Patent ID: 8620597

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: determining, by one or more computing devices, a normalized current pressure differential across a particulate filter at a current time; regenerating the particulate filter to a clean condition after a determined time interval has elapsed, the determined time interval being measured from an installation of the particulate filter, or a prior regeneration of the particulate filter, to approximately the current time; determining, by the one or more computing devices, a normalized clean pressure differential across said particulate filter for the clean condition; determining, by the one or more computing devices, a pressure differential difference by, at least in part, subtracting the normalized clean pressure differential from the normalized current pressure differential; determining, by the one or more computing devices, a current pressure drop factor by, at least in part, dividing the determined pressure differential difference by the determined time interval; determining, by the one or more computing devices, an average pressure drop factor based upon, at least in part, the current pressure drop factor; identifying, by the one or more computing devices, a maximum pressure drop factor; comparing, by the one or more computing devices, the average pressure drop factor to the maximum pressure drop factor; and identifying, by the one or more computing devices, a need to replace or service the particulate filter based upon, at least in part, comparing the average pressure drop factor to the maximum pressure drop factor.