	US 11,794,414 B2
	Energy source monitoring
Nicola Baldo, Sant Cugat del Valles (ES); David Pinheiro, Sant Cugat del Valles (ES); Albert Trenchs Magana, Sant Cugat del Valles (ES); and Esteve Comas Cespedes, Sant Cugat del Valles (ES)
Assigned to HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
Appl. No. 16/608,376
Filed by HEWLETT-PACKARD DEVELOPMENT COMPANY, L.P., Spring, TX (US)
PCT Filed Jan. 29, 2018, PCT No. PCT/US2018/015711 § 371(c)(1), (2) Date Oct. 25, 2019, PCT Pub. No. WO2019/147281, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 1, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2020/0361154 A1, Nov. 19, 2020
Int. Cl. B29C 64/393 (2017.01); B33Y 50/02 (2015.01); G01R 19/165 (2006.01); G01R 21/00 (2006.01); B29C 64/268 (2017.01)

CPC B29C 64/393 (2017.08) [B29C 64/268 (2017.08); B33Y 50/02 (2014.12); G01R 19/16595 (2013.01); G01R 21/00 (2013.01)]

3 Claims

1. An energy source monitoring system comprising:

an energy source controller; and

an energy source diagnostic module that, via one or more processors:

obtains, from the energy source controller, a signal indicative of an electrical current value for an energy source of a 3D printer during a second predetermined time period commencing with the end of a first predetermined time period, the first predetermined time period commencing with an activation of the energy source, wherein the energy source is active throughout the first and second predetermined time periods;

compares the electrical current value of the obtained signal with a reference signal; and

determines, based on the comparison, whether the energy source is operating according to predetermined characteristics; and

an activation detector module that:

detects a signal indicative of an energy source operation;

determines whether a difference between minimum and maximum values of the detected signal during the second predetermined time period exceeds a predetermined check threshold; and

cancels, when the difference exceeds the predetermined check threshold, the comparison of the obtained signal to the reference signal;

wherein the energy source controller further:

obtains an energy source driving signal;

starts a timer for a third predetermined time period when a value of the energy source driving signal exceeds a predetermined driving threshold;

stops the timer for the third predetermined time period when the value of the energy source driving signal decreases below the predetermined driving threshold;

restarts the timer for the third predetermined time period when the value of the energy source driving signal varies by more than a predetermined variation threshold; and

outputs a notification signal at the end of the third predetermined time period;

and wherein the energy source diagnostic module further:

starts a timer for a fourth predetermined time period when the notification signal from the energy source controller is detected; and

determines that the energy source is not operating according to the predetermined characteristics when the signal indicative of an operation of the energy source is not obtained by the end of the fourth predetermined time period.