Working machine management system

• US 20070094055A1
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Published: 04/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Komatsu Ltd.
• Inventors: Nishikawa, Yukie, Arakawa, Shuji, Koizumi, Hidenori, Nakayama, Tetsuya
• Granted Patent: US 7,756,736 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/5
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/2054 Fleet management
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/123 indicating the position of vehicles, e.g. scheduled vehicles; Managing passenger vehicles circulating according to a fixed timetable, e.g. buses, trains, tramstransmission of navigation instructions to vehicles G08G1/0968

Abstract

A server (10) enables users (A-B) sharing the same working machine (1) to mutually monitor a usage state by each user. The server (10) receives a user ID, the working time, the engine cooling water temperature, and the current position that are detected in the working machine (1) through a satellite communication network, and calculates the usage time, the usage location, the load amount, and a usage proportion for each user. The server (10) sends a warning to the user terminals 20 when the usage time or location is not as planned, or the load amount is excessive. The server (10) periodically reports the usage times and locations, the load amounts, and the usage proportions for the users (A-B) to the user terminals (20). The server (10) allocates maintenance costs of the working machine (1) automatically between the users (A-B) according to the usage proportions of the users (A-B).

Claims

1. A management system, for managing usage states of a working machine by a plurality of users, comprising:

a working machine; and

a server being capable of communication via a wireless communication network with the working machine, and also capable of communication with a plurality of user terminals,

the working machine comprising

identification information input means which inputs user identification information of one user who is using the working machine at the present time;

machine information generation means which receives a signal from a predetermined sensor within the working machine and generates machine information related to a state or to an operation of the working machine; and

a communication device which can perform communication with the server via the wireless communication network, and which transmits to the server the user identification information which has been inputted by the identification information input means and the machine information which has been generated by the machine information generation means,

the server comprising

storage means which stores information;

communication control means which can perform communication with the working machine via the wireless communication network, which also can perform communication with the plurality of user terminals, and which receives the user identification information and the machine information from the working machine and transmits a warning to the plurality of user terminals;

usage state decision means which detects by which user usage of the working machine which constitutes a problem is performed, based on the user identification information and the machine information received by the communication control means; and

warning generation means which generates the warning in response to the usage state decision means, and makes the communication device transmit the warning to the plurality of user terminals.

2. The management system according to claim 1, wherein

the working machine comprises a working time sensor,

the machine information includes working time information showing a working time which has been detected by the working time sensor, and

the usage state decision means comprises

reservation information reception means which receives reservation information showing a scheduled time for use of the working machine from each user terminal and the user identification information of the one user who has made a reservation, and which stores the received reservation information in association with the user identification information in the storage means;

machine information reception means which, based on the user identification information and the working time information included in the machine information received by the communication control means, generates actual usage information which shows time and data of an actual usage of the working machine due to each user, and stores the actual usage information in association with the user identification information in the storage means; and

information comparison means which, by comparing the reservation information associated with the user identification information stored in the storage means with the actual usage information, detects, as an usage which constitutes a problem, an actual usage due to a user for which, in the user or the usage time, a substantial difference from the reservation information exists.

3. The management system according to claim 1, wherein

the working machine comprises a position measurement sensor,

the machine information includes position information showing a position which has been detected by the position measurement sensor, and

the usage state decision means comprises:

reservation information reception means which receives reservation information showing a scheduled place for use of the working machine from each user terminal and the user identification information of the one user who has made a reservation, and which stores the received reservation information in association with the user identification information in the storage means;

machine information reception means which, based on the user identification information and the position information included in the machine information received by the communication control means, generates actual usage information which shows the actual usage place of the working machine due to each user, and stores an actual usage information in association with the user identification information for each user in the storage means; and

information comparison means which, by comparing the reservation information in association with the user identification information stored in the storage means with the actual usage information, detects, as an usage which constitutes a problem, an actual usage due to a user for which, in the usage place, a substantial difference from the reservation information exists.

4. The management system according to claim 1, wherein

the working machine comprises an engine cooling water temperature sensor,

the machine information includes water temperature information showing an engine cooling water temperature which has been detected by the engine cooling water temperature sensor, and

the usage state decision means comprises:

machine information reception means which, based on the user identification information and the water temperature information included in the machine information received by the communication control means, calculates an engine water temperature or a load amount of the working machine which originates in usage due to each user; and

information comparison means which, based on the engine water temperature or the load amount, for each user, which has been calculated by the machine information reception means, detects, as an usage which constitutes a problem, an usage imposing an excessive load on the working machine, performed by the user.

5. A management system, for managing usage states of a working machine by a plurality of users, comprising:

a working machine; and

a server being capable of communication via a wireless communication network, and is also capable of communication with a plurality of user terminals,

the working machine comprising

identification information input means which inputs user identification information of one user who is using the working machine at the present time;

machine information generation means which receives a signal from a predetermined sensor within the working machine and generates machine information related to a state or to an operation of the working machine; and

a communication device which can perform communication with the server via the wireless communication network, and which transmits to the server the user identification information which has been inputted by the identification information input means and the machine information which has been generated by the machine information generation means, and

the server comprising

storage means which stores information;

communication control means which can perform, via the wireless communication network, communication with the working machine, which also can perform communication with the plurality of user terminals, and which receives the user identification information and the machine information from the working machine and transmits a usage state report to the plurality of user terminals;

load amount calculation means which calculates a cumulative load amount of the working machine resulted from use by each user, based on the user identification information and the machine information received by the communication control means, and which calculates a usage proportion for each user based on the cumulative load amount for each user; and

report information processing means which, in response to the load amount calculation means, generates report information showing the cumulative load amount and the usage proportion for each user, and makes the communication device transmit the report information to the plurality of user terminals.

6. The management system according to claim 5, wherein

the load amount calculation means calculates a load amount, for each unit interval, during a period of usage by each user, weights the load amounts for each unit interval according to a magnitude of the load amounts, and calculates the cumulative load amount, for each user, by totaling the load amounts, for each unit interval, which have been weighted.

7. The management system according to claim 5, wherein

the working machine comprises a working time sensor and an engine cooling water temperature sensor,

the machine information includes working time information showing a working time detected by the working time sensor, and water temperature information showing an engine cooling water temperature detected by the engine cooling water temperature sensor, and

the load amount calculation means calculates the cumulative load amount of the working machine resulted from use by each user, based on the user identification information which has been received by the communication control means and the working time information and the water temperature information which are included in the machine information.