RESPONSE VEHICLE SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20180293818A1
• Filed: 04/10/2017
• Published: 10/11/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Original Assignee: Oshkosh Corporation
• Inventors: Linsmeier, Eric R., Dolphin, Chad T.
• Granted Patent: US 10,685,510 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/235 Update request formulation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/265 Personal security, identity or safety
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 2205/02 using a vehicle scan tool
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0825 using optical means

Abstract

A response vehicle includes a vehicle subsystem, a sensor configured to monitor the vehicle subsystem and provide a sensor signal corresponding thereto, a detector configured to receive an identification signal from a piece of equipment, a display, and a vehicle management system. The vehicle management system is configured to receive the sensor signal from the sensor, generate a vehicle subsystem display dataset based on the received sensor signal, transmit the vehicle subsystem display dataset to the display to present the user with a graphical representation of the sensor signal, receive the identification signal from the detector, generate an inventory display dataset based at least in part on the received identification signal, and transmit the inventory display dataset to the display to present the user with an equipment inventory interface.

Claims

1. A response vehicle, comprising:

a vehicle subsystem comprising at least one of a transmission, a braking system, a lighting system, a generator, a water pump system, a foam system, a water tank, a foam tank, a transmission system, and a tire inflation system;

a sensor configured to monitor the vehicle subsystem and provide a sensor signal corresponding thereto;

a detector configured to receive an identification signal from a piece of equipment that is separate from the detector in response to the piece of equipment being within a predetermined distance of the detector;

a display configured to present a plurality of interfaces to a user; and

a vehicle management system coupled to the vehicle subsystem, the sensor, the display, and the detector, the vehicle management system configured to;

receive the sensor signal from the sensor;

generate a vehicle subsystem display dataset based on the received sensor signal;

transmit the vehicle subsystem display dataset to the display to present the user with a graphical representation of the sensor signal;

receive the identification signal from the detector;

generate an inventory display dataset based at least in part on the received identification signal; and

transmit the inventory display dataset to the display to present the user with an indication that the piece of equipment is within the predetermined distance of the detector.

2. The response vehicle of claim 1, wherein the vehicle management system includes a communications interface configured to:

receive a connection request from a user device associated with the user, the user device being separate from the response vehicle;

establish a secure connection with the user device in response to receiving the connection request.

3. The response vehicle of claim 2, wherein the vehicle management system is further configured to:

format the inventory display dataset and the vehicle subsystem display dataset such that the datasets are viewable via the user device; and

transmit, by the communications interface, the inventory display dataset and the vehicle subsystem display dataset via the established connection such that the graphical representation of the sensor signal and the inventory screen is viewable on the user device.

4. The response vehicle of claim 3, further comprising:

an additional vehicle subsystem, the additional vehicle subsystem including at least one of a transmission, a braking system, a lighting system, a generator, a water pump system, a foam system, a water tank, a foam tank, a transmission system, and a tire inflation system; and

an additional sensor associated with the additional vehicle subsystem, the additional sensor configured to monitor the additional vehicle subsystem to provide an additional sensor signal corresponding thereto, wherein the vehicle management subsystem is further configured to;

receive the additional sensor signal;

compare the received sensor signal to a plurality of baseline sensor signal values to determine whether a vehicle subsystem is operating in a sub-optimal manner;

generate a vehicle subsystem alert based on the determination that the vehicle subsystem is operating in a sub-optimal manner; and

transmit the vehicle subsystem alert to at least one of the display and the user device for presentation to the user.

5. The response vehicle of claim 4, wherein the detector is configured to receive a plurality of additional identification signals from a plurality of additional pieces of equipment in response to the plurality of additional pieces of equipment being within the predetermined distance of the detector, wherein the vehicle management system is further configured to:

generate a list of equipment located within the predetermined distance of the response vehicle based on the received identification signals;

compare the generated list to a baseline equipment list to determine that at least one piece of equipment identified by the baseline equipment list is not within the predetermined distance of the response vehicle; and

generate an equipment alert based on the missing piece of baseline equipment; and

transmit the equipment alert to at least one of the display and the user device for presentation to the user.

6. The response vehicle of claim 5, wherein the vehicle management subsystem is further configured to:

quantify a readiness reduction associated with the vehicle subsystem operating in a sub-optimal manner based on the comparison of the received sensor signal with the baseline sensor signal;

quantify an overall readiness reduction of the response vehicle based on the readiness reduction associated with the vehicle subsystem;

compare the overall readiness reduction to a predetermined threshold;

generate, responsive to the readiness reduction being above the predetermined threshold, a vehicle un-readiness alert; and

transmit the un-readiness alert to at least one of the display and the user device for presentation to the user.

7. The response vehicle of claim 6, wherein the vehicle management system is further configured to quantify a readiness reduction associated with the equipment within the predetermined distance of the response vehicle based on the comparison of the generated list of equipment within the predetermined distance of the response vehicle to the baseline equipment list, wherein the overall readiness reduction is further based on the readiness reduction associated with the equipment.

8. The response vehicle of claim 6, wherein the vehicle management system is further configured to receive an inspection input identifying a component from the user device via the secure connection, the component comprising at least one of (a) a piece of equipment of the plurality of pieces of equipment within the predetermined distance of the response vehicle and (b) a component of the response vehicle, the inspection input further including an indication that the identified component has at least at least one defect.

