Method and system for remotely managing communication of data used for predicting malfunctions in a plurality of machines

• US 6,338,152 B1
• Filed: 02/24/2000
• Issued: 01/08/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Lovelace, John H., Puri, Ashish, Fera, Gregory J., Hedlund, Eric H., Loncher, Steven, Pander, James E., OʼCamb, Thomas E.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DIEU MINH T
• Application Number:
  US09/512,156
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 714/48, 714/47, 714/39, 709/207, 709/240
• US Class Current: 714/48
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 2205/04 Satellite based navigation systems, e.g. global positioning system [GPS]
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions

Abstract

A method and system for managing communication of electronic data between a diagnostic service center and a plurality of machines generally remote relative to each other is provided. The electronic data is made up of respective machine data from selected machines. The machine data is used for detecting the presence of respective malfunctions which, if left uncorrected, would likely result in respective mission failures of the selected machines. The method allows for storing in a database a list of respective cases to be processed. The method further allows for assigning to each case a respective download priority. A determining step allows for determining each case to be populated next with new machine data based at least upon the assigned download priority. Respective executing steps allow for executing a download of the new machine data, and for executing predetermined analysis on the downloaded data for detecting the presence of respective malfunctions in the selected machines.

Claims

1. A method for managing communication of electronic data between a diagnostic service center and a plurality of machines generally remote relative to each other, the electronic data comprising at least respective machine data from selected machines, the machine data used for detecting the presence of respective malfunctions which, if left uncorrected, would likely result in respective mission failures of the selected machines, the system comprising:

storing in a database a list of respective cases to be processed;

assigning to each case a respective download priority;

determining each case to be populated next with new machine data based at least upon the assigned download priority;

executing a download of the new machine data; and

executing predetermined analysis on the download data for detecting the presence of potential malfunctions in the selected machines.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of assigning to each respective case a respective download time.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the step of determining the next case to be populated with new machine data is further based upon the assigned download time.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of classifying each respective download of machine data into a respective class.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein the step of determining the next case to be populated with new machine data is further based upon the respective download class.

6. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step for assigning at least one communication-enabling device for executing a respective download of new machine data.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the step for assigning the at least one communication-enabling device is based at least upon the relative priority of the download and/or a respective classification of the download.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of assigning to each respective download file a corresponding file tracking number.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the predetermined machine data comprises fault log data.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the predetermined machine data further comprises data indicative of predetermined operational parameters of the machine.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein the executing of download of new machine data occurs upon detection of one or more critical faults in the fault log data.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising automatically initiating a call from a respective machine to the center upon detection of one or more critical faults in the fault log data.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing download of new machine data occurs at predetermined time intervals.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing download of new machine data occurs upon a respective request of a respective client.

15. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of uploading from the center predetermined configuration files to selected machines.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of uploading from the center a configuration file configured to monitor predetermined fault log data and/or operational parameters over a predetermined period of time.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the predetermined period of time is selected to be sufficiently long so as to detect trends indicative of incipient failures in respective subsystems of the machine.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of generating an electronic customer report containing diagnostics and/or repair information for respective subsystems of the locomotive, said report based on the analysis executed on the respective download data.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the electronic report is generated at predetermined time intervals and/or upon the occurrence of critical faults.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the electronic report is configured to display the diagnostics and/or repair information in graphical and/or tabular form.

21. The method of claim 1 further comprising a step of uploading from the center a configuration file configured to monitor predetermined fault log data and/or snapshot observations of predetermined operational parameters.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the predetermined fault log data and/or snapshot observations are selected to detect malfunctions in one or more of a plurality of respective subsystems of the machine.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the machine comprises a locomotive.

24. A system for managing communication of electronic data between a diagnostic service center and a plurality of machines generally remote relative to each other, the electronic data comprising at least respective machine data from selected machines, the machine data used for detecting the presence of respective malfunctions which, if left uncorrected, would likely result in respective mission failures of the selected machines, the system comprising:

a database for storing a list of respective cases to be processed;

a module for assigning to each case a respective download priority;

a module for determining each case to be populated next with new machine data based at least upon the assigned download priority;

a module for executing a download of the new machine data; and

a module for executing predetermined analysis on the download data for detecting the presence of potential malfunctions in the selected machines.

25. The system of claim 24 further comprising means for assigning to each respective case a respective download time.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein the a module for determining the next case to be populated with new machine data is coupled to receive the assigned download time so that each respective determination is further based on the assigned download time.

