IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,736,941
Granted Patent B2
US 12,736,941 · App. 18/205,202 · Granted Sep 15, 2026

Dynamic service interval scheduling for machine

Inventors: Karl P. Schneider (Decatur, IL); Andrew Olson (Vail, AZ)
Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
G05B19/406G07C5/006G07C5/0841G05B2219/50206
View Patent ↗
Loading inventors, assignments & file history…
Monitor This Case
Get email alerts when status or documents change.
Order Certified Copies
Most orders are placed with the USPTO same day — all within 24 business hours.
Order via The Patent Place →
Pre-filled with this patent's details
Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,736,941
App. No.
18/205,202
Granted
Sep 15, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Dynamic service interval scheduling in a machine includes receiving monitoring signals for a plurality of components in the machine each indicative of an operating characteristic upon which a state-of-health (SOH) of one of the plurality of components is dependent. An SOH term is calculated for each one of the components based on the monitoring signals and a stored SOH degradation progression profile. SOH reporting signals are outputted based on a respective one of the SOH terms. The reporting signals may indicate a plurality of different continued service capacities among the components at least some of which are runtime-independent of one or more components in a drive system in the machine. Related apparatus and control logic is also disclosed.

Claims (34)

1 . A method of operating a machine comprising:

operating a plurality of components including at least one power device in a drive system coupled to ground-engaging elements in a machine;

receiving a plurality of monitoring signals for the plurality of components from a plurality of sensors on the machine, and each being indicative of an operating characteristic upon which a state-of-health (SOH) of a respective one of the plurality of components is dependent;

calculating an SOH term for each one of the plurality of components based on the plurality of monitoring signals;

outputting a plurality of SOH reporting signals each based on a respective one of the SOH terms; and

generating via a computerized system controller a different prognostic SOH degradation progression representation, in comparison to a respective service target, for each one of the plurality of components, based on the plurality of SOH reporting signals, and a plurality of different stored SOH degradation profiles, for the plurality of components, populated at least in part when the plurality of components respectively begin service or are returned to service in the machine.

2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one power device includes an electric power device coupled to an electric traction motor in the drive system.

3 . The method of claim 2 wherein the calculating an SOH term includes calculating an SOH term for the electric power device based on a stored chemical degradation model, and calculating an SOH term for the electric traction motor based on a stored thermal fatigue model.

4 . The method of claim 1 further comprising determining a plurality of different continued service capacities among the plurality of components based on the plurality of SOH reporting signals.

5 . The method of claim 4 further comprising displaying the plurality of different continued service capacities on a display.

6 . The method of claim 4 wherein the determining the plurality of different continued service capacities includes determining a present SOH and a predicted future SOH for each of the plurality of components.

7 . The method of claim 1 wherein each of the operating characteristics includes a cycle number characteristic, a temperature characteristic, a thermal loading characteristic, a mechanical loading characteristic, an energy characteristic, or a chemical degradation characteristic.

8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the outputting a plurality of SOH reporting signals includes outputting the plurality of SOH reporting signals from a calculation module to a service interval scheduling module, and further comprising scheduling service for at least one of the plurality of components based on the plurality of SOH reporting signals.

9 . The method of claim 8 wherein the scheduling service for at least one of the plurality of components includes scheduling a service timing for a plurality of the components having different continued service capacities.

10 . A machine comprising:

a plurality of components including at least one power device in a drive system of the machine;

a service interval scheduling system including a plurality of sensors, and a system controller structured to:

receive, at least in part from one or more of the plurality of sensors, a plurality of monitoring signals each being indicative of an operating characteristic upon which a state of health (SOH) of a respective one of the plurality of components is dependent;

calculate an SOH term for each one of the plurality of components based on the plurality of monitoring signals;

output a plurality of SOH reporting signals each based on a respective one of the SOH terms and indicative of a continued service capacity of the respective one of the plurality of components;

generate via the system controller a representation of a predicted future SOH trend for each respective one of the plurality of components in comparison to a respective component service target, based on the plurality of SOH reporting signals, and a plurality of stored SOH degradation profiles, for the plurality of components, populated at least in part when the plurality of components respectively begin service or are returned to service in the machine; and

determine a service timing for at least some of the plurality of the components based on the representations of the predicted future SOH trend for each respective one of the plurality of components.

