System and method for benchmarking asset characteristics

• US 20020082966A1
• Filed: 11/26/2001
• Published: 06/27/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Dana Automotive Systems Group, LLC (Dana, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Dana Commercial Credit Corp. (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Roth, Aaron, OʼBrien, Patrick, Bly, J. Aaron
• Application Number:
  US09/995,374
• Publication Number:
  US 20020082966A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/36
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/06 Asset management; Financial planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning

Abstract

A computer based system that automatically gathers and analyzes relating to the procurement and utilization of a plurality of such assets, such as a fleet of industrial equipment, so as to maximize productivity and to reduce operating costs and administrative burdens by benchmarking relevant information. Benchmarking asset related data can be done on a company-wide or even industry-wide basis. The system is capable of benchmarking many different characteristics relating to assets. Industry-wide benchmarking can facilitate the determination of “best practices” for an entire industry. The system provides an analyst with a significant level of flexibility with regards to the types of data being benchmarked, the processing applied in the form a benchmark heuristic by the system.

Claims

1. A method for benchmarking data relating to an asset, comprising the steps of:

selecting a group of assets be included in the pool of benchmarking information on a computer;

identifying on a computer an asset characteristic relating to an asset included in the pool of benchmarking information; and

invoking a benchmark heuristic on a computer to generate a benchmark value relating to the identified asset characteristic;

wherein at least two organizations contribute to the pool of benchmarking information.

2. A method for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 1, wherein the selected group of assets are selected on the basis of a shared asset characteristic.

3. A method for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 1, further comprising comparing the benchmark value to a characteristic of a target asset.

4. A method for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 1, wherein the pool of benchmarking information and the benchmark value are stored on a database.

5. A method for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 1, wherein at least two non-related organizations contribute to the pool of benchmarking information.

6. A method for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 1, wherein the benchmark value is cost information relating to the asset.

7. A method for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 1, wherein organizationally identifiable information is not accessible to a end-user.

8. A method of benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 1, wherein an end-user in one organization cannot view organizationally identifiable information belonging to a different organization.

9. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset, comprising:

a plurality of assets including an asset characteristic and a data value for said asset characteristic;

a plurality of organizations with relationships to said plurality of assets;

a benchmarking information pool including said data value for said asset characteristic for said plurality of assets associated with said plurality of organizations; and

a benchmark heuristic to generate a benchmark value for said asset characteristic from said benchmarking information pool.

10. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 9, wherein said plurality of organizations include at least two unrelated organizations.

11. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 9, said benchmarking information pool including a plurality of organizationally identifiable data, wherein said plurality of organizationally identifiable data is hidden from said benchmarking information pool before the application of said benchmarking heuristic.

12. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 11, wherein said plurality of organizationally identifiable data is hidden from said plurality of organizations.

13. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 9, wherein said benchmark value is a monetary amount.

14. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 9,

said plurality of assets including a first asset characteristic, a second asset characteristic and a larger plurality of assets;

wherein said plurality of assets are a subset of said larger plurality of assets;

wherein said first asset characteristic is included in said benchmarking information pool; and

wherein said plurality of assets are selective identified from said larger plurality of assets on the basis of said second asset characteristic.

15. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 14, wherein said second asset characteristic is not included in said benchmarking information pool.

16. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 9, further comprising a target asset including said asset characteristic and a target value, wherein said system automatically compares said target value to said benchmark value.

17. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 9, further comprising a database, wherein said pool of benchmarking information is stored on a database.

18. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset as in claim 9, further comprising a plurality of asset values and a plurality of benchmark values, wherein said benchmark heuristic generates said plurality of benchmark values from said plurality of asset values.

19. A system for benchmarking data relating to an asset, comprising:

a plurality of assets, including a subset of selected assets, wherein each asset in said plurality of assets includes a plurality of asset characteristics and wherein each said asset characteristic has a data value;

a plurality of organizationally identifiable data, including a subset of said asset characteristics and said data value relating to said asset characteristics;

a plurality of unrelated organizations with relationships to said plurality of assets;

a benchmarking information pool including said data value for said asset characteristic for said plurality of assets associated with said plurality of organizations; and

a benchmark heuristic to generate a plurality of benchmark values for said plurality of asset characteristics from said benchmarking information pool.