Automated part procurement and service dispatch

• US 7,295,896 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2006
• Issued: 11/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: York International Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: York International Corporation (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Norbeck, Dean K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard; Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp; Chad
• Application Number:
  US11/388,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20070225849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 700/101, 700/107, 700/175, 700/177, 700/214, 700/276
• US Class Current: 700/276
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/30 for purposes related to the operation of the system, e.g. for safety or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/38 Failure diagnosis
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/52 Indication arrangements, e.g. displays
• CPC Class Codes: F24F 11/56 Remote control

Abstract

A method for repairing an HVAC system is disclosed. The method includes monitoring a plurality of sensors positioned throughout the HVAC system and receiving data associated therewith, determining whether the data received from the plurality of sensors is within corresponding predetermined operational parameters, analyzing data determined to be outside the corresponding predetermined operational parameters to diagnose a malfunction of the HVAC system, accessing an on-board bill of materials to determine a proper replacement part to correct the malfunction, automatically ordering the replacement part, and automatically dispatching a service technician to install the replacement part.

Claims

1. A method for repairing an HVAC system comprising the steps of:

monitoring a plurality of sensors positioned throughout the HVAC system and receiving data associated therewith;

determining whether the data received from the plurality of sensors is within corresponding predetermined operational parameters;

conducting a diagnosis of the HVAC system to identify a malfunction of the HVAC system in response to having data determined to be outside the corresponding predetermined operational parameters;

accessing an on-board bill of materials to determine a proper replacement part to correct the malfunction;

automatically ordering the replacement part; and

automatically dispatching a service technician to install the replacement part.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically ordering the replacement part comprises

initiating a communication to a parts center via a communications port, and

ordering the replacement part from the parts center for delivery to the HVAC system.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising

determining an arrival date of the ordered replacement part at a location of the HVAC system from a first parts center.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising

determining whether an HVAC system failure will occur prior to the determined arrival date.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising

dispatching a service technician to the HVAC system before the determined arrival date in response to determining the HVAC system failure will occur prior to the determined arrival date.

6. The method of claim 3, further comprising

canceling an automatically ordered replacement part from a first parts center and automatically ordering a replacement part from a second parts center in response to determining the arrival date from the first parts center.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring a plurality of sensors comprises monitoring sensors selected from the group consisting of temperature sensors, pressure sensors, vibration sensors, current sensors, voltages sensors, and combinations thereof.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of automatically ordering the replacement part comprises

electronically ordering the replacement part from a parts center.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of

automatically advising a point of contact associated with the HVAC system of the HVAC system malfunction.

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising

recording a log of the data determined to be outside the corresponding predetermined operational parameters.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising

remotely accessing, by a service technician, the log of the data determined to be outside the corresponding predetermined operational parameters.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising

updating the on-board bill of materials to include the replacement part.

13. A system for automatically procuring parts and dispatching a service technician to repair an HVAC system comprising:

a plurality of sensors positioned throughout the HVAC system; and

an HVAC system control center in communication with the plurality of sensors, the control center comprising a microprocessor, a memory and a communications port, wherein the microprocessor comprises computer instructions to execute the steps of;

monitoring data received from the plurality of sensors,

comparing the received data against pre-determined operational parameters,

analyzing data outside of the operational parameters to determine an HVAC system malfunction,

accessing a bill of replaceable materials from the memory to identify a replacement part based on the data analysis to correct the HVAC system malfunction,

initiating a call to a parts center via the communications port to order the replacement part, and

initiating a call via the communications port to dispatch a service technician to install the replacement part.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the plurality of sensors are selected from the group consisting of temperature sensors, pressure sensors, vibration sensors, current sensors, voltage sensors, and combinations thereof.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the HVAC system control center further comprises a display screen.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein payment and contact information associated with the HVAC system is stored in the memory.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein contact information for multiple pre-selected parts centers is stored in the memory.

18. A method for repairing an HVAC system comprising:

monitoring a plurality of sensors positioned throughout the HVAC system and receiving data associated therewith;

determining whether the data received from the plurality of sensors is within corresponding predetermined operational parameters;

conducting a diagnosis of the HVAC system to identify a malfunction of the HVAC system in response to having data determined to be outside the corresponding predetermined operational parameters;

accessing an on-board bill of replaceable materials to determine a proper replacement part to correct the malfunction;

initiating a communication to a first parts center via a communications port;

ordering the replacement part from the first parts center for delivery to the HVAC system;

determining an arrival date of the replacement part at a location of the HVAC system; and

dispatching a service technician to the location of the HVAC system to install the replacement part after its determined arrival date.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of

determining whether an HVAC system failure will occur prior to the determined arrival date.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising

dispatching a service technician to the HVAC system before the determined arrival date in response to determining the HVAC system failure will occur prior to the determined arrival date.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising

canceling the automatically ordered replacement part from the first parts center and automatically ordering a replacement part from a second parts center in response to determining the arrival date from the first parts center.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein the monitoring a plurality of sensors comprises monitoring sensors selected from the group consisting of temperature sensors, pressure sensors, vibration sensors, current sensors, voltage sensors, and combinations thereof.

23. The method of claim 18 further comprising recording a log of data monitored, wherein the step of analyzing data includes analyzing the recorded log of data monitored.