Patents by Inventor Julian FRANCHITTI
Julian FRANCHITTI 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).
-
Patent number: 11581793Abstract: Condition monitoring device including a condition monitoring sensor configured to acquire vibration signals produced by the system and an integrated power supply having an energy harvester for providing power energy to the condition monitoring sensor and having an electromagnetic coil and a permanent magnet. The integrated power supply includes a system power switch between the energy harvester and the condition monitoring sensor and configured to be switched between at least a first high impedance position providing power energy of the energy harvester to the sensor and a second low impedance position where no power is transmitted to the sensor. Also, a system for restricting movement of the energy harvester configured to be connected across the electromagnetic coil in the low impedance passive position of the system power switch.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2020Date of Patent: February 14, 2023Assignee: SKF Magnetic MechatronicsInventors: Julian Franchitti, Mark Rhodes
-
Patent number: 11381096Abstract: A system for managing sensor power to a remote wireless condition monitoring sensor installed on a railway rolling stock. The system provides an energy harvester that derives wireless sensor power, a rechargeable battery connected to the energy harvester for supplying energy to the rechargeable battery and for powering the system, an antenna for sending signals to a remote database based on measured vibration and acceleration data, a central processing unit having a memory an arithmetic logic unit and a control unit for controlling a function of the system. The remote wireless condition monitoring sensor is protected from potentially fatal over voltage and under voltage conditions and the operating life is prolonged by entering dedicated modes of operation based on battery voltage and available energy capacity as instructed by the central processing unit. Also, a method for carrying out the function of the system.Type: GrantFiled: November 11, 2019Date of Patent: July 5, 2022Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKFInventors: Julian Franchitti, Mark Rhodes
-
Publication number: 20210143659Abstract: A system for managing sensor power to a remote wireless condition monitoring sensor installed on a railway rolling stock. The system provides an energy harvester that derives wireless sensor power, a rechargeable battery connected to the energy harvester for supplying energy to the rechargeable battery and for powering the system, an antenna for sending signals to a remote database based on measured vibration and acceleration data, a central processing unit having a memory an arithmetic logic unit and a control unit for controlling a function of the system. The remote wireless condition monitoring sensor is protected from potentially fatal over voltage and under voltage conditions and the operating life is prolonged by entering dedicated modes of operation based on battery voltage and available energy capacity as instructed by the central processing unit. Also, a method for carrying out the function of the system.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 11, 2019Publication date: May 13, 2021Inventors: Julian Franchitti, Mark Rhodes
-
Publication number: 20200395835Abstract: Condition monitoring device including a condition monitoring sensor configured to acquire vibration signals produced by the system and an integrated power supply having an energy harvester for providing power energy to the condition monitoring sensor and having an electromagnetic coil and a permanent magnet. The integrated power supply includes a system power switch between the energy harvester and the condition monitoring sensor and configured to be switched between at least a first high impedance position providing power energy of the energy harvester to the sensor and a second low impedance position where no power is transmitted to the sensor. Also, a system for restricting movement of the energy harvester configured to be connected across the electromagnetic coil in the low impedance passive position of the system power switch.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 6, 2020Publication date: December 17, 2020Inventors: Julian Franchitti, Mark Rhodes
-
Patent number: 10788395Abstract: A method and apparatus of condition monitoring and detection of vibration generated from at least two different sources using a single sensor/transducer is provided. The method and apparatus provides switchably adapting signal processing, such as amplification and frequency filtering, to one at a time of the at least two different signal sources. An example of which is vibration sources. This adapts the analogue signal from the sensor/transducer to the analogue to digital converter and any further optional analogue signal processing, so that it is possible to maximize use of available dynamic range of these and without any saturation of these. Suitably, the signal processing to analyze the vibration signals is also appropriately adapted to the vibration source in question.Type: GrantFiled: February 10, 2017Date of Patent: September 29, 2020Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKFInventors: Julian Franchitti, Allan Thomson
-
Patent number: 10527521Abstract: The invention provides a railway condition monitoring sensor device attached to a railway bearing of a railway vehicle including at least one vibration sensor; means for detecting movement of the railway vehicle; a control unit for processing at least the signals obtained by the vibration sensor to determine a health parameter indicating the bearings state of health. The control unit triggers measurements based on at least one predetermined condition; and a wireless communication device for communicating the health parameter to a monitoring and control server. The control unit configured to be operated in an energy-saving sleep mode and in at an activated mode. The control unit is configured to switch from the sleep mode to the activated mode upon detecting that a predetermined set of conditions is met. The predetermined set of conditions includes the condition that the means for detecting the movement detects that the railway vehicle is moving.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2016Date of Patent: January 7, 2020Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKFInventor: Julian Franchitti
-
Publication number: 20190170813Abstract: Examples provide for a self-test circuit. The self-test circuit comprises input circuitry; testing circuitry; and a circuit to be tested, coupled between the input and testing circuitry and comprising at least a piezoelectric crystal. The input circuitry is configured to generate and transfer a predefined electric signal comprising at least a sinusoidal signal through at least the piezoelectric crystal of the circuit to be tested to generate an output signal. The testing circuitry is configured to analyze the output signal.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 4, 2017Publication date: June 6, 2019Inventor: Julian Franchitti
