Method and system for scheduling the maintenance of remotely monitored devices
First Claim
1. A method for transitioning a maintenance schedule for a remotely monitored device between as-needed maintenance scheduling and defined maintenance scheduling comprising:
- maintaining historical operational data for the remotely monitored device;
verifying receipt of valid operational data for the remotely monitored device;
verifying current operational data is consistent with a predefined period of historical operational data;
examining the current operational data and the historical operational data to detect an occurrence of at least one triggering event;
determining whether the triggering event indicates a failure in verification;
transitioning from as-needed maintenance scheduling to defined maintenance scheduling in response to the triggering event indicating failure in verification; and
transitioning from defined maintenance scheduling to as-needed maintenance scheduling in response to failing to detect at least one triggering event after as-needed maintenance has been performed.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for transitioning remotely monitored devices, including point of sale devices such as vending machines, between maintenance states is disclosed. The system and method provide that operational data for a remotely monitored device may be reviewed such that a determination may be made as to the device'"'"'s ability to continue operating on an as-needed maintenance schedule. Any errors or discrepancies detected in the operational data may result in the remote device being placed on a defined maintenance schedule. Should the operational data indicate that the remote device is performing within desirable parameters, the remote device may remain on or be transitioned back to as-needed maintenance scheduling. The system and method generally ensure that remote devices in a distributed asset system are properly maintained in an efficient, cost effective manner.
211 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for transitioning a maintenance schedule for a remotely monitored device between as-needed maintenance scheduling and defined maintenance scheduling comprising:
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maintaining historical operational data for the remotely monitored device;
verifying receipt of valid operational data for the remotely monitored device;
verifying current operational data is consistent with a predefined period of historical operational data;
examining the current operational data and the historical operational data to detect an occurrence of at least one triggering event;
determining whether the triggering event indicates a failure in verification;
transitioning from as-needed maintenance scheduling to defined maintenance scheduling in response to the triggering event indicating failure in verification; and
transitioning from defined maintenance scheduling to as-needed maintenance scheduling in response to failing to detect at least one triggering event after as-needed maintenance has been performed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A system for scheduling maintenance of remote devices comprising:
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a wide area network;
at least one remote device operably coupled to the wide area network;
a network operations center operably coupled to the wide area network and operable to monitor the at least one remote device via the wide area network;
the at least one remote device operable to communicate operational data to the network operations center;
the network operations center operable to place the remote device on a defined maintenance schedule in response to a determination that current and historical operational data for the remote device are not consistent and that the current operational data for the remote device may be invalid; and
the network operations center operable to place the remote device on an as-needed maintenance schedule in response to a determination that the current and historical operational data for the remote device is consistent and that the current operational data for the remote device is valid. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for ensuring the maintenance scheduling of remotely located point of sale devices comprising:
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identifying a current maintenance schedule for a remotely located point of sale device;
examining a data file including information indicative of a current operating status of the remotely located point of sale device to verify validity of the data file, consistency of the current operating status with a history of the remotely located point of sale device'"'"'s operating characteristics and to identify at least one triggering event;
transitioning, if the current maintenance schedule for the remotely located point of sale device is an as-needed maintenance schedule, the remotely located point of sale device from the as-needed maintenance schedule to a defined maintenance schedule in response to a failure in verification of the data file;
transitioning, if the current maintenance schedule for the remotely located point of sale device is an as-needed maintenance schedule, the remotely located point of sale device from the as-needed maintenance schedule to a defined maintenance schedule in response to a failure in identification of at least one triggering event in the data file; and
transitioning, if the current maintenance schedule for the remotely located point of sale device is a defined maintenance schedule, to an as-needed maintenance schedule in response to verification of data file validity and consistency and identification of at least one triggering event. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification