Publication of Equipment Status

• US 20130073605A1
• Filed: 09/19/2011
• Published: 03/21/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Fosburgh, Bryn Allen, Soubra, Omar, Janky, James M., Darby, George Derrick
• Granted Patent: US 9,043,402 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/202
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3055 Monitoring arrangements for monitoring the status of the computing system or of the computing system component, e.g. monitoring if the computing system is on, off, available, not available error or fault processing without redundancy G06F11/0703; error detection or correction by redundancy in data representation G06F11/08; error detection or correction by redundancy in operation G06F11/14; error detection or correction by redundancy in hardware G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/324 Display of status information
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/326 for error or online/offline status

Abstract

This disclosure concerns novel tools and techniques for distributing status information, including without limitation status information about commercial equipment. In some cases, a status monitoring device can be attached to, incorporated within, or otherwise placed in communication with a piece of commercial equipment. The status monitoring device can monitor the status of the equipment and communicate that status. Some of the discloses tools and techniques employ a social networking infrastructure to convey information (such as status information about a piece of equipment).

Claims

1. A system, comprising:

a first computer system, the first computer system comprising a first processor and a first computer readable storage having encoded thereon a status monitoring component to program the first computer system to perform one or more operations, the status monitoring program including a first set of instructions executable by the first processor, the first set of instructions comprising;

instructions for determining a status of a piece of commercial equipment; and

instructions for publishing a status update, using a social networking infrastructure, the status update indicating the status of the piece of commercial equipment; and

a second computer system comprising a second processor and a second computer readable storage medium, the second computer readable storage medium having encoded thereon a status update component to program the second computer system to perform one or more operations, the status update program including a second set instructions executable by the second processor, the second set of instructions comprising;

instructions for receiving user input identifying the piece of commercial equipment;

instructions for subscribing to updates from the piece of commercial equipment; and

instructions for receiving the published status update via the social networking infrastructure, based on a subscription to the piece of commercial equipment;

instructions for taking an action in response to receiving the published status update.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the social network infrastructure is a blog or microblog, and wherein publishing a status update comprises posting an entry on the blog or microblog.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the social network infrastructure is a public social network infrastructure.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the social network infrastructure is a private social network infrastructure that is not accessible to the public.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for publishing a status update comprise instructions for accessing the social networking infrastructure using Internet protocol communication via a public network.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the public network comprises a wireless network.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein instructions for taking an action in response to receiving the status update comprise:

instructions for displaying the status update for a user.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein instructions for taking an action in response to receiving the status update comprise:

instructions for updating a back office application with the status update.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor system for detecting the status of the piece of commercial equipment.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the sensor system comprises a location sensor.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the first computer system is incorporated within the first piece of commercial equipment.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein the status update comprises location information about a current location of the piece of commercial equipment.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the instructions for displaying the status update for a user comprise instructions for displaying the current location of the piece of commercial equipment.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the instructions for displaying the current location of the piece of commercial equipment comprise instructions for displaying a map illustrating the current location of the piece of commercial equipment.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the map further displays a plurality of historical locations of the piece of commercial equipment.

16. The system of claim 1, wherein the status update comprises information about a duration of operation of the piece of commercial equipment.

17. The system of claim 1, wherein the status update comprises location information about an operational status of the piece of commercial equipment.

18. The system of claim 1, wherein the piece of commercial equipment is a vehicle.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the vehicle is a construction vehicle.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the vehicle is a vehicle within a fleet of vehicles.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the second set of instructions further comprises:

instructions for receiving a plurality of status updates, the plurality of status updates comprising a status update from each of a plurality of vehicles; and

displaying each of the plurality of status updates for the user.

22. The system of claim 1, wherein the piece of commercial equipment comprises surveying equipment.

23. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for taking an action in response to receiving the status update comprise:

instructions for determining an operational problem with the piece of commercial equipment, based at least in part on the status update.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the instructions for taking an action in response to receiving the status update further comprise:

instructions for alerting the user to the operational problem with the piece of commercial equipment.

25. The system of claim 1, wherein the instructions for displaying the status update comprise:

instructions for displaying a corporate dashboard environment comprising a plurality of information panels; and

instructions for displaying the status update within a first information panel.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the second set of instructions further comprises:

instructions for receiving a plurality of published status updates via the social networking infrastructure; and

instructions for displaying each one of the plurality of status updates in the first information panel, as that one of the plurality of status updates is received, without any interaction from the user.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of information panels further comprises

a second information panel for displaying secure corporate information;

and

a third information panel for displaying public information.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein at least a portion of the public information is received from a public social network.

29. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of information panels comprises a second information panel for displaying a calendar of the user.

30. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of information panels comprises a second information panel for displaying an electronic mail inbox of the user.

31. The system of claim 25, wherein the plurality of information panels comprises a second information panel for displaying a chat application.

32. The system of claim 25, wherein one or more of the plurality of information panels are dashboard widgets that are customizable by the user.

33. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions for displaying the corporate dashboard environment comprise instructions for displaying the corporate dashboard environment in a web browser.

34. The system of claim 25, wherein the instructions for displaying the corporate dashboard environment comprise instructions for displaying the corporate dashboard environment in a dedicated dashboard application.

35. The system of claim 1, wherein the second computer system is a mobile communication device.

36. The system of claim 1, wherein:

the first set of instructions further comprises instructions for encoding the status update; and

the second set of instructions further comprises instructions for decoding the published status update.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein encoding the status update comprises encrypting the status update, to prevent public access to information about the status of the piece of commercial equipment, and wherein decoding the published status update comprises decrypting the published status update.

38. A computer system for providing status updates about a piece of commercial equipment, the system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable medium in communication with the processor, the computer readable medium having encoded thereon a status monitoring component to program the computer system to perform one or more operations, the status monitoring component including a set of instructions executable by the processor, the set of instructions comprising;

instructions for determining a status of the piece of commercial equipment;

instructions for accessing a social networking infrastructure; and

instructions for publishing a status update using the social networking infrastructure, the status update indicating the status of the piece of commercial equipment.

39. A computer system for receiving updates from a piece of commercial equipment, the computer system comprising:

a processor; and

a computer readable storage medium having encoded a status update component to program the computer system to perform one or more operations, the status update program including a set of computer-executable instructions, comprising;

instructions for subscribing, with a social networking architecture, to updates from the piece of commercial equipment;

instructions for receiving a published status update via the social networking infrastructure, based on a subscription to the piece of commercial equipment; and

instructions for taking an action in response to receiving the published status update.

40. A method, comprising:

determining, with a computer system, a status of a piece of commercial equipment;

accessing, with the computer system, a social networking infrastructure; and

publishing a status update, with the computer system, using the social networking infrastructure, the status update indicating the status of the piece of commercial equipment.

41. An apparatus, comprising:

a computer readable medium having encoded thereon a set of instructions executable by one or more computers to perform one or more operations, the set of instructions comprising;

instructions for determining a status of a piece of commercial equipment;

instructions for accessing a social networking infrastructure; and

instructions for publishing a status update using the social networking infrastructure, the status update indicating the status of the piece of commercial equipment.