Fault detection, isolation and reconfiguration systems and methods for controlling electrohydraulic systems used in construction equipment

• US 9,163,387 B2
• Filed: 03/05/2012
• Issued: 10/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Danfoss A/S
• Original Assignee: Eaton Corp. (Wisconsin) (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Yuan, QingHui, Rannow, Michael Berne, Gehlhoff, Wade Leo, Schottler, Christy William, Mahulkar, Vishal
• Primary Examiner(s): Mawari, Redhwan k
• Application Number:
  US13/385,779
• Publication Number:
  US 20120232756A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,324 Days
• Field of Search: 701/41, 701/50, 701/29.7
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/226 Safety arrangements, e.g. hydraulic driven fans, preventing cavitation, leakage, overheating
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2278 Hydraulic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2296 Systems with a variable displacement pump
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/268 with failure correction follow-up actions
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 19/002 Calibrating
• CPC Class Codes: F15B 19/005 Fault detection or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0275 Fault isolation and identification, e.g. classify fault; estimate cause or root of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0286 Modifications to the monitored process, e.g. stopping operation or adapting control
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0289 Reconfiguration to prevent failure, e.g. usually as a reaction to incipient failure detection

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to fault detection, isolation and reconfiguration schemes, architectures and methods for use in electrohydraulic actuation systems for construction equipment. In one embodiment, a supervisory controller adapted to interface with a main controller of the construction vehicle is provided. A plurality of control nodes that interface with the supervisory controller are also disclosed, each of which includes pressure and position sensors. The nodes also include a first actuator control node for controlling operation of a first hydraulic actuator, a second actuator control node for controlling operation of a second hydraulic actuator, and a pump control node. The control system has an architecture in which faults are detected and isolated at the supervisory controller level and, where possible, within each of the control nodes at a sensor level, a component level, and a subsystem level.

Claims

1. A control system for controlling a hydraulic actuation system of a construction vehicle, the control system comprising:

a supervisory controller adapted to interface with a main controller of the construction vehicle, the supervisory controller being at a supervisory control level of the hydraulic actuation system;

a plurality of control nodes that interface with the supervisory controller, the control nodes including pressure and position sensors, the plurality of control nodes including;

a first actuator control node for controlling operation of a first hydraulic actuator;

a second actuator control node for controlling operation of a second hydraulic actuator;

a pump control node; and

wherein the control system has a fault detection architecture in which faults are detected within the control nodes at;

a) a sensor level;

b) a component level; and

c) a subsystem level.

2. The control system of claim 1, wherein at least some faults are isolated at the supervisory control level.

3. The control system of claim 1, wherein the construction vehicle is an excavation vehicle having a boom with a pivotal component, wherein the first hydraulic actuator comprises a boom lift cylinder for raising and lowering the boom, and wherein the second hydraulic actuator comprises a pivot cylinder for pivoting the pivotal component of the boom.

4. The control system of claim 3, wherein the excavation vehicle is a wheel loader.

5. The control system of claim 3, wherein the plurality of control nodes includes a boom suspension system control node.

6. The control system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of control nodes is in communication with the supervisory controller without being in direct cross communication with another of the control nodes.

7. The control system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator control node includes a first node controller in communication with the supervisory controller and the second actuator control node includes a second node controller in communication with the supervisory controller.

8. The control system of claim 1, wherein the pump control node includes a pump node controller in communication with the supervisory controller.

9. The control system of claim 7, wherein the first actuator control node includes a first control valve assembly in communication with the first node controller and the second actuator control node includes a second control valve assembly in communication with the second node controller.

10. The control system of claim 9, wherein the pressure and position sensors of the first actuator control node are in communication with the first node controller and the pressure and position sensors of the second actuator control node are in communication with the second node controller.

11. The control system of claim 9, wherein the first node controller is configured to send a pulse width modulation signal to the first control valve assembly and the second node controller is configured to send a pulse width modulation signal to the second control valve assembly.

12. The control system of claim 2, wherein the supervisory controller is configured to isolate faults associated with the pressure and position sensors of the control nodes that are not able to be isolated at the control node level.

13. The control system of claim 5, wherein the plurality of control nodes includes a tank control unit node.

14. The control system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of control nodes includes at least one of a boom suspension system control node, a tank control unit node, and an auxiliary control node.

15. The control system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of control nodes sends a fault status signal to the supervisory controller when a fault has been detected at the sensor level, the component level, or the subsystem level.

16. the control system of claim 15, wherein the fault status signal indicates whether the detected fault has been isolated at the subsystem level.

17. The control system of claim 1, wherein the supervisory controller communicates the fault status signals of each of the plurality of control nodes to the other of the plurality of control nodes.