Method, System, and Computer Software Code for Detection and Isolation of Electrical Ground Failure and Secondary Failure

• US 20070013232A1
• Filed: 09/20/2006
• Published: 01/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Kumar, Ajith, McNally, Christopher, Worden, Bret, Brown, Theodore
• Granted Patent: US 7,746,604 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2200/26 Rail vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 2210/20 AC to AC converters
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0023 Detecting, eliminating, remedying or compensating for drive train abnormalities, e.g. failures within the drive train
• CPC Class Codes: B60L 3/0069 relating to the isolation, e.g. ground fault or leak current
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/72 Electric energy management in electromobility

Abstract

In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network and a blower system as part of a braking system operable to determine at least one of a resistor failure and a blower failure, the system including a first series of resistors connected in series, a second series of resistors connected in series, a blower cross to at least one of the first series of resistors and the second series of resistors, a sensor proximate at least one of the first series of resistors, the second series of resistors, and the blower, wherein each individual resistor in the first series connected in parallel to an individual resistor in the second series, and wherein when at least one of a current value, blower speed, and voltage value changes, the grid network is disconnected.

Claims

1. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network and a blower system as part of a braking system operable to determine at least one of a resistor failure and a blower failure, the system comprising:

(a) a resistor forming a grid network;

(b) a blower connected to the resistor;

(c) a sensor proximate the blower to measure a value associated with the blower; and

(d) wherein when the measured value is outside of a specific range, the grid network is disconnected.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprises a second resistor wherein the first resistor and the second resistor are connected in at least one of series and parallel.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the measured value of the blower comprises at least one of blower speed, blower current, and blower voltage.

4. The system of claim 2 wherein the blower is cross connected between the first resistor and the second resistor.

5. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network with a plurality of nodes as part of a braking system operable to determine a failure, the system comprising:

(a) a resistor forming a grid network;

(b) a sensor proximate the resistor to monitor a measurable value; and

(c) wherein when the measurable value changes beyond a predefined range proximate the resistor, the grid network is disconnected.

6. The system of claim 5 further comprises a second resistor wherein the second resistor is connected at least one of in series and parallel with the first resistor.

7. The system of claim 6 further comprises a blower connected at least one of to the second resistor, to the first resistor, and cross connected between the first resistor and the second resistor.

8. The system of claim 5 wherein the measured value comprises at least one of current and voltage.

9. The system of claim 5 wherein the measurable value changes when compared to at least one of an expected value and a prior measured value.

10. The system of claim 5 wherein the sensor comprises at least one of a current sensor and a voltage sensor.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the sensor is a differential current sensor operable to measures current changes across the resistor when compared to a node in the grid network.

12. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network as part of a braking system operable to determine a failure, the system comprising:

(a) a first series of resistors connected in series;

(b) a second series of resistors;

(c) a blower cross connected to at least one of the first series of resistors and the second series of resistors;

(d) a sensor proximate at least one of the first series of resistors, the second series of resistors, and the blower to measure at least one of a current value, blower speed, and voltage valve;

(e) wherein each individual resistor in the first series is connected in parallel to an individual resistor in the second series; and

(f) wherein when at least one of the current value, blower speed, and voltage value changes, the grid network is disconnected.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein the sensor is at least one of a current sensor and a voltage sensor.

14. The system of claim 12 wherein when at least two combinations of the blower and the series of resistors are provided, the system further comprises a differential blower current sensor proximate the blowers so as to determine a change in current between the blowers.

15. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network and a blower system as part of a braking system operable to determine at least one of a resistor failure and a blower failure, the system comprising:

(a) a first series of resistors connected in series;

(b) a second series of resistors connected in series;

(c) a blower cross connected between the first series of resistors and the second series of resistors;

(d) a sensor connected in series with the blower to monitor a measurable value; and

(e) wherein when the measurable value monitored by the sensor is outside of a specified range, the grid network is disconnected.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein the sensor is at least one of a current sensor and a voltage sensor.

17. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network as part of a braking system operable to determine a failure, a method for reducing secondary damage comprising:

(a) creating a voltage signal by measuring voltages proximate an element within the grid network;

(b) supplying the voltage signal to a processor;

(c) detecting changes in the voltage signal; and

(d) if a change in voltage is determined, reducing power to the element where the voltage signal was measured.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprises isolating the element where the voltage signals were measured.

19. The method of claim 17 further comprises operating the system in a pre-determined order to confirm that the measured voltage signals are correct.

20. In an off-road vehicle having a processor, resistor grid network and a blower system as part of a braking system operable to determine at least one of a resistor failure and a blower failure, a computer code for reducing secondary damage comprising:

(a) a computer module for creating a voltage signal by measuring voltages within the grid network;

(b) a computer module for supplying the voltage signal to a processor;

(c) a computer module for detecting changes in the voltage signal;

(d) a computer module for reducing power to an element where the voltage signal was measured if a change in voltage is determined.

21. The computer code of claim 20 further comprises a computer code for isolating the element where the voltage signals were measured.

22. The computer code of claim 20 further comprises a computer code for operating the system in a pre-determined order to confirm that the measured voltage signals are correct.

23. In an off-road vehicle having a plurality of electrical components used to operate the off-road vehicle, a method for reducing secondary damage comprising:

a) monitoring a physical characteristic of the electrical component specific to an operational condition of the vehicle;

b) detecting a change in the physical characteristic of the electrical component;

c) if the physical characteristic changes beyond an acceptable range, disabling the electrical component.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the physical characteristic comprises at least one of noise, light, and heat.

25. The method of claim 23 further comprises filtering at least one of background noise, light and heat from the physical characteristic so as to monitor a specific physical characteristic.

26. In an off-road vehicle having a plurality of electrical components used to operate the off-road vehicle, a method for reducing secondary damage comprising:

a) determining an actual measurable value specific to an operational condition of the vehicle;

b) determining a threshold value specific to an operational condition of the vehicle; and

c) if the actual measurable value is not proximate the threshold value, at least one of reducing power and removing power from at least one of the electrical components.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein the measurable value comprises at least one of current and voltage.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein current comprises at least one of AC current and DC current.

29. The method of claim 26 wherein the threshold value comprises at least one of a ratio, a delta, and a predetermined factor.

30. The method of claim 26 wherein the threshold value comprises at least one of a specific value and a range of values.

31. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grid network and a blower connected to the resistor grid network as part of a braking system a method for determining at least one of a resistor failure and a blower failure, the method comprising:

a. sensing a measured value associated with the blower; and

b. at least one of minimizing power and discontinuing power supplied to the grid network when the measured value is outside of a specific range.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein sensing the measured value further comprises sensing at least one of the blower speed, blower current, and blower voltage.

33. The method of claim 31 wherein the resistor grid network comprises one resistor.

34. In an off-road vehicle having a resistor grip with a plurality of nodes as part of a braking system, a method for determining a failure within the grid network, the method comprising:

a. sensing a measurable value proximate a resistor in the resistor grid; and

b. at least one of disconnecting the grid network and reducing power to the grid network when the measurable value changes beyond a predefined range.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the resistor grid network comprises one resistor.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein sensing a measurable value further comprises sensing at least one of a current value and a voltage value.