IP Library Granted Patent US 11,237,081
Granted Patent B2
US 11,237,081 · App. 16/409,002 · Granted Feb 1, 2022

Vehicle sensor system

Inventors: Bret Worden (Erie, PA); Jingjun Zhang (Lawrence Park, PA); David Petersen (Erie, PA)
Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
G01M17/10G01M17/007G07C5/006G07C5/0808G07C5/0816F16H57/0449
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,237,081
App. No.
16/409,002
Granted
Feb 1, 2022
Kind
B2
Abstract

A vehicle sensor system includes a fluid sensor configured to be disposed onboard a vehicle system and at least partially extend into a gearbox of a traction motor of the vehicle system. The fluid sensor is configured to output data representative of an amount of a lubricating fluid in the gearbox. The system also includes a positioning system configured to output data representative of movement or an absence of movement of the vehicle system, and one or more processors configured to determine the amount of the lubricating fluid in the gearbox based on the data that is output by the fluid sensor responsive to the data output by the positioning system indicating that the vehicle system has not moved or has moved by less than a designated distance for at least a designated, non-instantaneous period of time.

Claims (15)

1. A system comprising:

one or more sensors configured to measure temperatures of different axles of a vehicle; and

one or more processors configured to obtain the temperatures that are measured and to compare the temperatures of the different axles for identifying a deteriorated condition of at least one of the axles;

wherein the one or more sensors are configured to measure the temperatures of the axles at different speeds of the vehicle, wherein the one or more processors are configured to identify the deteriorated condition of at least one of the axles responsive to the temperature of a first axle of the axles changing relative to the temperatures of at least a second axle of the axles not changing between the different speeds of the vehicle.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to examine the temperatures to identify the deteriorated condition of the first axle responsive to the temperature of the first axle not decreasing between the different speeds of the vehicle while the temperature of at least the second axle decreases between the different speeds of the vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to examine the temperatures to identify the deteriorated condition of the first axle responsive to the temperature of the first axle increasing between the different speeds of the vehicle while the temperature of at least the second axle does not decrease between the different speeds of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle is an automobile.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more processors are configured to automatically control operation of the at least one axle responsive to identifying the deteriorated condition.

6. A method comprising:

measuring temperatures of different axles of a vehicle; and

identifying a deteriorated condition of at least one of the axles by comparing the temperatures of the different axles;

wherein the temperatures of the axles are measured at different speeds of the vehicle, wherein the deteriorated condition of at least one of the axles is identified responsive to the temperature of a first axle of the axles changing relative to the temperatures of at least a second axle of the axles not changing between the different speeds of the vehicle.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the deteriorated condition of the first axle is identified responsive to the temperature of the first axle not decreasing between the different speeds of the vehicle while the temperature of at least the second axle decreases between the different speeds of the vehicle.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the deteriorated condition of the first axle is identified responsive to the temperature of the first axle increasing between the different speeds of the vehicle while the temperature of at least the second axle does not decrease between the different speeds of the vehicle.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising automatically controlling operation of the at least one axle responsive to identifying the deteriorated condition.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2021
From: WORDEN, BRET; ZHANG, JINGJUN; PETERSEN, DAVID
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 058441/0812 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 21, 2021
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE GLOBAL SOURCING LLC
Reel/Frame 058443/0972 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Dec 21, 2021
From: GE GLOBAL SOURCING LLC
To: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 058552/0865 →
Continuity (6)
Continuation 15372937 · Dec 8, 2016
Continuation In Part 14869038 · Sep 29, 2015
Continuation In Part 14866320 · Sep 25, 2015
Continuation In Part 14421245 · Feb 12, 2015
Provisional Application 62269192 · Dec 18, 2015
Related Publication 20190265131A1 · Aug 29, 2019