Methods and systems of using vehicle system data to improve the operation of off-road vehicles

• US 10,026,236 B2
• Filed: 07/17/2017
• Issued: 07/17/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Freeport-Mcmoran Corporation (Freeport-Mcmoran Copper & Gold Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Freeport-Mcmoran Corporation (Freeport-Mcmoran Copper & Gold Incorporated)
• Inventors: Walker, Mary Amelia, Brown, D. Bradley, Manifee, Don Robert, Puckett, Connie DeeAnne
• Primary Examiner(s): Walters, John D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Triggs, James J
• Application Number:
  US15/651,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20180018834A1
• Time in Patent Office: 365 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A method of operating a fleet of off-road vehicles may include: Collecting sensor data from the off-road vehicles, the sensor data being related to the operation of a plurality of vehicle systems; combining sensor data from the vehicle systems in accordance with a user-defined event; determining whether the collected and combined sensor data are within or without defined limits of the user-defined event; producing an alarm signal for a user when the collected and combined sensor data are without the defined limits of the user-defined event; and modifying the operation of vehicles for which an alarm signal has been produced.

Claims

1. A method of improving the operation of a fleet of off-road vehicles, comprising:

creating a user-defined event, the user-defined event defining a combination of sensor data relating to at least two vehicle systems and defined limits for the sensor data, the defined limits and user-defined event being indicative of undesirable operation of the off-road vehicles;

collecting sensor data from the vehicles, the sensor data being related to the operation of a plurality of vehicle systems;

combining sensor data from the vehicle systems in accordance with the user-defined event;

determining whether the collected and combined sensor data are within or without the defined limits of the user-defined event;

producing an alarm signal for a user when the collected and combined sensor data are without the defined limits of the user-defined event; and

modifying the operation of vehicles for which an alarm signal has been produced.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said creating a user-defined event comprises defining combinations of sensor data that are indicative of a mechanical deficiency of the off-road vehicles.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said creating a user-defined event comprises defining combinations of sensor data that are indicative of an operational deficiency of the off-road vehicles.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said producing an alarm signal further comprises producing an indication of whether the alarm signal is indicative of a mechanical deficiency or an operational deficiency.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said modifying the operation of the vehicles for which an alarm signal has been produced, further comprises:

scheduling a maintenance operation for the vehicles when the alarm signal is indicative of a mechanical deficiency; and

scheduling operator training when the alarm signal is indicative of an operational deficiency.

6. A method of operating a fleet of off-road vehicles, comprising:

collecting sensor data from the off-road vehicles, the sensor data being related to the operation of a plurality of vehicle systems;

combining sensor data from the vehicle systems in accordance with a user-defined event;

determining whether the collected and combined sensor data are within or without defined limits of the user-defined event;

producing an alarm signal for a user when the collected and combined sensor data are without the defined limits of the user-defined event; and

modifying the operation of vehicles for which an alarm signal has been produced.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the predetermined user-defined event comprises combinations of sensor data that are indicative of a mechanical deficiency of the off-road vehicles and combinations of sensor data that are indicative of an operational deficiency of the off-road vehicles, and wherein said producing an alarm signal further comprises producing an indication of whether the alarm signal is indicative of a mechanical deficiency or an operational deficiency.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein said modifying the operation of the vehicles for which an alarm signal has been produced, further comprises:

scheduling a maintenance operation for the vehicles when the alarm signal is indicative of a mechanical deficiency; and

scheduling operator training when the alarm signal is indicative of an operational deficiency.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein collecting sensor data from the off-road vehicles comprises collecting data from a vehicle information management system provided on the off-road vehicles.