Haul road maintenance management system

• US 8,145,513 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Villalobos, Oscar Ernesto, Brewster, Peter John
• Primary Examiner(s): RANKINS, WILLIAM E
• Application Number:
  US11/529,515
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,006 Days
• Field of Search: 705/8, 705/7.11, 705/7.12, 701/1, 701/29
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/02 Agriculture; Fishing; Forestry; Mining
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/08 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/40 Business processes related to the transportation industry shipping G06Q10/083
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A haul road maintenance management system has a vehicle diagnostic module located onboard a haul vehicle and a database, which stores historical repair data relating to the haul vehicle. The haul road maintenance management system also has a controller in communication with the vehicle diagnostic module and the database. The controller is configured to analyze data from the vehicle diagnostic module and the database, and recommend road maintenance in response to the analysis.

Claims

1. A haul road maintenance management system, comprising:

a vehicle diagnostic module located on board a haul vehicle;

a database having historical repair data of the haul vehicle stored therein;

a controller in communication with the vehicle diagnostic module and the database;

analyzing, by the controller, the historical repair data of the haul vehicle and data from the vehicle diagnostic module; and

recommending, by the controller, road maintenance in response to the analysis.

2. The system of claim 1, further including a scheduling module associated with at least one road repairing vehicle, wherein the recommendation is further based on a schedule of the at least one road repairing vehicle.

3. The system of claim 1, further including a road monitoring module located on board a road monitoring vehicle, wherein the recommendation is further based on data from the road monitoring module.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the recommendation of road maintenance is prioritized based on the severity of the road damage.

5. The system of claim 1, further including a data logging means located in an operator cab of the haul vehicle, the data logging means configured to record an operator input relating to a road condition, wherein the recommendation is further based on the operator input.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the vehicle diagnostic module monitors a performance of the haul vehicle and a condition of a haul road.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the performance includes at least one of a payload weight and a speed of the haul vehicle.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the condition includes at least a coordinate location of the haul vehicle and a grade of the haul road.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis includes an economic analysis on the cost and benefit trade-offs of a road repair.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the analysis includes the cost of delaying a road repair.

11. The system of claim 1 wherein a result of the analysis includes a performance metric that indicates effectiveness of the haul road maintenance management system.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the performance metric includes at least one of an average time between reported defects, an average time to repair a defect, a cost per distance of haul vehicle operation, and a cost per area of haulage road maintenance.

13. A computer-implemented method for haul road maintenance management, comprising:

receiving vehicle performance data;

receiving road condition data;

receiving vehicle repair data;

analyzing, using a processor of the computer, vehicle performance data, the road condition data, and the vehicle repair data; and

recommending, through an output device of the computer, road maintenance based on the analysis.

14. The method of claim 13, further including receiving repair vehicle scheduling data, wherein the recommending is further based on the scheduling data.

15. The method of claim 13, further including prioritizing the recommended road maintenance based on data that indicates severe road damage.

16. The method of claim 13, further including automatically initiating a road repair based on the recommended road maintenance.

17. The method of claim 13, further including receiving worksite forecast information, wherein analysis is further based on the worksite forecast information.

18. The method of claim 13, further including generating a performance metric that indicates the effectiveness of the haul road maintenance management system.

19. A haul road maintenance management system, comprising:

A haul truck having an onboard diagnostic module, wherein the diagnostic module monitors at least a performance of the haul truck;

A service truck configured to monitor a haul road condition;

A scheduling module that includes an availability of one or more road repair machines;

A database that includes a repair history of the haul truck; and

A control system configured to analyze at least the haul truck performance, haul road condition, the repair history, and the availability of one or more road repair machines and recommend road repairs based on the analysis.

20. The haul road maintenance management system of claim 19, wherein the analysis includes an economic analysis on the cost and benefit trade-offs of the road repairs.