System and method for identifying machines

• US 20100245129A1
• Filed: 03/31/2009
• Published: 09/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2009
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Stratton, Kenneth Lee
• Application Number:
  US12/384,070
• Publication Number:
  US 20100245129A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/933
• 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

A system and method for identifying modifications made to a machine is disclosed. The method may include determining, by a scanning device, at least one actual dimension of the machine. The method may further include determining at least one previously known dimension of the machine. The method may further include comparing the at least one actual dimension of the machine with the at least one previously known dimension of the machine. The method may further include determining, based on the comparison, if the at least one actual dimension of the machine is within a threshold range of the at least one previously known dimension of the machine.

Claims

1. A method for identifying modifications made to a machine, the method comprising:

determining, by a scanning device, at least one actual dimension of the machine;

determining at least one previously known dimension of the machine;

comparing the at least one actual dimension of the machine with the at least one previously known dimension of the machine; and

determining, based on the comparison, if the at least one actual dimension of the machine is within a threshold range of the at least one previously known dimension of the machine.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating the at least one actual dimension of the machine to other machines if the at least one actual dimension of the machine is not within a threshold range of the at least one previously known dimension of the machine.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling the machine for maintenance if the at least one actual dimension of the machine is not within a threshold range of the at least one previously known dimension of the machine.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising storing the at least one actual dimension of the machine in a database if the at least one actual dimension of the machine is not within a threshold range of the at least one previously known dimension of the machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the at least one previously known dimension of the machine includes using the at least one actual dimension of the machine as the at least one previously known dimension of the machine if the at least one previously known dimension of the machine is not stored in a database associated with the scanning device.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising receiving at least one location coordinate of the machine and determining if the at least one location coordinate is accurate.

7. A system for identifying modifications made to a machine, the system comprising:

a scanning device configured to scan the machine to determine at least one actual dimension of the machine;

a database in communication with the scanning device, the database configured to store at least one previously known dimension of the machine; and

a Central Processing Unit (CPU) in communication with the scanning device and the database, the CPU configured to;

compare the at least one actual dimension of the machine with the at least one previously known dimension of the machine; and

determine, based on the comparison, if the at least one actual dimension of the machine is within a threshold range of the at least one previously known dimension of the machine.

8. The system of claim 7, further comprising a communications network coupled to the CPU, wherein the CPU is configured to use the communications network to communicate to other machines the at least one actual dimension of the machine.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the scanning device is configured to emit electromagnetic waves and the CPU is configured to determine the at least one actual dimension of the machine based on propagation characteristics of the electromagnetic waves.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the scanning device is configured to take a digital picture of the machine.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the CPU is further configured to schedule the machine for maintenance if the at least one actual dimension of the machine is not within a threshold range of the at least one previously known dimension of the machine.

12. The system of claim 7, wherein the scanning device is a mobile scanning device.

13. The system of claim 7, wherein the CPU is further configured to receive at least one location coordinate of the machine and determine if the at least one location coordinate is accurate.

14. A worksite configured to identify modifications made to machines, the worksite comprising:

a plurality of machines;

a scanning device configured to scan each of the plurality of machines to determine at least one actual dimension of each of the plurality of machines;

a database associated with the scanning device, the database configured to store at least one previously known dimension of each of the plurality of machines; and

a Central Processing Unit (CPU) associated with the scanning device and the database, the CPU configured to;

compare the at least one actual dimension of at least one of the plurality of machines with the at least one previously known dimension of the at least one of the plurality of machines; and

determine, based on the comparison, for the at least one of the plurality of machines, if the at least one actual dimension of the at least one of the plurality of machines is within a threshold range of the at least one previously known dimension of the at least one of the plurality of machines.

15. The worksite of claim 14, further comprising a communications network coupled to the CPU, wherein the CPU is further configured to use the communications network to communicate to other machines the at least one actual dimension of each of the plurality of machines.

16. The worksite of claim 14, wherein the scanning device is configured to emit electromagnetic waves and the CPU is configured to determine the at least one actual dimension of each of the plurality of machines based on propagation characteristics of the electromagnetic waves.

17. The worksite of claim 14, wherein the scanning device is configured to take a digital picture of each of the plurality of machines.

18. The worksite of claim 14, wherein the CPU is further configured to schedule each of the plurality of machines for maintenance.

19. The worksite of claim 14, wherein the scanning device is a mobile scanning device.

20. The worksite of claim 14, wherein the CPU is further configured to receive at least one location coordinate of at least one of the plurality of machines and determine if the at least one location coordinate is accurate.