Asset management system

• US 20070078791A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Vyas, Bhavin, Dawson, Jay
• Application Number:
  US11/239,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20070078791A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/400
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0283 Price estimation or determination

Abstract

An asset management system is provided. The system may include one or more data collection devices configured to monitor one or more operating conditions of a work machine. The system may also include a processor configured to receive data from the one or more data collection devices and predict a cost to maintain the work machine in the future based on the data from the one or more data collection devices. The processor may also be configured to compare the predicted cost to maintain the work machine to a depreciated value of the work machine to determine a time for replacement of the work machine.

Claims

1. An asset management system, comprising:

one or more data collection devices configured to monitor one or more operating conditions of a work machine; and

a processor configured to;

receive data from the one or more data collection devices;

predict a cost to maintain the work machine in the future based on the data from the one or more data collection devices; and

compare the predicted cost to maintain the work machine to a depreciated value of the work machine to determine a time for replacement of the work machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating conditions includes operating parameters of the work machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the one or more operating conditions includes at least two of the following:

operating parameters of the work machine;

geographic parameters; and

atmospheric conditions.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the depreciated value of the work machine is a predetermined market value of the work machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the depreciated value of the work machine is at least partially determined based on at least one of productivity and profitability of the work machine.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein more than one set of values for the depreciated value is available to be chosen.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein more than one set of values for the cost to maintain is available to be chosen, the more than one set being based, at least in part, on predetermined levels of maintenance.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of the cost to maintain and the depreciated value of the work machine are determined based on a maintenance history of the work machine.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is configured to offload the data from the work machine and make the data available for consideration by one or more entities.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the system is configured to automatically make the data available to at least one entity other than an owner of the work machine.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one entity includes a parts supplier.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the at least one entity includes a maintenance service provider.

13. The system of claim 1, wherein the system is further configured to recommend at least one of maintenance, operating parameters, and operating techniques to an owner or operator of the work machine.

14. A method of determining a time for replacement of a work machine, comprising:

monitoring one or more operating conditions of the work machine;

collecting data for the one or more operating conditions;

predicting a cost to maintain the work machine in the future based on the collected data; and

comparing the predicted cost to maintain the work machine to a depreciated value of the work machine to determine a time for replacement of the work machine.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more operating conditions includes operating parameters of the work machine.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the one or more operating conditions includes at least two of the following:

operating parameters of the work machine;

geographic parameters; and

atmospheric conditions.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the depreciated value of the work machine is a predetermined market value of the work machine.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the depreciated value of the work machine is at least partially determined based on at least one of productivity and profitability of the work machine.

19. The method of claim 14, further including choosing a set of values for the depreciated value from more than one set of values for the depreciated value.

20. The method of claim 14, further including choosing a set of values for the cost to maintain from more than one set of values for the cost to maintain, wherein the more than one set is based, at least in part, on predetermined levels of maintenance.

21. The method of claim 14, wherein the depreciated value of the work machine is predetermined.

22. The method of claim 14, further including determining the depreciated value of the work machine based on the data.

23. The method of claim 14, wherein at least one of the cost to maintain and the depreciated value of the work machine are predicted based on a maintenance history of the work machine.

24. The method of claim 14, further including offloading the data from the work machine and making the data available for consideration by one or more entities.

25. The method of claim 24, automatically making the data available to at least one entity other than an owner of the work machine.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one entity includes a parts supplier.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the at least one entity includes a maintenance service provider.

28. The method of claim 14, further including recommending at least one of maintenance, operating parameters, and operating techniques to an owner or operator of the work machine.

29. A work machine, comprising:

a frame;

a power source mounted to the frame; and

an asset management system including;

one or more data collection devices configured to monitor one or more operating conditions of the work machine; and

a processor configured to;

receive data from the one or more data collection devices;

predict a cost to maintain the work machine in the future based on the data from the one or more data collection devices; and

compare the predicted cost to maintain the work machine to a depreciated value of the work machine to determine a time for replacement of the work machine;

wherein the system is configured to offload the data from the work machine and make the data available for consideration by one or more entities.

30. The work machine of claim 29, wherein the one or more operating conditions includes operating parameters of the work machine.

31. The work machine of claim 29, wherein the one or more operating conditions includes at least two of the following:

operating parameters of the work machine;

geographic parameters; and

atmospheric conditions.

32. The work machine of claim 29, wherein the depreciated value of the work machine is a predetermined market value of the work machine.

33. The work machine of claim 29, wherein the system is configured to automatically make the data available to at least one entity other than an owner of the work machine.