-
Patent number: 10249178Abstract: A condition monitoring sensor system having a power supply; a condition monitoring sensor; a processor; a permanently powered power-on timer; and a watchdog timer. The permanently powered power-on timer is set for a first predetermined duration and is configured to wake the processor by connecting the processor to the power supply if the power-on timer elapses. Upon waking up, the processor is configured to reset the power-on timer to the first predetermined duration and is configured to control at least the condition monitoring sensor. The condition monitoring sensor may take condition monitoring data. Upon waking up, the processor is configured to set the watchdog timer for a second predetermined duration. The watchdog timer is powered via the power supply, which forces the processor and the watchdog timer to enter a sleep mode by disconnecting the processor and the watchdog timer from the power supply if the watchdog timer elapses.Type: GrantFiled: November 16, 2017Date of Patent: April 2, 2019Assignee: Aktiebolaget SKFInventors: Julian Franchitti, Mark Rhodes
-
Patent number: 10053121Abstract: A condition monitoring system (CMS) for vehicle bearing units, including at least one condition monitoring unit (CMU) for measuring at least one operating parameter of one bearing unit and a control unit for receiving and processing signals from the CMU. The control unit is configured to activate/deactivate the CMU(s) upon reaching at least one predetermined waypoint stored in a waypoint memory of the control unit. The CMS can be equipped with a waypoint setting unit for setting the at least one waypoint at which the CMU(s) shall be activated/deactivated and to store the waypoint in the waypoint memory. The waypoint setting unit processes route data includes data on at least a curviness of at least one route intended for vehicle travel. The processing includes extracting at least one route section within the curviness of the route within a predetermined range and setting the waypoint(s) within the extracted route section.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2015Date of Patent: August 21, 2018Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKFInventors: Julian Franchitti, Ramshy Patwari
-
Publication number: 20180231413Abstract: A method and apparatus of condition monitoring and detection of vibration generated from at least two different sources using a single sensor/transducer is provided. The method and apparatus provides switchably adapting signal processing, such as amplification and frequency filtering, to one at a time of the at least two different signal sources. An example of which is vibration sources. This adapts the analogue signal from the sensor/transducer to the analogue to digital converter and any further optional analogue signal processing, so that it is possible to maximize use of available dynamic range of these and without any saturation of these. Suitably, the signal processing to analyze the vibration signals is also appropriately adapted to the vibration source in question.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 10, 2017Publication date: August 16, 2018Inventors: Julian Franchitti, Allan Thomson
-
Patent number: 9828012Abstract: A condition monitoring system for bearing units for vehicles, the system including at least one condition monitoring unit for measuring at least one operating parameter of one bearing unit and a control unit for receiving and processing signals obtained from the condition monitoring unit. The system additionally includes a circuit for detecting a geographic position, wherein the condition monitoring unit is configured to be at least one of activated and deactivated depending on the detected geographic position.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2015Date of Patent: November 28, 2017Assignee: AKTIEBOLAGET SKFInventors: Stephen Cuthbertson, Julian Franchitti, Rashmy Patwari
-
Publication number: 20170199101Abstract: The invention provides a railway condition monitoring sensor device attached to a railway bearing of a railway vehicle including at least one vibration sensor; means for detecting movement of the railway vehicle; a control unit for processing at least the signals obtained by the vibration sensor to determine a health parameter indicating the bearings state of health. The control unit triggers measurements based on at least one predetermined condition; and a wireless communication device for communicating the health parameter to a monitoring and control server. The control unit configured to be operated in an energy-saving sleep mode and in at an activated mode. The control unit is configured to switch from the sleep mode to the activated mode upon detecting that a predetermined set of conditions is met. The predetermined set of conditions includes the condition that the means for detecting the movement detects that the railway vehicle is moving.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 16, 2016Publication date: July 13, 2017Inventor: Julian Franchitti
-
Publication number: 20160152250Abstract: A condition monitoring system (CMS) for vehicle bearing units, including at least one condition monitoring unit (CMU) for measuring at least one operating parameter of one bearing unit and a control unit for receiving and processing signals from the CMU. The control unit is configured to activate/deactivate the CMU(s) upon reaching at least one predetermined waypoint stored in a waypoint memory of the control unit. The CMS can be equipped with a waypoint setting unit for setting the at least one waypoint at which the CMU(s) shall be activated/deactivated and to store the waypoint in the waypoint memory. The waypoint setting unit processes route data includes data on at least a curviness of at least one route intended for vehicle travel. The processing includes extracting at least one route section within the curviness of the route within a predetermined range and setting the waypoint(s) within the extracted route section.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2015Publication date: June 2, 2016Applicant: AKTIEBOLAGET SKFInventors: Julian FRANCHITTI, Ramshy PATWARI
-
Publication number: 20160152255Abstract: A condition monitoring system for bearing units for vehicles, the system including at least one condition monitoring unit for measuring at least one operating parameter of one bearing unit and a control unit for receiving and processing signals obtained from the condition monitoring unit. The system additionally includes a circuit for detecting a geographic position, wherein the condition monitoring unit is configured to be at least one of activated and deactivated depending on the detected geographic position.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2015Publication date: June 2, 2016Applicant: Aktiebolaget SKFInventors: Stephen CUTHBERTSON, Julian FRANCHITTI, Rashmy PATWARI