System and method for selling work machine projects

• US 20070100760A1
• Filed: 10/31/2005
• Published: 05/03/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Dawson, Jay
• Application Number:
  US11/261,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20070100760A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/52
• 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 for selling work machine projects. According to one embodiment, a method of selling projects performable by work machines is disclosed and includes receiving, at a processing device, one or more predefined parameters indicative of a proposed work project. The method also includes determining, based on the predefined parameters provided by a user, one or more equipment solutions for performing the project, using at least one work machine. The method further includes calculating a fee associated with the one or more equipment solutions based on a predetermined usage characteristic. The method also includes providing the at least one work machine associated with the determined equipment solution to the user. The method further includes remotely monitoring one or more operational aspects of the at least one work machine during operations of the work project.

Claims

1. A method of selling projects performable by work machines, comprising:

receiving, at a processing device, one or more predefined parameters indicative of a proposed work project;

determining, based on the predefined parameters provided by a user, one or more equipment solutions for performing the project using at least one work machine;

calculating a fee associated with the one or more equipment solutions based on a predetermined usage characteristic;

providing the at least one work machine associated with the determined equipment solution to the user; and

remotely monitoring one or more operational aspects of the at least one work machine during operations of the work project.

2. The method of claim 1, further including adjusting the fee based on the monitored operational aspects of the work machine.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein adjusting the fee includes adjusting the fee based on a deviation from the one or more predefined parameters.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein providing the at least one work machine includes providing a registered operator of one work machine a unique key for operating the at least one work machine.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the equipment solution includes determining a type of work machine required to perform the project based on the predefined parameters.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined parameters includes a length of time associated with the project.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined parameters includes a location of the project.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more predefined parameters includes an equipment budget associated with the project.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the predetermined usage characteristic includes a cost associated with the use of the at least one work machine to perform a project similar to the proposed work project based on historical data for at least one work machine.

10. A method for determining the price of a project performable by a work machine, comprising;

determining a base price associated with a proposed project performable by a work machine requested by a user;

determining an overhead price in response to one or more predefined criteria supplied by the user;

calculating a pre-usage price of the proposed project based on the base price and the overhead price;

collecting operation data associated with the work machine while performing the proposed project; and

adjusting the pre-usage price of the work machine, based on a deviation of an operational parameter of the work machine from the one or more predefined criteria of the work machine based on the collected operation data.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein determining the base price associated with the proposed project includes:

collecting historical data indicative of a cost associated with a previous operation of the work machine similar to the proposed project; and

calculating the base price of the project based on the collected historical data and one or more specifications of the proposed project.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein collecting historical data indicative of the cost includes collecting historical data indicative of actual usage costs associated with the operation of the work machine during a project similar to the proposed project.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein collecting historical data indicative of the cost includes collecting historical data indicative of maintenance costs associated with the operation of the work machine during a project similar to the proposed project.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein collecting historical data indicative of the cost includes collecting historical data indicative of a depreciation value of the work machine caused by operations of the work machine during a project similar to the proposed project.

15. The method of claim 10, wherein the predefined criteria includes a location of the work machine.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the predefined criteria includes a predetermined operation time of the work machine.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the predefined criteria includes a load threshold limit of the work machine.

18. A system for selling projects performable by a work machine, comprising:

a work machine including;

one or more monitoring devices configured to monitor one or more operational aspects of the work machine; and

a data collector in data communication with the one or more monitoring devices and configured to receive the one or more operational aspects of the work machine; and

a processing device in data communication with the data collector and configured to;

receive one or more predefined parameters from a user indicative of a proposed project;

determine an equipment solution for performing the project based on the predefined parameters wherein the solution includes using the work machine to perform the proposed project; and

calculate a fee associated with the equipment solution based on a predetermined usage characteristic of the work machine.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein calculating the fee associated with the at least one equipment solutions further includes adjusting the fee if the one or more operational aspects of the at least one work machine exceed a predefined threshold during operations of the proposed project.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the processing device is configured to adjust the fee based on a deviation from one or more predefined parameters by a work machine during operations of the proposed project.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more predefined parameters includes a length of time associated with the proposed project.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more predefined parameters includes a location of the proposed project.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein the one or more predefined parameters includes an equipment budget associated with the proposed project.

24. A system for selling work machine-related projects, including;

a data processing system configured to;

receive a request from a user identifying a proposed project to be performed, the request including predefined parameters associated with the project,

analyze the predefined parameters,

determine an equipment solution based on the analysis, wherein one equipment solution identifies a set of work machines to be used in performing the proposed project based on the predefined parameters,

determine a fee for the equipment solution based on the type of machine included in one set,

receive operation data from each of the work machines in the set that reflects actual operations of each of the work machines while performing the proposed project, and

adjust the equipment solution fee based on the received operation data for one or more of the work machines in one set.