received by the International Bureau on 06 August 2014 (06.08.14)

CLAIM AMENDMENTS

What is claimed is: . An online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in a hydraulic system comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electro-hydraulic system comprising a control system, a system pump, a system pump pressure sensor, a first valve having a first pressure sensor in fluid communication with a first side of a first actuator, a second valve having a second pressure sensor in fluid communication with a second side of the first actuator, a third valve having a third pressure sensor in fluid communication with a first side of a second actuator, and a fourth valve having a fourth pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second side of the second actuator;

(b) detecting at least one of a sensor drift condition, a recalibration request, and an unisolated fault condition;

(c) selecting the system pump pressure sensor or another pressure sensor as a trusted master reference sensor;

(d) measuring and recording a first pressure reading at the master reference sensor and first voltage readings associated with the first, second, third, and fourth pressure sensors at a first pump pressure set point;

(e) measuring and recording a second pressure reading at the master

reference sensor and second voltage readings associated with the first, second, third, and fourth pressure sensors at a second pump pressure set point; and

(f) computing a new gain and offset for each of the first, second, third, and fourth pressure sensors based on a comparison of the recorded first and second pressure readings with respect to the master reference sensor and the recorded first and second voltage readings.

2. The online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in a hydraulic system of claim 1 , wherein the step of selecting the pressure sensor or another pressure sensor as a trusted master reference sensor includes:

(a) setting the pump to a predetermined pressure;

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1 (b) commanding the first and third valves to open to the system pump and recording pressures sensed at the system, first, and third pressure sensors;

(c) closing the first and third valves;

(d) commanding the second and fourth valves to open to the system pump and recording pressures sensed at the system, second, and fourth pressure sensors; and

(e) analyzing differences among the recorded pressures and predefined

threshold value condition data stored in the control system to identify the trusted master reference sensor.

3. The online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in the hydraulic system of claim 2, wherein the condition data includes fault condition data.

4. The online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in the hydraulic system of claim 3, wherein the condition data includes calibration condition data.

5. The online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in the hydraulic system of claim 1, where each of the pressure sensors is a strain-based pressure sensor.

6. The online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in the hydraulic system of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is a lift cylinder and the second actuator is a tilt cylinder of a work machine.

7. A method for identifying a recalibration reference sensor in a hydraulic system comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electro-hydraulic system comprising a control system, a system pump, a system pump pressure sensor, a first valve having a first pressure sensor in fluid communication with a first side of a first actuator, a second valve having a second pressure sensor in fluid communication with a second side of the first actuator, a third valve having a third pressure sensor in fluid communication with a first side of a second actuator, and a fourth valve having a fourth pressure sensor in fluid communication with the second side of the second actuator;

(b) setting the pump to a predetermined pressure;

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2 (c) commanding the first and third valves to open to the system pump and recording pressures sensed at the system pump, first, and third pressure sensors;

(d) closing the first and third valves;

(e) commanding the second and fourth valves to open to the system pump and recording pressures sensed at the system, second, and fourth pressure sensors; and

(f) analyzing differences among the recorded pressures and predefined threshold value condition data stored in the control system to identify the trusted master reference sensor.

8. The method for identifying a recalibration reference sensor of claim 7, wherein the condition data includes fault condition data.

9. The method for identifying a recalibration reference sensor of claim 8, wherein the condition data includes calibration condition data.

10. The method for identifying a recalibration reference sensor of claim 7, where each of the pressure sensors is a strain-based pressure sensor.

1 1. The method for identifying a recalibration reference sensor of claim 7, wherein the first actuator is a lift cylinder and the second actuator is a tilt cylinder of a work machine.

12. An online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in a hydraulic system

comprising the steps of:

(a) providing an electro-hydraulic system comprising a control system, a system pump, a system pump pressure sensor, and a plurality of control valves wherein each of the valves has at least one corresponding pressure sensor in fluid communication with an actuator;

(b) detecting at least one of a sensor drift condition, a recalibration request, and an unisolated fault condition;

(c) selecting the system pump pressure sensor or another pressure sensor as a trusted master reference sensor;

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3 (d) measuring and recording a first pressure reading at the master reference sensor and first voltage readings associated with the plurality of pressure sensors at a first pump pressure set point;

(e) measuring and recording a second pressure reading at the master

reference sensor and second voltage readings associated with the plurality of pressure sensors at a second pump pressure set point; and

(f) computing a new gain and offset for each of the plurality of pressure sensors based on a comparison of the recorded first and second pressure readings with respect to the master reference sensor and the recorded first and second voltage readings.

13. The online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in a hydraulic system of claim 12, wherein the step of selecting the pressure sensor or another pressure sensor as a trusted reference sensor includes:

(a) setting the pump to a predetermined pressure;

(b) commanding the plurality of valves to open to the system pump and recording pressures sensed at the system pump pressure sensor and the pressure sensors corresponding to the plurality of valves; and

(c) analyzing differences among the recorded pressures and predefined

threshold value condition data stored in the control system to identify the trusted master reference sensor.

14. The online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in a hydraulic system of claim 13, wherein the step of commanding the plurality of valves to open to the system pump and recording pressures sensed at the system pressure sensor and the pressure sensors corresponding to the plurality of valves is performed sequentially and repeated for at least some of the plurality of valves.

15. The online method for reconfiguring pressure sensors in a hydraulic system of claim 12, further comprising the steps of:

(a) commanding the plurality of valves to move to a first end stop position and a second end stop position;

(b) recording end stop voltages at each of the end stop positions for position sensors associated with the plurality of valves;

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4 (c) computing a new gain and offset for each of the plurality of position sensors based on a comparison of the recoded end stop voltages with respect to stored end stop position data; and

(d) recalibrating the position sensors with the new gain and offset for each position sensor.

16. An online method for reconfiguring position sensors in a hydraulic system

comprising the steps of:

(a) commanding a plurality of valves in the hydraulic system to move to a first end stop position and recording position sensor first voltages corresponding to the plurality of valves;

(b) commanding the plurality of valves in the hydraulic system to move to a second end stop position and recording position sensor second voltages corresponding to the plurality of valves;

(c) computing a new gain and offset for each of the plurality of position sensors based on a comparison of the recoded end stop first and second voltages with respect to stored end stop position data; and

(d) recalibrating the position sensors with the new gain and offset for each position sensor.

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