Utilizing historical data in an asset management environment

• US 8,645,176 B2
• Filed: 05/07/2007
• Issued: 02/04/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 10/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Trimble Navigation Limited (Trimble Inc.)
• Inventors: Walton, Paul, Howard, Craig, Cooper, Nicki
• Primary Examiner(s): Zeender, Ryan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Amsdell, Dana
• Application Number:
  US11/801,019
• Publication Number:
  US 20080086321A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,465 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/219 Managing data history or versioning querying versioned data G06F16/2474; querying temporal data G06F16/2477
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/288 Entity relationship models
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9017 using directory or table look-up use of a directory or look-up table in file systems G06F16/13
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0645 Rental transactions; Leasing transactions

Abstract

A method and system for utilizing historical data in an asset management environment are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a method generates an asset information report from a database, wherein the asset information report comprises at least a portion of real-time information about the asset when the real-time information about the asset is available. In addition, the asset information report is augmented by extrapolating at least a portion of historical asset information stored at the database when at least a portion of the real-time information is not available.

Claims

1. A method for utilizing historical data in an asset management environment, said method comprising:

generating, by a computer system, an asset information report from a database, wherein said asset information report comprises at least a portion of real-time information about said asset when said real-time information about said asset is available; and

augmenting, by said computer system, said asset information report by extrapolating at least a portion of historical asset information stored at said database when at least a portion of said real-time information is not available and including the extrapolated historical asset information with said real-time information in said asset information report.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

accessing said database populated with information from a first reporting source about an asset and information from a second reporting source about said asset.

3. The method as recited in claim 2 wherein said information from a reporting source about an asset comprises:

receiving location information about said asset.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 wherein said receiving information from a reporting source about an asset comprises:

receiving operation information about said asset.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said extrapolating at least a portion of historical asset information comprises:

extrapolating location information about said asset.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said extrapolating at least a portion of historical asset information comprises:

extrapolating operation information about said asset.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 wherein said asset comprises an asset selected from the group of assets consisting of:

dozer, grader, excavator, scraper, compactor loader, articulated dump truck, haul truck, dump truck, paver, and staker.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing said extrapolating of at least a portion of said historical asset information stored at said database to trigger a missed event.

9. The method as recited in claim 1 further comprising:

utilizing said extrapolating of at least a portion of said historical asset information stored at said database to trigger a maintenance event.

10. An asset information report generator comprising:

a computer system with a processor and a memory, said memory having stored therein;

a data provider configured to provide present data about an asset;

a historical data extrapolator configured to provide extrapolated data about an asset based on historical asset data stored in a database; and

a report generator configured to generate an asset information report about at least one asset, said asset report generator utilizing said extrapolated data about said asset in said asset information report when at least one portion of said real-time data about said asset is absent and including the extrapolated historical asset information with said real-time information in said asset information report.

11. The asset information report generator of claim 10 wherein said present data about said asset is received from said database.

12. The asset information report generator of claim 10 wherein said data about said asset comprises location information about said asset;

and operation information about said asset.

13. The asset information report generator of claim 11 wherein said database is populated with a first portion of information about an asset from a first reporting source and a second portion of information about said asset from a second reporting source.

14. The asset information report generator of claim 10 wherein said present data is real-time data.

15. The asset information report generator of claim 10 wherein said present data is near-real-time data.

16. The asset information report generator of claim 10 wherein said extrapolated data about said asset provided in said asset information report triggers a missed event.

17. The asset information report generator of claim 10 wherein said extrapolated data about said asset provided in said asset information report triggers a maintenance event.

18. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having instructions stored thereon which, when executed, cause a processor to perform a method for utilizing historical data in an asset management environment, said method comprising:

accessing a database populated with information from a first reporting source about an asset and information from a second reporting source about said asset;

generating an asset information report from said database, wherein said asset information report comprises at least a portion of real-time information about said asset when said real-time information about said asset is available; and

augmenting said asset information report by extrapolating at least a portion of historical asset information stored at said database when at least a portion of said real-time information is not available and including the extrapolated historical asset information with said real-time information in said asset information report.

19. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 wherein said extrapolating at least a portion of historical asset information comprises:

extrapolating location information about said asset.

20. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 wherein said extrapolating at least a portion of historical asset information comprises:

extrapolating operation information about said asset.

21. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 further comprising instructions for:

utilizing said extrapolating of at least a portion of said historical asset information stored at said database to trigger a missed event.

22. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium as recited in claim 18 further comprising instructions for:

utilizing said extrapolating of at least a portion of said historical asset information stored at said database to trigger a maintenance event.