System for providing indexed machine utilization metrics

• US 20050278055A1
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: O'Neal, Steven Wayne, Meiss, Trent Ray, Jenkins, Brian Lane, Wood, Daniel Craig, Ferguson, Alan Lewis
• Granted Patent: US 7,113,839 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/111
• 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: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A system and method for providing indexed work machine utilization data. The system implementing the method includes an operator identification device for identifying an operator of a work machine based on operator identification data and a work data collection device for collecting work data related to the work machine. A first processing device indexes the collected work data to the operator identification data and a communication device transmits the indexed work data and operator identification data to a second processing device. The second processing device receives the indexed work data and the operator identification data and provides operator utilization metrics based on the indexed work data that reflect a quantitative performance value associated with at least one of the work machine and operator.

Claims

1. A system for providing indexed work machine utilization metrics, comprising:

an operator identification device configured to identify an operator of a work machine based on operator identification data;

a work data collection device configured to collect work data related to the work machine;

a first processing device configured to index the collected work data to the operator identification data;

a communication device configured to transmit the indexed work data and operator identification data; and

a second processing device configured to receive the indexed work data and the operator identification data and provide operator utilization metrics based on the indexed work data that reflect a quantitative performance value associated with at least one of the work machine and operator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operator identification device is a radio frequency identification device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the operator identification device is a magnetic identification device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the operator identification device is an infrared identification device.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the work data collection device includes at least one of an on-board module and an on-board component.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the work data collected by the at least one of an on-board module and an on-board component is performance data relating to at least one operation parameter of the work machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the work data includes data representing at least one of fuel consumption, idle time, number of engine starts, weight of material transported, hours of operation, type of material manipulated by the work machine, terrain feature data, fluid related data, work site related data, and mileage traveled.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing device analyzes the operator utilization metrics to determine the performance of a group of work machines.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing device analyzes the operator utilization metrics to determine the performance of at least one of:

the operator;

a group of operators that operate the work machine;

a group of work machines that are of a similar type as the work machine;

an individual associated with at least one of the work machine and a work site associated with the work machine; and

a work site from which the work machine operates.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing device analyzes the operator utilization metrics to determine the performance of a worksite.

11. The system of claim 1, further including an operator interface for receiving the indexed work data from the first processing device.

12. The system of claim 1, further including an operator interface for receiving the indexed work data from the second processing device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first processing device is at least one of an on-board module and on-board component, and the second processing device is part of an off-board system.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first processing device indexes one or more work machine related parameters to the operator identification data.

15. A method for providing indexed work machine utilization metrics, comprising:

identifying an operator of a work machine based on operator identification data;

collecting work data from the work machine;

indexing the collected work data to the operator identification data with a processing device at the work machine;

transmitting the indexed work data and operator identification data to a processing system; and

receiving the indexed work data and the operator identification data at the processing system and providing operator utilization metrics based on the indexed work data that reflect a quantitative performance value associated with the work machine and operator.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the operator includes using a radio frequency identification device.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the operator includes using a magnetic identification device.

18. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the operator includes using an infrared identification device.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein collecting the work data includes using at least one of an on-board module and an on-board component to collect the work data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein collecting the work data includes using the at least one of an on-board module and an on-board component to collect parameter data relating to an operation of the work machine.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein collecting the work data includes collecting performance data representing at least one of fuel consumption, idle time, number of engine starts, weight of material transported, hours of operation, type of material manipulated by the work machine, terrain feature data, fluid related data, work site related data, and mileage traveled.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein providing operator utilization metrics includes determining the performance of a group of work machines based on the operator utilization metrics.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein providing the operator utilization metrics includes analyzing the operator utilization metrics to determine the performance of at least one of:

the operator;

a group of operators that operate the work machine;

a group of work machines that are of a similar type as the work machine;

an individual associated with at least one of the work machine and a work site associated with the work machine; and

a work site from which the work machine operates.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein providing operator utilization metrics includes determining the performance of a worksite.

25. The method of claim 15, further including displaying the indexed work data at an operator interface at the work machine.

26. The method of claim 15, further including displaying the indexed work data at an operator interface at an off-board system.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the processing system is an off-board system.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the off-board system collects second work data from a second work machine and the method further includes:

indexing the work data and second work data to at least one of the work machine and second work machine.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the method further includes providing the operator utilization metrics based on the indexed work data and second work data.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the work machine and second work machine operate in a common work site and the work data and second work data are indexed according to the type of work site.

31. The method of claim 15, further including indexing a plurality of work machine related parameters to the operator identification data.

32. A system for providing indexed work machine utilization metrics, comprising:

means for identifying an operator of a work machine based on operator identification data;

means for collecting work data from the work machine;

means for indexing the collected work data to the operator identification data at the work machine;

means for transmitting the indexed work data and operator identification data to a processing system; and

means for receiving the indexed work data and the operator identification data at the off-board system and providing operator utilization metrics based on the indexed work data that reflect a quantitative performance value associated with the work machine and operator.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the processing system is an off-board system.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the off-board system collects second work data from a second work machine and the system further includes:

means for indexing the work data and second work data to at least one of the work machine and second work machine.

35. The system of claim 34, further includes means for providing the operator utilization metrics based on the indexed work data and second work data.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the work machine and second work machine operate in a common work site and the work data and second work data are indexed according to the type of work site.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the means for indexing indexes a plurality of work machine related parameters to the operator identification data.

38. A computer-readable media having computer executable instructions for performing steps, comprising:

identifying an operator of a work machine based on operator identification data;

collecting work data from the work machine;

indexing the collected work data to the operator identification data with a processing device at the work machine;

transmitting the indexed work data and operator identification data to a processing system to provide operator utilization metrics based on the indexed work data that reflect a quantitative performance value associated with the work machine and operator.

39. The computer-readable media of claim 38, further including instructions for collecting performance data representing at least one of fuel consumption, idle time, number of engine starts, weight of material transported, hours of operation, type of material manipulated by the work machine, terrain feature data, fluid related data, work site related data, and mileage traveled.

40. The computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein providing operator utilization metrics further includes determining the performance of a group of work machines based on the operator utilization metrics.

41. The computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein providing operator utilization metrics further includes determining the performance of a worksite.

42. The computer-readable media of claim 38, further including instructions for displaying the indexed work data at an operator interface at the work machine.

43. The computer-readable media of claim 38, further including instructions for displaying the indexed work data at an operator interface at an off-board system.

44. The computer-readable media of claim 38, further including instructions for indexing a plurality of work machine related parameters to the operator identification data.