Patent Application
20130330205
Machines such as diesel engine systems used in connection with construction equipment, earth-moving equipment, transportation equipment (e.g., locomotives) and the like, are often implemented in adverse operating conditions. Typical operating conditions for such equipment can require extensive maintenance, repair, and overhaul work to sustain the equipment and its components, including the engine systems. As a consequence of these adverse equipment operating conditions, certain equipment components may be exhausted long before the expected end of their useful lives. Such component exhaustion can occur despite efforts to ensure proper component installation and maintenance, including periodic maintenance of equipment oil supply and lubrication systems, as well as other fluid systems. Also, operating a machine with a lubrication system that does not adjust lubricant flow by considering important factors such as engine speed and load level on the engine can result in excessive fuel consumption.
Extensive and premature wear of large-capacity diesel engines, for example, can be caused by a combination of factors, including poor filtration and contamination of fluids, inadequate lubrication of components prior to engine ignition, failure to adhere to prescribed maintenance schedules, failure to collect and analyze data associated with equipment operation, system malfunction, general misuse of the equipment, and other factors. Downtime costs for processing fluid operations for heavy machinery and other machine fluid systems can be substantial. Accordingly, if downtime for maintenance in such machines can be minimized, then substantial economic benefits often result. Reducing downtime for maintenance can also result in users being more likely to perform preventative maintenance on a regular basis and in accordance with a maintenance schedule. In addition, if the machine can be operated more efficiently at different engine speeds and/or under different load requirements, then advantages in the form of reduced fuel costs, for example, can be realized.
In view of the issues described above, improved strategies, techniques, methods, and systems are needed for processing and/or filtering the fluids employed in machine fluid systems.
The inventors have recognized that manufacturers of machines such as engines traditionally have implemented relatively simple, fixed ratio fluid pump and drive systems. Such systems are designed to produce output fluid flow that increases with machine rotational speed. However, because fluid flow requirements are a function of machine loading, among other variables, the actual amount of fluid flow needed can decrease with engine speed, for example. Since the flow output of an engine is typically a fixed characteristic, the machine manufacturer is generally forced to design a fluid pump and drive system (e.g., lubrication pump) that under most operating conditions (e.g., different engine speeds or loads) yields more fluid flow than is actually needed to provide sufficient flow to lubricate bearings and other machine components. Also, fluid requirements can change as the machine is operated throughout its useful life and components become worn or clearances increase. For example, an engine lubrication pump designed to supply sufficient flow at the lowest engine speed at which high torque occurs when the engine is worn may supply twice as much or more fluid flow than would have been needed at the engine's highest rated speed when the engine was new. Such excess fluid flow can produce extra pressure at a fluid pump outlet, unless the excess fluid is removed to a sump through a relief valve that is located within a relatively short distance of the pump outlet. The inventors have recognized that the combination of excess flow and excess pressure may mean that an engine-driven lubrication pump needs to consume two to three times more parasitic power from the engine than would be required if the pump could be adjusted to deliver sufficient flow under different engine operating conditions and life cycle stages. Among other benefits, it can be seen that reducing parasitic power loss can increase engine fuel efficiency which consequently results in significant fuel cost savings.
In many of the various embodiments of the invention described herein, methods, systems, and techniques for structuring, operating, and/or controlling a variable fluid flow system are provided for different types of machines. In various embodiments, a pump of a machine may be driven by a variable speed electric motor, so that it delivers sufficient fluid flow to meet the needs of the machine. As applied herein to various embodiments, a “sufficient” flow may be considered an amount of fluid flow (e.g., selected by a machine manufacturer) that strikes a balance between delivering optimal durability of the machine while minimizing parasitic power loss. In certain embodiments, “sufficient” fluid flow may be within +/−5% of the actual fluid flow amount required by a machine under different loads, for example, or under other operating conditions. For example, sufficient fluid flow may be an amount of fluid that is within +/−5% of the amount of fluid actually required by the engine at its highest rated speed. In combination with the sufficiently sized main pump, a separate pump may be provided to supply additional flow on an as-needed basis at various engine speeds and/or under different loading conditions.
Many embodiments of the invention have the benefit of saving mechanical horsepower that would otherwise be demanded from the engine. As described in various embodiments in more detail below, it can be seen that a mechanical pump may still be present but can be down-sized to reduce horsepower requirements or reduce fuel costs. Such a mechanical pump may also provide a certain amount of lubrication to machine bearings, for example, during emergency shutdown in the event of motor failure. As applied to the different embodiments of the invention, motors may be variable speed electric motors, such as DC (e.g., brushless) or AC (e.g., variable frequency drive), or a variety of other motors suitable to perform the functions and operations described herein.
In certain embodiments, a machine may be provided with an engine-driven fluid pump (e.g., lubrication pump) and a drive system designed to produce sufficient flow at a highest rated speed for the engine. The main pump of the machine may be driven by a variable speed electric motor, for example, to deliver the fluid flow required at different engine speeds and/or under different loading conditions. An electrically driven pump can replace a previously installed mechanical pump, for example, and become the main lubrication pump. In certain embodiments, an undersized engine-driven pump can be coupled to a variable speed motor to boost the pump speed in relation to engine speed as needed. The motor may be coupled to the engine-driven pump by driving the normally-fixed portion of a planetary gear arrangement (e.g., a gear box)) to deliver fluid flow as needed at various engine speeds and/or loading conditions.
It can be appreciated that various embodiments of the invention may provide a built-in supplemental pumping capacity for a machine. For example, various embodiments include a fluid pump that can be operated without operating the engine or that otherwise operate independently of the engine. The fluid flow from such pumps can be communicated through the engine for prelubrication fluid functions (e.g., lubricate before starting) or post-lubrication fluid functions (e.g., lubricate after shutdown). In another example, in fluid evacuation operations, dirty or used oil can be pumped out of the engine using the fluid pump. Likewise, in fluid replacement operations, clean oil can be pumped back into the engine by using the fluid pump. The fluid pump may also be structured to provide an interface for filter purge operations, which may involve pumping air into the machine fluid system to remove fluid or other debris from a filter within the fluid system. In other examples, the fluid pump may be incorporated into a fluid system that performs post-lubrication (e.g., circulate oil for turbocharger bearing cooling), periodic prelubrication (e.g., for stand-by generators, backup generators, gen-set arrangements, or other applications that require substantially immediate start up and cannot allow time for a pump to pre-lubricate the machine before starting), and/or parallel prelubrication (to provide oil pressure in connection with activation of the engine starter). In other examples, the variable output of different fluid pumps allows for the deployment of various machine accessories (e.g., a fan clutch) to use a greater quantity of machine fluid while adding substantially no parasitic power loss to the system when additional fluid flow is not needed.
Various embodiments of the invention may employ one or more control modules to perform various tasks or functions in association with operation of the machine. The control module may be programmed to activate or deactivate the supplemental pump and/or the motor, for example, in association with detecting the existence of one or more kinds of triggering conditions. Such triggering conditions may be associated with a condition of the fluid (e.g., viscosity or the presence of contaminants), an operational state of one or more components of the machine (e.g., engine speed or main pump pressure), occurrence of a predetermined event (e.g., a fixed time), and/or a variety of other potential triggering conditions or events. One or more sensors may be operatively associated with the control module to detect and to provide signals indicative of machine conditions or fluid conditions in connection with operation of the machine or the supplemental pump, for example. In various embodiments, operation of the supplemental pump may provide the function or effect of a “kidney loop” arrangement, as that term is understood by those skilled in the art of performing fluid processes or other maintenance on machines, including heavy machinery.
