Hydraulic system having load sensing capabilities

1. A method comprising:

selecting a target pressure drop across an orifice disposed in a fluid path between a valve and a hydraulic load, the valve operable for selectively fluidly connecting the hydraulic load to a source of pressurized fluid;

determining an actual pressure drop across the orifice;

formulating a control signal based on the target pressure drop and the actual pressure drop;

transmitting the control signal to the valve;

selectively adjusting the control signal to maintain the pressure drop across the orifice within a selected tolerance range of the target pressure drop.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting the cross-sectional flow area of the orifice to selectively vary the rate at which pressurized fluid is delivered to the hydraulic load; and

monitoring the pressure drop across the orifice while adjusting the cross-sectional flow area of the orifice.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the step of adjusting the control signal includes determining a duty cycle of the valve calculated to produce a pressure drop across the orifice that is within the selected tolerance range of the target pressure drop.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the duty cycle defines a time period during which the valve is cycled between an open position and a closed position.

5. The method of claim 2 , wherein increasing the cross-sectional flow area of the orifice increases the rate at which pressurized fluid is delivered to the hydraulic load.

6. The method of claim 2 , wherein decreasing the cross-section flow area of the orifice decreases the rate at which pressurized fluid is delivered to the hydraulic load.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of formulating a control signal includes determining a duty cycle of the valve calculated to produce a pressure drop across the orifice that is within a selected tolerance range of the target pressure drop.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the actual pressure drop across the orifice.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring a system pressure; and

adjusting the control signal if the monitored pressure falls below a selected low standby pressure.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the step of adjusting the control signal includes determining a duty cycle of the valve for maintaining the system pressure equal to or greater than the low standby pressure.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring a system pressure; and

adjusting the control signal if the monitored pressure exceeds a selected high standby pressure.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the step of adjusting the control signal includes determining a duty cycle of the valve for maintaining the system pressure equal to or less than the high standby pressure.

13. A hydraulic system comprising:

a digital valve operable to fluidly connect a hydraulic load to a pressure supply;

an orifice disposed in a flow path between the hydraulic load and the digital valve; and

a digital controller operably connected to the digital valve, the digital controller storing a target pressure drop across the orifice, the digital controller configured to determine an actual pressure drop across the orifice and formulate a control signal based on the target pressure drop and the actual pressure drop, the controller transmitting the control signal to the digital valve for controlling the operation of the valve;

wherein the orifice includes a variable cross-sectional flow area that is adjustable to selectively vary the rate at which pressurized fluid is delivered to the hydraulic load, the controller configured to monitor the pressure drop across the orifice as the cross-sectional flow area is adjusted and modify the control signal to maintain the pressure drop across the orifice within a selected tolerance range of the target pressure drop.

14. The hydraulic system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a duty cycle of the digital valve calculated to produce a pressure drop across the orifice that is within a selected tolerance range of the target pressure drop.

15. The hydraulic system of claim 14 , wherein the duty cycle defines a time period during which the digital valve is cycled between an open position and a closed position.

16. The hydraulic system of claim 13 , wherein increasing the cross-sectional flow area of the orifice increases the rate at which pressurized fluid is delivered to the hydraulic load.

17. The hydraulic system of claim 13 , wherein decreasing the cross-section flow area of the orifice decreases the rate at which pressurized fluid is delivered to the hydraulic load.

18. The hydraulic system of claim 17 , wherein the duty cycle defines a time period during which the digital valve is cycled between an open position and a closed position.

19. The hydraulic system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a duty cycle of the digital valve calculated to produce a pressure drop across the orifice that is within a selected tolerance range of the target pressure drop.

20. The hydraulic system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to monitor the actual pressure drop across the orifice.

21. The hydraulic system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to monitor a system pressure and adjust the control signal if the monitored pressure falls below a selected low standby pressure.

22. The hydraulic system of claim 21 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a duty cycle of the digital valve for maintaining the system pressure equal to or greater than the low standby pressure.

23. The hydraulic system of claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to monitor a system pressure and adjust the control signal if the monitored pressure exceeds a selected high standby pressure.

24. The hydraulic system of claim 23 , wherein the controller is configured to determine a duty cycle of the digital valve for maintaining the system pressure equal to or less than the high standby pressure.