Equipment monitoring system and method

• US 7,272,538 B2
• Filed: 05/10/2005
• Issued: 09/18/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fleetwatcher, LLC
• Original Assignee: Earthwave Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Baker, Lawrence G., Paredes, Michael V.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Application Number:
  US11/126,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20050249333A1
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 702185-186, 702/188, 702/183, 702/180, 340/539.11, 34053913-53914, 379/29.01, 379/29.09, 379/32.01, 700/11, 700/36, 701/29, 701/33
• US Class Current: 702/186
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/00 Measuring or testing not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 9/005 Solid-state data loggers
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/08 Registering or indicating the production of the machine either with or without registering working or idle time
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/20 Monitoring the location of vehicles belonging to a group, e.g. fleet of vehicles, countable or determined number of vehicles

Abstract

A system for monitoring a piece of equipment is provided. The system comprises a monitoring device that is associated with the equipment and configured to detect data relating to the operation of the equipment. A communication network is adapted to communicate the data to a server based on a signal received from the monitoring device, and an access device is connected to the communication network and configured to provide the data to an end-user for determining whether the equipment is operating effectively. The monitoring device is adapted to detect when the equipment is moving.

Claims

1. A system for monitoring a piece of heavy equipment, comprising:

a monitoring device associated with the heavy equipment and configured to detect data relating to the operation of the heavy equipment;

a communication network adapted to communicate the data to a server based on a signal received from the monitoring device; and

an access device connected to the communication network and configured to provide the data to an end-user for determining whether the heavy equipment is operating effectively, and

wherein the monitoring device is adapted to detect when the heavy equipment is moving about the earth via an engine of the heavy equipment.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device comprises a sensor adapted to detect one or more data parameters relating to the operation of the heavy equipment.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect when the engine of the heavy equipment is running.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the access device is configured to provide a comparison between when the engine is running and when the heavy equipment is being used.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device comprises a transmitter configured to transmit the data to the communication network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the communication network communicates the data to the server through an Internet connection.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the access device comprises a computer.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the monitoring device further comprises a controller configured to receive the signal.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the controller further comprises an antenna in communication with a satellite and configured to determine position and velocity of the heavy equipment through a triangulation process.

10. A method for monitoring a piece of heavy equipment, comprising:

(a) detecting data relating to the operation of the heavy equipment through a monitoring device associated with the heavy equipment, the monitoring device being adapted to detect when the heavy equipment is moving about the earth via an engine of the heavy equipment;

(b) communicating the data from the monitoring device to a server by way of a communication network;

(c) providing the data to an access device accessible by an end-user for determining whether the heavy equipment is operating effectively; and

(d) the access device generating a report from the data regarding movement of the heavy equipment about the earth.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein step (a) comprises detecting one or more data parameters relating to the operation of the heavy equipment with a sensor associated with the monitoring device.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect when the heavy equipment is moving.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein moving comprises a speed of greater than zero mph for the heavy equipment.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect when the heavy equipment is idling.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein idling comprises a speed of zero mph for the heavy equipment.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the sensor is adapted to detect when the engine associated with the heavy equipment is running.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the step (b) comprises transmitting the data to the communication network by way of a controller associated with the monitoring device.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the controller further comprises an antenna in communication with a satellite and configured to determine the position and velocity of the heavy equipment through a triangulation process.

19. The method of claim 10, wherein the access device is further configured to provide a comparison between when the engine is running and when the heavy equipment is being used.

20. The method of claim 10, wherein the communication network communicates the data to the server through an Internet connection.

21. The method of claim 10, wherein the access device comprises a computer.

22. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of generating a report relating to the operation of the heavy equipment.