The term “machine” as applied herein may include any equipment suitable for use in accordance with the present techniques, methods, and systems. Examples of “machines” as applied herein can include, without limitation, lubrication systems, engines, diesel engines, large-scale diesel engines, motors, rotating equipment, generators, aircraft engines, emergency machines, emergency generators, compressors, equipment that includes a machine (e.g., such as mining equipment, construction equipment, marine equipment, aircraft, etc.), and many other machines. As described in various portions of the present disclosure, the example of an “engine” is employed for convenience of disclosure in describing various embodiments and aspects of the present invention. It can be appreciated by those skilled in the art, however, that such use of “engine” as one example of a type of machine is intended merely for convenience of disclosure and is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the invention.
Another example of a machine is a “fluid reservoir system” which may include any reasonable combination of fluid reservoirs, fluid components such as valves, pumps, conduits, and/or other components suitable for incorporation into a fluid reservoir system.
The term “evacuation” as applied to the systems and methods disclosed herein may include evacuation of any portion of a fluid of a machine, a receptacle, a reservoir, or other like fluid-retaining system or apparatus. Similarly, the term “refill” as applied to the systems and methods disclosed herein may include refill of any portion of the fluid capacity of a machine, receptacle, reservoir, or other like fluid-retaining system or apparatus.
The term “valve system” as applied to the systems and methods disclosed herein may include any combination of valves, pipes, disconnects, adapters and other like structural components configured for performing one or more fluid refill and/or fluid evacuation processes. Examples of valves included within a valve system may include, without limitation, single-position valves, multi-position valves (e.g., such as junction block assemblies or five-way control valves), mechanical valves, electronic valves, electro-mechanical valves, pneumatic-actuated valves, and/or other types of valves with or without electronic control for actuating the various possible open or closed positions of such valves.
Where suitable and applicable to the various embodiments of the present systems and methods discussed herein, it can be appreciated that various components, structures, elements, and other configurations may be applied or installed in a location considered external or internal to the operation of a particular machine. In applicable portions herein in which the use of pumps and/or supplemental pumps is disclosed, for example, such pumps may be positioned, installed, or operated as internal components of a machine and/or as externally positioned components that assist, or otherwise operate in conjunction with, the functions of the machine. For example, in certain embodiments a supplemental pump or other engine component may be considered “onboard” or “off board” with respect to the machine.
As employed herein, the term “type” or “kind” used with regard to various fluids discussed herein is intended to distinguish different types or kinds of fluids between/among each other. For example, oil is considered one “type” of fluid, transmission fluid is considered another, different “type” of fluid, and hydraulic fluid is considered another, different “type” of fluid. It should be noted, for example, that a used amount of a “type” of fluid is not considered different with respect to a clean or fresh fluid of the same “type” (e.g., clean oil used in a fluid refill or replacement process for a machine is not considered a different “type” of fluid with respect to the used oil drained from the machine during a fluid evacuation process).
In various embodiments, the machine 102 may be structured with one or more fluid components 118. The fluid component 118 may include one or more of the following fluidic structures, for example and without limitation: a pump that is off-board with respect to the machine 102; a pump that is on-board with respect to the machine 102; a flow control means such as a hand-held device, for example; a bracket or evacuation bracket; and/or, a quick-disconnect structure. The fluid component 118 may also be one or more other types of components, devices, or systems suitable for supplying positive and/or negative fluid pressure to one or more fluid inlet ports or fluid outlet ports associated with the fluid component 118. For example, the fluid component 118 may be employed to perform one or more types of fluid evacuation processes and/or fluid refill processes (e.g., oil changes or other machine 102 maintenance operations) in association with different fluid reservoirs 110, for example, of the machine 102. It can be appreciated that the fluid component 118 may be positioned in one or more other places within the fluid system or valve system of the machine 102.
In various embodiments, a control module 122 may be operatively associated with the machine 102 to collect, process, and/or communicate data indicative of operational states, triggering conditions, machine 102 conditions, component functions, events, or other like data. For example, the control module 122 may be programmed to activate or deactivate the supplemental pump 104; to receive, transmit, and/or process data signals in communication with one or more components of the machine 102; and/or, to process or analyze data communicated from one or more sensors 124A-124D that can be operatively associated with various parts of the machine 102. For example, the sensor 124A may be configured to detect contaminants or other aspects of fluid composition associated with fluid flow passing through the supplemental filter apparatus 106. The control module 122 may include one or more processors or computer systems programmed with software, firmware, or other computer-executable instructions to perform the various functions of the control module 122. The control module 122 may be operatively associated with one or more data transmission devices 132 which may receive and/or store data received or processed by the control module 122. In certain embodiments, the control module 122 may communicate signals to one or more indicators 142 which reflect the activity or function of different aspects of the control module 122. For example, one such indicator 142 may include a warning light, or an alert graphical display positioned on the console of a vehicle in which the machine 102 is installed. In certain embodiments, the control module 122 may activate or deactivate a valve system or otherwise operate a valve or valve apparatus in connection with a triggering condition, for example.
Referring again to
In various embodiments, the machine 102 may include a fluid filtration apparatus comprising the supplemental pump 104 and the supplemental filter apparatus 106. The supplemental pump 104 may be connected for fluid communication with the main pump 112 of the engine 108. In certain embodiments, the supplemental pump 104 may be a pre-lubrication pump or a parallel lubrication pump, for example. The supplemental pump 104 may be structured for fluid communication with at least one component of the engine 108, such as one or more of the fluid reservoirs 110. The supplemental filter apparatus 106 may be connected to the supplemental pump 104 and structured with an inlet for receiving fluid flow from the supplemental pump 104. The supplemental filter apparatus 106 may be structured with an outlet to direct the fluid flow to one or more of the fluid reservoirs 110, or other components, of the engine 108. From the outlet or discharge side of the supplemental filter apparatus 106, fluid may be directed to flow to a primary oil filter 114 of the engine 108, for example. In various embodiments, the supplemental filter apparatus 106 may include at least one fine filtration medium. In certain embodiments, one of the filters 114 of the engine 108 may be positioned between the outlet of the supplemental filter apparatus 106 and one or more of the fluid reservoirs 110 of the engine 108.
In various embodiments, the control module 122 may be programmed to perform one or more functions upon detecting the existence of various triggering conditions or other events. Likewise, the control module 122 may be programmed to perform one or more functions when a triggering condition is no longer detected, is out of a predefined parameter range (e.g., 10% above or 10% below a predefined engine speed), or otherwise no longer exists as a triggering condition. For example, the control module 122 may be programmed to activate or deactivate the supplemental pump 104 in association with detecting the existence of a triggering condition. Examples of potential triggering conditions may include a combination of one or more of the following: threshold fluid temperature, threshold fluid pressure, threshold engine speed, threshold fluid contaminant level, filter condition, threshold time duration of operation, an injection timing variable, a fuel consumption value, a predetermined day or time, machine state of operation. For example, supplemental filtration can be activated as a function of oil condition, engine 108 hours, mileage, fuel consumption, and/or engine 108 component speed (e.g., as measured in revolutions per minute (RPM)). In certain embodiments, engine 108 hours may mean total time of operation, such as operation time between two or more defined points in time, or time between fluid operations such as oil changes performed on the engine 108. In another example, the triggering condition which results in actuating the supplemental pump 104 may involve detecting a threshold fluid pressure at various points within the machine 102. Also, supplemental filtration by the supplemental filter apparatus 106 may be engaged based on condition monitoring of the fluid, for example, to regulate when and how long the supplemental pump 104 is activated.