27. The system of claim 24 further comprising a module for classifying each respective download of machine data into a respective download class.

28. The system of claim 26 wherein the a module for determining the next case to be populated with new machines data is further coupled to receive the respective download class so that each respective determination is further based on the respective download class.

29. The system of claim 24 further comprising a module for assigning at least one communication-enabling device for executing a respective download of new machine data.

30. The system of claim 29 wherein the assigning of the at least one communication-enabling device is based at least upon the relative priority of the download and/or a respective classification of the download.

31. The system of claim 24 further comprising a module for assigning to each respective downloaded file a corresponding file tracking number.

32. The system of claim 24 wherein the predetermined machine data comprises fault log data.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the predetermined machine data further comprises data indicative of predetermined operational parameters of the machine.

34. The system of claim 32 wherein the download of new machine data is triggered upon detection of one or more critical faults in the fault log data.

35. The system of claim 34 further comprising a module for automatically initiating a call from a respective machine to the center upon detection of one or more critical faults in the fault log data.

36. The system of claim 24 wherein the download of new machine data occurs at predetermined time intervals.

37. The system of claim 24 wherein the download of new machine data occurs upon a respective request of a respective client.

38. The system of claim 24 further comprising a module for uploading from the center predetermined configuration files to selected machines.

39. The system of claim 24 further comprising a module for uploading from the center a configuration file configured to monitor predetermined fault log data and/or operational parameters over a predetermined period of time.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the predetermined period of time is selected to be sufficiently long so as to detect trends indicative of incipient failures in respective subsystems of the machine.

41. The system of claim 24 further comprising a module for generating an electronic customer report containing diagnostics and/or repair information for respective subsystems of the locomotive, said report based on the analysis executed on the respective download data.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the electronic report is generated at predetermined time intervals and/or upon the occurrence of critical faults.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the electronic report is configured to display the diagnostics and/or repair information in graphical and/or tabular form.

44. The system of claim 24 further comprising a module for uploading from the center a configuration file configured to monitor predetermined fault log data and/or snapshot observations of predetermined operational parameters.

45. The system of claim 44 wherein the predetermined fault log data and/or snapshot observations are selected to detect malfunctions in one or more of a plurality of respective subsystems of the machine.

46. The system of claim 24 wherein the machine comprises a locomotive.

47. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer program product comprising a computer-usable medium having a computer-readable code therein for managing communication of electronic data between a diagnostic service center and a plurality of machines generally remote relative to each other, the electronic data comprising at least respective machine data from selected machines, the machine data used for detecting the presence of respective malfunctions which, if left uncorrected, would likely result in respective mission failures of the selected machines, the computer-readable code in the article of manufacture comprising;

a computer-readable program code module for storing in a database a list of respective cases to be processed;

a computer-readable program code module for assigning to each case a respective download priority;

a computer-readable program code module for determining each case to be populated next with new machine data based at least upon the assigned download priority;

a computer-readable program code module for executing a download of the new machine data; and

a computer-readable program code module for executing predetermined analysis on the downloaded data for detecting the presence of potential malfunctions in the selected machines.

48. A method for managing communication of electronic data between a diagnostic service center and a plurality of machines generally remote relative to each other, the electronic data comprising at least respective machine data from selected machines, the machine data used for detecting the presence of respective malfunctions which, if left uncorrected, would likely result in respective mission failures of the selected machines, the system comprising:

storing in a database a list of respective cases to be processed;

assigning to each case a respective download priority;

determining each case to be populated next with new machine data based at least upon the assigned download priority; and

executing a download of the new machine data wherein said machine data is analyzed, subsequent to and/or prior to the download, for detecting the presence of potential malfunctions in the selected machines.

49. A system for managing communication of electronic data between a diagnostic service center and a plurality of machines generally remote relative to each other, the electronic data comprising at least respective machine data from selected machines, the machine data used for detecting the presence of respective malfimctions which, if left uncorrected, would likely result in respective mission failures of the selected machines, the system comprising:

a database for storing a list of respective cases to be processed;

a module for assigning to each case a respective download priority;

a module for determining each case to be populated next with new machine data based at least upon the assigned download priority;

a module for executing a download of the new machine data wherein said machine data is processed by an analyzer module, subsequent to and/or prior to the download, for detecting the presence of potential malfunctions in the selected machines.