TRIGGER-BASED DATA COLLECTION SYSTEM

• US 20130304896A1
• Filed: 05/08/2012
• Published: 11/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Progress Rail Locomotive Inc. (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Electro-Motive Diesel Incorporated (Caterpillar Incorporated)
• Inventors: Collins, Paul Francis, Martin, Michael Shawn
• Granted Patent: US 8,850,000 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 15/0081 On-board diagnosis or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability

Abstract

A system for collecting and communicating data associated with at least one of a plurality of machines includes a sensor. The sensor is configured to monitor an operational condition of the at least one associated machine and provide signals indicative of the operational condition. The system includes at least one local data system, including a processor, associated with the machine and configured to receive signals from the sensor, detect an event affecting the at least one machine based on the signals received from the sensor, and communicate data relevant to the detected event to a location remote from the at least one machine. A central data system including a processor and configured to receive the data relevant to the detected event and communicate with other machines of the plurality of much such that the other machines communicate data relevant to the detected event to the central data system is included.

Claims

1. A system for collecting and communicating data associated with at least one of a plurality of machines, the system comprising:

at least one sensor associated with at least one of the plurality of machines, the at least one sensor being configured to monitor an operational condition of the at least one machine and provide signals indicative of the operational condition;

at least one local data system associated with the at least one machine, the at least one local data system including a processor and being configured to;

receive signals from the at least one sensor;

detect an event affecting the at least one machine based on the signals received from the at least one sensor; and

communicate data relevant to the detected event to a location remote from the at least one machine; and

a central data system including a processor and configured to receive the data relevant to the detected event, and communicate with other machines of the plurality of machines such that the other machines communicate data relevant to the detected event to the central data system.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the at least one local data system is further configured to:

collect event-specific data based on the event; and

transmit the event-specific data to the central data system.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the central data system is further configured to:

receive a first signal from the at least one local data system indicative of the event;

and

send a second signal to the at least one local data system identifying the relevant data and the event-specific data and requesting the at least one local data system collect the event-specific data.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the at least one local data system is further configured to:

determine whether a second event occurred on a second machine;

collect event-specific data based on the second event; and

transmit the event-specific data to the central data system.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the at least one local data system is further configured to receive an event trigger signal from the central data system indicative of the second event that occurred on the second machine.

6. The system of claim 3, wherein the central data system is further configured to:

identify a plurality of machines that share a characteristic with the at least one machine; and

communicate the identity of the relevant data to the local data systems associated with the plurality of machines; and

receive the relevant data from each of the local data systems associated with the plurality of machines.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the central data system is further configured to:

command each of the local data systems associated with the plurality of machines to collect event-specific data; and

receive the event-specific data and the relevant data from each of the plurality of machines.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the shared characteristic includes at least one of a machine type, a machine model, a working condition, a geographic location, and an environmental condition.

9. A processor-implemented method for collecting data from at least one machine, the method comprising:

detecting via a first processor an event associated with an affected machine of the at least one machine;

determining a relevant data portion of machine data based on the event;

commanding the affected machine to collect event-specific data; and

receiving via a second processor the event-specific data and the relevant data portion from the affected machine.

10. The method of claim 9, further including sending a first signal to the affected machine identifying the relevant data portion.

11. The method of claim 10, further including:

identifying a plurality of machines that share a characteristic with the at least one machine;

sending the first signal to each of the plurality of machines identifying the relevant data portion; and

receiving the relevant data portions from each of the plurality of machines.

12. The method of claim 11, further including:

commanding each of the plurality of machines to collect the event-specific data; and

receiving the event-specific data from each of the plurality of machines.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the shared characteristic includes at least one of a machine type, a machine model, a working condition, a geographic location, and an environmental condition.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the event includes a system fault of the affected machine.

15. A machine fleet comprising:

a plurality of machines; and

a data collection system including;

at least one sensor associated with at least one of the plurality of machines, the at least one sensor being configured to monitor an operational condition of the at least one machine and provide signals indicative of the operational condition;

at least one local data system associated with the at least one machine, the at least one local data system including a processor and being configured to;

receive signals from the at least one sensor;

detect an event affecting the at least one machine based on the signals received from the at least one sensor; and

communicate data relevant to the detected event to a location remote from the at least one machine; and

a central data system including a processor and configured to receive the data relevant to the detected event, and communicate with other machines of the plurality of machines such that the other machines communicate data relevant to the detected event to the central data system.

16. The machine fleet of claim 15, wherein the central data system is further configured to:

receive a first signal from the at least one local data system indicative of the event; and

send a second signal to the at least one local data system identifying the relevant data portion and event-specific data to be collected, and requesting the at least one local data system to collect the event-specific data.

17. The machine fleet of claim 15, wherein a plurality of local data systems are associated with the plurality of machines and each of the plurality of local data systems is further configured to:

collect event-specific data based on the event; and

transmit the event-specific data to the central data system.

18. The machine fleet of claim 15, wherein the central data system is further configured to:

identify a subset of the plurality of machines that shares a characteristic with the affected machine; and

communicate an identity of the relevant data to a local data system associated with each machine of the subset; and

receive relevant data from each of the local data systems associated with the subset.

19. The machine fleet of claim 18, wherein the central data system is further configured to:

command each of the local data systems associated with the subset to collect event-specific data; and

receive the event-specific data and the relevant data from each local data system of the subset.

20. The machine fleet of claim 18, wherein the shared characteristic includes at least one of a machine type, a consist, a load type, an environmental condition, a machine model, and a geographic location.