Methods and apparatus to control motors

• US 9,102,334 B2
• Filed: 10/29/2012
• Issued: 08/11/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Anderson, Noel W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): Stroud, James E
• Application Number:
  US13/663,441
• Publication Number:
  US 20140121865A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,016 Days
• Field of Search: 701/22
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/06 including control of combustion engines
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 10/08 including control of electric propulsion units, e.g. motors or generators
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/00 Control systems specially adapted for hybrid vehicles hybrid vehicle design, B60K6/00; electric vehicles B60L
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/12 using control strategies taking into account route information estimation or calculation of non-directly measurable driving parameters B60W40/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 20/40 Controlling the engagement or disengagement of prime movers, e.g. for transition between prime movers power-up or power-down of the driveline B60W30/192
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/0295 Inhibiting action of specific actuators or systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2050/143 Alarm means
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2556/50 of positioning data, e.g. GPS [Global Positioning System] data
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/0097 Predicting future conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/029 Adapting to failures or work around with other constraints, e.g. circumvention by avoiding use of failed parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 50/14 Means for informing the driver, warning the driver or prompting a driver intervention
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0822 related to action of the driver
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/0825 related to prevention of engine restart failure, e.g. disabling automatic stop at low battery state
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 11/108 for diagnosis of the starter or its components
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/12 said parameters being related to the vehicle exterior
• CPC Class Codes: F02N 2200/14 said parameter being related to wear of starter or other components, e.g. based on total number of starts or age
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/40 Engine management systems
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/62 Hybrid vehicles

Abstract

Methods and apparatus are disclosed for identifying media and, more particularly, to methods and apparatus for decoding identifiers after broadcast. An example method includes determining a machine operation path that a machine is planned to follow, determining a projected component health parameter of a first motor of the machine based on the machine following the machine operation path, comparing the projected component health parameter to a first threshold, and issuing an alert when the projected component health parameter meets the first threshold.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

determining a machine operation path that a machine is planned to follow;

determining forecast weather conditions;

determining, via a processor, a projected component health parameter of a first motor of the machine based on the forecast weather conditions and the machine following the machine operation path;

comparing, via the processor, the projected component health parameter to a first threshold; and

issuing an alert when the projected component health parameter meets the first threshold.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the projected health parameter is associated with a starter of the first motor.

3. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the forecast weather conditions comprise a temperature forecast for a time period during which the machine operation path is to be followed.

4. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the machine operation path is received from a path planning tool.

5. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the machine operation path is estimated based on prior operation of the machine.

6. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the machine operation path comprises a route and information about terrain associated with the route.

7. A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising inhibiting automatic stoppage of the first motor when the projected component health parameter meets a second threshold.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the machine comprises a second motor that operates during stoppage of the first motor.

9. A method as defined in claim 8, wherein the second motor is an electric motor.

10. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the second threshold is the same as the first threshold.

11. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the first threshold is selected based on a usage setting of the machine.

18. A method as defined in claim 1, further including:

collecting data indicative of the health of the machine from a hardware sensor attached to the machine, wherein determining the projected component health parameter is further based on the data indicative of the health of the machine; and

causing a motor controller for the first motor to inhibit automatic stoppage of the first motor when the projected component health parameter meets a second threshold.

19. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein issuing the alert includes at least one of displaying an alert or outputting an audible alert.

12. An apparatus comprising:

a path monitor to determine a machine operation path that a machine is planned to follow;

an external data monitor to determine forecast weather conditions; and

a start/stop inhibit controller to determine a projected component health parameter of a first motor of the machine based on the forecast weather conditions and the machine following the machine operation path, compare the projected component health parameter to a first threshold, and issue an alert when the projected component health parameter meets the first threshold.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the projected component health parameter is associated with a starter of the first motor.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the forecast weather conditions comprise a temperature forecast for a time period during which the machine operation path is to be followed.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein the machine operation path is received from a path planning tool.

20. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, further including:

the first motor to operate the machine;

a motor controller to control the first motor; and

a hardware sensor attached to the machine to collect data indicative of the health of the machine, the start/stop inhibit controller further to determine the projected component health parameter based on the data indicative of the health of the machine and to cause the motor controller to inhibit automatic stoppage of the first motor when the projected component health parameter meets a second threshold.

21. An apparatus as defined in claim 20, further comprising a second motor that operates during stoppage of the first motor.

22. An apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein issuing the alert includes at least one of displaying an alert or outputting an audible alert.

16. A tangible computer readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, cause a machine to at least:

determine a machine operation path that a machine is planned to follow;

determine forecast weather conditions;

determine, via a processor, a projected component health parameter of a first motor of the machine based on the forecast weather conditions and the machine following the machine operation path;

compare the projected component health parameter to a first threshold; and

issue an alert when the projected component health parameter meets the first threshold.

17. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the projected component health parameter is associated with a starter of the first motor.

23. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 16, wherein the instructions, when executed, cause the machine to:

collect data indicative of the health of the machine from a hardware sensor attached to the machine, wherein determining the projected component health parameter is further based on the data indicative of the health of the machine; and

cause a motor controller for the first motor to inhibit automatic stoppage of the first motor when the projected component health parameter meets a second threshold.

24. A tangible computer readable storage medium as defined in claim 16, wherein issuing the alert includes at least one of displaying an alert or outputting an audible alert.