System for providing indexed machine utilization metrics

• US 7,113,839 B2
• Filed: 08/31/2004
• Issued: 09/26/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: O'Neal, Steven Wayne, Meiss, Trent Ray, Jenkins, Brian Lane, Wood, Daniel Craig, Ferguson, Alan Lewis
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Douglas S.
• Application Number:
  US10/929,688
• Publication Number:
  US 20050278055A1
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 700/2, 700/66, 700/111, 700/115, 701/33, 702/188
• US Class Current: 700/115
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0808 Diagnosing performance data testing of vehicles G01M17/00; testing of electrical installation on vehicles G01R31/005
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A system and method for providing indexed work machine utilization data. The system implementing the method includes an operator identification device for identifying an operator of a work machine based on operator identification data and a work data collection device for collecting work data related to the work machine. A first processing device indexes the collected work data to the operator identification data and a communication device transmits the indexed work data and operator identification data to a second processing device. The second processing device receives the indexed work data and the operator identification data and provides operator utilization metrics based on the indexed work data that reflect a quantitative performance value associated with at least one of the work machine and operator.

Claims

1. A system for providing indexed machine utilization metrics, comprising:

an operator identification device configured to identify an operator of a first machine based on operator identification data;

a work data collection device configured to collect work data related to the first machine;

a first processing device configured to generate indexed information reflecting an index of the collected work data to the operator identification data and a work site characteristic of a first work site that the first machine is located in when operated by at least the operator;

a communication device configured to transmit the indexed information; and

a second processing device configured to receive the indexed information and provide operator utilization metrics based on the indexed information that reflects a quantitative performance value associated with at least one of the first machine and operator.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the operator identification device is at least one of a radio frequency identification device, a magnetic identification device, and an infrared identification device.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first processing device and second processing device is configured to group the indexed information with second indexed information associated with at least a second machine based on at least one of the type of first machine, the type of second machine, and the work site characteristic.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein at least one of the first processing device and second processing device is configured to analyze the grouped indexed and second indexed information to determine the performance of at least one of the first machine, the second machine, the first work site, a second work site associated with the second machine, and a collective work site including the first work site and second work site.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the work data collection device includes at least one of an on-board module and an on-board component.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the work data collected by the at least one of an on-board module and an on-board component is performance data relating to at least one operation parameter of the first machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the work data includes data representing at least one of fuel consumption, idle time, number of engine starts, weight of material transported, hours of operation, type of material manipulated by the first machine, terrain feature data, fluid related data, work site related data, and mileage traveled.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing device analyzes the indexed information to determine the performance of a group of machines including the first machine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing device analyzes the indexed information to determine the performance of at least one of:

the operator;

a group of operators that operate the first machine;

a group of machines that are of a similar type as the first machine;

an individual associated with at least one of the first machine and the first work site; and

the first work site.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the second processing device analyzes the indexed information to determine the performance of the first worksite.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein the work site characteristic includes at least one terrain characteristic of the first work site.

12. The system of claim 1, further including an operator interface for receiving the indexed work data from at least one of the first processing device and the second processing device.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the first processing device is at least one of an on-board module and on-board component, and the second processing device is part of an off-board system.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the first processing device indexes one or more work machine related parameters to the operator identification data.

15. A method for providing indexed machine utilization metrics, comprising:

identifying an operator of a first machine based on operator identification data;

collecting work data from the first machine;

generating indexed information reflecting an index of the collected work data to the operator identification data, and a work site characteristic of a first work site that the first machine is located in when operated by at least the operator with a processing device at the first machine;

transmitting the indexed information to a processing system; and

receiving the indexed information at the processing system and providing operator utilization metrics based on the indexed information that reflects a quantitative performance value associated with at least one of the first machine and operator.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein identifying the operator includes using at least one of a radio frequency identification device, a magnetic identification device, and an infrared identification device.

17. The method of claim 15, further including:

grouping the indexed information with second indexed information associated with at least a second machine based on at least one of the type of first machine, the type of second machine, and the work site characteristic.