In another example, fluid condition monitoring may be performed to detect a triggering condition, such as particle count, particle accumulation, oxidation level, and/or fluid dilution level. In various embodiments, a contaminant sensor may be configured to detect soot levels, for example, or the presence of other contaminants in a fluid flowing through the machine 102. For example, a triggering condition may be employed that corresponds with a maximum soot level that is acceptable for desired or optimum engine 108 operation, which may be specified by an original equipment manufacturer or by other engineering specifications. The control module 122 may be programmed to activate the supplemental filter apparatus 106 upon reaching the predetermined soot level for the specifications of a given engine 108. In another example, the supplemental filter apparatus 106 may function to remove a dilutant such as water, for example, from oil or fuel employed by the machine 102.
In various embodiments, a triggering condition may involve a deviation from a predetermined range for an engine 108 idle speed, a turbo boost pressure, a fuel consumption rate, a waste gate function, or an injection rate, for example. In addition, calculated values such a fuel-to-air ratio can be considered at least part of a triggering condition. For example, clogging an air filter in the engine 108 can cause a change in the fuel-to-air ratio, in addition to potentially causing the fuel to increase its soot level. Other factors related to combustion chemistry, or other phenomena that impact quality of combustion, may also form the basis for defining a triggering condition. In certain embodiments, a triggering condition can be logged by the control module 122 as a fault condition, such as when fluid pressure is too high at the supplemental filter apparatus 106 perhaps indicating that the filter medium needs to be cleaned or changed. In addition, a triggering condition may be accompanied by activating or deactivating an indicator 142 in connection with the triggering condition. For example, a high fluid pressure triggering condition may cause an indicator 142 in the operator area of the machine 102 to activate, signaling to the operator that the filter medium of the supplemental filter apparatus 106 needs to be changed.
It can be seen that arrangements such as the one illustrated in
There are advantages in determining whether to use the supplemental pump 104 to direct fluid flow through a filter 114 of the engine 108 or to an appropriate fluid reservoir 110. For example, fluid that has passed through the supplemental filter apparatus 106 may be sufficiently clean so as not to require further filtering through a filter 114 of the engine 108. In another example, directing fluid flow with the supplemental pump 104 from the supplemental filter apparatus 106 into a filter 114, oil rifle, and bearings of the engine 108 can boost oil pressure. Such a boost in oil pressure may be useful at times when the engine 108 is idling, for example, or during other states of machine 102 operation when a boost in oil pressure or other fluid pressure is required. It can be seen that this arrangement can boost engine oil pressure while lowering the power required from the engine 108. In other words, one of the problems identified by the inventors is that typically the oil pump on the engine 108 has to be oversized in order to deliver sufficient lubrication during engine 108 idle. Accordingly, the oil pump is often oversized to deliver appropriate pressure at engine 108 idle speed, even though such an oil pump is larger than it has to be to deliver pressure at comparatively higher engine 108 speeds achieved during machine 102 operation. In various embodiments, use of the supplemental pump 104 can serve as a way to downsize the flow range of the engine pump 112, for example.
In various embodiments, the control module 122 may be programmed to activate the supplemental pump 104 and direct fluid flow back to the filter 114 to allow for using a smaller engine primary oil pump and/or reduce the duty cycle needed from certain engine 108 components. This arrangement has the potential to provide supplemental fluid flow at low engine speeds 108 in a way that can allow engine 108 manufacturers to reduce the flow rate and thus reduce parasitic loading associated with operation of the main pump 112. Likewise, the control module 122 may be programmed to decide when to deactivate the supplemental pump 104. For example, deactivating the supplemental pump 104 may be performed in response to analyzing a combination of one or more factors such as engine 108 speed (e.g., within a tolerance range at idle speed, full speed, or other operational speeds), engine oil rifle pressure, or fluid temperature. For example, an oil regulator may be disabled if the oil is too thick (i.e., viscosity), and the engine 108 may then run on the pressure supplied by the supplemental pump 104 to raise the rifle pressure.
In various embodiments, the machine 202 may be structured with one or more fluid components 218. The fluid component 218 may include one or more of the following fluidic structures, for example and without limitation: a pump that is off-board with respect to the machine 202; a pump that is on-board with respect to the machine 202; a flow control means such as a hand-held device, for example; a bracket or evacuation bracket; and/or, a quick-disconnect structure. The fluid component 218 may also be one or more other types of components, devices, or systems suitable for supplying positive and/or negative fluid pressure to one or more fluid inlet ports or fluid outlet ports associated with the fluid component 218. For example, the fluid component 218 may be employed to perform one or more types of fluid evacuation processes and/or fluid refill processes (e.g., oil changes or other machine 202 maintenance operations) in association with different fluid reservoirs 210, for example, of the machine 202. It can be appreciated that the fluid component 218 may be positioned in one or more other places within the fluid system or valve system of the machine 202.
In various embodiments, a control module 222 may be operatively associated with the machine 202 to collect, process, and/or communicate data indicative of operational states, triggering conditions, machine 202 conditions, component functions, events, or other like data. For example, the control module 222 may be programmed to activate or deactivate the supplemental pump 204; to receive, transmit, and/or process data signals in communication with one or more components of the machine 202; and/or, to process or analyze data communicated from one or more sensors 224A-224D that can be operatively associated with various parts of the machine 202. For example, the sensor 224A may be configured to detect contaminants or other aspects of fluid composition associated with fluid flow passing through the supplemental filter apparatus 206. The control module 222 may include one or more processors or computer systems programmed with software, firmware, or other computer-executable instructions to perform the various functions of the control module 222. The control module 222 may be operatively associated with one or more data transmission devices 232 which may receive and/or store data received or processed by the control module 222. In certain embodiments, the control module 222 may communicate signals to one or more indicators 242 which reflect the activity or function of different aspects of the control module 222. For example, one such indicator 242 may include a warning light, or an alert graphical display positioned on the console of a vehicle in which the machine 202 is installed. In certain embodiments, the control module 222 may activate or deactivate a valve system or otherwise operate a valve or valve apparatus in connection with a triggering condition, for example.
In various embodiments, the main pump 212 may be driven by a variable speed electric motor 217 to deliver different levels of fluid flow for a variety of engine 208 operating conditions, including different rotational speeds and/or different loading conditions, for example. The motor 217 may be operatively associated with the control module 222, such as to activate or deactivate the motor 217 in response to one or more types of triggering conditions detected by the control module 222, for example.
In various embodiments, the machine 202 may include a fluid filtration apparatus comprising the supplemental pump 204 and the supplemental filter apparatus 206. The supplemental pump 204 may be connected for fluid communication with the main pump 212 of the engine 208. In certain embodiments, the supplemental pump 204 may include a pre-lubrication pump or a parallel lubrication pump, for example. The supplemental pump 204 may be structured for fluid communication with at least one component of the engine 208, such as one or more of the fluid reservoirs 210. The supplemental filter apparatus 206 may be connected to the supplemental pump 204 and structured with an inlet for receiving fluid flow from the supplemental pump 204. The supplemental filter apparatus 206 may be structured with an outlet to direct the fluid flow to one or more of the fluid reservoirs 210, or other components, of the engine 208. From the outlet or discharge side of the supplemental filter apparatus 206, fluid may be directed to flow to a primary oil filter 214 of the engine 208, for example. In various embodiments, the supplemental filter apparatus 206 may include at least one fine filtration medium. In certain embodiments, one of the filters 214 of the engine 208 may be positioned between the outlet of the supplemental filter apparatus 206 and one or more of the fluid reservoirs 210 of the engine 208.
