System for scheduling the servicing of equipment

• US 7,016,774 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2001
• Issued: 03/21/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company Limited (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company Limited (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Barber, Richard Antony, Parke, Philip John
• Primary Examiner(s): Hernandez, Olga
• Application Number:
  US10/380,133
• Publication Number:
  US 20040093134A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,688 Days
• Field of Search: 701/1, 701/30, 701/29, 701/34, 701/36, 707/1, 707/3, 707/5, 707/4, 705/8, 340/901, 340/425.5, 340/426.23, 340/463, 340/464, 340/500, 340/504, 340/516, 340/517, 340/524
• US Class Current: 701/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task

Abstract

A computerized, Internet-based method and system for scheduling the servicing a set of items of equipment such as a fleet of motor vehicles each requiring the performance of service operations according to predetermined repair and maintenance schedules comprises compiling databases of information (1) relating to the items of equipment, the service operations (3) to be performed on them and service facilities (4) capable of performing the service operations, deriving by means of a searching and matching system (7) from the compiled information matches for an item, a required service operation and the availability of service facilities for performing the service operation; selecting from the matches a service facility capable of performing the service operation the item and scheduling by means of a notification system (9) the performance of the service operation on the item by the selected service operation.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for scheduling service of a set of equipment, comprising the steps of:

compiling information to form compiled information in an equipment database relating to a set of equipment, the one or more service operations to be performed on each equipment and one or more service facilities for performing the one or more service operations for each equipment;

determining the one or more service operations to be performed on each equipment based on a predetermined repair and maintenance schedule;

for each equipment in the set, electronically deriving from the compiled information in the equipment database one or more matches based on the one or more service operations and the availability of the one or more service facilities for performing the service operation;

for each equipment in the set, selecting from the matches a service facility for performing the one or more service operations; and

for each equipment in the set, scheduling the performance of the one or more service operations by the selected service facility.

2. A method according to claim 1, further comprising assigning a code that correlates with the one or more service operations to be performed on the equipment.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the compiled information in the equipment database is accessible by providing information relating to any one of a plurality of different characteristics of the equipment.

4. A method according to claim 3, wherein the set of equipment is a set of motor vehicles and information relating thereto may be accessed by supplying the vehicle identification number, the vehicle registration number of a list of features on the vehicle.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the information relating to the one or more service operations is compiled in a service operations database in which the one or more service operations are coded according to the equipment on which they may be performed.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the information relating to the one or more service facilities is compiled in a service facility database in which the one or more service operations capable of being performed by the one or more service facilities are coded according to the equipment on which they are to be performed.

7. A method according to claim 1, wherein the information relating to the service facilities includes information on a plurality of selection criteria for the service facilities.

8. A method according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of selection criteria comprise one or more of the following categories of information:

periods of availability of facilities;

prices for performance of the service operation; and

availability of complementary equipment or services.

9. A method according to claim 1, wherein the compiled information in the equipment database is accessed by the user of the equipment through an internet user interface that enables the user to select and schedule the performance of the service operation.

10. A method according to claim 1, wherein the set of equipment comprise a set of mass produced motor vehicles.

11. A computer system for scheduling service of a set of equipment, the system comprising:

a computerized database of compiled information relating to a set of equipment, one or more service operations to be performed on each equipment and one or more service facilities for performing the one or more service operations;

a electronic searching and matching system for;

determine the one or more service operations to be performed on each equipment based on an predetermined repair and maintenance schedule;

derive from the compiled information one or more matches based on the one or more service operations and the availability of the one or more service facilities for performing the one or more service operations for each equipment; and

select from the matches a service facility for performing the one or more service operations; and

a scheduling and notification system for scheduling the performance of the one or more service operations by the selected service facility.

12. A system according to claim 11, wherein the information relating to the set of equipment is compiled in an equipment database and each equipment is assigned a code that correlates with the one or more service operations to be performed on the equipment.

13. A system according to claim 11, wherein the compiled information is accessible by providing information relating to any one of a plurality of different characteristics of the equipment.

14. A system according to claim 13, wherein the set of equipment comprise a set of motor vehicles and information relating thereto may be accessed by supplying a vehicle identification number, a vehicle registration number of a list of features on the vehicle.

15. A system according to claim 11, further comprising a service operations database in which the one or more service operations are coded according to the equipment on which they may be performed.

16. A system according to claim 11, further comprising a service facility database in which the one or more service operations capable of being performed by the service facility are coded according to the equipment on which they are to be performed.

17. A system according to claim 11, wherein the service facility database includes information on a plurality of selection criteria for the service facility.

18. A system according to claim 17, wherein the plurality of selection criteria comprise one or more of the following categories of information:

periods of availability of facilities;

prices for performance of the service operation; and

availability of complementary equipment or services.

19. A method according to claim 11, wherein the database of compiled information is accessed by the user of the equipment through an internet user interface that enables the user to select and schedule the performance of the service operation.

20. A computer-implemented method of scheduling service of a fleet of motor vehicles, the method comprising:

electronically receiving fleet information including information relating to a number of motor vehicles in a fleet, one or more service operations to be performed on each motor vehicle, and one or more service facilities for performing the one or more service operations for each vehicle;

electronically storing the fleet information in a fleet database;

determining the one or more service operations based on a predetermined repair and maintenance schedule and without fleet proprietor intervention;

for each vehicle in the fleet, electronically deriving one or more service matches based on the one or more service operations and the availability of the one or more service facilities;

for each vehicle in the fleet, receiving a service facility from the one or more service matches; and

for each vehicle in the fleet, receiving an appointment for the performance of the one or more service operations by the received service facility.