Self-configurable information management system

• US 7,493,482 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2005
• Issued: 02/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Johnson, Stuart Clayton, Ring, Paul Alan, Wallis, Michael James
• Primary Examiner(s): Du; Tuan N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US11/312,437
• Publication Number:
  US 20070143585A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,154 Days
• Field of Search: 713/1
• US Class Current: 713/1
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/26 Indicating devices E02F5/145 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/267 Diagnosing or detecting failure of vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25056 Automatic configuration of monitoring, control system as function of operator input, events
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25061 Configuration stored in central database
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25103 Detect during start, number of modules, groups, sub groups
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/25297 Identify controlled element, valve, and read characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2663 Tractor
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/2667 Crane

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for automatically configuring an information management system of a work machine. A configuration method for an information management system includes requesting configuration data associated with one or more control modules. The method also includes receiving the configuration data associated with the one or more control modules in response to the request. The method further includes updating an information management system based on the received configuration data, wherein the update defines one or more operating parameters associated with the information management system.

Claims

1. A method for configuring an information management system of a machine, comprising:

requesting configuration data associated with a current configuration or status of one or more control modules associated with a machine;

receiving the configuration data associated with the one or more control modules in response to the request; and

updating a configuration of the information management system based on the received configuration data, wherein updating a configuration of the information management system includes;

identifying one or more components associated with each of the one or more control modules;

identifying one or more operational characteristics associated with the identified components;

determining a machine configuration based on at least one of the identified components and the identified operational characteristics associated with the identified components; and

configuring the information management system to collect operation data associated with the one or more control modules based on the machine configuration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the configuration data further includes:

detecting the one or more control modules upon activation of the machine; and

extracting configuration data from the one or more control modules.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein updating the information management system includes automatically configuring information management system to:

collect operation data from the one or more control modules based on the configuration data associated with the one or more control modules; and

transmit the operation data to an external system.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters include identifying information associated with one or more components operatively coupled to the control module.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating parameters include identifying information associated with one or more operational characteristics collected by the control module.

6. The method of claim 1, further including automatically requesting the configuration data from the one or more control modules upon activation of the machine.

7. The method of claim 1, further including automatically detecting changes in configuration data associated with the one or more control modules and further updating the information management system in response to the detected changes.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the information management system includes a software program loaded in a computer-readable storage medium associated with one of the one or more control modules.

9. An information management system for a machine, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium including instructions that, when executed by a processor, are configured to;

request configuration data associated with one or more control modules associated with a machine;

receive the configuration data associated with the one or more control modules in response to the request; and

update a configuration of itself based on the received configuration data, wherein the update includes;

identifying one or more components associated with each of the one or more control modules;

identifying one or more operational characteristics associated with the identified components;

determining a machine configuration based on at least one of the identified components and the identified operational characteristics associated with the identified components; and

configuring the information management system to collect operation data associated with the one or more control modules based the machine configuration.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein receiving the configuration data further includes:

detecting the one or more control modules upon activation of the machine; and

extracting configuration data from the one or more control modules.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein updating the information management system includes automatically configuring information management system to:

collect operation data from the one or more control modules based on the configuration data associated with the one or more control modules; and

transmit the operation data to an external system.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more operating parameters include identifying information associated with one or more components operatively coupled to the control module.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the one or more operating parameters include identifying information associated with one or more operational characteristics collected by the control module.

14. The system of claim 9, further including automatically requesting the configuration data from the one or more control modules upon activation of the machine.

15. The system of claim 9, further including automatically detecting changes in configuration data associated with the one or more control modules and further updating the information management system in response to the detected changes.

16. The system of claim 9, wherein the information management system includes a software program loaded in a computer-readable storage medium associated with one of the one or more control modules.

17. A machine, comprising:

one or more control modules configured to collect operation data associated with one or more components associated with the machine;

an information management system configured to;

request configuration data associated with one or more control modules associated with a machine;

receive the configuration data associated with the one or more control modules in response to the request; and

update a configuration of itself based on the received configuration data, wherein the update includes;

identifying the one or more components associated with each of the one or more control modules;

identifying one or more operational characteristics associated with the identified components;

determining a machine configuration based on at least one of the identified components and the identified operational characteristics associated with the identified components; and

configuring the information management system to collect operation data associated with the one or more control modules based on the machine configuration.

18. The machine of claim 17, wherein receiving the configuration data further includes:

detecting the one or more control modules upon activation of the machine; and

extracting configuration data from the one or more control modules.

19. The machine of claim 17, wherein updating the information management system includes automatically configuring information management system to:

collect operation data from the one or more control modules based on the configuration data associated with the one or more control modules; and

transmit the operation data to an external system.

20. The machine of claim 17, wherein the one or more operating parameters include identifying information associated with the one or more components operatively coupled to the control module.

21. The machine of claim 17, wherein the one or more operating parameters include identifying information associated with one or more operational characteristics collected by the control module.

22. The machine of claim 17, further including automatically requesting the configuration data from the one or more control modules upon activation of the machine.

23. The machine of claim 17, further including automatically detecting changes in configuration data associated with the one or more control modules and further updating the information management system in response to the detected changes.

24. The machine of claim 17, wherein the information management system includes a software program loaded in a computer-readable storage medium associated with one of the one or more control modules.