In various embodiments, the control module 222 may be programmed to perform one or more functions upon detecting the existence of various triggering conditions or other events. Likewise, the control module 222 may be programmed to perform one or more functions when a triggering condition is no longer detected, is out of a predefined parameter range (e.g., 10% above or 10% below a predefined engine speed), or otherwise no longer exists as a triggering condition. For example, the control module 222 may be programmed to activate or deactivate the supplemental pump 204 and/or the motor 217 in association with detecting the existence of a triggering condition. Examples of potential triggering conditions may include a combination of one or more of the following: threshold fluid temperature, threshold fluid pressure, threshold engine speed, threshold fluid contaminant level, filter condition, threshold time duration of operation, an injection timing variable, a fuel consumption value, a predetermined day or time, machine state of operation. For example, supplemental filtration can be activated as a function of oil condition, engine 208 hours, mileage, fuel consumption, and/or engine 208 component speed (e.g., as measured in revolutions per minute (RPM)). In certain embodiments, engine 208 hours may mean total time of operation, such as operation time between two or more defined points in time, or time between fluid operations such as oil changes performed on the engine 208. In another example, the triggering condition which results in actuating the supplemental pump 204 or the motor 217 may involve detecting a threshold fluid pressure at various points within the machine 202. Also, supplemental filtration by the supplemental filter apparatus 206 may be engaged based on condition monitoring of the fluid, for example, to regulate when and how long the supplemental pump 204 is activated.
In another example, fluid condition monitoring may be performed to detect a triggering condition, such as particle count, particle accumulation, oxidation level, and/or fluid dilution level. In various embodiments, a contaminant sensor may be configured to detect soot levels, for example, or the presence of other contaminants in a fluid flowing through the machine 202. For example, a triggering condition may be employed that corresponds with a maximum soot level that is acceptable for desired or optimum engine 208 operation, which may be specified by an original equipment manufacturer or by other engineering specifications. The control module 222 may be programmed to activate the supplemental filter apparatus 206 upon reaching the predetermined soot level for the specifications of a given engine 208. In another example, the supplemental filter apparatus 206 may function to remove a dilutant such as water, for example, from oil or fuel employed by the machine 202.
In various embodiments, a triggering condition may involve a deviation from a predetermined range for an engine 208 idle speed, a turbo boost pressure, a fuel consumption rate, a waste gate function, or an injection rate, for example. In addition, calculated values such a fuel-to-air ratio can be considered at least part of a triggering condition. For example, clogging an air filter in the engine 208 can cause a change in the fuel-to-air ratio, in addition to potentially causing the fuel to increase its soot level. Other factors related to combustion chemistry, or other phenomena that impact quality of combustion, may also form the basis for defining a triggering condition. In certain embodiments, a triggering condition can be logged by the control module 222 as a fault condition, such as when fluid pressure is too high at the supplemental filter apparatus 206 perhaps indicating that the filter medium needs to be cleaned or changed. In addition, a triggering condition may be accompanied by activating or deactivating an indicator 242 in connection with the triggering condition. For example, a high fluid pressure triggering condition may cause an indicator 242 in the operator area of the machine 202 to activate, signaling to the operator that the filter medium of the supplemental filter apparatus 206 needs to be changed.
It can be seen that arrangements such as the one illustrated in
There are advantages in determining whether to use the supplemental pump 204 to direct fluid flow through a filter 214 of the engine 208 or to an appropriate fluid reservoir 210. For example, fluid that has passed through the supplemental filter apparatus 206 may be sufficiently clean so as not to require further filtering through a filter 214 of the engine 208. In another example, directing fluid flow with the supplemental pump 204 from the supplemental filter apparatus 206 into a filter 214, oil rifle, and bearings of the engine 208 can boost oil pressure. Such a boost in oil pressure may be useful at times when the engine 208 is idling, for example, or during other states of machine 202 operation when a boost in oil pressure or other fluid pressure is required. It can be seen that this arrangement can boost engine oil pressure while lowering the power required from the engine 208. In other words, one of the problems identified by the inventors is that typically the oil pump on the engine 208 has to be oversized in order to deliver sufficient lubrication during engine 208 idle. Accordingly, the oil pump is often oversized to deliver appropriate pressure at engine 208 idle speed, even though such an oil pump is larger than it has to be to deliver pressure at comparatively higher engine 208 speeds achieved during machine 202 operation. In various embodiments, use of the filtration system including the supplemental pump 204 can serve as a way to downsize the flow range of the main pump 212, for example.
In various embodiments, the control module 222 may be programmed to activate the supplemental pump 204 and direct fluid flow back to the filter 214 to allow for using a smaller engine primary oil pump and/or reduce the duty cycle needed from certain engine 208 components. This arrangement has the potential to provide supplemental fluid flow at low engine speeds 208 in a way that can allow engine 208 manufacturers to reduce the flow rate and thus reduce parasitic loading on the main pump 212. Likewise, the control module 222 may be programmed to decide when to deactivate the supplemental pump 204. For example, deactivating the supplemental pump 204 may be performed in response to analyzing a combination of one or more factors such as engine 208 speed (e.g., within a tolerance range at idle speed, full speed, or other operational speeds), engine 208 oil rifle pressure, or fluid temperature. For example, an oil regulator may be disabled if the oil is too thick (i.e., viscosity), and the engine 208 may then run on the pressure supplied by the supplemental pump 204 to raise the rifle pressure.
In various embodiments, the machine 302 may be structured with one or more fluid components 318. The fluid component 318 may include one or more of the following fluidic structures, for example and without limitation: a pump that is off-board with respect to the machine 302; a pump that is on-board with respect to the machine 302; a flow control means such as a hand-held device, for example; a bracket or evacuation bracket; and/or, a quick-disconnect structure. The fluid component 318 may also be one or more other types of components, devices, or systems suitable for supplying positive and/or negative fluid pressure to one or more fluid inlet ports or fluid outlet ports associated with the fluid component 318. For example, the fluid component 318 may be employed to perform one or more types of fluid evacuation processes and/or fluid refill processes (e.g., oil changes or other machine 302 maintenance operations) in association with different fluid reservoirs 310, for example, of the machine 302. It can be appreciated that the fluid component 318 may be positioned in one or more other places within the fluid system or valve system of the machine 302.
In various embodiments, a control module 322 may be operatively associated with the machine 302 to collect, process, and/or communicate data indicative of operational states, triggering conditions, machine 302 conditions, component functions, events, or other like data. For example, the control module 322 may be programmed to activate or deactivate the supplemental pump 304; to receive, transmit, and/or process data signals in communication with one or more components of the machine 302; and/or, to process or analyze data communicated from one or more sensors 324A-324D that can be operatively associated with various parts of the machine 302. For example, the sensor 324A may be configured to detect contaminants or other aspects of fluid composition associated with fluid flow passing through the supplemental filter apparatus 306. The control module 322 may include one or more processors or computer systems programmed with software, firmware, or other computer-executable instructions to perform the various functions of the control module 322. The control module 322 may be operatively associated with one or more data transmission devices 332 which may receive and/or store data received or processed by the control module 322. In certain embodiments, the control module 322 may communicate signals to one or more indicators 342 which reflect the activity or function of different aspects of the control module 322. For example, one such indicator 342 may include a warning light, or an alert graphical display positioned on the console of a vehicle in which the machine 302 is installed. In certain embodiments, the control module 322 may activate or deactivate a valve system or otherwise operate a valve or valve apparatus in connection with a triggering condition, for example.
In various embodiments, the main pump 312 may be driven by a variable speed electric motor 317A to deliver different levels of fluid flow for a variety of engine 308 operating conditions, including different rotational speeds and/or different loading conditions, for example. The motor 317A may be operatively associated with the control module 322, such as to activate or deactivate the motor 317A in response to one or more types of triggering conditions detected by the control module 322, for example. In certain embodiments, the pump 312 may be normally mechanically driven by the engine 308 to deliver fluid flow. The motor 317A may be coupled to the pump 312 through a gear box 317B. The gear box 317B may employ a planetary gear train, for example, or any other arrangement of gears suitable for use by the engine 308. It can be appreciated that operation of the motor 317A can increase the speed of the pump 312, for example, to increase fluid flow as needed within the engine 308 by using a connection or coupling of the motor 317A through the gear box 317B.