9. The response vehicle of claim 8, wherein the vehicle management system is further configured to quantify a readiness reduction associated with the identified component based on the indication contained in the inspection input, wherein the overall readiness reduction is further based on the readiness reduction associated with the identified component based on the indication contained in the inspection input.

10. A control system for a response vehicle, comprising:

an emergency vehicle database configured to store;

an equipment inventory list of a plurality of pre-identified pieces of equipment, wherein the plurality of pre-identified pieces of equipment is specific to a particular response vehicle with which the control system is configured to be associated; and

a plurality of inspection instruction datasets associated with each of the pre-identified pieces of equipment, the inspection instruction datasets being configured to present a user with inspection instructions via a user device;

a transceiver; and

a processing circuit comprising a memory and a processor, the memory structured to store instructions that are executable by the processor to cause the processor to;

receive, by the transceiver, a connection request from a user device associated with a user, the user device being separate from the response vehicle;

establish, by the transceiver, a secure connection with the user device in response to receiving the connection request;

receive, by the transceiver, a first input from the user device, the first input indicating a user request to inspect at least a subset of the pre-identified pieces of equipment;

generate an equipment inventory list display dataset based on the equipment inventory list stored in the response vehicle database, the inventory list display dataset being specifically formatted to be viewable via the user device; and

transmit, by the transceiver, the equipment inventory list display dataset to the user device via the secure connection for presentation to the user.

11. The control system of claim 10, wherein the equipment inventory list further identifies a plurality of inspection points of the response vehicle, wherein a second input indicates a user request to inspect a particular inspection point, wherein the equipment inventory list display dataset identifies a plurality of pieces of equipment to be inspected that are associated with the particular inspection point.

12. The control system of claim 11, wherein a third input comprises an inspection notification signal transmitted by the user device to the response vehicle control system, the inspection notification signal generated by the user device in response to the user scanning a barcode on a piece of equipment associated with the response vehicle.

13. The control system of claim 12, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive, by the transceiver, a fourth input from the user device, the fourth input identifying a piece of equipment to be inspected by the user;

retrieve an inspection instruction dataset associated with the identified piece of equipment from the response vehicle database in response to receiving the fourth input; and

transmit, by the transceiver, the inspection instruction dataset to the user device for presenting the user with an inspection instruction interface on the user device.

14. The control system of claim 13, wherein the inspection instruction interface presented to the user includes a plurality of potential defects of the identified piece of equipment.

15. The control system of claim 14, wherein the processor is configured to receive, by the transceiver, a fifth input from the user device, the fifth input comprising information input by the user into the inspection instruction interface, the fifth input indicating the condition of at least on aspect of the identified piece of equipment.

16. The control system of claim 15, wherein the fifth input comprises a user selection of one of the plurality of potential defects.

17. The control system of claim 16, wherein the processor is further configured to:

quantify a readiness reduction associated with the identified piece of equipment based on the identified defect;

quantify an overall readiness reduction of the response vehicle based at least in part on the readiness reduction of the identified piece of equipment;

compare the overall readiness reduction to a predetermined threshold;

generate, responsive to the readiness reduction being above the predetermined threshold, a vehicle un-readiness alert; and

transmit the un-readiness alert to a display or the user device for presentation to the user.

18. The control system of claim 17, wherein the processor is further configured to:

receive a sensor signal originating from a sensor associated with the response vehicle, the sensor associated with a response vehicle subsystem, the response vehicle subsystem comprising at least one of a transmission, a braking system, a lighting system, a generator, a water pump system, a foam system, a water tank, a foam tank, a transmission system, and a tire inflation system, the sensor signal indicating the status of at least one aspect of the response vehicle subsystem;

quantify a readiness reduction associated with the vehicle subsystem by comparing the received sensor signal with a baseline value stored in the response vehicle database, wherein the overall readiness reduction is further based on the readiness reduction associated with the vehicle subsystem.

19. The control system of claim 18, wherein the processor is configured to:

receive a plurality of identification signals from a detector associated with the response vehicle, the plurality of identification signals indicating the presence of a plurality of pieces of equipment within a predetermined distance of the response vehicle;

generate a list of present pieces of equipment based on the received identification signal; and

quantify an inventory readiness reduction by comparing the generated list with the equipment inventory list stored in the response vehicle database, wherein the overall readiness is further based on the inventory readiness reduction.

20. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a vehicle management system of a response vehicle, an indication that a plurality of pieces of equipment are within a predetermined distance of the response vehicle, the pieces of equipment being separate from the response vehicle;

receiving, by the vehicle management system, a plurality of sensor signals originating from a sensor associated with the response vehicle, the sensor being associated with a response vehicle subsystem, the response vehicle subsystem comprising at least one of a transmission, a braking system, a lighting system, a generator, a water pump system, a foam system, a water tank, a foam tank, a transmission system, and a tire inflation system, the sensor signal indicating an operation status of at least one aspect of the response vehicle subsystem;

identifying, by the vehicle management system, a piece of equipment that is missing by comparing the plurality of pieces of equipment within the predetermined distance of the response vehicle with a baseline inventory list stored in a database associated with the response vehicle;

determining, by the vehicle management system, that a relationship between a received sensor signal and a baseline value for the sensor signal is indicative of a response vehicle subsystem operating at a sub-optimal level;

generating, by the vehicle management subsystem, a readiness report for the response vehicle, the readiness report identifying the missing piece of equipment and the sub-optimal operational level of the response vehicle subsystem; and

transmitting, by the vehicle management subsystem, the readiness report to a user device associated with a user, the user device being separate from the response vehicle.