System and method for detecting machine movement and speed sensor failure

• US 8,214,101 B2
• Filed: 02/29/2008
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/29/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Carlton, Douglas James, Storer, Corwin Eugene, Will, Bradley John, Schultz, Eric John
• Primary Examiner(s): Jayne, Darnell
• Assistant Examiner(s): Varghese, Sasha T
• Application Number:
  US12/073,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20090222162A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,586 Days
• Field of Search: 701/29.1, 701/29.2, 701/29.7, 701/29.8, 701/30.4, 701/33.6, 701/33.9, 701/34.4, 701/50, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/29.7
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/042 by monitoring a single specific parameter not covered by groups G01M15/06 - G01M15/12

Abstract

A method for indirectly detecting a movement of a machine and a failure of a speed sensor is disclosed. The method may include receiving an operator input signal, and determining a first factor based on the operator input signal. The method may also include measuring a machine operation parameter, and determining a second factor based on the machine operation parameter. The method may further include identifying a movement of the machine if the first factor is out of a first threshold range and the second factor is out of a second threshold range for at least a first threshold length of time. The method may also include determining a speed sensor failure if the movement of the machine is identified and no speed is detected by the speed sensor for at least a second threshold length of time.

Claims

1. A method for detecting a movement of a machine and a failure of a speed sensor, the method being performed by a processor and comprising:

receiving an operator input signal;

determining a first factor based on the operator input signal, where the first factor is a pump command;

measuring a machine operation parameter, where the machine operation parameter includes a hydrostatic pressure;

determining a second factor based on the machine operation parameter;

identifying a movement of the machine if, for at least a first threshold length of time, both (1) the first factor is out of a first threshold range and (2) the second factor is out of a second threshold range; and

determining a speed sensor failure if the movement of the machine is identified and no speed is detected by the speed sensor for at least a second threshold length of time.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the speed sensor failure further includes:

flagging an un-commanded machine motion disabled event; and

notifying the speed sensor failure to an operator of the machine.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the speed sensor failure further includes performing a diagnostic on the speed sensor.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the operator input signal includes a position of an operator input device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the first factor further includes:

determining an operator commanded gear ratio; and

mapping the operator commanded gear ratio to the pump command.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the machine operation parameter includes an engine speed.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the second factor is a power management factor.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first threshold range and the second threshold range are input by an operator of the machine via an input interface.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first threshold length of time and the second threshold length of time are input by an operator of the machine via an input interface.

10. A method for detecting a movement of a machine and a failure of a speed sensor, the method being performed by a processor and comprising:

receiving an operator input signal;

determining a power command based on the operator input signal;

measuring a hydrostatic pressure associated with a hydrostatic drive portion of the machine;

identifying a movement of the machine if, for at least a first threshold length of time, both (1) the power command exceeds a first threshold and (2) the hydrostatic pressure falls below a second threshold; and

determining a speed sensor failure if the movement of the machine is identified and no speed is detected by the speed sensor for at least a second threshold length of time.

11. A machine movement detection system for detecting a movement of a machine and a failure of a speed sensor, comprising:

an operator input device configured to receive an operator input signal;

a machine operation sensor configured to measure a machine operation parameter; and

a controller coupled to the operator input device and the machine operation sensor, and being configured to;

receive the operator input signal from the operator input device;

determine a first factor based on the operator input signal, where the first factor is a pump command;

receive the machine operation parameter from the machine operation sensor;

determine a second factor based on the machine operation parameter, where the second factor is a power management factor;

identify a movement of the machine if, for at least a first threshold length of time, both (1) the first factor is out of a first threshold range and (2) the second factor is out of a second threshold range; and

determine a speed sensor failure if the movement of the machine is identified and no speed is detected by the speed sensor for at least a second threshold length of time.

12. The machine movement detection system of claim 11, further including an input interface coupled to the controller, and being configured to receive the first threshold range, the second threshold range, the first threshold length of time, and the second threshold length of time, from an operator of the machine.

13. The machine movement detection system of claim 11, further including a display device coupled to the controller, and being configured to provide a notification to an operator when the speed sensor failure is determined.

14. The machine movement detection system of claim 11, wherein the controller is further configured to:

flag an event in which un-commanded machine motion detection is disabled;

notify an operator of the machine of the speed sensor failure; and

perform a diagnostic on the speed sensor.

15. A machine, comprising:

a power source;

a speed sensor; and

a machine movement detection system coupled to the speed sensor, wherein the machine movement detection system includes;

an operator input device configured to receive an operator input signal;

a machine operation sensor configured to measure a machine operation parameter, where the machine operation parameter includes a hydrostatic pressure; and

a controller coupled to the operator input device and the machine operation sensor, and being configured to;

determine a first factor based on the operator input signal, where the first factor is a pump command;

identify a movement of the machine based on the first factor and the machine operation parameter measured by the machine operation sensor; and

determine a speed sensor failure if the movement of the machine is identified and no speed is detected by the speed sensor for at least a threshold length of time.

16. The machine of claim 15, wherein the controller is configured to identify a movement of the machine by being configured to:

receive the operator input signal from the operator input device;

receive the machine operation parameter from the machine operation sensor;

determine a second factor based on the machine operation parameter; and

identify a movement of the machine if, for at least a first threshold length of time, both (1) the first factor is out of a first threshold range and (2) the second factor is out of a second threshold range.

17. The machine of claim 15, wherein the controller is further configured to:

flag an event in which un-commanded machine motion detection is disabled;

notify an operator of the machine of the speed sensor failure; and

perform a diagnostic on the speed sensor.