Method and system for monitoring problem resolution of a machine
First Claim
1. A method for determining whether to close a problem case associated with a machine, the problem case identifying at least one failure condition of the machine, the method comprising:
- acquiring a first set of operational data, the first set of operational data indicative of a first set of operational parameters associated with the machine, the first set of operational parameters being measured prior to a recommended fix instruction being executed wherein the first set of operational data contains the at least one failure condition;
acquiring a second set of operational data, the second set of operational data indicative of a second set of operational parameters associated with the machine, the second set of operational parameters being measured after the recommended fix instruction is executed;
determining whether the at least one failure condition is contained in the second set of operational data; and
closing the problem case if the at least one failure condition is not contained in the second set of operational data.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for determining when to close a problem case associated with a machine that includes identifying at least one failure condition associated with the problem case, determining whether the failure condition is repeated after a recommended fix instruction is executed and closing the problem case if the failure condition does not repeat within a predetermined amount of time after the fix instruction has been executed. The machine may be a remote machine such as a locomotive and electronic data indicative of the failure condition may be transmitted from the remote machine to a control center over a telecommunications medium such as the Internet. The control center may include a processor for managing the electronic data that may be transmitted from a plurality of remote machines. The control center processor may be adapted to request downloads from the remote machines and monitor downloaded data to determine whether the failure condition are repeating after the fix instruction has been executed.
102 Citations
31 Claims
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1. A method for determining whether to close a problem case associated with a machine, the problem case identifying at least one failure condition of the machine, the method comprising:
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acquiring a first set of operational data, the first set of operational data indicative of a first set of operational parameters associated with the machine, the first set of operational parameters being measured prior to a recommended fix instruction being executed wherein the first set of operational data contains the at least one failure condition;
acquiring a second set of operational data, the second set of operational data indicative of a second set of operational parameters associated with the machine, the second set of operational parameters being measured after the recommended fix instruction is executed;
determining whether the at least one failure condition is contained in the second set of operational data; and
closing the problem case if the at least one failure condition is not contained in the second set of operational data. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for managing data to determine whether to close a problem case associated with at least one locomotive, the method comprising:
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downloading a first set of data from the at least one locomotive to a remote control center, the first set of data indicative that the problem case exists in association with the at least one locomotive;
identifying at least one failure condition associated with the problem case;
downloading a second set of data from the at least one locomotive to the remote control center, the second set of data indicative of a set of operational parameters associated with the at least one locomotive, the second set of operational parameters being determined after a first recommended fix instruction has been executed in relation to the at least one locomotive; and
closing the problem case if the at least one failure condition is not contained in the second set of data. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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23. A method for determining whether to close a problem case associated with a machine for which a recommended fix instruction has been issued, the problem case being at least in part defined by an occurrence of at least one failure condition of the machine, the method comprising:
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accessing a customer database to determine whether the recommended fix instruction has been executed in association with the machine;
determining whether data indicative of the at least one failure condition is contained in a first set of operational data, the first set of operational data indicative of a set of operational parameters associated with the machine wherein the set of operational parameters are established after the recommended fix instruction has been executed; and
closing the problem case if the data indicative of the at least one failure condition is not contained in the first set of data. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A system for determining whether to close a problem case associated with a machine for which a recommended fix instruction has been issued, the problem case being at least in part defined by an occurrence of at least one failure condition of the machine, the system comprising:
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a first processor onboard the machine, the first processor configured to monitor and store a set of data indicative of a set of operational parameters associated with the machine;
a first database onboard the machine for storing the set of data;
a second processor at a service center remote from the machine, the second processor configured to receive the set of data downloaded from the first processor;
a second database at the remote service center for storing the set of data;
the second processor further configured to analyze the set of data to determine whether data indicative of the at least one failure condition is contained in the set of data after the recommended fix instruction has been executed; and
the second processor further configured to close the problem case if data indicative of the at least one failure condition is contained in the set of data.
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Specification