Method for using a smart card for recording operations, service and maintenance transactions and determining compliance of regulatory and other scheduled events

• US 6,170,742 B1
• Filed: 10/28/1999
• Issued: 01/09/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Q-International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Q-International Incorporated
• Inventors: Yacoob, Yaser
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Michael G
• Assistant Examiner(s): FUREMAN, JARED
• Application Number:
  US09/428,914
• Time in Patent Office: 439 Days
• Field of Search: 235/375, 235/380, 235/382, 235/384, 902/25, 902/26
• US Class Current: 235/375
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/308 using the Internet of Things
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/341 Active cards, i.e. cards including their own processing means, e.g. including an IC or chip
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/346 Cards serving only as information carrier of service
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/3576 Multiple memory zones on card
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 7/1008 Active credit-cards provided with means to personalise their use, e.g. with PIN-introduction/comparison system
• CPC Class Codes: G07F 9/02 Devices for alarm or indication, e.g. when empty; Advertising arrangements in coin-freed apparatus alarms or warning devices indicating the interruption of flow to be metered G07F15/10

Abstract

A computerized “smart card” which has a read/write memory and formatted data storage blocks is used to track the life history of one or more associated machine(s) (e.g., vehicles, medical instrumentation and apparatus, business and copying machines, etc.). The smart card can store a variety of information including machine identification, hardware/software specifications, debit/credit, regulated performance, warranty/insurance, maintenance/service and operational transactions that might impact the hardware, software or the intended operation or performance of the machine. The smart card will be equipped to interact with any of a plurality of autonomous reader/writer smart card units and computer-based reader/writer smart card units that may be equipped to interact with any of the plurality of computer databases through the utilization of land or wireless communications links. Preferably, each smart card will be associated with one or more specific machines at the time of sale of the machines, and will be periodically updated at each transaction (e.g., repair, scheduled maintenance, transfer of title, etc.) using reader/writer units operated by service technicians, repair shops, insurance agents, or the like. The stored life history can be used for valuation, maintenance scheduling, problem trouble shooting, and other applications.

Claims

1. A method for using a data card for recording operations, service and maintenance transactions and determining compliance of regulatory and other scheduled events, said method comprising the steps:

initializing a data card with machine identification data files and access authorization information;

recording event data on said data card, said recorded event data being stored permanently, wherein said event data is information relating to actions previously performed on a machine corresponding with said machine identification, or actions to be scheduled to be performed on a machine corresponding with said machine identification, wherein the step of recording event data on said data card includes the steps of (i) determining whether storing the current event data requires storage on a server or central database, (ii) formatting the event data for the required storage locations, wherein said required storage locations may exclude the data card if it has insufficient memory remaining, and (iii) storing the formatted event data at the required storage locations;

selecting a scheduled action; and

determining whether said recorded events comply with said scheduled action.

2. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said data card comprises:

machine identification data files identifying at least one specific machine, said machine identification data files being write protectible, thereby selectively preventing said machine identification data files from being altered;

event data files containing a permanent history of event information for each said at least one specific machine, said event data files being write-once, read-many;

maintenance scheduling files identifying regularly scheduled maintenance for said machine;

entity identification data files which identify a specific entity and a relationship of said specific entity to said at least one specific machine, said entity identification data files being write privileged, thereby permitting selective writing to said entity identification files; and

means for indicating whether an event has been performed on said at least one specific machine responsive to said permanent history.

3. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said data card further comprises:

maintenance scheduling files identifying regularly scheduled maintenance for said machine;

maintenance scheduling means for indicating whether regularly scheduled maintenance has been performed on said at least one specific machine responsive to said permanent history.

4. A method as recited in claim 2, wherein said data card further comprises:

regulatory compliance scheduling files identifying regulatory compliance events for said machine;

regulatory compliance scheduling means for indicating whether regulatory compliance events have been performed on said at least one specific machine responsive to said permanent history.

5. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein said step of recording event data further comprises the steps:

scanning the data card to determine if the data card can be read successfully and if appropriate authorizations and user/point of service are present for executing the requested event for a selected machine, and if not, then prompting with a message;

identifying scheduled events stored in the data card for the selected machine;

displaying identified scheduled events for user review; and

retrieving and storing data for a current event.

6. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the current event data is a maintenance/service transaction involving hardware or software upgrades to be performed on a periodic basis or due to servicing necessity as the machine is suspected not to be performing according to its intended operational plan, or service recommended by a skilled technician.

7. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of determining whether recorded events comply with scheduled events is performed as a computer implemented method further comprising the steps of:

selecting an action for compliance, wherein an action has at least one corresponding event required to be performed to result in successful compliance;

retrieving event data corresponding to the selected action;

matching each retrieved event with each at least one corresponding event of the action to determine if all required events have been performed; and

notifying a user of whether the selected action has been successfully complied with.

8. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the action selected for compliance is a regulatory compliance event relating to warranty or insurance events mandated by an authority that is recognized at the time of production, sales or any time thereafter.

9. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the action selected for compliance is a regularly scheduled event mandated by either the producer, owner, organization, city, county, district, state, federal, union or other authority concerned with the performance, deployment or operation of said machine.

10. A method as recited in claim 7, wherein the action selected for compliance is a regularly scheduled event relating to warranty or insurance events mandated by an authority that is recognized at the time of production, sales or any time thereafter.

11. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein the step of recording event data is performed by an authority administering a regulation code, for an event relating to regulatory compliance, said authority having an access code, or password, indicating that the authority is permitted to add regulatory event data to the data card, and recordation of the event data is accepted or denied based on the access code, or password.

12. A method as recited in claim 1, wherein access codes or passwords are recorded on the data card during the step of initializing for a card issuer, a machine owner, a machine'"'"'s service provider, and regulatory authorities, as needed.

13. A method for using a data card for recording operations, service and maintenance transactions and determining compliance of regulatory and other scheduled events, said method comprising the steps:

initializing a data card with machine identification data files and access authorization information;

recording event data on said data card, said recorded event data being stored permanently, wherein said event data is information relating to actions previously performed on a machine corresponding with said machine identification, or actions to be scheduled to be performed on a machine corresponding with said machine identification, and

wherein the step of recording event data further comprises the steps of;

scanning the data card to determine if the data card can be read successfully and if appropriate authorizations and user/point of service are present for executing the requested event for a selected machine, and if not, then prompting with a message;

identifying scheduled events stored in the data card for the selected machine,

displaying identified scheduled events for user review; and

retrieving and storing data for a current event, further comprising the steps of;

determining whether storing the current event data requires storage on a server or central database;

formatting the current event data for the required storage locations, wherein said required storage locations may exclude the data card if it has insufficient memory remaining; and

storing the formatted current event data at the required storage locations; and

selecting a scheduled action; and

determining whether said recorded events comply with said scheduled action.

14. A method as recited in claim 13, wherein the current event data is transmitted to a required storage location by a method selected from the group of a local communications bus;

a high speed data line; and

a wireless communications link.

15. A method for using a data card for recording operations, service and maintenance transactions and determining compliance of regulatory and other scheduled events, said method comprising the steps:

initializing a data card with machine identification data files and access authorization information; and

recording event data on said data card, said recorded event data being stored permanently, wherein said event data is information relating to actions previously performed on a machine corresponding with said machine identification, or actions to be scheduled to be performed on a machine corresponding with said machine identification, wherein the step of recording event data on said data card includes the steps of (i) determining whether storing the current event data requires storage on a server or central database, (ii) formatting the event data for the required storage locations, wherein said required storage locations may exclude the data card if it has insufficient memory remaining, and (iii) storing the formatted event data at the required storage locations.

16. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein said data card comprises:

machine identification data files identifying at least one specific machine, said machine identification data files being write protectible, thereby selectively preventing said machine identification data files from being altered;

event data files containing a permanent history of event information for each said at least one specific machine, said event data files being write-once, read-many;

maintenance scheduling files identifying regularly scheduled maintenance for said machine;

entity identification data files which identify a specific entity and a relationship of said specific entity to said at least one specific machine, said entity identification data files being write privileged, thereby permitting selective writing to said entity identification files; and

means for indicating whether an event has been performed on said at least one specific machine responsive to said permanent history.

17. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said data card further comprises:

maintenance scheduling files identifying regularly scheduled maintenance for said machine;

maintenance scheduling means for indicating whether regularly scheduled maintenance has been performed on said at least one specific machine responsive to said permanent history.

18. A method as recited in claim 16, wherein said data card further comprises:

regulatory compliance scheduling files identifying regulatory compliance events for said machine;

regulatory compliance scheduling means for indicating whether regulatory compliance events have been performed on said at least one specific machine responsive to said permanent history.

19. A method as recited in claim 15, wherein said step of recording event data further comprises the steps:

scanning the data card to determine if the data card can be read successfully and if appropriate authorizations and user/point of service are present for executing the requested event for a selected machine, and if not, then prompting with a message;

identifying scheduled events stored in the data card for the selected machine;

displaying identified scheduled events for user review; and

retrieving and storing data for a current event.

20. A method for using a data card for recording operations, service and maintenance transactions and determining compliance of regulatory and other scheduled events, said method comprising the steps:

initializing a data card associated with a machine, the initialization data comprising machine identification data files;

responsive to occurrence of an event corresponding to the machine, determining whether a read, write or store operation is required;

for an event requiring data to be permanently stored as an event history for the machine, determining whether the data card has sufficient memory to hold the event data, and if so storing the event data on the data card, but if not, determining whether data is to be stored at a local database or a remote central server and excluding the data card from storage of the event data, wherein the event data is information relating to actions previously performed on the machine.

