System for providing dynamic group and service assignments

• US 8,706,095 B2
• Filed: 04/01/2005
• Issued: 04/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ram, Satish N., McCloskey, Robert D., Sims, Loyle H. III
• Primary Examiner(s): Edouard, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): HEIBER, SHANTELL LAKETA
• Application Number:
  US11/097,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20060223525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,308 Days
• Field of Search: 455/425, 455/456.1, 455/456.5, 455/456.6, 455/414.2, 455/456.3, 455/423, 701/29, 701/30, 701/33.2, 701/34.2, 701/34.3, 701/34.4, 701/29.1
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/04 Forecasting or optimisation specially adapted for administrative or management purposes, e.g. linear programming or "cutting stock problem" market predictions or forecasting for commercial activities G06Q30/0202
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management

Abstract

System for providing dynamic group and service assignments. In one embodiment, a method is provided for dynamically assigning regional groups and service providers to provide services for equipment. The method includes determining that the equipment has moved into a selected regional group, and assigning the equipment to the selected regional group. The method also includes selecting a service provider associated with the selected regional group, and assigning the service provider to provide services for the equipment.

Claims

1. A method for dynamically assigning regional groups and service providers to provide maintenance and repair services for heavy equipment, the method comprising:

receiving, at a hub apparatus, position information of the heavy equipment, the heavy equipment being previously assigned to a first selected regional group corresponding to a first geographic region and previously assigned to a corresponding first service provider for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment associated with the first selected regional group;

determining that the heavy equipment has moved from the first geographic region to a second geographic region, based on the position information received from the heavy equipment;

assigning the heavy equipment to a second selected regional group triggered by the determining step;

selecting a second service provider to provide the maintenance and repair services for the heavy equipment in the second selected regional group;

assigning the second service provider to provide the maintenance and repair services for the heavy equipment in the second selected regional group; and

transmitting, from the hub apparatus and based on the assigning of the second service provider, un-assignment information to the first service provider via a data network, wherein the un-assignment information informs the first service provider that the first service provider is no longer responsible for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the heavy equipment comprises updating the position information in database.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of selecting comprises selecting the second service provider from a database that relates one or more service providers to the second selected regional group.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the second service provider comprises transmitting assignment information to the second service provider via the data network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of assigning the heavy equipment comprises updating regional group un-assignment information in a database.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining one or more regional groups wherein each of the one or more regional groups is associated with one or more service providers for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising notifying a third party about the selected second regional group and the second service provider for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining whether a parameter associated with the heavy equipment indicates that the heavy equipment should be statically or dynamically assigned to a regional group and a service provider; and

wherein performing the assigning of the second selected regional group and the assigning of the second service provider is based on the parameter indicating that the heavy equipment should be dynamically assigned.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a virtual fence around the heavy equipment when the heavy equipment is at a particular location;

wherein receiving the position information further comprises receiving at a first rate when the heavy equipment is within the virtual fence and at a second rate greater than the first rate when the heavy equipment is outside of the virtual fence.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a virtual fence around the heavy equipment when the heavy equipment is at a particular location;

wherein receiving the position information further comprises only receiving when the heavy equipment is outside of the virtual fence.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

creating a virtual fence around the heavy equipment when the heavy equipment is at a particular location;

wherein receiving the position information further comprises receiving when the heavy equipment is moved across the virtual fence; and

receiving status information relating to the heavy equipment when the heavy equipment is moved across the virtual fence.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the position information further comprises receiving based on a trigger event corresponding to at least one of engine hours, or engine temperature, or oil pressure, each of the heavy equipment.

13. A hub apparatus for dynamically assigning regional groups and service providers to provide maintenance and repair services for heavy equipment, the apparatus comprising:

a transceiver receive position information of the heavy equipment, the heavy equipment being previously assigned to a first selected regional group corresponding to a first geographic region and previously assigned to a corresponding first service provider for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment associated with the first selected regional group;

a processor configured to;

determine that the heavy equipment has moved from a first geographic region to a second geographic region, based on the position information received from the heavy equipment;

assign the heavy equipment to a second selected regional group, triggered by determining that the heavy equipment has moved from the first geographic region to the second geographic region;

select a second service provider to provide the maintenance and repair services for the heavy equipment in the second selected regional group;

assign the second service provider to provide the maintenance and repair services for the heavy equipment in the second selected regional group; and

wherein the transmitter is further configured to transmit, from the hub apparatus and based on the assigning of the second service provider, un-assignment information to the first service provider via a data network, wherein the un-assignment information informs the first service provider that the first service provider is no longer responsible for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a database, wherein the processor is further configured to assign the heavy equipment by updating the position information in the database.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a database that relates one or more service providers to the selected regional group, wherein the processor is further configured to select the second service provider from the database.

16. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to assign the second service provider by transmitting assignment information to the second service provider via the data network.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, further comprising a database, wherein the processor is further configured to update regional group un-assignment information in the database.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to define one or more regional groups wherein each of the one or more regional groups is associated with one or more service providers for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to notify a third party about the second selected regional group and the second service provider for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment.

20. A hub apparatus for dynamically assigning regional groups and service providers to provide maintenance and repair services for heavy equipment, the apparatus comprising:

means for receiving position information of the heavy equipment, the heavy equipment being previously assigned to a first selected regional group corresponding to a first geographic region and previously assigned to a corresponding first service provider for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment associated with the first selected regional group;

means for determining that the heavy equipment has moved from the first geographic region to a second geographic region, based on the position information received from the heavy equipment;

means for assigning the heavy equipment to a second selected regional group, wherein the means for assigning is triggered by the means for determining that the heavy equipment has moved from the first geographic region to the second geographic region;

means for selecting a second service provider to provide the maintenance and repair services for the heavy equipment in the second selected regional group; and

means for assigning the second selected service provider to provide the maintenance and repair services for the heavy equipment in the second selected regional group; and

means for transmitting, from the hub apparatus and based on the assigning of the second service provider, un-assignment information to the first service provider via a data network, wherein the un-assignment information informs the first service provider that the first service provider is no longer responsible for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for assigning the heavy equipment comprises means for updating the positional information in a database.

22. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for selecting comprises means for selecting the second service provider from a database that relates one or more service providers to the second selected regional group.

23. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for assigning the second service provider comprises means for transmitting assignment information to the second service provider via the data network.

24. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the means for assigning the heavy equipment comprises means for updating regional group un-assignment information in a database.

25. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising means for defining one or more regional groups wherein each of the one or more regional groups is associated with one or more service providers for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment.

26. The apparatus of claim 20, further comprising means for notifying a third party about the second selected regional group and the second service provider.

27. A non-transitory computer program executable by a hub apparatus comprising program instructions for dynamically assigning regional groups and service providers to provide services for heavy equipment, said non-transitory computer program comprising:

program instructions to receive, at the hub apparatus, position information of the heavy equipment, the heavy equipment being previously assigned to a first selected regional group corresponding to a first geographic region and previously assigned to a corresponding first service provider for maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment associated with the first selected regional group;

program instructions to determine that the heavy equipment has moved from a first geographic region to a second geographic region, based on the position information received from the heavy equipment;

program instructions to assign the heavy equipment to a second selected regional group, wherein the assignment is triggered by the determination that the heavy equipment has moved from a first predetermined geographic region to a second predetermined geographic region;

program instruction to select a second service provider to provide the maintenance and repair services for the heavy equipment in the second selected regional group; and

program instructions to assign the second service provider to provide the maintenance and repair services for the heavy equipment in the second selected regional group; and

program instructions to transmit, from the hub apparatus and based on the assigning of the second service provider, un-assignment information to the first service provider via a data network, wherein the un-assignment information informs the first service provider that the first service provider is no longer responsible for the maintenance and repair services of the heavy equipment.

28. The non-transitory computer program of claim 27, wherein the program instructions to assign the heavy equipment comprise program instructions for updating the position information in a database.

29. The non-transitory computer program of claim 27, wherein the program instructions to select comprise program instructions for selecting the second service provider from a database that relates one or more service providers for the maintenance and repair services to the selected regional group.

30. The non-transitory computer program of claim 27, wherein the program instructions to assign the second service provider comprise program instructions for transmitting assignment information to the second service provider via the data network.

31. The non-transitory computer program of claim 27, wherein the program instructions to assign the heavy equipment comprise program instructions for updating regional group un-assignment information in a database.

32. The non-transitory computer program of claim 27, further comprising program instructions to define one or more regional groups wherein each of the one or more regional groups is associated with one or more service providers for the maintenance and repair services for the heavy equipment.

33. The non-transitory computer program of claim 27, further comprising program instructions to notify a third party about the second selected regional group and the second service provider for the maintenance and repair services.