11 . The machine of claim 10 wherein the power device includes an electric power device, and the plurality of components further includes an electric traction motor in the drive system of the machine.

12 . The machine of claim 11 wherein the operating characteristic upon which the SOH of the electric traction motor is dependent includes a thermal loading operating characteristic, and the system controller is further structured to calculate the SOH term for the electric traction motor based on a stored thermal fatigue model.

13 . The machine of claim 11 wherein the operating characteristic upon which the SOH of the electric power device is dependent includes a chemical degradation operating characteristic, and the system controller is further structured to calculate the SOH term for the electric power device based on a stored chemical degradation model.

14 . The machine of claim 11 wherein the SOH of the electric power device and the electric traction motor are divergent with respect to runtime.

15 . The machine of claim 10 further comprising a display, and the system controller is further structured to produce on the display a graphical representation of a present SOH and the predicted future SOH for each one of the plurality of components.

16 . A system for service interval scheduling in a machine comprising:

a computerized system controller structured to:

receive via a state-of-health (SOH) monitoring module a plurality of monitoring signals each being indicative of an operating characteristic upon which an SOH of a respective one of a plurality of components in a machine is dependent;

calculate an SOH term for each one of the plurality of components based on the plurality of monitoring signals, and a plurality of different stored SOH degradation profiles, for the plurality of components, populated at least in part when the plurality of components respectively begin service or are returned to service in the machine;

output to a service interval scheduling module a plurality of SOH reporting signals each based on a respective one of the SOH terms and being indicative of a plurality of different continued service capacities among the plurality of components; and

generate a representation of a predicted future SOH trend for each respective one of the plurality of components in comparison to a respective component service target.

17 . The system of claim 16 further comprising a display, and the system controller is further structured to produce on the display a graphical representation of the plurality of different continued service capacities.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 2, 2023
From: SCHNEIDER, KARL P.; OLSON, ANDREW
To: CATERPILLAR INC.
Reel/Frame 063841/0687 →
Continuity (2)
Continuation 18205072 · Jun 2, 2023
Related Publication 20240404326A1 · Dec 5, 2024
References Cited (20)
US 9018913B2 · Middleton et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 9697652B2 · Lennevi et al. · 2017 [cited by applicant]
US 10672199B2 · Landolsi et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20120296512A1 · Lee · 2012 [cited by examiner]
US 20150337522A1 · Diekevers et al. · 2015 [cited by applicant]
US 20170175516A1 · Eslinger · 2017 [cited by examiner]
US 20180188332A1 · Newman · 2018 [cited by examiner]
US 20180202398A1 · Jammoussi et al. · 2018 [cited by applicant]
US 20200007011A1 · Doglio · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20200130866A1 · Srinivasan · 2020 [cited by examiner]
US 20200284204A1 · Cafaro et al. · 2020 [cited by applicant]
US 20210125420A1 · Tabata · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20210175835A1 · Zhang · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210356926A1 · Singh et al. · 2021 [cited by applicant]
US 20210394867A1 · Montague · 2021 [cited by examiner]
US 20230229155A1 · Naziri · 2023 [cited by applicant]
US 20240169771A1 · Zhang et al. · 2024 [cited by applicant]
WO WO2022059033A1 · 2022 [cited by examiner]
WO 2022263056A1 · 2022 [cited by applicant]
Written Opinion and International Search Report for Int'l. Patent Appln. No. PCT/US2024/029619, mailed Sep. 5, 2024 (12 pgs). [cited by applicant]