Patents by Inventor Dereck Heffron

Dereck Heffron has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • System and method for detecting a fault condition associated with a valvetrain of an engine
    Patent number: 10557433
    Abstract: A system for detecting a fault condition in a valvetrain of an engine is configured to measure one or more operating parameters associated with the engine and determine if the operating parameters satisfy pre-defined corresponding boundary conditions. If so, a pair of values of at least one performance parameter is measured corresponding to measurement on a first and second bank of cylinders present on the engine. The difference between the pair of values is determined and used to compute at least one measure of variation for the at least one performance parameter in a time segment. If the at least one measure of variation for the at least one performance parameter exceeds a pre-defined limit for the engine, the valvetrain is flagged as faulty.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 11, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Campagna, Andrew Billing, Dereck Heffron, Brian Wheeler
  • SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DETECTING A FAULT CONDITION ASSOCIATED WITH A VALVETRAIN OF AN ENGINE
    Publication number: 20180156149
    Abstract: A system for detecting a fault condition in a valvetrain of an engine is configured to measure one or more operating parameters associated with the engine and determine if the operating parameters satisfy pre-defined corresponding boundary conditions. If so, a pair of values of at least one performance parameter is measured corresponding to measurement on a first and second bank of cylinders present on the engine. The difference between the pair of values is determined and used to compute at least one measure of variation for the at least one performance parameter in a time segment. If the at least one measure of variation for the at least one performance parameter exceeds a pre-defined limit for the engine, the valvetrain is flagged as faulty.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2016
    Publication date: June 7, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Michael Campagna, Andrew Billing, Dereck Heffron, Brian Wheeler