Machine operational data collection and reporting system

• US 7,693,633 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2005
• Issued: 04/06/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: McNealy, Anthony D., Donnelli, Aaron M., Wood, Daniel C., Ferguson, Alan L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beaulieu; Yonel
• Application Number:
  US11/287,343
• Publication Number:
  US 20070124050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 701213-215, 701/23, 340/988, 342/357.06, 342/357.12
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/205 Remotely operated machines, e.g. unmanned vehicles E02F3/8866 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A data system for work machines is disclosed. The data system has a first communication device associated with a first work machine, and a second communication device associated with a second work machine. The data system also has an offboard system in communication with the first and second communication devices. The offboard system is configured to request a first data transmission from the first work machine in response to a second data transmission being received from the second work machine.

Claims

1. A data system, comprising:

a first communication device associated with a first machine;

a second communication device associated with a second machine; and

an offboard system in communication with the first and second communication devices, the offboard system being configured to receive a first data transmission from the first machine and to request a second data transmission from the second machine only in response to receiving the first data transmission from the first machine.

2. The data system of claim 1, wherein the first data transmission includes operational information associated with the first machine and the second data transmission includes operational information associated with the second machine.

3. The data system of claim 2, further including at least a first sensor associated with the first machine and at least a second sensor associated with the second machine, wherein the operational information associated with the first machine is collected by the at least a first sensor and the operational information associated with the second machine is collected by the at least a second sensor.

4. The data system of claim 2, wherein the offboard system is configured to request the first data transmission only in response to a dependency definition associated with the operational information of the second machine being satisfied.

5. The data system of claim 4, wherein the dependency definition is manually set.

6. The data system of claim 4, wherein the dependency definition is associated with progress of the second machine in completion of a predetermined task.

7. The data system of claim 4, wherein the dependency definition is associated with an accumulated fuel consumption by the second machine.

8. The data system of claim 1, wherein the first and second data transmissions are communicated wirelessly.

9. The data system of claim 4, wherein the dependency definition is associated with a travel speed of the second machine.

10. A method of reporting data, comprising:

providing a first communication device associated with a first machine, a second communication device associated with a second machine, and an offboard system in communication with the first and second communication devices; and

receiving, into the offboard system, a first data transmission from the first machine; and

requesting, via the offboard system, a second data transmission from a second machine only in response to receiving the first data transmission from the first machine.

11. The method of claim 10, further including collecting operational information from the first machine and collecting operational information from the second machine, wherein the first and second data transmissions include the operational information collected from the first and second machines, respectively.

12. The method of claim 11, further including comparing the operational information collected from the first machine to a dependency definition and only requesting the second data transmission when the dependency definition has been satisfied.

13. The method of claim 11, further including receiving the dependency definition via a user interface.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the dependency definition is associated with progress of a predetermined task by the second machine.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the dependency definition is associated with an accumulated fuel consumption by the second machine.

16. The method of claim 12, wherein the dependency definition is associated with a travel speed of the second machine.