Machine having automatic component registration

• US 20070203812A1
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Published: 08/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Donnelli, Aaron, Earle, Kevin, McNealy, Anthony
• Granted Patent: US 8,131,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/00 Fittings or systems for preventing or indicating unauthorised use or theft of vehicles locks for vehicles E05B77/00-E05B85/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/307 using data concerning maintenance or configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/33 of global position, e.g. by providing GPS coordinates
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0841 Registering performance data recording measured values G01D; information storage G11B

Abstract

A component registration system for a machine is disclosed. The component registration system has a component located on the machine, a data system remote from the machine, and a controller in communication with the component and the data system. The controller is configured to automatically collect information from the component upon installation of the component onto the machine and automatically send the information to the data system to initiate a registration process.

Claims

1. A component registration system for a machine, comprising:

a component located on the machine;

a data system remote from the machine; and

a controller in communication with the component and the data system, the controller being configured to;

automatically collect information from the component upon installation of the component onto the machine; and

automatically send the information to the data system to initiate a registration process.

2. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to automatically collect information related to a first user of the component.

3. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein the data system is configured to receive the automatically collected information and respond to the controller with acknowledgement that a registration process has been completed.

4. The component registration system of claim 1, further including a positioning device configured to:

determine a global location of the machine; and

generate a signal indicative of the global location,

wherein the controller is in further communication with the positioning device and configured to initiate a registration update process in response to the signal.

5. The component registration system of claim 4, wherein the registration update process includes sending the determined global location to the data system.

6. The component registration system of claim 5, wherein the registration update process further includes:

comparing the determined global location to a plurality of predefined global locations; and

disassociating the component with the first user and re-associating the component with a second user in response to the machine moving from a first of the plurality of predefined global locations to a second of the plurality of predefined global locations.

7. The component registration system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to limit functionality of the component when the comparison indicates a determined global location of the machine that does not correspond with one of the plurality of predefined global locations.

8. The component registration system of claim 6, wherein the controller is further configured to limit functionality of the component when the comparison indicates a determined global location of the machine corresponding to one of the plurality of predefined global locations that is not associated with a user enrolled for a predetermined service.

9. The component registration system of claim 8, wherein, when the comparison indicates a determined global location of the machine corresponding to one of the plurality of predefined global locations that is not associated with a user enrolled for a predetermined service, a request for enrollment is automatically generated.

10. The component registration system of claim 6, wherein the registration update process further includes sending acknowledgement to the second user indicating completion of the registration update process.

11. The component registration system of claim 6, wherein the registration update process is initiated in further response to a manual indication from one of the first and second users that a transference of the machine from the first user to the second user has occurred.

12. The component registration system of claim 6, wherein, upon installation of the component, a record is created in the data system associating the component with one of the plurality of predefined global locations.

13. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein the component is an interface control system configured to collect operational information from machine.

14. A method of registering a component of a machine, comprising:

automatically collecting information from the component upon installation of the component onto the machine; and

automatically sending the information to a data system remote from the machine to initiate a registration process.

15. The method of claim 14, further including automatically collecting and sending to the data system information related to a first user of the component.

16. The method of claim 14, further including:

receiving the automatically collected information; and

responding with acknowledgement that the registration process has been completed.

17. The method of claim 14, further including:

determining a global location of the machine; and

updating registration of the component in response to the determined global location.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein updating includes:

sending the determined global location to the data system;

comparing the determined global location to a plurality of predefined global locations; and

disassociating the component with the first user and re-associating the component with a second user in response to the machine moving from a first of the plurality of predefined global locations to a second of the plurality of predefined global locations.

19. The method of claim 18, further including limiting functionality of the component when the comparison indicates a determined global location of the machine that does not correspond with one of the plurality of predefined global locations.

20. The method of claim 18, further including limiting functionality of the component when the comparison indicates a determined global location of the machine corresponding to one of the plurality of predefined global locations that is not associated with a user enrolled for a predetermined service.

21. The method of claim 20, further including automatically generating a request for enrollment when the comparison indicates a determined global location of the machine corresponding to one of the plurality of predefined global locations that is not associated with a user enrolled for a predetermined service.

22. The method of claim 18, further including sending acknowledgement to the second user indicating successful registration update of the component.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the steps of disassociating and re-associating are initiated in further response to a manual indication from one of the first and second users that a transference of the component from the first user to the second user has occurred.

24. The method of claim 18, further including creating a record in the remote data system associating the component with one of the plurality of predefined global locations upon installation of the component onto the machine.

25. A machine, comprising:

a power source configured to produce a power output;

an interface control module in communication configured to monitor an operational aspect of the power source;

a positioning device configured to determine a global location of the machine and to generate a signal indicative of the global location; and

a controller in communication with the interface control module, the positioning device, and an offboard data system, the controller being configured to;

automatically collect information from the interface control module upon installation of the interface control module;

automatically collect information related to a first user of the interface control module;

automatically send the collected information to the offboard data system to initiate a registration process;

receive the signal from the positioning device; and

automatically initiate a registration update process with the offboard system in response to the signal.

26. The machine of claim 25, wherein the offboard data system is configured to receive the automatically collected information and respond with acknowledgement that a registration process has been completed.

27. The machine of claim 25, wherein the registration update process further includes:

comparing the determined global location to a plurality of predefined global locations; and

disassociating the interface control module with the first user and re-associating the interface control module with a second user in response to the machine moving from a first of the plurality of predefined global locations to a second of the plurality of predefined global locations.

28. The machine of claim 27, wherein the controller is further configured to limit functionality of the interface control module when the comparison indicates a determined global location of the machine that does not correspond with one of the plurality of predefined global locations.

29. The machine of claim 27, wherein the controller is further configured to limit functionality of the interface control module when the comparison indicates a determined global location of the machine corresponding to one of the plurality of predefined global locations that is not associated with a user enrolled for a predetermined service.

30. The machine of claim 29, wherein, when the comparison indicates a determined global location of the machine corresponding to one of the plurality of predefined global locations that is not associated with a user enrolled for a predetermined service, a request for enrollment is automatically generated.

31. The machine of claim 27, wherein the registration update process further includes sending acknowledgement to the second user indicating completion of the registration update process.

32. The machine of claim 27, wherein the registration update process is initiated in further response to a manual indication from one of the first and second users that a transference of the interface control module from the first user to the second user has occurred.

33. The machine of claim 27, wherein, upon installation of the interface control module, a record is created in the offboard data system associating the interface control module with one of the plurality of predefined global locations.