Systems and methods for self-service dispatch

• US 20060080442A1
• Filed: 08/25/2004
• Published: 04/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: O'Neal, Steven Wayne, Meiss, Trent Ray, Jenkins, Brian Lane, Wood, Daniel Craig, Ferguson, Alan Lewis
• Granted Patent: US 7,278,567 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/226
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed that process service requests associated with one or more work machines. In one embodiment, a process is disclosed that includes receiving status information associated with operations of the first work machine and analyzing a first work machine flow sequence associated with the first work machine based on the status information. Based on the analysis, a service request is generated. To fulfill the service request, the process may include modifying a second work machine flow sequence associated with a second work machine.

Claims

1. A method for providing service to a first work machine, comprising:

receiving status information associated with operations of the first work machine;

analyzing a first work machine flow sequence associated with the first work machine based on the status information;

generating a service request based on the analysis; and

modifying a second work machine flow sequence associated with a second work machine to fulfill the service request.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein analyzing the first work machine flow sequence includes monitoring a list of tasks to be performed by the first work machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein modifying the first work machine flow sequence includes adjusting the list of tasks to be performed by the first work machine.

4. The method of claim 1, further including modifying the second work machine flow sequence to fulfill the service request, the method includes:

transmitting a message to an off-board system; and

modifying a work environment flow sequence to fulfill the service request, wherein the work environment flow sequence includes tasks associated with the first and second work machine flow sequences.

5. The method of claim 4, further including:

sending a message to the second work machine; and

modifying the second work machine flow sequence to fulfill the service request based on the message.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein modifying the second work machine flow sequence includes:

adding a task to the second work machine flow sequence that directs the second work machine to provide a service to the first work machine.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the off-board system is associated with an entity that is unaffiliated with an entity associated with at least one of the first and second work machines.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein fulfilling the service request with the off-board system includes automatically scheduling delivery of consumable materials or service to the first work machine.

9. The method of claim 1, further including:

providing a message to an operator of the second work machine to deliver or remove consumable material or service to the first work machine.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving status information includes:

collecting, by the first work machine, parameter information from one or more on-board modules.

11. An on-board control system for a work machine, comprising:

a control module that is configured to monitor an operation of the first work machine; and

an interface control system operable to;

analyze a first work machine flow sequence associated with the first work machine;

generate a service request associated with the first work machine based on the analysis; and

send the service request to a remote system to fulfill the service request.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the interface control system is further operable to:

receive a remote service request from a remote work machine; and

modify the first work machine flow sequence to fulfill the remote service request.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote system is a second work machine that modifies a second work machine flow sequence associated with the second work machine to fulfill the service request.

14. The system of claim 11, wherein the remote system is an off-board system that modifies a work environment flow sequence to fulfill the service request, wherein the work environment flow sequence includes at least one task included in the first work machine flow sequence.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the interface control system is further operable to:

adjust the first work machine flow sequence to fulfill the service request.

16. The system of claim 12, wherein the first work machine is a machine that is operable to provide at least one of services and material to the remote work machine.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the off-board system is associated with an entity unaffiliated with an entity associated with the first work machine.

18. The system of claim 12, wherein the interface control system is further operable to:

modify a work environment flow sequence to fulfill at least one of the service request and the remote service request, wherein the work environment flow sequence includes tasks associated with at least one of the first and second work machine flow sequences.

19. The system of claim 12, wherein the interface control system is further operable to:

provide a message to an operator of the first work machine to perform a task to fulfill at least one of the service request and the remote service request.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the task includes at least one of delivering consumable material and providing service to the remote work machine.

21. A system for providing service to a first work machine, comprising:

means for receiving status information associated with operations of the first work machine;

means for analyzing a first work machine flow sequence associated with the first work machine based on the status information;

means for generating a service request based on the analysis; and

means for modifying a second work machine flow sequence associated with a second work machine to fulfill the service request.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for analyzing the first work machine flow sequence includes means for monitoring a list of tasks to be performed by the first work machine.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the means for modifying the first work machine flow sequence includes means for adjusting the list of tasks to be performed by the first work machine.

24. The system of claim 21, wherein the system further includes:

means for transmitting a message to an off-board system; and

means for modifying a work environment flow sequence to fulfill the service request, wherein the work environment flow sequence includes tasks associated with the first and second work machine flow sequences.

25. The method of claim 24, further including:

means for sending a message to the second work machine; and

means for modifying the second work machine flow sequence to fulfill the service request based on the message.

26. The system of claim 21, wherein the means for modifying the second work machine flow sequence includes:

means for adding a task to the second work machine flow sequence that directs the second work machine to provide a service to the first work machine.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the off-board system is associated with an entity that is unaffiliated with an entity associated with at least one of the first and second work machines.

28. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for fulfilling the service request with the off-board system includes means for automatically scheduling delivery of consumable materials or service to the first work machine.

29. The system of claim 21, further including:

means for providing a message to an operator of the second work machine to deliver consumable material or service to the first work machine.

30. The system of claim 21, wherein receiving status information includes:

means for collecting, by the first work machine, parameter information from one or more on-board modules.

31. A system for providing service to a first work machine, comprising:

a control module that is configured to monitor an operation of the first work machine; and

an interface control system including program code that performs a process, when executed by a processor, including the steps of;

analyzing a first work machine flow sequence associated with the first work machine;

generating a service request associated with the first work machine based on the analysis;

sending the service request to a remote system to fulfill the service request;

receiving a remote service request from a remote work machine; and

modifying the first work machine flow sequence to fulfill the remote service request.