Automated part procurement and service dispatch

• US 7,424,345 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2007
• Issued: 09/09/2008
• 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): DeCady; Albert
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rapp; Chad
• Application Number:
  US11/872,430
• Publication Number:
  US 20080033600A1
• Time in Patent Office: 330 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;

receiving data associated with the sensors outside of predetermined operational parameters;

identifying a malfunction of the HVAC system corresponding to the received data outside of the corresponding predetermined operational parameters;

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

automatically ordering the replacement part; and

automatically dispatching a service technician to repair the HVAC system.

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 the location of the HVAC system from a first parts center;

and

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

4. The method of claim 3, 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.

5. 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.

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

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

electronically ordering the replacement part from a parts center.

8. 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.

9. The method of claim 1 further comprising

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

and

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

10. The method of claim 1 further comprising

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