SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR EQUIPMENT PERFORMANCE MONITORING AND ALERTS

• US 20160078413A1
• Filed: 09/11/2015
• Published: 03/17/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2014
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Original Assignee: Emerson Electric Company
• Inventors: Drew, David
• Application Number:
  US14/851,612
• Publication Number:
  US 20160078413A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/08 Auctions

Abstract

A method and system for providing maintenance service request information to maintenance service providers using a computer device coupled to a database includes receiving a request for maintenance service, transmitting a request for bids related to the request for maintenance service to bidder computing devices associated with a plurality of respective maintenance service providers, receiving at least one bid for access to identification information of the equipment assembly, evaluating the at least one bid with respect to predetermined evaluation parameters, selecting one of the plurality of prescreened maintenance service providers to award the bid to, notifying the selected one of the plurality of maintenance service providers of the award of the bid, receiving a payment for the award from the selected one of the plurality of maintenance service providers, and transmitting access to identification information of the equipment assembly to the selected one of the plurality of maintenance service providers.

Claims

1. A computer-based method for providing maintenance service request information to maintenance service providers, the method implemented using a computer device coupled to a memory device, the method comprising:

prescreening a plurality of maintenance service providers, the prescreening evaluating a historical performance of each of the plurality of maintenance service providers and an agreement to quality in future performance of providing maintenance services;

receiving, by the computer device, a request for maintenance service on an equipment assembly, the request for maintenance service including an identification of the equipment assembly;

transmitting a request for bids related to the request for maintenance service to a plurality of prescreened bidders, the bidders including maintenance service providers;

receiving, by the computer device, at least one bid for access to identification information of the equipment assembly;

evaluating the at least one bid with respect to predetermined evaluation parameters;

selecting one of the plurality of prescreened bidders to award the bid;

notifying the selected one of the plurality of prescreened bidders of the award of the bid;

receiving a payment for the award from the selected one of the plurality of prescreened bidders; and

transmitting access to identification information of the equipment assembly to the selected one of the plurality of prescreened bidders.

2. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request for maintenance service on an equipment assembly comprises automatically receiving the request from a monitoring device communicatively coupled to the equipment assembly.

3. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request for maintenance service on an equipment assembly comprises receiving the request from a user accessing a web portal configured to post a maintenance service request accessible to a plurality of maintenance service providers.

4. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein receiving a request for maintenance service on an equipment assembly comprises receiving an indication of at least one of a failure of the equipment assembly and a performance degradation of the equipment assembly.

5. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising evaluating a performance of a maintenance service provider with respect to services performed on other equipment assemblies.

6. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein receiving a bid for access to identification information of the equipment assembly comprises retrieving identification information for the equipment assembly that includes contact information for a decision-maker for the equipment assembly.

7. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein evaluating the at least one bid with respect to predetermined evaluation parameters comprises evaluating the at least one bid with respect to at least one of a proficiency of the bidder, a performance rating of the bidder, and a timeliness commitment of the bidder.

8. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a request for bids related to the request for maintenance service comprises transmitting a request for bids related to the request for maintenance service to a bidder having a right to first refusal for the identified equipment assembly prior to transmitting the request to others of the plurality of prescreened bidders.

9. The computer-based method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a request for bids related to the request for maintenance service to a plurality of prescreened bidders comprises transmitting the request for bids to the plurality of prescreened bidders via at least one of an electronic communication including bid information, an electronic communication including a link to the bid information, a notification of a posting of the request for bids to a web portal.

10. The computer-based method of claim 1, further comprising receiving an evaluation of one of the plurality of prescreened bidders with respect to maintenance service performed.

11. A service matching system (SMS) comprising:

an equipment assembly comprising a condition monitoring module and a communications module configured to transmit a status of said equipment assembly based on a periodic assessment by the condition monitoring module, said condition monitoring module configured to monitor a performance of said equipment assembly through sensing equipment configured to monitor an environment or operating parameters in or near said equipment assembly;

a maintenance service matching module comprising at least one or more processors and one or more memory devices communicatively coupled the one or more processors, said maintenance service matching module communicatively couplable to a plurality of maintenance service provider computing devices and said equipment assembly through at least one of said communications module and a user computing device, said maintenance service matching module configured to;

receive at least one of a request for maintenance service and a set of acquired operating parameters of said equipment assembly;

determine a potential scope of maintenance work for said equipment assembly based on at least one of the received request for maintenance service and the received set of acquired operating parameters;

transmit a request for bids related to the request for maintenance service to a plurality of prescreened bidders, the bidders including maintenance service providers; and

receive at least one bid for access to identification information of said equipment assembly.

12. The service matching system of claim 11, wherein said maintenance service matching module is further configured to receive at least one of a request for maintenance service and a set of acquired operating parameters of said equipment assembly directly from said equipment assembly through said communications module.

13. The service matching system of claim 11, wherein said maintenance service matching module is further configured to evaluate the at least one bid with respect to predetermined bid evaluation parameters;

select one of the plurality of prescreened bidders to award the bid;

notify the selected one of the plurality of prescreened bidders of the award of the bid;

receive a payment for the award from the selected one of the plurality of prescreened bidders; and

transmit access to identification information of the equipment assembly to the selected one of the plurality of prescreened bidders.

14. The service matching system of claim 11, wherein said user computing device is a part of the equipment assembly.

15. The service matching system of claim 11, wherein the operating parameters comprise a current setpoint, a current sensed temperature, a system mode, and a current state of the equipment assembly.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable storage media having computer-executable instructions embodied thereon, wherein when executed by at least one processor, the computer-executable instructions cause the processor to:

receive at least one of a request for maintenance service and a set of acquired operating parameters of said equipment assembly;

determine a potential scope of maintenance work for said equipment assembly based on at least one of the received request for maintenance service and the received set of acquired operating parameters;

transmit a request for bids related to the request for maintenance service to a plurality of prescreened bidder computing devices, the bidder computing devices associated with maintenance service providers; and

receive at least one bid for access to identification information of said equipment assembly.

17. The computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to:

evaluate the at least one bid with respect to predetermined bid evaluation parameters;

select one of the plurality of prescreened bidders to award the bid;

notify the selected one of the plurality of prescreened bidders of the award of the bid;

receive a payment for the award from the selected one of the plurality of prescreened bidders; and

transmit access to identification information of the equipment assembly to the selected one of the plurality of prescreened bidders.

18. The computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to receive at least one of a request for maintenance service and a set of acquired operating parameters of said equipment assembly directly from said equipment assembly through said communications module.

19. The computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to receive the set of acquired operating parameters of said equipment assembly with a preliminary determination of a source of a maintenance alert made by the equipment assembly.

20. The computer-readable storage media of claim 16, wherein the computer-executable instructions further cause the processor to compare historical operating parameter to at least one of a current setpoint, a current sensed temperature, a system mode, and a current state of the equipment assembly to determine a maintenance alert for the equipment assembly.