In various embodiments, the machine 302 may include a fluid filtration apparatus comprising the supplemental pump 304 and the supplemental filter apparatus 306. The supplemental pump 304 may be connected for fluid communication with the main pump 312 of the engine 308. In certain embodiments, the supplemental pump 304 may be a pre-lubrication pump or a parallel lubrication pump, for example. The supplemental pump 304 may be structured for fluid communication with at least one component of the engine 308, such as one or more of the fluid reservoirs 310. The supplemental filter apparatus 306 may be connected to the supplemental pump 304 and structured with an inlet for receiving fluid flow from the supplemental pump 304. The supplemental filter apparatus 306 may be structured with an outlet to direct the fluid flow to one or more of the fluid reservoirs 310, or other components, of the engine 308. From the outlet or discharge side of the supplemental filter apparatus 306, fluid may be directed to flow to a primary oil filter 314 of the engine 308, for example. In various embodiments, the supplemental filter apparatus 306 may include at least one fine filtration medium. In certain embodiments, one of the filters 314 of the engine 308 may be positioned between the outlet of the supplemental filter apparatus 306 and one or more of the fluid reservoirs 310 of the engine 308.
In various embodiments, the control module 322 may be programmed to perform one or more functions upon detecting the existence of various triggering conditions or other events. Likewise, the control module 322 may be programmed to perform one or more functions when a triggering condition is no longer detected, is out of a predefined parameter range (e.g., 10% above or 10% below a predefined engine speed), or otherwise no longer exists as a triggering condition. For example, the control module 322 may be programmed to activate or deactivate the supplemental pump 304 and/or the motor 317A in association with detecting the existence of a triggering condition. Examples of potential triggering conditions may include a combination of one or more of the following: threshold fluid temperature, threshold fluid pressure, threshold engine speed, threshold fluid contaminant level, filter condition, threshold time duration of operation, an injection timing variable, a fuel consumption value, a predetermined day or time, machine state of operation. For example, supplemental filtration can be activated as a function of oil condition, engine 308 hours, mileage, fuel consumption, and/or engine 308 component speed (e.g., as measured in revolutions per minute (RPM)). In certain embodiments, engine 308 hours may mean total time of operation, such as operation time between two or more defined points in time, or time between fluid operations such as oil changes performed on the engine 308. In another example, the triggering condition which results in actuating the supplemental pump 304 or the motor 317A may involve detecting a threshold fluid pressure at various points within the machine 302. Also, supplemental filtration by the supplemental filter apparatus 306 may be engaged based on condition monitoring of the fluid, for example, to regulate when and how long the supplemental pump 304 is activated.
In another example, fluid condition monitoring may be performed to detect a triggering condition, such as particle count, particle accumulation, oxidation level, and/or fluid dilution level. In various embodiments, a contaminant sensor may be configured to detect soot levels, for example, or the presence of other contaminants in a fluid flowing through the machine 302. For example, a triggering condition may be employed that corresponds with a maximum soot level that is acceptable for desired or optimum engine 308 operation, which may be specified by an original equipment manufacturer or by other engineering specifications. The control module 322 may be programmed to activate the supplemental filter apparatus 306 upon reaching the predetermined soot level for the specifications of a given engine 308. In another example, the supplemental filter apparatus 306 may function to remove a dilutant such as water, for example, from oil or fuel employed by the machine 302.
In various embodiments, a triggering condition may involve a deviation from a predetermined range for an engine 308 idle speed, a turbo boost pressure, a fuel consumption rate, a waste gate function, or an injection rate, for example. In addition, calculated values such a fuel-to-air ratio can be considered at least part of a triggering condition. For example, clogging an air filter in the engine 308 can cause a change in the fuel-to-air ratio, in addition to potentially causing the fuel to increase its soot level. Other factors related to combustion chemistry, or other phenomena that impact quality of combustion, may also form the basis for defining a triggering condition. In certain embodiments, a triggering condition can be logged by the control module 322 as a fault condition, such as when fluid pressure is too high at the supplemental filter apparatus 306 perhaps indicating that the filter medium needs to be cleaned or changed. In addition, a triggering condition may be accompanied by activating or deactivating an indicator 342 in connection with the triggering condition. For example, a high fluid pressure triggering condition may cause an indicator 342 in the operator area of the machine 302 to activate, signaling to the operator that the filter medium of the supplemental filter apparatus 306 needs to be changed.
It can be seen that arrangements such as the one illustrated in
There are advantages in determining whether to use the supplemental pump 304 to direct fluid flow through a filter 314 of the engine 308 or to an appropriate fluid reservoir 310. For example, fluid that has passed through the supplemental filter apparatus 306 may be sufficiently clean so as not to require further filtering through a filter 314 of the engine 308. In another example, directing fluid flow with the supplemental pump 304 from the supplemental filter apparatus 306 into a filter 314, oil rifle, and bearings of the engine 308 can boost oil pressure. Such a boost in oil pressure may be useful at times when the engine 308 is idling, for example, or during other states of machine 302 operation when a boost in oil pressure or other fluid pressure is required. It can be seen that this arrangement can boost engine oil pressure while lowering the power required from the engine 308. In other words, one of the problems identified by the inventors is that typically the oil pump on the engine 308 has to be oversized in order to deliver sufficient lubrication during engine 308 idle. Accordingly, the oil pump is often oversized to deliver appropriate pressure at engine 308 idle speed, even though such an oil pump is larger than it has to be to deliver pressure at comparatively higher engine 308 speeds achieved during machine 302 operation. In various embodiments, use of the filtration system including the supplemental pump 304 can serve as a way to downsize the flow range of the main pump 312, for example.
In various embodiments, the control module 322 may be programmed to activate the supplemental pump 304 and direct fluid flow back to the filter 314 to allow for using a smaller engine primary oil pump and/or reduce the duty cycle needed from certain engine 308 components. This arrangement has the potential to provide supplemental fluid flow at low engine speeds 308 in a way that can allow engine 308 manufacturers to reduce the flow rate and thus reduce parasitic loading associated with operation of the main pump 312. Likewise, the control module 322 may be programmed to decide when to deactivate the supplemental pump 304. For example, deactivating the supplemental pump 304 may be performed in response to analyzing a combination of one or more factors such as engine 308 speed (e.g., within a tolerance range at idle speed, full speed, or other operational speeds), engine 308 oil rifle pressure, or fluid temperature. For example, an oil regulator may be disabled if the oil is too thick (i.e., viscosity), and the engine 308 may then run on the pressure supplied by the supplemental pump 304 to raise the rifle pressure.
In various embodiments, the control modules described herein may include various components for controlling and monitoring a fluid system, as well as for monitoring, collecting and analyzing data associated with various fluid system and method embodiments described herein. The control module may include a processor for executing various commands within, and directing the function of, the various components of the control module. One or more sensor inputs can be provided in the control module for receiving and processing data communicated from one or more sensors installed within a fluid system. Sensors applicable to operation of a machine can include, without limitation, sensors to detect temperature, sensors to detect pressure, sensors to detect voltage, sensors to detect current, sensors to detect contaminants, sensors to detect cycle time, flow sensors and/or other sensors suitable for detecting various conditions experienced by the machine during the various stages of operation of the machine. In addition, one or more indicators can be provided in operative association with the control module for providing alerts or notifications of conditions detected and communicated to the control module. Such indicators can be conventional audio, visual, or audiovisual indications of a condition detected within a fluid system. The control module may also include one or more operatively associated data transmission devices or data storage media for storing, retrieving and/or reporting data communicated to the control module. Data stored within the data storage media may include a variety of data collected from the condition of the fluid system including, for example and without limitation, oil condition, particle count of contaminants, cycle time data for time to evacuate or time to refill a given reservoir, and/or fluid receptacle or fluid storage data.
