing said bicycle suspension.

21. A method according to claim 16, wherein said step of generating said in-situ representation comprises a step utilizing multidimensional signal processing techniques.

22. A method according to claim 16, wherein said step of generating said in-situ representation comprises a step generating at least one of the following:

an impulse response, a frequency-domain transfer function, frequency response function and digital filter coefficients.

23. A method of monitoring performance of a bicycle suspension, comprising:

selecting a bicycle suspension responsive to at least one operating input load so as to have an operating response to said at least one operating input load;

at a plurality of intervals over an extended period;

collecting input load data representing said at least one operating input load;

collecting output response data representing said operating response; and

generating an in-situ diagnostic representation of said operating response of said bicycle suspension as a function of said input load data and said output response data; and

assessing said in-situ diagnostic representation so as to monitor the performance of said bicycle suspension;

wherein the method is performed in a manner that does not control said operating response of said bicycle suspension.

24. A method according to claim 23, further comprising a step of obtaining a baseline-response representation of said bicycle suspension, said step of assessing said in-situ diagnostic representation comprising comparing said in-situ diagnostic representation and said baseline-response representation with one another so as to determine a difference between said in-situ diagnostic representation and said baseline-response representation.

25. A method according to claim 23, wherein said step of collecting said input load data includes collecting said input load data using a first accelerometer and said step of collecting said operating response data includes collecting said operating response data using a second accelerometer.

26. A method according to claim 23, wherein at each of said plurality of intervals, temporarily placing a plurality of sensors in operative relationship with said bicycle suspension for collecting said input load data and collecting said operating response data.

27. A method according to claim 23, wherein said step of generating said in-situ diagnostic representation comprises a step utilizing multidimensional signal processing techniques.

28. A method according to claim 23, wherein said step of generating said in-situ diagnostic representation comprises a step generating at least one of the following:

an impulse response, a frequency-domain transfer function, frequency response function and digital filter coefficients.