METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SCHEDULING A PREDICTED FAULT SERVICE CALL

• US 20130155834A1
• Filed: 12/20/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: NCR Voyix Corporation
• Original Assignee: NCR Corporation (NCR Voyix Corporation)
• Inventors: Yingling, Harold R. Jr., Evans, Cynthia Hill, Bass, Larry D.
• Granted Patent: US 9,183,518 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 370/216
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/016 After-sales

Abstract

Disclosed is a fault prediction system and method that uses non-fatal event data received from a terminal to make predictions concerning future fatal faults for the terminal and to schedule a predicted service call. A complex fault pattern associated with a fault is applied to the non-fatal event data to predict the fault. A corrective action is provided for each predicted fault and historical data is used to predict a time to the predicted fault to govern the type of service response to create to prevent the fault.

Claims

1. ) A method for scheduling a predictive service call to prevent a predicted fault, the method comprising:

receiving a predicted fault signal related to a predicted fault in a first terminal wherein the predicted fault signal includes service information and a predictive failure date which is at least 24 hours in the future; and

generating a predictive service next visit call request in response to receiving the predicted fault signal wherein a predictive service call is not scheduled.

2. ) The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a reactive service call request for a second terminal;

determining the first and second terminals are located together; and

combining the reactive service call request and the predictive service next visit call request into one service call request when it is determined the first and second terminals are located together; and

scheduling a service call to service the first and the second terminals in response to the service call request.

3. ) The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining that the predictive failure date is less than 24 hours away and converting the predictive service next visit call request to a predictive imminent service request; and

scheduling a predictive service call in response to the predictive imminent service request.

4. ) The method of claim 3, wherein the fault predicted signal further includes predictive service advice related to the predicted fault and wherein scheduling the predictive service call includes attaching the predictive service advice to the predictive service call.

5. ) The method of claim 3, wherein the fault predicted signal further includes predictive part service advice related to the predicted fault and wherein scheduling the predictive service call includes attaching the predictive part service advice to the predictive service call.

6. ) A method for scheduling a predictive action to prevent a predicted fault, the method comprising:

receiving a predicted fault signal related to a predicted fault in a first terminal wherein the predicted fault signal includes one or more action commands; and

generating an action request in response to receiving the predicted fault signal wherein the action request includes the one or more action commands; and

transmitting the action request to the first terminal.

7. ) The method of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving the action request at the first terminal; and

executing the one or more commands in the received action request.

8. ) A service scheduling system for scheduling both predictive and reactive service calls, the system comprising:

a computer memory wherein a plurality of computer programs and data are stored; and

a computer processor in communication with the computer memory wherein when the computer programs are executed by the computer processor operations are performed, the operations comprising;

receiving a fault predicted signal related to a predicted fault in a first terminal wherein the fault predicted signal includes service information and a predictive failure date which is at least 24 hours in the future; and

generating a predictive service next visit call request in response to receiving the fault predicted signal wherein a predictive service call is not scheduled.

9. ) The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

receiving a reactive service call request for a second terminal;

determining the first and second terminals are located together; and

combining the reactive service call request and the predictive service next visit call request into one service call request when it is determined the first and second terminals are located together; and

scheduling a service call to service the first and the second terminals in response to the service call request.

10. ) The system of claim 8, operation further comprising:

determining that the predictive failure date is less than 24 hours away and converting the predictive service next visit call request to a predictive imminent service request; and

scheduling a predictive service call in response to the predictive imminent service request.

11. ) The system of claim 10, wherein the fault predicted signal further includes predictive service advice related to the predicted fault and wherein scheduling the predictive service call includes attaching the predictive service advice to the predictive service call.

12. ) The method of claim 10, wherein the fault predicted signal further includes predictive part service advice related to the predicted fault and wherein scheduling the predictive service call includes attaching the predictive part service advice to the predictive service call.