21. A method as recited in claim 20, further comprising the step of storing the event data at one or both of a local database for temporary backup purposes and a remote central server for permanent backup purposes.

22. A method recited in claim 20, wherein said event data is information relating to actions to be scheduled to be performed on a machine corresponding with said machine identification, the method further comprising the step of storing the event data only on one or both of a local database and remote central server, thereby reducing memory requirements of the data card to store event data that is not a history of performed events.

23. A method as recited in claim 22, further comprising the steps of:

scanning the data card to determine if the data card can be read successfully and if appropriate authorizations are present for executing the requested event for the machine, and if not, then prompting with a message;

identifying scheduled events stored in one of the data card, local database and remote central server for the machine; and

displaying identified scheduled events for user review.

24. A method as recited in claim 23, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a scheduled action; and

determining whether the event history contains events to comply with the selected scheduled action, wherein the event history is recorded on the data card and the scheduled action information is recorded on one of the data card, local database and remote central server for the machine.

25. A system for using a data card for recording a permanent history of operations, service and maintenance transactions for a machine and determining whether events in the permanent history indicate compliance of regulatory and other scheduled events, comprising:

a data card having (i) machine identification data files identifying at least one specific machine, the machine identification data files being write protectible, thereby selectively preventing said machine identification data files from being altered;

(ii) event data files containing a permanent history of event information for each said at least one specific machine, said event data files being write-once, read-many; and

(iii) entity identification data files which identify a specific entity and a relationship of said specific entity to said at least one specific machine, said entity identification data files being write privileged, thereby permitting selective writing to said entity identification files;

a remote central server having sufficient storage capacity for holding permanently stored event data for a plurality of data cards;

means for reading and writing from/to the data card;

means for reading and writing from/to the remote central server; and

means for recording event data in the system as a permanent history for a machine corresponding with the machine identification, wherein the event data is information relating to actions previously performed on, or actions to be scheduled to be performed on a machine corresponding with said machine identification, and the recording means excludes the data card from recordation of event data if insufficient memory is available.

26. A system for using a data card as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

a local database residing on a computing device operated by a service provider for the machine; and

means for reading and writing from/to the local database.

27. A system as recited in claim 26, further comprising:

means for storing maintenance scheduling files in the system, the maintenance scheduling files identifying regularly scheduled maintenance for the machine, and being stored on one or more of the data card and a remote central server;

means for determining whether events in the permanent history associated with the machine indicate compliance of regulatory and other scheduled events as indicated by the maintenance scheduling files, wherein the permanent history is stored on the data card and the regulatory and other scheduled events are stored on one or more of the data card and a remote central server; and

means for indicating whether an event has been performed on said at least one specific machine responsive to said permanent history as determined by the determining means.

28. A system as recited in claim 26, wherein the means for recording event data determines which storage locations of one or more of the data card and remote central server are to be targeted for storage, formats the event data for storage on the targeted storage locations, wherein the targeted storage locations may exclude the data card if it has in sufficient memory remaining.

29. A method for using a data card for recording operations, service and maintenance transactions of a machine and determining compliance of regulatory and other scheduled events, said method comprising the steps:

responsive to occurrence of an event corresponding to the machine, determining whether a read, write or store operation is required, wherein initialization data comprising machine identification data files associated with the machine are stored on the data card;

for an event requiring data to be permanently stored as an event history of previously performed service and maintenance transactions for the machine, determining whether the data card has sufficient memory to hold the event data, and if so storing the event data on the data card, but if not, determining whether data is to be stored at a local database or a remote central server and excluding the data card from storage of the event data, wherein the event data is information relating to actions previously performed on the machine.

30. A method as recited in claim 29, further comprising the step of storing the event data at one or both of a local database for temporary backup purposes and a remote central server for permanent backup purposes.

31. A method recited in claim 29, wherein said event data is information relating to actions to be scheduled to be performed on a machine corresponding with said machine identification, the method further comprising the step of storing the event data only on one or both of a local database and remote central server, thereby reducing memory requirements of the data card to store event data that is not a history of performed events.

32. A method as recited in claim 31, further comprising the steps of:

scanning the data card to determine if the data card can be read successfully and if appropriate authorizations are present for executing the requested event for the machine, and if not, then prompting with a message;

identifying scheduled events stored in one of the data card, local database and remote central server for the machine; and

displaying identified scheduled events for user review.

33. A method as recited in claim 32, further comprising the steps of:

selecting a scheduled action; and

determining whether the event history contains events to comply with the selected scheduled action, wherein the event history is recorded on the data card and the scheduled action information is recorded on one of the data card, local database and remote central server for the machine.