The control module may include one or more controls for permitting manipulation of various elements of a fluid system and/or for receiving and processing data communicated from a fluid system. Machine controls can be provided for controlling various aspects of an engine, for example, such as ignition, pre-lubrication operations, initiating a fluid evacuation process, motor controls, initiating a fluid refill process, and various other machine operations. Pump controls can be provided for controlling the action of a pump or supplemental pump operatively associated with a fluid system, such as the fluid system of a machine, for example. One or more valve controls can be provided to actuate the position (e.g., open, closed, or other position) of one or more valves included within a fluid system. In addition, one or more multi-position valve controls can be provided to operate a multi-way valve or a multi-position valve apparatus or system. In addition, evacuation bracket controls can be provided for the particular function of one or more evacuation brackets included within, or introduced into, a fluid system as fluid components. In addition, in various embodiments described herein, it can be appreciated that the controls need not be located within the same location such as included within the same service panel, for example, or other like centralized location. It can be further appreciated that the controls may be operatively associated with a machine, a fluid system, a valve system, motor, or other component by one or more wireline and/or wireless communication methods or systems.
Data can be communicated to the control module to and/or from a fluid system through a variety of methods, systems, or techniques. In various embodiments, data may be communicated, for example, by a wireline connection, communicated by satellite communications, cellular communications, infrared and/or communicated in accordance with a protocol such as IEEE 802.11, for example, or other wireless or radio frequency communication protocol among other similar types of communication methods and systems. As shown in
Various types of sensors can be employed in various embodiments to detect one or more conditions, states, or other characteristics of a fluid system, different fluids, or components employed in the fluid system. For example, the sensors can detect one or more of the following conditions within a fluid system: engine oil pressure, oil temperature in the engine, amount of current drawn by a pre-lubrication circuit, presence of contaminants (such as oil contaminants, for example) in the engine, amount of time that has elapsed for performance of one or more cycles of various engine operations (i.e., cycle time) such as pre-lubrication operations, fluid evacuation operations, fluid refill operations, fluid flow rates, and others. One example of a sensor that may be used in accordance with various embodiments of the present systems and methods is a contamination sensor marketed under the “LUBRIGARD” trade designation (Lubrigard Limited). A contamination sensor can provide information regarding oxidation products, water, glycol, metallic wear particles, and/or other contaminants that may be present in the engine oil, hydraulic oil, gearbox oil, transmission oil, compressor oil and/or other fluids used in various machines. In various aspects of the present methods and systems, the contamination sensor may be employed during one or more fluid processes, for example, such as a fluid evacuation process or a fluid refill process.
It can be appreciated that the control module can receive and store data associated with activation and deactivation of various components of a fluid system and operation of a machine, such as an engine, for example, included within the fluid system. Cycle time, for example, can be calculated from analysis of collected data to provide an indication of elapsed time for completing evacuation and/or refill operations. For a given oil temperature or temperature range (e.g., as can be detected and communicated by a temperature sensor), an average cycle time, for example, can be calculated through analysis of two or more collected cycle times. In one aspect, the present methods and systems can determine whether the most recently elapsed cycle time deviates from a nominal average cycle time, or range of cycle times, for a given oil temperature or temperature range. In addition, factors may be known such as the type and viscosity of fluids (e.g., such as oil) used in connection with operation of the machine. An unacceptable deviation from a nominal cycle time, or range of times, can result in recording a fault in a data storage medium operatively associated with the control module. It can be appreciated that many other types of fault conditions may detected, analyzed and recorded in connection with practice of the present systems and methods. In other illustrative examples, conditions associated with battery voltage, current, and/or the presence of contaminants in the machine, for example, may be detected, analyzed, and one or more fault conditions recorded by the control module.
In various embodiments, data collected from fluid system operation can be stored on an internal data module 117, 217, 317 installed on or near a machine, for example. The internal data module 117, 217, 317 can include a processor with an operatively associated memory. In one aspect, the internal data module 117, 217, 317 can be a “one-shot” circuit, as that term is understood by those skilled in the art. The internal data module 117, 217, 317 can be configured to receive and store data related to various conditions of a fluid system, a machine, a valve, a pump, a motor, or other components of a fluid system. In one embodiment, the internal data module 117, 217, 317 can store data in the memory prior to engine ignition and then transfer the stored data to the control module, for example, or another computer system, once engine ignition is initiated. In another embodiment, the internal data module 117, 217, 317 can store condition data for subsequent download to the control module or another suitable computer system. In various embodiments, the internal data module 117, 217, 317 can be configured for use in performing data collection and storage functions when the control module is not otherwise active (e.g., during various machine service operations). In this manner, the internal data module 117, 217, 317 can be employed to store data corresponding to the electrical events associated with an oil change, for example, or another type of fluid evacuation or refill procedure and can transmit data related to the procedure to the control module. In various embodiments, the internal data module 117, 217, 317 can be a stand-alone, discrete module, or can be configured for full or partial integration into the operation of the control module.
Collected and analyzed data, as well as recorded fault events, can be stored in association with the control module, the internal data module 117, 217, 317 and/or at a remote location. In various embodiments, the control module and/or the internal data module 117, 217, 317 can be configured for operation as integral components of a machine or as remote components not installed locally on the machine. The collected and analyzed information can be stored in one or more of the data transmission devices and/or data storage media operatively associated with the control module, or on another conventional storage suitable for use in connection with the control module. The information can also be stored externally with respect to a machine and its components. Data can be transmitted wirelessly by a radio frequency communication or by a wireline connection from the control module to one or more data devices (as described herein). A mobile phone 502C, for example, may be configured and employed as a computer system for receiving and processing data collected from the control module during fluid evacuation and fluid refill processes.
In various embodiments, data can be collected, stored and/or analyzed for multiple reservoirs connected with, or operatively associated with, a machine. A control module or other data device can be employed to collect, store, and/or analyze data in accordance with one or more of the process steps shown in
Referring now to
Referring now to
In various embodiments, a pre-lubrication electromechanical system can be activated prior to combustion in the engine 610 and rotation of the crankshaft 622. The pre-lubrication system can be employed to supply at least some lubrication or oil pressure before initial movement and interaction of engine 610 components. To provide lubrication to the engine 610 components, the pre-lubrication system can include a supplemental oil pump 642 operatively connected to the starter assembly 640. In one aspect, the supplemental oil pump 642 can include a mechanically driven gear-type oil pump having an elongated drive shaft 643 and gears 644 and 645. It can be seen that the supplemental oil pump 642 communicates with the lubrication system of the engine 610 through an oil inlet line 646 and an oil output line 647. The drive shaft 643 of the supplemental oil pump 642 may be connected to the armature shaft 652 of the starter motor 640 opposite the starter gear 654 in any convenient manner, so that the two shafts 643, 652 can rotate together. The supplemental oil pump 642 and the starter motor 640 may be conveniently incorporated within a single housing to form an integral unit. In certain embodiments, the supplemental oil pump 642 can be installed as an on-board component of the engine 610, or as a remotely positioned external pump.
In certain embodiments, a check valve can be mounted on the engine 610 adjacent to the outlet line 647 to resist oil backflow while the supplemental oil pump 642 is inoperative. This check valve can also resist spinning of the starter assembly 640 caused by oil flow during normal operation of the engine 610. It can be seen that failure of the supplemental oil pump 642 would not render the engine 610 inoperative, thereby avoiding potentially expensive down-time and maintenance for the engine 610 and its associated equipment. Likewise, because the supplemental oil pump 642 pumps oil through the filtering assembly 638 before the oil enters the engine 610, failure of the supplemental oil pump 642 would not likely introduce damaging particles into the engine 610.
