Maintenance request systems and methods

• US 7,418,366 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Abelman, Henry M., Algiene, Kenneth, Tonack, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Bui; Bryan
• Application Number:
  US11/506,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20070043536A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 702/183, 702/184, 702/185, 702/188, 340/870.01, 340/901, 340/998, 709/217, 700/108
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06

Abstract

A method for requesting one or more machines to be maintained includes monitoring the machine or machines and detecting when a failure of at least one machine occurs. The method further includes executing a computer program on an electronic terminal associated with the failed machine. The method further includes entering data relating to the condition of the failed machine into the computer program via the electronic terminal and transmitting the data to a database server, thereby initiating a process to alter the condition of the failed machine. In one embodiment of the method, the database server compiles historical data relating to the condition of the one or more machines. The historical information may be used in a predictive maintenance environment to further minimize downtime.

Claims

1. A system for coordinating the maintenance of a plurality of machines, comprising:

a computer terminal associated with each of the plurality of machines, wherein each computer terminal is configured to receive data relating to the condition of one of the machines;

a host computer configured to receive data on the condition of the machine from a computer terminal and store the data, wherein the host computer is configured to transmit an alert upon the receipt of data that indicates that one of the machines requires maintenance, wherein the alert is configured to initiate a process to alter the condition of the machine; and

a predictive maintenance computer, comprised by the host computer, programmed to receive and analyze the data and return predictive maintenance information to the computer terminal.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine a mean time between failures for a machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine a mean time to recover for a machine.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine an availability for a machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine a predicted lifetime for a component of a machine.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the host computer is further configured to return a suggested corrective measure based on the historical data.

6. A system for coordinating the maintenance of a plurality of machines, comprising:

a computer terminal associated with each of the plurality of machines, wherein each computer terminal is configured to receive data relating to the condition of one of the machines;

a host computer configured to receive data on the condition of the machine from a computer terminal and store the data, wherein the host computer is configured to transmit an alert upon the receipt of data that indicates that one of the machines requires maintenance, wherein the alert is configured to initiate a process to alter the condition of the machine; and

a predictive maintenance computer, comprised by the host computer, programmed to receive and analyze the data and return predictive maintenance information to the computer terminal;

wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine an average repair time for a machine.

8. A method of coordinating the maintenance of a plurality of machines, comprising:

monitoring, by a machine attendant, each of the plurality of machines;

detecting, by the machine attendant, a failure of at least one of the machines;

entering data, by the machine attendant, relating to the condition of the failed machine into a computer terminal associated with the failed machine;

transmitting the data to a host computer system, thereby initiating a process to alter the condition of the failed machine;

storing the data at the host computer system; and

at the host computer system, analyzing the data to develop predictive maintenance information.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the data includes calculating a mean time between failures for a machine.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the data includes calculating a mean time to recover for a machine.

11. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the data includes calculating an availability for a machine.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein analyzing the data includes calculating a predicted lifetime for a component of a machine.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising using the predictive maintenance information to schedule machines for maintenance.

14. The method of claim 8, further comprising predictive maintenance information to determine machine operator training requirements.

15. A method of coordinating the maintenance of a plurality of machines, comprising:

monitoring, by a machine attendant, each of the plurality of machines;

detecting, by the machine attendant, a failure of at least one of the machines;

entering data, by the machine attendant, relating to the condition of the failed machine into a computer terminal associated with the failed machine;

transmitting the data to a host computer system, thereby initiating a process to alter the condition of the failed machine;

storing the data at the host computer system; and

at the host computer system, analyzing the data to develop predictive maintenance information;

wherein analyzing the data includes calculating an average repair time for a machine.

16. A method for requesting one or more machines to be maintained, comprising:

monitoring, by a machine attendant, the machine or machines;

detecting, by the machine attendant, that a failure of at least one machine has occurred;

entering data, by the machine attendant, relating to the condition of the failed machine into an electronic terminal associated with the failed machine; and

at the electronic terminal, receiving a suggested corrective measure to alter the condition of the failed machine, wherein the corrective measure comprises a graphical representation of the failed machine.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the corrective measure comprises a graphical representation of the location on the failed machine where the corrective measure should be applied.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising applying the suggested corrective measure to the failed machine.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising entering information indicating that the suggested corrective measure failed to correct the condition of the failed machine.