IP Library Granted Patent US 12,311,986
Granted Patent B2
US 12,311,986 · App. 17/551,285 · Granted May 27, 2025

System and method for vehicle control based on detected wheel condition

Inventor: David Michael Peltz (Melbourne, FL)
Assignee: Transportation IP Holdings, LLC
B61K9/12B61L15/0018B61L15/009B61L25/021B61L2201/00
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,311,986
App. No.
17/551,285
Granted
May 27, 2025
Kind
B2
Abstract

A system is provided that includes a detection circuit having a first and second sensor. The first sensor is configured to measure a rotational speed of a first wheel. The second sensor is coupled to a vehicle chassis and configured to measure a position over time of the vehicle chassis. The system further includes a controller circuit configured to determine a shock frequency based on the position of the vehicle chassis. The controller circuit is further configured to determine a condition (e.g., an anomalous condition) of the first wheel based on the shock frequency and the rotational speed, and may be further configured for vehicle control based on the determined condition.

Claims (30)

1. A system, comprising:

a movement sensor configured to measure one or more characteristics of movement of a vehicle; and

a controller configured to identify a repeated event in the one or more characteristics of the movement of the vehicle, wherein the one or more characteristics are other than rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle,

the controller further configured to determine a frequency associated with the repeated event, and

the controller further configured to determine a state of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle based, at least in part, on the frequency associated with the repeated event.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the state of the route being traveled upon by the vehicle based on the rotational speed of the wheel and the frequency associated with the repeated event.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a speed sensor configured to measure the rotational speed of the wheel of the vehicle.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to determine a state of the wheel based on the rotational speed of the wheel and the frequency associated with the repeated event.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the controller if further configured to determine the state of the wheel as damage to a rolling surface of the wheel or a misalignment of the wheel with respect to the route.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to determine the state of the route based on which of several different ranges of frequencies in which the frequency associated with the repeated event is located.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the different ranges of frequencies are associated with different states of one or more of the wheel or the route.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the different ranges of frequencies are associated with different sizes of the wheel.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the different ranges of frequencies are associated with different rotational speeds of the wheel.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the different ranges of frequencies are associated with different characteristics of the route.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to change the movement the vehicle based on the state of the route.

12. A method, comprising:

measuring one or more characteristics of movement of a vehicle;

identifying a repeated event in the one or more characteristics of the movement of the vehicle, wherein the one or more characteristics are other than rotational speed of a wheel of the vehicle;

determining a frequency associated with the repeated event; and

determining a state of a route being traveled upon by the vehicle based, at least in part, on the frequency associated with the repeated event.

13. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

determining the rotational speed of the wheel; and

determining the one or more characteristics of movement of the vehicle.

14. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining the state of the route being traveled upon by the vehicle based on the rotational speed of the wheel and the frequency associated with the repeated event.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising determining a state of the wheel based on the rotational speed of the wheel and the frequency associated with the repeated event, and wherein the state of the wheel is determined as damage to a rolling surface of the wheel or a misalignment of the wheel with respect to the route.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the state of the route is determined based on which of several different ranges of frequencies in which the frequency associated with the repeated event is located.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the different ranges of frequencies are associated with different states of the route.

18. The method of claim 16 , wherein the different ranges of frequencies are associated with different characteristics of the route.

19. The method of claim 12 , further comprising:

changing the movement of the vehicle based on the state of the route.

Assignments (3)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2022
From: PELTZ, DAVID MICHAEL
To: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
Reel/Frame 058572/0819 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 6, 2022
From: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
To: GE GLOBAL SOURCING LLC
Reel/Frame 058585/0958 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 6, 2022
From: GE GLOBAL SOURCING LLC
To: TRANSPORTATION IP HOLDINGS, LLC
Reel/Frame 058662/0771 →
Continuity (4)
Continuation In Part 16704298 · Dec 5, 2019
Continuation 15486121 · Apr 12, 2017
Provisional Application 62328693 · Apr 28, 2016
Related Publication 20220105969A1 · Apr 7, 2022
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