Various aspects of the following disclosure include operational examples for the various system and method embodiments described herein. It can be appreciated that such operational examples are provided merely for convenience of disclosure, and that no particular aspect or aspects of these operational examples are intended to limit the scope of application of the present systems and methods.
Where applicable and operational in the context of various embodiments of valve assemblies and systems described herein, one or more valves may be in a normally closed or normally open position prior to, during, or after performance of a particular fluid operation. In addition, one or more types of valves may be employed in certain embodiments of the present systems and methods (e.g., a reasonable combination of check valves and/or electronic valves may be employed).
It can be appreciated that, where applicable and operational in the context of various embodiments of valve assemblies and systems described herein, performing a refill fluid operation to a pre-filter portion of a fluid system improves filtration of the refill fluid. In various embodiments, the refill fluid encounters at least one filter, for example, before the refill fluid encounters various other operative components of the fluid system.
Data can be communicated with the control modules to and/or from a fluid system through a variety of methods and systems. In various embodiments disclosed herein, data may be communicated, for example, by a wireline connection, communicated by satellite communications, cellular communications, infrared and/or communicated in accordance with a wireless or radio frequency communication protocol among other similar types of communication methods and systems. One or more data devices can be employed in operative association with the control modules for the purpose of receiving, processing, inputting and/or storing data and/or for cooperating with the control modules to control, monitor or otherwise manipulate one or more components included within a fluid system.
In one illustrative example, information related to an oil filter purge operation, such as the date and time of the filter purge or the cycle time of the filter purge, for example, and/or other machine conditions can be recorded and processed in connection with operation of the control modules. In addition, the condition (e.g., open or closed) of various valve inlets and outlets, and the date/time at which they are actuated, may be detected, recorded and/or analyzed for various fluid operations. In accordance with the systems and methods disclosed herein, data may be collected and recorded on a reservoir-by-reservoir basis and/or on a fluid system-by-fluid system basis as service is performed on a machine, for example.
It should be appreciated that all the figures are presented for illustrative purposes and not as construction drawings. Omitted details and modifications or alternative embodiments are within the purview of persons of ordinary skill in the art. Furthermore, whereas particular embodiments of the invention have been described herein for the purpose of illustrating the invention and not for the purpose of limiting the same, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations of the details, materials and arrangement of parts may be made within the principle and scope of the invention without departing from the invention as described in the appended claims.
The examples presented herein are intended to illustrate potential and specific implementations of the present invention. It can be appreciated that the examples are intended primarily for purposes of illustration of the invention for those skilled in the art. No particular aspect or aspects of the examples are necessarily intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
Any element expressed herein as a means for performing a specified function is intended to encompass any way of performing that function including, for example, a combination of elements that performs that function. Furthermore the invention, as may be defined by such means-plus-function claims, resides in the fact that the functionalities provided by the various recited means are combined and brought together in a manner as defined by the appended claims. Therefore, any means that can provide such functionalities may be considered equivalents to the means shown herein.
In various embodiments, modules or software can be used to practice certain aspects of the invention. For example, software-as-a-service (SaaS) models or application service provider (ASP) models may be employed as software application delivery models to communicate software applications to clients or other users. Such software applications can be downloaded through an Internet connection, for example, and operated either independently (e.g., downloaded to a laptop or desktop computer system) or through a third-party service provider (e.g., accessed through a third-party web site). In addition, cloud computing techniques may be employed in connection with various embodiments of the invention. In certain embodiments, a “module” may include software, firmware, hardware, or any reasonable combination thereof.
Moreover, the processes associated with the present embodiments may be executed by programmable equipment, such as computers. Software or other sets of instructions that may be employed to cause programmable equipment to execute the processes may be stored in any storage device, such as, for example, a computer system (non-volatile) memory, an optical disk, magnetic tape, or magnetic disk. Furthermore, some of the processes may be programmed when the computer system is manufactured or via a computer-readable memory medium.
It can also be appreciated that certain process aspects described herein may be performed using instructions stored on a computer-readable memory medium or media that direct a computer or computer system to perform process steps. A computer-readable medium may include, for example, memory devices such as diskettes, compact discs of both read-only and read/write varieties, optical disk drives, and hard disk drives. A computer-readable medium may also include memory storage that may be physical, virtual, permanent, temporary, semi-permanent and/or semi-temporary.
A “computer,” “computer system,” or “processor” may be, for example and without limitation, a processor, microcomputer, minicomputer, server, mainframe, laptop, personal data assistant (PDA), wireless e-mail device, cellular phone, pager, processor, fax machine, scanner, or any other programmable device configured to transmit and/or receive data over a network. Computer systems and computer-based devices disclosed herein may include memory for storing certain software applications used in obtaining, processing, and communicating information. It can be appreciated that such memory may be internal or external with respect to operation of the disclosed embodiments. The memory may also include any means for storing software, including a hard disk, an optical disk, floppy disk, ROM (read only memory), RAM (random access memory), PROM (programmable ROM), EEPROM (electrically erasable PROM) and/or other computer-readable memory media. In various embodiments, a “host,” “engine,” “updater,” “loader,” “filter,” “platform,” or “component” may include various computers or computer systems, or may include a reasonable combination of software, firmware, and/or hardware.
In various embodiments of the present invention, a single component may be replaced by multiple components, and multiple components may be replaced by a single component, to perform a given function or functions. Except where such substitution would not be operative to practice embodiments of the present invention, such substitution is within the scope of the present invention. Any of the servers described herein, for example, may be replaced by a “server farm” or other grouping of networked servers (e.g., a group of server blades) that are located and configured for cooperative functions. It can be appreciated that a server farm may serve to distribute workload between/among individual components of the farm and may expedite computing processes by harnessing the collective and cooperative power of multiple servers. Such server farms may employ load-balancing software that accomplishes tasks such as, for example, tracking demand for processing power from different machines, prioritizing and scheduling tasks based on network demand, and/or providing backup contingency in the event of component failure or reduction in operability.
In general, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various embodiments described herein, or components or parts thereof, may be implemented in many different embodiments of software, firmware, and/or hardware, or modules thereof. The software code or specialized control hardware used to implement some of the present embodiments is not limiting of the present invention. For example, the embodiments described hereinabove may be implemented in computer software using any suitable computer programming language such as .NET, SQL, MySQL, or HTML using, for example, conventional or object-oriented techniques. Programming languages for computer software and other computer-implemented instructions may be translated into machine language by a compiler or an assembler before execution and/or may be translated directly at run time by an interpreter. Examples of assembly languages include ARM, MIPS, and x86; examples of high level languages include Ada, BASIC, C, C++, C#, COBOL, Fortran, Java, Lisp, Pascal, Object Pascal; and examples of scripting languages include Bourne script, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, PHP, and Perl. Various embodiments may be employed in a Lotus Notes environment, for example. Such software may be stored on any type of suitable computer-readable medium or media such as, for example, a magnetic or optical storage medium. Thus, the operation and behavior of the embodiments are described without specific reference to the actual software code or specialized hardware components. The absence of such specific references is feasible because it is clearly understood that artisans of ordinary skill would be able to design software and control hardware to implement the embodiments of the present invention based on the description herein with only a reasonable effort and without undue experimentation.
Various embodiments of the systems and methods described herein may employ one or more electronic computer networks to promote communication among different components, transfer data, or to share resources and information. Such computer networks can be classified according to the hardware and software technology that is used to interconnect the devices in the network, such as optical fiber, Ethernet, wireless LAN, HomePNA, power line communication or G.hn. The computer networks may also be embodied as one or more of the following types of networks: local area network (LAN); metropolitan area network (MAN); wide area network (WAN); virtual private network (VPN); storage area network (SAN); or global area network (GAN), among other network varieties.
