Method and apparatus for data acquisition, data management, and report generation for tractor trailer subsystem testing and maintenance

• US 8,571,751 B1
• Filed: 11/01/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lite-Check Fleet Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Lite-Check Fleet Solutions, Inc.
• Inventors: Blair, Robert Marion
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH-STEWART, DEMETRA R
• Application Number:
  US13/666,793
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/32.8
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 17/007 Wheeled or endless-tracked vehicles G01M17/08 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

Techniques for operating, testing, and generating a testing report for the electrical and air subsystems of a vehicular trailer, without the use of an associated truck tractor are disclosed. The system includes a portable testing unit with self-powered electrical and air subsystems which are interconnected to the corresponding subsystems of the vehicular trailer under test. The portable testing unit can be rolled about on a stand and functions as a mini-truck tractor, in the sense that it selectively provides electrical power and air to the VUT. The testing unit is controlled by a small, portable hand held radio frequency remote control that communicates test and data signals to a radio receiver in the portable testing unit. The system acquires testing data from both automatic and manual means from disparate sources. The system stores the testing data and automatically generates testing reports. The system manages the testing data and generated reports.

Claims

1. A method for data acquisition, data management, and report generation for testing systems of a vehicle, the method comprising:

coupling a portable testing unit to a plurality of subsystems of the vehicle via a connector, wherein the plurality of subsystems includes at least an electrical subsystem and a pneumatic subsystem and wherein the portable testing unit includes an electrical power supply and a pneumatic power supply;

operating a selected subsystem of the plurality of subsystems by selectively delivering electrical and pneumatic power from at least one of the electrical power supply or the pneumatic power supply to the selected subsystem through the connector, wherein the selected subsystem includes at least one of an electrical light component or a pneumatic brake mechanism;

capturing raw test data in a first electronic file, wherein the raw test data is generated in response to the operation of the selected subsystem and encodes information relating to the operational performance of the selected subsystem and wherein the raw data test data includes at least one of voltage, amperage, or air pressure;

analyzing a data stream with a processor device, wherein the data stream includes the raw test data and historical test data of the vehicle or a plurality of vehicles of which the vehicle is a member;

generating a processed data set based on the analysis of the data stream;

generating a final test report with the processor device based on at least the processed data set; and

storing the final test report in a second electronic file.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the portable testing unit includes a first RF transceiver and is operated by a hand-held operating device which includes a second RF transceiver, wherein the portable testing unit and the hand-held operating device are configured to communicate by employing the respective RF transceivers.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the data stream includes auxiliary information acquired at least in part via a user manually providing information to the portable testing unit or a hand-held operating device.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the raw test data is determined based on a plurality of data signals received at the portable testing unit through the connector.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

transmitting the data stream to an analysis server, wherein the analysis server analyzes the data stream and generates the final test report.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the final test report is based at least in part on the historical information.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising automatically generating a report specifying a work order or acquisition of a replacement part based at least in part on the processed data set.

8. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium for storing computer-executable instructions for configuring a computing system to acquire data and generate reports for automatically testing systems of a vehicle, by a method comprising:

coupling a portable testing unit to a plurality of subsystems of the vehicle via a connector, wherein the plurality of subsystems includes at least an electrical subsystem and a pneumatic subsystem and wherein the portable testing unit includes an electrical power supply and a pneumatic power supply;

operating a selected subsystem of the plurality of subsystems by selectively delivering electrical and pneumatic power from at least one of the electrical power supply or the pneumatic power supply to the selected subsystem through the connector, wherein the selected subsystem includes at least one of an electrical light component or a pneumatic brake mechanism;

capturing raw test data in a first electronic file, wherein the raw test data is generated in response to the operation of the selected subsystem and encodes information relating to the operational performance of the selected subsystem and wherein the raw data test data includes at least one of voltage, amperage, or air pressure;

analyzing a data stream with a processor device, wherein the data stream includes the raw test data and historical test data of the vehicle or a plurality of vehicles of which the vehicle is a member;

generating a processed data set based on the analysis of the data stream;

generating a final test report with the processor device based on at least the processed data set; and

storing the final test report in a second electronic file.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the portable testing unit includes a first RF transceiver and is operated by a hand-held operating device which includes a second RF transceiver, wherein the portable testing unit and the hand-held operating device are configured to communicate by employing the respective RF transceivers.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the data stream includes auxiliary information acquired at least in part via a user manually providing information to the portable testing unit or a hand-held operating device.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the raw test data is determined based on a plurality of data signals received at the portable testing unit through the connector.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 further comprising:

transmitting the data stream to an analysis server, wherein the analysis server analyzes the data stream and generates the final test report.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8 wherein the final test report is based at least in part on of the historical information.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, further comprising automatically generating a report specifying a work order or acquisition of a replacement part based on the processed data set.

15. A portable testing unit for testing systems of a vehicle, the portable testing unit comprising:

an electrical testing subsystem;

a pneumatic testing subsystem;

a connector configured to couple the electrical testing subsystem and the pneumatic testing subsystem to a plurality of subsystems of the vehicle;

wherein the portable testing unit is configured to;

operate a selected subsystem of the plurality of subsystems by selectively delivering electrical or pneumatic power from at least one of an electrical power supply or a pneumatic power supply to the selected subsystem through the connector, wherein the selected subsystem includes at least one of an electrical light component or a pneumatic brake, mechanism; and

capture raw test data in a first electronic file, wherein the raw test data is generated in response to the operation of the selected subsystem and encodes information relating to the operational performance of the selected subsystem and wherein the raw test data includes at least one of voltage, amperage, or air pressure; and

a processor configured to;

analyze a data stream, wherein the data stream comprises the raw test data and historical test data;

generate a processed data set based on the analysis of the data stream;

generate a final test report based on at least the processed data set and a characterization of the subsystem; and

store the final test report in a second electronic file.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the portable testing unit includes a first RF transceiver and is operated by a hand-held operating device which includes a second RF transceiver, wherein the portable testing unit and the hand-held operating device are configured to communicate by employing the respective RF transceivers.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the data stream includes auxiliary information acquired at least in part via a user manually providing information to the portable testing unit or a hand-held operating device.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein the raw test data is determined based on a plurality of data signals received at the portable testing unit through the connector.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to transmit the data stream to an analysis server, wherein the analysis server analyzes the data stream and generates the final test report.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically generate a report specifying a work order or acquisition of a replacement part based on the processed data set.