Method of providing localized information from a single global transformation source

• US 20040024603A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Deere & Company
• Original Assignee: Deere & Company
• Inventors: Sharma, Manish K., Colvin, Steven L., Mahoney, Brian J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,194,413 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/277
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• 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

The entire right, title and interest in and to this application and all subject matter disclosed and/or claimed therein, including any and all divisions, continuations, reissues, etc., thereof are, effective as of the dates of execution of this application, assigned, transferred, sold and set over by the applicant(s) named herein to Deere & Company, a Delaware corporation having offices at Moline, Ill. 61265, U.S.A., together with all rights to file, and to claim priorities in connection with, corresponding patent applications in any and all foreign countries in the name of Deere & Company or otherwise.

Claims

1. A method of providing localized information from a single global transformation source, comprising,

collecting a plurality of information on a plurality of subjects, and conveying this information to a single information server located at the single global transformation source,

segregating the collected information into a plurality of sub-topics so that related information from a plurality of sources will be present in a single sub-topic,

transforming the information of each sub-topic into a single common language including conversion of words, expressions, technical and financial data,

identifying each sub-topic by a topic identifier so that a localized user on the globe can identify the sub-topic germane to the needs and interest of the localized user, and

transmitting the information of a sub-topic from the single information server to a local user who requests the same.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the information segregated into sub-topics includes one or more of engine, duration of usage of machine, linear distance, linear velocity, rotational velocity, fluid volume, engine loading, crop yield by weight, crop yield by volume, geographic longitude, geographic latitude, universal time and date, switch position (two-position), switch position (multi-position), temperature, area and currency.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the collected information comprises in part a fleet of farm field equipment located at a plurality of global positions to enable a person located at a global position remote from the location of the field equipment and having interest or responsibility in and for the fleet to access one or more of the sub-topics relating to the fleet at the single information server to receive processed collective information from the single information server.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the collected information comprises in part a fleet of vehicles located at a plurality of global positions to enable a person located at a global position remote from the location of the vehicles and having interest or responsibility in and for the fleet to access one or more of the sub-topics relating to the fleet at the single information server to receive processed collective information from the single information server.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein some of the information transmitted by the server is transmitted automatically to a local user without a special request from the local user.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the information transmitted for a sub-topic can be selected as to its scope and detail varying among the modes of urgent, summary, or snap shot focusing only the current status of a subject.

7. The method of claim 5 wherein the transmitted information is conveyed by wireless means.

8. The method of claim 6 wherein the transmitted information is conveyed by wireless means.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein an information retrievable system is used with the machine composed of remote monitoring equipment comprising a communications controller/computer on the machine and connected to data buses on the machine, and secondary controllers on the machine are connected to further buses on the machine and to further sensors which pass emergency information to the communications controller computer.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein an information retrievable system is used with the machine composed of remote monitoring equipment comprising a communications controller/computer on the machine and connected to data buses on the machine, and secondary controllers on the machine are connected to further buses on the machine and to further sensors which pass emergency information to the communications controller computer.

11. The method of claim 3 wherein an information retrievable system is used with the machine composed of remote monitoring equipment comprising a communications controller/computer on the machine and connected to data buses on the machine, and secondary controllers on the machine are connected to further buses on the machine and to further sensors which pass emergency information to the communications controller computer.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the informational system further comprises a central information and communications server which handles over-the-air information transmission to a remote machine communications controller/computer and to a network communications system, and to a data server.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the data server accepts operational data predetermined to be emergency conditions and reports the same to a plurality of predetermined destinations.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the data pertaining to emergency conditions is sent to a customer service destination.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the data concerning the emergency conditions is sent to the person having responsibility for fleet information along with any report from the customer service destination.