Machine having automatic component registration

• US 8,131,605 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2006
• Issued: 03/06/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Donnelli, Aaron M., McNealy, Anthony D., Earle, Kevin Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): King, Rodney P
• Application Number:
  US11/363,256
• Publication Number:
  US 20070203812A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,198 Days
• Field of Search: 342/42, 342/44, 342/50, 705/28
• 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 for the machine;

a data system remote from the machine;

a locating device configured to determine a global location of the machine; and

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

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

store information associating the component with a first user;

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

compare the determined global location received from the locating device to a plurality of predefined global locations;

compare a first of the plurality of predefined global locations to a second of the plurality of predefined global locations; and

remove the information associating the component with the first user and store information associating the component with a second user, in response to the comparison indicating the machine has moved from the first of the plurality of predefined global locations to the second of the plurality of predefined global locations.

2. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to automatically collect information related to the 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, wherein the controller is further configured to send the determined global location to the data system.

5. The component registration system of claim 1, 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.

6. The component registration system of claim 1, 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.

7. The component registration system of claim 6, 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.

8. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to send acknowledgement to the second user indicating completion of a registration update process.

9. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to initiate comparing the determined global location to the plurality of predefined global locations in response to an 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.

10. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein, upon installation of the component, a record is created in the data system including information associating the component with one of the plurality of predefined global locations.

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

12. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to limit functionality of the component based on the comparison.

13. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to automatically generate a request for enrollment for the component based on the comparison.

14. The component registration system of claim 1, wherein the locating device is a global positioning system.

15. A method of registering a component upon installation onto a machine, the component and a data system remote from the machine being in communication with a controller, the method comprising:

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

using the controller to automatically send the information to the data system to initiate a registration process for the component;

determining a global location of the machine;

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

at least one of limiting functionality of the component or automatically generating a request for enrollment for the component based on the comparison.

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

17. The method of claim 15, further including:

receiving the automatically collected information; and

responding with acknowledgement that the registration process has been completed.

18. The method of claim 15, further including:

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

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

sending the determined global location to the data system;

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

removing information associating the component with a first user; and

storing information 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.

20. The method of claim 19, 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.

21. The method of claim 19, 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.

22. The method of claim 21, 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.

23. The method of claim 19, further including sending acknowledgement to the second user indicating successful registration update of the component.

24. The method of claim 19, wherein the steps of removing the information associating the component with the first user and storing the information associating the component with the second user are initiated in further response to an 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.

25. The method of claim 19, 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.

26. A machine, comprising:

a power source configured to produce a power output;

an interface control module 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 data system in response to the signal.

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

28. The machine of claim 26, 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.

29. The machine of claim 28, 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.

30. The machine of claim 28, 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.

31. The machine of claim 30, 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.

32. The machine of claim 28, wherein the registration update process further includes sending acknowledgement to the second user indicating completion of the registration update process.

33. The machine of claim 28, 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.

34. The machine of claim 28, 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.