Communications: electrical – Land vehicle alarms or indicators – Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-22
2001-01-09
Tong, Nina (Department: 2736)
Communications: electrical
Land vehicle alarms or indicators
Internal alarm or indicator responsive to a condition of the...
C340S439000, C340S450000, C340S450200, C340S450300, C340S451000, C340S457400, C701S029000, C701S030000, C701S034000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06172602
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to a real-time maintenance alert system for use in a heavy-duty truck having an engine controller with memory.
BACKGROUND ART
In the control of fuel injection systems, electronic control units having volatile and non-volatile memory, input and output driver circuitry, and a processor capable of executing a stored instruction set are utilized to control various functions of the engine and its associated systems. A particular electronic control unit communicates with numerous sensors, actuators, and other electronic control units necessary to control various functions, which may include various aspects of fuel delivery, transmission control, or many others.
In heavy-duty truck applications, in addition to utilizing a highly complex engine controller that monitors the engine conditions so that when required, engine protection and engine shutdown logic may be executed to prevent possible engine damage, some normal service items of a truck must be physically inspected by opening the hood to physically check each item, preferably each time the truck is stopped. With the heavy-duty trucking industry becoming more and more competitive, maintenance reduction is becoming significantly more important. As such, it is sometimes undesirably time consuming to tilt the hood and physically check each normal service item of each truck throughout the day at a trucking bay.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for a system that facilitates the checking of normal service items of a truck.
DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a real-time maintenance alert system for use in a heavy-duty truck that allows normal service items of a truck to be checked at a glance, rather than opening the hood to physically check each item.
In carrying out the above object and other objects and features of the present invention, a real-time maintenance alert system for use in a heavy-duty truck having an engine and engine controller with memory is provided. The system comprises a sensor operative to produce a signal indicative of a least one engine condition from the group consisting: an oil filter restriction condition, a fuel filter restriction condition, an air filter restriction condition, an oil level, and a coolant level in a coolant reserve tank. The system further comprises control logic at the engine controller. The control logic is configured to process the sensor signal and to determine a real-time fault condition when the engine condition falls outside of a predetermined acceptable range. The control logic is further operative to produce an output signal in response to the real-time fault condition.
In a preferred embodiment, a display device receives the control logic output signal; and, the display device has an indicator operative to alert a user of the real-time fault condition.
Further, in carrying out the present invention, a real-time maintenance alert method for use in a heavy-duty truck having an engine and an engine controller with memory is provided. The method comprises generating a signal with an engine sensor, and processing the signal with control logic at the engine controller. The signal indicates at least one engine condition from the group consisting of: an oil filter restriction condition, a fuel filter restriction condition, an air filter restriction condition, an oil level, and a coolant level at a coolant reserve tank. The signal is processed to determine a real-time fault condition when the engine condition falls outside of a predetermined acceptable range. The control logic is further operative to produce an output signal in response to the real-time fault condition. Preferably, the method further comprises generating an alert signal on a display device to alert a user of the real-time fault condition when such condition is present.
Still further, in carrying out the present invention, a display device for use with a real-time maintenance alert system for a heavy-duty truck having and an engine controller with memory is provided. The display device comprises a housing, an interface, and an indicator device. The interface is configured to communicate with control logic at the engine controller. The control logic is configured to process a sensor signal indicative of an engine condition from the group consisting: an oil filter restriction condition, a fuel filter restriction condition, an air-filter restriction condition, an oil level, and a coolant level in a coolant reserve tank. The control logic is further configured to determine a real-time fault condition when the engine condition falls outside of a predetermined acceptable range. The control logic is further operative to produce an output signal in response to the real-time fault condition. The interface receives the output signal.
The indicator device is affixed to the housing and communicates with the interface. The indicator device produces a visual indication when the output signal corresponding to the real-time fault condition is received at the interface.
The advantages associated with the embodiments of the present invention are numerous. For example, embodiments of the present invention allow normal service items of a truck to be checked at a glance rather than requiring opening of the hood to physically check each item. Further, preferably, control logic for the real-time maintenance alert system operates independently of any existing engine protection or engine shutdown control logic. That is, the maintenance alert system control logic provides an indication when normal service items require maintenance. It is to be appreciated that the maintenance alert system embodiments of the present invention alert a user of a real-time fault condition, based on a sensor measurement, as opposed to based on the passage of time or distance as measured by the odometer since a previous maintenance operation.
The above object and other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.
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Brooks & Kushman P.C.
Detroit Diesel Corporation
Tong Nina
LandOfFree
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