Performance management system for multi-machine worksite

• US 8,190,335 B2
• Filed: 02/04/2008
• Issued: 05/29/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/04/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Caterpillar Incorporated
• Inventors: Vik, Timothy A., Marathe, Sameer S., Bakken, Arick M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Novosad, Christopher J.
• Application Number:
  US12/068,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20090198422A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,576 Days
• Field of Search: 701/50, 370/241, 370/242, 370/245, 370/252, 358/406, 358/468, 358/474, 358/475, 358/486, 358/488, 358/496, 358/504, 358/509, 382/168, 399/40, 399/223, 399/231, 399299-301, 399/306
• US Class Current: 701/50
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/0858 wherein the data carrier is removable

Abstract

A performance management system for use a plurality of machines operating at a common worksite is disclosed. The performance management system may have at least one data acquisition module configured to monitor performance of the plurality of machines, and a controller in communication with the at least one data acquisition module. The controller may be configured to collect machine performance data from the at least one data acquisition module, and detect a performance irregularity based on the collected machine performance data. The controller may be further configured to analyze the collected machine performance data, and determine which of a machine condition, an operator condition, and a site condition is the predominant cause of the performance irregularity based on the comparison.

Claims

1. A performance management system for use with a plurality of machines operating at a common worksite, the performance management system comprising:

at least one data acquisition module configured to monitor performance of the plurality of machines; and

a controller in communication with the at least one data acquisition module and being configured to;

collect machine performance data from the at least one data acquisition module;

detect a performance irregularity based on the collected machine performance data;

analyze the collected machine performance data; and

determine which of a machine condition, an operator condition, or a site condition is the predominant cause of the performance irregularity based on the analysis.

2. The performance management system of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured to trend the machine performance data according to machine identification; and

when the controller determines, based on the trending, that multiple of the plurality of machines are experiencing the performance irregularity, the controller is configured to indicate that the site condition is the predominant cause of the performance irregularity.

3. The performance system of claim 2, wherein the controller is configured to trend the machine performance data according to location within the common worksite and according to a currently performed task.

4. The performance management system of claim 1, wherein:

the controller is configured to trend the machine performance data according to machine identification; and

when the controller determines, based on the trending, that fewer than a threshold number of the plurality of machines are experiencing the performance irregularity, the controller is configured to indicate that one of the machine condition or the operator condition is the predominant cause of the performance irregularity.

5. The performance management system of claim 4, wherein:

the controller is configured to trend the machine performance data according to operator; and

when the controller determines, based on the operator trending, that multiple operators of the same one of the plurality of machines are experiencing the performance irregularity, the controller is configured to indicate that the machine condition is having the greatest influence on the performance irregularity.

6. The performance management system of claim 4, wherein:

the controller is configured to trend the machine performance data according to operator; and

when the controller determines, based on the operator trending, that fewer than a threshold number of machine operators of the same one of the plurality of machines are experiencing the performance irregularity, the controller is configured to indicate that the operator condition is the predominant cause of the performance irregularity.

7. The performance management system of claim 1, wherein the performance irregularity is related to productivity.

8. The performance management system of claim 1, wherein the performance irregularity is related to efficiency.

9. The performance management system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of data acquisition modules are located onboard the plurality of machines.

10. The performance management system of claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to trend the collected machine performance data with respect to time.

11. The performance management system of claim 1, wherein the site condition is one of a weather condition, a material condition, or a terrain condition.

12. The performance management system of claim 1, wherein the machine condition is one of a machine age condition, a machine maintenance condition, or a machine repair condition.

13. The performance management system of claim 1, wherein the operator condition is one of an experience level or a skill level.

14. The system of claim 1, wherein the worksite is an open pit mining operation, and the plurality of machines are from a group including digging machines, loading machines, and hauling machines.

15. A performance management system, comprising:

a plurality of machines co-located at a common worksite;

a plurality of data acquisition modules located onboard the plurality of machines to monitor machine performance; and

a controller in communication with each of the plurality of data acquisition modules and being configured to;

collect machine performance data from each of the plurality of data acquisition modules;

detect low productivity based on the collected machine performance data;

index the collected machine performance data according to at least a machine identification and an operator identification; and

determine which of a machine condition, an operator condition, or a site condition is the predominant cause of the low productivity based on the indexing.

16. The performance management system of claim 15, wherein:

the performance irregularity is related to one of productivity or efficiency;

the site condition is one of a weather condition, a material condition, or a terrain condition;

the machine condition is one of a machine age condition, a machine maintenance condition, or a machine repair condition; and

the operator condition is one of an experience level or a skill level.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the worksite is an open pit mining operation, and the plurality of machines are from a group including digging machines, loading machines, and hauling machines.

18. A method of managing performance of a plurality of machines at a common worksite, comprising:

collecting machine performance data associated with each of the plurality of machines;

determining a performance irregularity based on the collected machine performance data;

comparing the collected machine performance data; and

determining which of a machine condition, an operator condition, and a site condition is the predominant cause of the performance irregularity based on the comparison.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein:

comparing the collected machine performance data includes trending the machine performance data according to machine identification; and

when it is determined, based on the trending, that multiple of the plurality of machines are experiencing similar performance irregularities, the method includes indicating that the site condition is having the greatest influence on the performance irregularities.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein:

comparing the collected machine performance data includes trending the machine performance data according to machine identification; and

when it is determined, based on the trending, that fewer than a threshold number of the plurality of machines are experiencing the performance irregularity, the method includes indicating that one of the machine condition or the operator condition is the predominant cause of the performance irregularities.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein:

comparing the collected machine performance data further includes trending the machine performance data according to operator; and

when it is determined, based on the operator trending, that multiple operators of the same one of the plurality of machines are experiencing similar performance irregularities, the method includes indicating that the machine condition is having the greatest influence on the performance irregularities.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein:

comparing the collected machine performance data further includes trending the machine performance data according to operator; and

when it is determined, based on the operator trending, that fewer than a threshold number of machine operators of the same one of the plurality of machines are experiencing the performance irregularity, the method includes indicating that the operator condition is having the greatest influence on the performance irregularity.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the worksite is an open pit mining operation, and the plurality of machines are from a group including digging machines, loading machines, and hauling machines.