Patents by Inventor Richard David Douglas

Richard David Douglas 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).

  • Systems and methods for early detection of machine component failure
    Patent number: 7689368
    Abstract: A system for early detection of component failure in a hydraulic system comprises a particle detection device disposed in a fluid flow channel of a machine, the particle detection device configured to monitor a current particle count associated with fluid flowing through the fluid flow channel. The system further includes a condition monitoring system in wireless data communication with the particle detection device. The condition monitoring system is configured to receive data indicative of the current particle count and analyze historic particle count data collected by the particle detection device. The condition monitoring system is also configured to estimate a trend in the historic particle count data based on the analysis. A failure event associated with one or more components associated with the fluid flow channel is predicted if the data indicative of the current particle count deviates from the trend by a threshold amount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Date of Patent: March 30, 2010
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventor: Richard David Douglas
  • Systems and methods for early detection of machine component failure
    Publication number: 20090107219
    Abstract: A system for early detection of component failure in a hydraulic system comprises a particle detection device disposed in a fluid flow channel of a machine, the particle detection device configured to monitor a current particle count associated with fluid flowing through the fluid flow channel. The system further includes a condition monitoring system in wireless data communication with the particle detection device. The condition monitoring system is configured to receive data indicative of the current particle count and analyze historic particle count data collected by the particle detection device. The condition monitoring system is also configured to estimate a trend in the historic particle count data based on the analysis. A failure event associated with one or more components associated with the fluid flow channel is predicted if the data indicative of the current particle count deviates from the trend by a threshold amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 26, 2007
    Publication date: April 30, 2009
    Inventor: Richard David Douglas