Maintenance request systems and methods

• US 7,133,804 B2
• Filed: 12/17/2002
• Issued: 11/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: First Data Corporation (Fiserv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: First Data Corporatino
• Inventors: Abelman, Henry M., Algiene, Kenneth, Tonack, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad, Patrick J.
• Application Number:
  US10/322,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20030163489A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,421 Days
• Field of Search: 702/182, 702/183, 702/184, 702/185, 701/29, 701/30, 340/870.01, 340/901, 340/988, 340/425.5, 340/500, 340/679, 700/108
• US Class Current: 702/184
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• 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

Abstract

A method for requesting one or more machines to be maintained includes monitoring the machine or machines and detecting when a failure of at least one machine occurs. The method further includes executing a computer program on an electronic terminal associated with the failed machine. The method further includes entering data relating to the condition of the failed machine into the computer program via the electronic terminal and transmitting the data to a database server, thereby initiating a process to alter the condition of the failed machine. In one embodiment of the method, the database server compiles historical data relating to the condition of the one or more machines. The historical information may be used in a predictive maintenance environment to further minimize downtime.

Claims

1. A system for coordinating the maintenance of a plurality of machines, comprising:

a computer terminal associated with each of the plurality of machines, wherein each computer terminal is configured to receive data relating to the condition of one of the machines;

a host computer configured to receive and store the data on the condition of the machine from a computer terminal, wherein the host computer is configured to transmit an alert upon the receipt of data that indicates that one of the machines requires maintenance, wherein the alert is configured to initiate a process to alter the condition of the machine; and

a predictive maintenance computer programed to receive and analyze the data and provide predictive maintenance information;

wherein the predictive maintenance computer is further configured to analyze historical data relating to a specific machine, in response to detecting an alert that the specific machine requires repair, to thereby determine a suggested corrective measure for the specific machine and wherein the host computer is configured to return the suggested corrective measure to a computer terminal associated with the specific machine.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine a mean time between failures for a machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine a mean time to recover for a machine.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine an availability for a machine.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine a predicted lifetime for a component of a machine.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the predictive maintenance computer is programmed to determine an average repair time for a machine.

7. A method of coordinating the maintenance of a plurality of machines, comprising:

monitoring each of the plurality of machines;

compiling, over time, historical maintenance and repair information for the plurality of machines;

detecting a failure of at least one of the machines;

entering data relating to the condition of the failed machine into a computer terminal associated with the failed machine;

transmitting the data to a host computer system;

transmitting an alert from the host computer system upon the receipt of data that indicates that one of the machines requires maintenance, thereby initiating a process to alter the condition of the failed machine;

storing the data at the host computer system;

in response to the alert, analyzing the data and the historical maintenance and repair information relating to the failed machine to develop a suggested corrective measure; and

responding to a request for assistance by providing the suggested corrective measure to a computer terminal associated with the failed machine.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the data includes calculating a mean time between failures for a machine.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the data includes calculating a mean time to recover for a machine.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the data includes calculating an availability for a machine.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the data includes calculating a predicted lifetime for a component of a machine.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein analyzing the data includes calculating an average repair time for a machine.

13. The method of claim 7, further comprising using the predictive maintenance information to schedule machines for maintenance.

14. The method of claim 7, further comprising using the predictive maintenance information to determine machine operator training requirements.