STRUCTURAL HEALTH MONITORING SYSTEMS UTILIZING VISUAL FEEDBACK AND SELECTIVE RECORDING

• US 20180205905A1
• Filed: 01/19/2017
• Published: 07/19/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2017
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Hammar, Jeremy, Junck, Christopher, Inturi, Tilak
• Application Number:
  US15/410,472
• Publication Number:
  US 20180205905A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0816 Indicating performance data, e.g. occurrence of a malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0866 the electronic data carrier being a digital video recorder in combination with video camera
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/003 Repetitive work cycles; Sequence of movements
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 9/042 providing simulation in a real vehicle G09B9/052, G09B9/058 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 5/77 between a recording apparatus and a television camera
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/188 Capturing isolated or intermittent images triggered by the occurrence of a predetermined event, e.g. an object reaching a predetermined position signal generation from motion picture films H04N5/253

Abstract

A system for monitoring structural health of a machine includes sensors configured to collect structural health data associated with the machine. The system includes video cameras operatively associated with the machine and configured to selectively record video data. The system includes a controller, including a processor, operatively associated with the sensors and the video cameras. The controller is configured to receive the structural health data from the sensors and determine if one or more structural health events have occurred based on the structural health data. The controller is configured to record the video data during a timeframe associated with at least one of the one or more structural health events, if at least one of the one or more structural health events has occurred, the video data showing occurrence of at least one of the one or more structural health events, relative to the machine.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring structural health of a machine, the system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to collect structural health data associated with the machine;

one or more video cameras operatively associated with the machine and configured to selectively record video data; and

a controller, including a processor, operatively associated with the one or more sensors and the one or more video cameras, the controller configured to;

receive the structural health data from the one or more sensors,

determine if one or more structural health events have occurred, based on the structural health data, and

record the video data during a timeframe associated with at least one of the one or more structural health events, if at least one of the one or more structural health events has occurred, the video data showing occurrence of at least one of the one or more structural health events, relative to the machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more video cameras each are positioned, relative to the machine, such that the video data recorded shows a perspective at a location on the machine in which at least one of the one or more structural health events is able to occur.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the controller further includes a memory configured to store the video data,

wherein the controller is further configured to:

continuously record the video data, during operation of the machine, by recording the video data to a video storage of the memory, the video storage having a stored video limit defined by a storage period of time, prior to a current moment in time, in which the video storage saves the recorded video data to the memory, and

continuously delete any video data recorded prior to the storage period of time.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the timeframe includes, at least, an event period of time in which at least one of the one or more structural health events occurs, and

wherein the controller is further configured to store the video data, from the video storage, over the timeframe, on the memory, in a saved video storage of the memory.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the timeframe further includes a preceding buffer period of time.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the memory further includes an event structural health data storage, and

wherein the controller is further configured to store the structural health data collected over the timeframe.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the machine includes an implement, and

wherein at least one of the one or more video cameras is positioned, relative to the machine, such that the video data recorded shows a perspective at a location on the machine in which the implement is visible and in which occurrence of at least one of the one or more structural health events, which is associated with the implement, is visible.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more sensors include one or more of strain sensing devices, orientation sensors, hydraulic pressure sensors, cylinder position sensors, position sensors, velocity sensors, load pins, bending bridges, and any combinations thereof.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising and output device configured to present an operator of the machine with an indication of at least one of the one or more structural health events, and

wherein the controller is further configured to instruct the output device to present the operator of the machine with the indication of at least one of the one or more structural health events if one or more structural health events have occurred.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the controller is further configured to provide the output device with operator coaching instructions based, at least in part, on the video data, if one or more structural health events have occurred.

11. A method for monitoring structural health of a machine, the method comprising:

collecting structural health data associated with the machine, using one or more sensors;

recording video data associated with the machine, using one or more video cameras associated with the machine;

determining, by an electronic controller, if one or more structural health events have occurred, based on the structural health data; and

storing, at least in part, the video data, on a memory associated with the controller, during a timeframe associated with at least one of the one or more structural health events, if at least one of the one or more structural health events has occurred, the video data showing occurrence of at least one of the one or more structural health events.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising positioning the one or more video cameras, relative to the machine, such that the video data recorded shows a perspective at a location on the machine in which at least one of the one or more structural health events is able to occur.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein storing the video data includes continuously storing the video data, during operation of the machine, by storing the video data to a video storage of the memory, the video storage having a stored video limit defined by a storage period of time, prior to a current moment in time, in which the video storage saves the recorded video data to the memory, and

wherein the method further includes continuously deleting any video data stored prior to the storage period of time.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the timeframe includes, at least, an event period of time, in which the one or more structural health events occurs, and

wherein storing the video data includes storing the video data, from the video storage, over the timeframe, on the memory, in a saved video storage of the memory.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising storing the structural health data collected over the timeframe to a structural health data storage of the memory.

16. The method of claim 11, further comprising providing an operator machine, via an output device, with an indication of at least one of the one or more structural health events.

17. The method of claim 11, further comprising presenting an operator of the machine, via an output device, with operator coaching instructions based, at least in part, on the video data, if one or more structural health events have occurred.

18. A machine comprising:

a plurality of machine components including, at least, one or more ground engaging devices, a power system, and an implement;

one or more sensors configured to collect structural health data associated with one or more of the plurality of machine components;

one or more video cameras operatively associated one or more of the plurality of machine components, the video cameras configured to selectively record video data associated with one or more of the plurality of machine components; and

a controller, including a processor, operatively associated with the one or more sensors and the one or more video cameras, the controller configured to;

receive the structural health data from the one or more sensors,

receive the selectively recorded video data from the one or more video cameras;

determine if one or more structural health events have occurred, based on the structural health data, and

store the video data recorded by the one or more video cameras, during a timeframe associated with at least one of the one or more structural health events, if at least one of the one or more structural health events has occurred, the video data showing occurrence of at least one of the one or more structural health events, relative to one or more of the plurality of machine components.

19. The machine of claim 18, wherein the one or more video cameras are each positioned relative to one or more of the plurality of machine components, such that the video data recorded shows a perspective at a location on the machine in which at least one of the one or more structural health events is able to occur.

20. The machine of claim 18, wherein at least one of the one or more video cameras is positioned, relative to the implement, such that the video data recorded shows a perspective at a location on the machine in which the implement is visible and in which occurrence of at least one of the one or more structural health events, which is associated with the implement, is visible.