SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR COACHING A MACHINE OPERATOR

• US 20160196769A1
• Filed: 01/07/2015
• Published: 07/07/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2015
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: DARUKHANAVALA, Carl Phiroz, FLETCHER, Jeffrey Graham, ALIG, Jeffrey Stephen, BOMER, Bradley Keith, CAI, Zhijun, KIRSCH, Karl Arthur
• Application Number:
  US14/591,594
• Publication Number:
  US 20160196769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09B 19/167 Control of land vehicles

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for coaching an operator of a machine. According to certain embodiments, data describing operation of the machine by the operator is received. At least one operation requiring improvement is identified based on the received data and demonstrated to the operator. Moreover, the operator is trained on the at least one operation requiring improvement.

Claims

1. A method for coaching an operator of a machine, the method comprising the following steps performed by one or more processors:

receiving data describing operation of the machine by the operator;

identifying at least one operation requiring improvement based on the received data;

demonstrating the at least one operation requiring improvement to the operator; and

training the operator on the at least one operation requiring improvement.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving data describing operation of the machine by the operator comprises receiving data from the machine via satellite, cellular, WiFi, or Bluetooth communication.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying at least one operation requiring improvement based on the received data comprises:

analyzing the received data;

identifying one or more tasks performed by the operator using the machine based on the analysis;

determining a rating for performance of each of the one or more identified tasks by the operator; and

designating the performance of an identified task as operation requiring improvement when the rating for the task is below a threshold rating.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the rating for performance of an identified task comprises comparing the received data to data associated with an ideal performance of the identified task.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein training the operator on the at least one operation requiring improvement comprises demonstrating an ideal operation to the operator.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein training the operator on the at least one operation requiring improvement comprises:

enabling the operator to practice the at least one operation requiring improvement one or more times;

determining a score for each of the one or more times; and

determining that training is complete when the determined score exceeds a threshold score.

5. The method of claim I, wherein demonstrating the at least one operation requiring improvement to the operator comprises recreating a plurality of conditions of the machine corresponding to the at least one operation requiring improvement based on the received data.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions for coaching an operator of a machine, the instructions causing at least one processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving data describing operation of the machine by the operator;

identifying at least one operation requiring improvement based on the received data;

demonstrating the at least one operation requiring improvement to the operator; and

training the operator on the at least one operation requiring improvement.

9. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to identify at least one operation requiring improvement based on the received data by:

analyzing the received data;

identifying one or more tasks performed by the operator using the machine based on the analysis;

determining a rating for performance of each of the one or more identified tasks by the operator; and

designating the performance of an identified task as operation requiring improvement when the rating for the task is below a threshold rating.

10. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to determine the rating for performance of an identified task by comparing the received data to data associated with an ideal performance of the identified task.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to demonstrate the at least one operation requiring improvement to the operator by recreating a plurality of conditions of the machine corresponding to the at least one operation requiring improvement based on the received data.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to train the operator on the at least one operation requiring improvement by demonstrating an ideal operation to the operator.

13. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the instructions cause the at least one processor to train the operator on the at least one operation requiring improvement by:

enabling the operator to practice the at least one operation requiring improvement one or more times;

determining a score for each of the one or more times; and

determining that training is complete when the determined score exceeds a threshold score.

14. A system for coaching an operator of a machine, comprising:

an operator input device; and

a controller operatively connected to the operator input device, the controller being configured to;

receive data describing operation of the machine by the operator;

identify at least one operation requiring improvement based on the received data;

demonstrate the at least one operation requiring improvement to the operator; and

train the operator on the at least one operation requiring improvement.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to receive data describing operation of the machine by the operator by receiving data from the machine via satellite, cellular, WiFi, or Bluetooth communication.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to identify at least one operation requiring improvement based on the received data by:

analyzing the received data;

identifying one or more tasks performed by the operator using the machine based on the analysis;

determining a rating for performance of each of the one or more identified tasks by the operator; and

designating the performance of an identified task as operation requiring improvement when the rating for the task is below a threshold rating.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the controller is configured to determine the rating for performance of an identified task by comparing the received data to data associated with an ideal performance of the identified task.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to demonstrate the at least one operation requiring improvement to the operator by recreating a plurality of conditions of the machine corresponding to the at least one operation requiring improvement based on the received data.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to train the operator on the at least one operation requiring improvement by demonstrating an ideal operation to the operator.

20. The system of claim 14, wherein the controller is configured to train the operator on the at least one operation requiring improvement by:

enabling the operator to practice the at least one operation requiring improvement one or more times;

determining a score for each of the one or more times; and

determining that training is complete when the determined score exceeds a threshold score.