18. The method of claim 17, further including:

analyzing the grouped indexed and second indexed information to determine the performance of at least one of the first machine, the second machine, the first work site, a second work site associated with the second machine, and a collective work site including the first work site and second work site.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein collecting the work data includes using at least one of an on-board module and an on-board component to collect the work data.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein collecting the work data includes using the at least one of an on-board module and an on-board component to collect parameter data relating to an operation of the first machine.

21. The method of claim 15, wherein collecting the work data includes collecting performance data representing at least one of fuel consumption, idle time, number of engine starts, weight of material transported, hours of operation, type of material manipulated by the first machine, terrain feature data, fluid related data, work site related data, and mileage traveled.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein providing operator utilization metrics includes determining the performance of a group of work machines including the first machine based on the indexed information.

23. The system of claim 15, wherein providing the operator utilization metrics includes analyzing the indexed information to determine the performance of at least one of:

the operator;

a group of operators that operate the first machine;

a group of machines that are of a similar type as the first machine;

an individual associated with at least one of the first machine and the first work site; and

the first work site.

24. The method of claim 15, wherein further including analyzing the indexed information determining the performance of a worksite.

25. The method of claim 15, wherein the work site characteristic includes at least one terrain characteristic of the first work site.

26. The method of claim 15, further including displaying the indexed work data at an operator interface at at least one of an on-board system located on the first machine and an off-board system located remote to the first machine.

27. The method of claim 15, wherein the processing system is an off-board system.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the off-board system collects second work data from a second machine and the method further includes:

indexing the work data and second work data to at least one of the first machine and second machine.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the method further includes providing the operator utilization metrics based on the indexed work data and second work data.

30. The method of claim 28, wherein the first machine and second machine operate in the first work site and the work data and second work data are indexed according to the type of first work site.

31. The method of claim 15, further including indexing a plurality of machine related parameters to the operator identification data.

32. A system for providing indexed machine utilization metrics, comprising:

means for identifying an operator of a first machine based on operator identification data;

means for collecting work data from the first machine;

means for generating indexed information reflecting an index of the collected work data to the operator identification data, and a work site characteristic of a first work site that the first machine is located in when operated by at least the operator at the first machine;

means for transmitting the indexed information to an off-board system; and

means for receiving the indexed information at the off-board system and providing operator utilization metrics based on the indexed information that reflects a quantitative performance value associated with at least one of the first machine and operator.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the processing system is an off-board system.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the off-board system collects second work data from a second machine and the system further includes:

means for indexing the work data and second work data to at least one of the first machine and second machine.

35. The system of claim 34, further includes means for providing the operator utilization metrics based on the indexed information.

36. The system of claim 33, wherein the first machine and second machine operate in the first work site and the work data and second work data are indexed according to the type of first work site.

37. The system of claim 32, wherein the means for indexing indexes a plurality of machine related parameters to the operator identification data.

38. A computer-readable media having computer executable instructions for performing steps, comprising:

identifying an operator of a first machine based on operator identification data;

collecting work data from the first machine;

generating indexed information reflecting an index of the collected work data to the operator identification data, and a work site characteristic of a first work site that the first machine is located in when operated by at least the operator with a processing device at the first machine

transmitting the indexed information to a processing system to provide operator utilization metrics based on the indexed information that reflects a quantitative performance value associated with at least one of the first machine and operator.

39. The computer-readable media of claim 38, further including instructions for collecting performance data representing at least one of fuel consumption, idle time, number of engine starts, weight of material transported, hours of operation, type of material manipulated by the first machine, terrain feature data, fluid related data, work site related data, and mileage traveled.

40. The computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein providing operator utilization metrics further includes determining the performance of a group of machines including the first machine based on the operator utilization metrics.

41. The computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein providing operator utilization metrics further includes determining the performance of the first worksite.

42. The computer-readable media of claim 38, wherein the work site characteristic includes at least one terrain characteristic of the first work site.

43. The computer-readable media of claim 38, further including instructions for displaying the indexed work data at an operator interface at least one of an on-board machine included in the first machine and an off-board system.

44. The computer-readable media of claim 38, further including instructions for indexing a plurality of machine related parameters to the operator identification data.