Apparatus and method for measuring operational data for equipment using sensor breach durations

• US 9,235,938 B2
• Filed: 07/12/2007
• Issued: 01/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Omnitracs LLC (Solera Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Ram, Satish N., Sixt, Fred Warner Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): NWUGO, OJIAKO K
• Application Number:
  US11/777,235
• Publication Number:
  US 20090015422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,106 Days
• Field of Search: 340/679
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A wireless equipment management system that is configured to track sensors for work measurement for predetermined events. The sensors are configured to measure event durations of a specific piece of equipment as defined by a user and sent to a Network Management Center. This enables the user to measure work times by configuring work events as sensor input events. The event durations can be displayed and reports can be produced at the Network Management Center.

Claims

1. A management system for equipment, comprising:

a processor located in a data processing center remote from the equipment, the processor being operable to;

receive operating data from at least one sensor located at the equipment, the at least one sensor being configured for sensing operating data pertaining to the equipment, and the operating data comprising one or more sensor breaches of the at least one sensor;

determine, from the one or more sensor breaches of the received operating data, one or more work durations for predetermined operations of the equipment; and

generate, from data associated with the equipment, work duration reports comprising information on an amount of working time during which the equipment is turned on and is placed in any of a forward and a reverse gear,

wherein the operating data comprise engine revolutions per minute (RPM); and

wherein the work duration reports further comprise information on an amount of time that the engine is turned on and the engine RPM is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit.

2. The management system for equipment of claim 1, further comprising a display for displaying the determined one or more work durations.

3. The management system for equipment of claim 1, further comprising a report compiler for compiling reports of the determined one or more work durations.

4. The management system for equipment of claim 3, wherein the compiled reports further comprise identification information and chronological information associated with the equipment.

5. The management system for equipment of claim 1, wherein the equipment is selected from the group consisting of heavy equipment, office equipment and surface, land and air vehicles.

6. The management system of claim 1, wherein the operating data comprises at least one member from the group consisting of an engine gear position, engine revolutions per minute (RPMs), and a driver seat position.

7. The management system of claim 6, wherein the operating data comprises an engine gear position.

8. The management system of claim 7, wherein a sensor is configured to breach whenever the engine gear position is put in neutral.

9. The management system of claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a remotely configured sensor.

10. The management system of claim 9, wherein the remotely configured sensor comprises a sensor configured for alerts or duration.

11. The management system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to:

generate, from data associated with the equipment and stored at the data processing center, an alert signal when the one or more work durations are inconsistent with an associated predetermined work duration;

generate, based on the data associated with the equipment, a maintenance schedule related to a servicing of the equipment;

forward the alert signal and the maintenance schedule to a monitoring site; and

receive a request from the monitoring site to alter the maintenance schedule in response to forwarding the alert signal and the maintenance schedule.

12. The management system of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to:

track a location of the equipment; and

generate the maintenance schedule further based on the location of the equipment.

13. The management system of claim 1,

wherein the operating data comprises an engine gear position,

wherein the at least one sensor is configured to breach whenever the engine gear position is put in neutral;

and

wherein the processor is further operable to detect when the engine gear position has been in neutral for a period of time longer than a predetermine period of time.

14. The management system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operable to track an amount of time that the at least one sensor was in a breach state.

15. The management system of claim 1, wherein the predetermined limit is approximately 1500 RPM.

16. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable code, comprising:

code for causing at least one computer to obtain operating data of a piece of equipment via a wireless communication system from at least one sensor disposed on the piece of equipment, the operating data comprising one or more sensor breaches of the at least one sensor;

code for causing at least one computer to compute at least one work duration for predetermined operations of the piece of equipment based on the one or more sensor breaches of the operating data; and

code for causing at least one computer to generate a report of the at least one work duration comprising information on an amount of working time during which the equipment is turned on and is placed in any of a forward and a reverse gear,

wherein the operating data further comprise engine revolutions per minute (RPMs), and

wherein the work duration reports further comprise information on an amount of time that the engine is turned on and the engine RPM is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit.

17. A management system for equipment, comprising:

a processor located in a data processing center remote from the equipment, the processor being operable to;

receive operating data from at least one sensor located at the equipment for sensing the operating data pertaining to the equipment, the operating data comprising one or more sensor breaches of the at least one sensor;

determine, from the one or more sensor breaches of the received operating data, one or more work durations for predetermined operations of the equipment; and

generate, from data associated with the equipment, work duration reports comprising information on an amount of working time during which the equipment is turned on and is placed in any of a forward and a reverse gear, wherein the operating data comprise a driver seat position.

18. The management system of claim 17, wherein the work duration reports comprise information on an amount of time that the an engine is turned on and a seat for an operator is in a position for operator use and information on an amount of time that the engine is turned on and the seat is in an unused position.

19. The management system of claim 17, wherein the work duration reports comprise information on an amount of time that an engine is turned on and a seat for an operator is in a 180 degree position and information on an amount of time that the engine is turned on and the seat is in a normal position.

20. A system for managing equipment, comprising:

at least one sensor for sensing operating data pertaining to the equipment, the operating data comprising one or more sensor breaches of the at least one sensor; and

a wireless communication system for providing communications among the at least one sensor, the equipment, and a remote processor located in a remote data processing center,

wherein the wireless communication system provides the operating data to the remote processor,

wherein the operating data is configured such that the remote processor can determine, from the one or more sensor breaches of the received operating data, one or more work durations for predetermined operations of the equipment, and generate, from data associated with the equipment, work duration reports comprising information on an amount of working time during which the equipment is turned on and is placed in any of a forward and a reverse gear,

wherein the operating data comprises engine revolution per minute (RPM), and

wherein the work duration reports further comprise information on an amount of time that the engine is turned on and the engine RPM is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the equipment is selected from the group consisting of heavy equipment, office equipment and surface, land and air vehicles.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the operating data further comprise at least one member from the group consisting of an engine gear position and a driver seat position.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the operating data further comprise an engine gear position.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein a sensor is configured to breach whenever the engine gear position is put in neutral.

25. The system of claim 20, wherein the at least one sensor comprises a remotely configured sensor.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the remotely configured sensor comprises a sensor configured for alerts or duration.

27. A non-transitory computer readable medium storing computer executable code therein, comprising:

code for causing a processor of a computer to obtain operating data of a piece of equipment from at least one sensor disposed on a piece of equipment, the operating data comprising one or more sensor breaches of the at least one sensor;

code for causing the processor to wirelessly provide communications among the at least one sensor, the equipment, and a remote processor located in a remote data processing center,

wherein the code for causing the processor to wirelessly provide communications is configured to provide the operating data to the remote processor, and

wherein the operating data is configured such that the remote processor can determine, from the one or more sensor breaches of the received operating data, one or more work durations for predetermined operations of the equipment, and generate, from data associated with the equipment, work duration reports comprising information on an amount of working time during which the equipment is turned on and is placed in any of a forward and a reverse gear,

wherein the operating data further comprise engine revolutions per minute (RPM), and

wherein the work duration reports further comprise information on an amount of time that an engine of the equipment is turned on and the engine RPM is equal to or greater than a predetermined limit.

28. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the operating data further comprise a driver seat position.

29. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 27, wherein the operating data further comprise an engine gear position.

30. The non-transitory computer readable medium of claim 29, wherein the at least one sensor is configured to breach whenever the engine gear position is put in a neutral position.