Fleet Management System

• US 20150204758A1
• Filed: 12/30/2014
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Discovery Energy LLC
• Original Assignee: Kohler Company
• Inventors: Schnell, William, Radue, Martin, Andren, Travis, Baumann, Todd, Johansen, Mark
• Granted Patent: US 10,060,827 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A01B 67/00 Devices for controlling the tractor motor by resistance of tools preventing overstrain A01B61/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 15/05 by combined monitoring of two or more different engine parameters
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0833 Tracking
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

In one example, fleet devices are monitored. The fleet devices include engines. A controller, such as an engine controller or centralized controller, receives sensor data indicative of a load on the engine from one or more of the fleet devices. The controller analyzes the load from the sensor data to identify a management function. The controller generates a message including the management function.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving sensor data indicative of a load on an engine from one or more fleet devices;

analyzing, using a processor, the load from the sensor data to identify a management function; and

generate, using the processor, a message including the management function.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data includes throttle position data and manifold pressure data.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

accessing an expected value for manifold pressure according to the throttle position data;

comparing the manifold pressure data to the expected value for manifold pressure; and

generating a warning message for the management function when the manifold pressure data exceeds the expected value by a threshold amount.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

calculating a maintenance interval for the management function.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the sensor data includes injection time data indicative of an operation of one or more fuel injectors of the engine and the maintenance interval is calculated as a function of the injection time data.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the sensor data includes oil data indicative of a state of the oil of the engine and the maintenance interval is calculated as a function of the oil data, wherein the state of the oil includes an oil quality, an oil level, or both.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor data is throttle position of the engine indicative of a mechanical device connected to the engine.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the mechanical device is a lawnmower deck.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

comparing the sensor data to a load signature; and

starting a timer when the sensor data matches the load signature, wherein the management function is based on the timer.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the load signature describes a model of a lawnmower, a welder, a pump, or a plow.

11. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

performing a comparison of the sensor data to a set of load signatures; and

selecting a lawnmower based on the comparison.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

assigning a job request based on a deck size of the selected lawnmower.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

determining a mowing pattern based on a deck size of the selected lawnmower.

14. An apparatus comprising:

a memory including a plurality of management functions for one or more fleet devices; and

a processor configured to analyze sensor indicative of a load on an engine of the one or more fleet devices and generate a message including a management function selected from the memory based on the load of the engine.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sensor data includes throttle position data and manifold pressure data, and the processor is configured to access an expected value based on the sensor data and generate a warning message when the sensor data is inconsistent with the expected value.

16. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the sensor data is throttle position of the engine indicative of a lawnmower deck connected to the engine.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to compare the sensor data to a load signature and start a timer when the sensor data matches the load signature, wherein the management function is based on the timer.

18. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the processor is configured to compare the sensor data to a set of load signatures and select a lawnmower based on the comparison.

19. A method comprising:

sending sensor data indicative of a load on an engine to a server;

receiving, from the server, data indicative of a management function for the engine; and

presenting a message including the management function to a user of the engine.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the message includes a maintenance reminder for the engine.