Patents by Inventor Rodney Menold

Rodney Menold 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: 12036962
    Abstract: Monitoring the brake performance of a brake system of a machine and a control systems for performing such monitoring. The machine's brake system is monitored by detecting a brake engagement for decelerating the machine. When a brake engagement is detected, a parasitic loss decelerating the machine during the brake engagement is determined. The parasitic loss is used to predict deceleration of the machine during the brake engagement Brake performance of the brake system of the machine is processed from the predicted deceleration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: July 16, 2024
    Assignee: Caterpillar SARL
    Inventors: Andrew De Haseth, Raymond Lathan, Shinya Sono, Ian Macdonald, Rodney Menold, Timothy Schwartz, David Wisley
  • Publication number: 20210402972
    Abstract: Monitoring the brake performance of a brake system of a machine and a control systems for performing such monitoring. The machine's brake system is monitored by detecting a brake engagement for decelerating the machine. When a brake engagement is detected, a parasitic loss decelerating the machine during the brake engagement is determined. The parasitic loss is used to predict deceleration of the machine during the brake engagement Brake performance of the brake system of the machine is processed from the predicted deceleration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 21, 2019
    Publication date: December 30, 2021
    Applicant: Caterpillar SARL
    Inventors: Andrew DE HASETH, Raymond LATHAN, Shinya SONO, Ian MACDONALD, Rodney MENOLD, Timothy SCHWARTZ, David WISLEY
  • Patent number: 10829901
    Abstract: Disclosed herein is a system and method for determining the compaction of terrain based on rolling resistance. The system comprises a work machine configured to move along a route along the terrain, a navigation system configured to generate route data indicative of the route, a sensor configured to generate operating parameter data indicative of an operating parameter of the work machine moving along the route, and a processing unit. The processing unit is configured to process the operating parameter data to generate rolling resistance data indicative of the resistance by the terrain to the movement of the work machine along the route, and to process the rolling resistance data to generate compaction data indicative of the compaction of the terrain along the route.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 10, 2020
    Assignee: Caterpillar SARL
    Inventors: David Wisley, Michael Looney, Russell Pugh, Rodney Menold, Jonathan Moses, Tom Abel, Anthony Weltzer, Stephen Thompson
  • Publication number: 20180179719
    Abstract: A work machine is moved along a route over worksite terrain. Route data indicative of the route is recorded and an operating parameter data indicative of at least one operating parameter of the work machine is determined as the machine moves along the route. The operating parameter data is used to generate rolling resistance data indicative of the resistance of the terrain to the movement of the work machine as it moves along the route. Then the rolling resistance data is processed to generate compaction data indicative of the compaction of the terrain along the route.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2017
    Publication date: June 28, 2018
    Applicant: Caterpillar SARL
    Inventors: David Wisley, Michael Looney, Russell Pugh, Rodney Menold, Jonathan Moses, Tom Abel, Anthony Weltzer, Stephen Thompson
  • Patent number: 9988024
    Abstract: A machine includes: an axle having wheels mounted to it; a brake system configured to provide service braking to the wheels; a brake pedal operatively connected to the brake system to provide a braking power to the wheels in proportion to the position of the brake pedal; a pedal sensor operatively connected to the brake pedal to sense the position of the brake pedal; a retarder system configured to selectively slow the wheels down; a speed sensor operatively connected to the machine to detect a speed associated with the machine; a controller operatively connected to the speed sensor, brake pedal position sensor, and retarder system wherein the controller is configured to operate the retarder system based on signals received from the speed sensor and brake pedal position sensor. A method for providing an indication to an operator may also be included.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Date of Patent: June 5, 2018
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Schwartz, Rodney Menold, Ian Macdonald, Joel Skalet
  • Patent number: 9845039
    Abstract: A method for implementing and canceling an automatic operation of a body of a machine includes receiving a selection of an automatic setting according to a first operation of a hoist mode actuator, determining an activation state of the automatic setting, causing an automatic operation of an engine of the machine to adjust an idle level of the engine and an automatic operation of a hoist system to move the body in a first direction to a first position. The method includes canceling the automatic operation of the engine and the automatic operation of the hoist system and controlling the idle level of the engine according to operations of a throttle, the hoist system to move the body according to the idle level of the engine and respective directions of the second operation the hoist mode actuator and subsequent operations of the hoist mode actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Anderson, Timothy Schwartz, Joel Skalet, Rodney Menold
  • Patent number: 9802524
    Abstract: A method for implementing an operation of a body of a machine includes receiving data indicating an operation of a positioning mode actuator to facilitate movement of the body from a first position, determining activation state of a multi-auto mode to actuate a first auto lower mode to operate a hoist system to lower the body automatically and a first auto raise mode to operate the hoist system to raise the body automatically. The method includes determining the first auto lower mode is selected according to the data indicating the operation of the positioning mode actuator, and causing a hoist system to actively lower the body from the first position to a second position and passively lower the body from the second position to a third position, independent of the activation state of the multi-auto mode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Date of Patent: October 31, 2017
    Assignee: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Anderson, Kurt Winckler, Rodney Menold, Joel Skalet, Timothy Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20170253163
    Abstract: A method for implementing an operation of a body of a machine includes receiving data indicating an operation of a positioning mode actuator to facilitate movement of the body from a first position, determining activation state of a multi-auto mode to actuate a first auto lower mode to operate a hoist system to lower the body automatically and a first auto raise mode to operate the hoist system to raise the body automatically. The method includes determining the first auto lower mode is selected according to the data indicating the operation of the positioning mode actuator, and causing a hoist system to actively lower the body from the first position to a second position and passively lower the body from the second position to a third position, independent of the activation state of the multi-auto mode.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 1, 2016
    Publication date: September 7, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Anderson, Kurt Winckler, Rodney Menold, Joel Skalet, Timothy Schwartz
  • Publication number: 20170072825
    Abstract: A method for implementing and canceling an automatic operation of a body of a machine includes receiving a selection of an automatic setting according to a first operation of a hoist mode actuator, determining an activation state of the automatic setting, causing an automatic operation of an engine of the machine to adjust an idle level of the engine and an automatic operation of a hoist system to move the body in a first direction to a first position. The method includes canceling the automatic operation of the engine and the automatic operation of the hoist system and controlling the idle level of the engine according to operations of a throttle, the hoist system to move the body according to the idle level of the engine and respective directions of the second operation the hoist mode actuator and subsequent operations of the hoist mode actuator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 14, 2015
    Publication date: March 16, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan Anderson, Timothy Schwartz, Joel Skalet, Rodney Menold
  • Publication number: 20170057476
    Abstract: A machine includes: an axle having wheels mounted to it; a brake system configured to provide service braking to the wheels; a brake pedal operatively connected to the brake system to provide a braking power to the wheels in proportion to the position of the brake pedal; a pedal sensor operatively connected to the brake pedal to sense the position of the brake pedal; a retarder system configured to selectively slow the wheels down; a speed sensor operatively connected to the machine to detect a speed associated with the machine; a controller operatively connected to the speed sensor, brake pedal position sensor, and retarder system wherein the controller is configured to operate the retarder system based on signals received from the speed sensor and brake pedal position sensor. A method for providing an indication to an operator may also be included.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 26, 2015
    Publication date: March 2, 2017
    Applicant: Caterpillar Inc.
    Inventors: Timothy Schwartz, Rodney Menold, Ian Macdonald, Joel Skalet