For example, a WAN computer network may cover a broad area by linking communications across metropolitan, regional, or national boundaries. The network may use routers and/or public communication links One type of data communication network may cover a relatively broad geographic area (e.g., city-to-city or country-to-country) which uses transmission facilities provided by common carriers, such as telephone service providers. In another example, a GAN computer network may support mobile communications across multiple wireless LANs or satellite networks. In another example, a VPN computer network may include links between nodes carried by open connections or virtual circuits in another network (e.g., the Internet) instead of by physical wires. The link-layer protocols of the VPN can be tunneled through the other network. One VPN application can promote secure communications through the Internet. The VPN can also be used to separately and securely conduct the traffic of different user communities over an underlying network. The VPN may provide users with the virtual experience of accessing the network through an IP address location other than the actual IP address which connects the access device to the network.
The computer network may be characterized based on functional relationships among the elements or components of the network, such as active networking, client-server, or peer-to-peer functional architecture. The computer network may be classified according to network topology, such as bus network, star network, ring network, mesh network, star-bus network, or hierarchical topology network, for example. The computer network may also be classified based on the method employed for data communication, such as digital and analog networks.
Embodiments described herein may employ internetworking for connecting two or more distinct electronic computer networks or network segments through a common routing technology. The type of internetwork employed may depend on administration and/or participation in the internetwork. Non-limiting examples of internetworks include intranet, extranet, and Internet. Intranets and extranets may or may not have connections to the Internet. If connected to the Internet, the intranet or extranet may be protected with appropriate authentication technology or other security measures. As applied herein, an intranet can be a group of networks which employ Internet Protocol, web browsers and/or file transfer applications, under common control by an administrative entity. Such an administrative entity could restrict access to the intranet to only authorized users, for example, or another internal network of an organization or commercial entity. As applied herein, an extranet may include a network or internetwork generally limited to a primary organization or entity, but which also has limited connections to the networks of one or more other trusted organizations or entities (e.g., customers of an entity may be given access an intranet of the entity thereby creating an extranet).
Computer networks may include hardware elements to interconnect network nodes, such as network interface cards (NICs) or Ethernet cards, repeaters, bridges, hubs, switches, routers, and other like components. Such elements may be physically wired for communication and/or data connections may be provided with microwave links (e.g., IEEE 802.12) or fiber optics, for example. A network card, network adapter or NIC can be designed to allow computers to communicate over the computer network by providing physical access to a network and an addressing system through the use of MAC addresses, for example. A repeater can be embodied as an electronic device that receives and retransmits a communicated signal at a boosted power level to allow the signal to cover a telecommunication distance with reduced degradation. A network bridge can be configured to connect multiple network segments at the data link layer of a computer network while learning which addresses can be reached through which specific ports of the network. In the network, the bridge may associate a port with an address and then send traffic for that address only to that port. In various embodiments, local bridges may be employed to directly connect local area networks (LANs); remote bridges can be used to create a wide area network (WAN) link between LANs; and/or, wireless bridges can be used to connect LANs and/or to connect remote stations to LANs.
In various embodiments, a hub may be employed which contains multiple ports. For example, when a data packet arrives at one port of a hub, the packet can be copied unmodified to all ports of the hub for transmission. A network switch or other devices that forward and filter OSI layer 2 datagrams between ports based on MAC addresses in data packets can also be used. A switch can possess multiple ports, such that most of the network is connected directly to the switch, or another switch that is in turn connected to a switch. The term “switch” can also include routers and bridges, as well as other devices that distribute data traffic by application content (e.g., a Web URL identifier). Switches may operate at one or more OSI model layers, including physical, data link, network, or transport (i.e., end-to-end). A device that operates simultaneously at more than one of these layers can be considered a multilayer switch. In certain embodiments, routers or other like networking devices may be used to forward data packets between networks using headers and forwarding tables to determine an optimum path through which to transmit the packets.
As employed herein, an application server may be a server that hosts an API to expose business logic and business processes for use by other applications. Examples of application servers include J2EE or Java EE 5 application servers including WebSphere Application Server. Other examples include WebSphere Application Server Community Edition (IBM), Sybase Enterprise Application Server (Sybase Inc), WebLogic Server (BEA), JBoss (Red Hat), JRun (Adobe Systems), Apache Geronimo (Apache Software Foundation), Oracle OC4J (Oracle Corporation), Sun Java System Application Server (Sun Microsystems), and SAP Netweaver AS (ABAP/Java). Also, application servers may be provided in accordance with the .NET framework, including the Windows Communication Foundation, .NET Remoting, ADO.NET, and ASP.NET among several other components. For example, a Java Server Page (JSP) is a servlet that executes in a web container which is functionally equivalent to CGI scripts. JSPs can be used to create HTML pages by embedding references to the server logic within the page. The application servers may mainly serve web-based applications, while other servers can perform as session initiation protocol servers, for instance, or work with telephony networks. Specifications for enterprise application integration and service-oriented architecture can be designed to connect many different computer network elements. Such specifications include Business Application Programming Interface, Web Services Interoperability, and Java EE Connector Architecture.
In various embodiments, computers and computer systems described herein may have the following main components: arithmetic and logic unit (ALU), control unit, memory, and input and output devices (I/O devices). These components can be interconnected by busses, often comprising groups of wires or cables. The control unit, ALU, registers, and basic I/O (and often other hardware closely linked with these sections) can be collectively considered a central processing unit (CPU) for the computer system. The CPU may be constructed on a single integrated circuit or microprocessor. The control unit (control system or central controller) directs the various components of a computer system. The control system decodes each instruction in a computer program and turns it into a series of control signals that operate other components of the computer system. To enhance performance or efficiency of operation, the control system may alter the order of instructions. One component of the control unit is the program counter, a memory register that tracks the location in memory from which the next instruction is to be read.
The ALU is capable of performing arithmetic and logic operations. The set of arithmetic operations that a particular ALU supports may be limited to adding and subtracting or might include multiplying or dividing, trigonometry functions (sine, cosine, etc.) and square roots. Some may be programmed to operate on whole numbers (integers), while others use floating point to represent real numbers, for example. An ALU may also compare numbers and return Boolean truth values (e.g., true or false). Superscalar computers may contain multiple ALUs to facilitate processing multiple instructions at the same time. For example, graphics processors and computers with SIMD and MIMD features often possess ALUs that can perform arithmetic operations on vectors and matrices. Certain computer systems may include one or more RAM cache memories configured to move more frequently needed data into the cache automatically.
Examples of peripherals that may be used in connection with certain embodiments of the invention include input/output devices such as keyboards, mice, screen displays, monitors, printers, hard disk drives, floppy disk drives, joysticks, and image scanners.
Embodiments described herein may divide functions between separate CPUs, creating a multiprocessing configuration. For example, multiprocessor and multi-core (multiple CPUs on a single integrated circuit) computer systems with co-processing capabilities may be employed. Also, multitasking may be employed as a computer processing technique to handle simultaneous execution of multiple computer programs.
In various embodiments, the computer systems, data transmission devices, data storage media, or modules described herein may be configured and/or programmed to include one or more of the above-described electronic, computer-based elements and components, or computer architecture. In addition, these elements and components may be particularly configured to execute the various rules, algorithms, programs, processes, and method steps described herein.
While the present embodiments have been principally described in relation to engines, it will be recognized that the invention is also useful in a wide variety of other types of machines. Therefore, whereas particular embodiments of the invention have been described herein for the purpose of illustrating the invention and not for the purpose of limiting the same, it can be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations of the details, materials and arrangement of parts may be made within the principle and scope of the invention without departing from the invention as described in the appended claims.
