APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ADMI TO FIND A MOBILE ASSET F LATILE
The present invention is generally related to the field of managing a flotilla of remote assets. In particular, the invention is described in the application of administering a fleet of locomotives.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The administration of a large fleet of mobile assets, such as a flotilla of trucks, ships or locomotives, is a challenging logistical effort. There is continuous pressure on the owners of
15 d these assets to improve the efficiency of operations of the assets to remain competitive in the market. For example, these railroads must administer their locomotive floats to maximize time on the train in order to remain competitive with alternative modes of transport. The owner of the
The present invention is a supplier of locomotive engines and has developed several design and service features to maximize the efficiency of the operation of its locomotives. The owner of the present invention has also been given the task of providing integrated maintenance services to the owners of
25 the locomotives. These services include the operation of a center
of maintenance and repair service and the supply of labor and necessary parts. The coordination of the service to a large fleet of locomotives and the communication with the different parties involved in these efforts are monumental tasks. The patent of E. U. A. No. 5,845,272, dated December 1, 1998, which commonly pertains to the present invention, describes a system and method for diagnosing faults in a locomotive. Although said system and method have proven to be beneficial, further improvements in fleet management are desired. 10 COMPENDIUM OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, a system and method for effectively integrating the various elements involved in the management of a fleet of mobile assets are described herein. The data management powers of modern computer and global information networks using such tools to collect, store, analyze, distribute and present information in a format and at a time when it can be more effectively used by the responsible persons. of said assets. The invention includes the aspects of real-time data collection of each of the mobile assets, computerized analysis of said data for the prediction and detection of faults, and in the planning of maintenance activities that
25 respond to such predictions of failures before the assets
be put out of service. The planning of the maintenance activities includes the selection of an optimal location and time to perform the work, giving consideration to the trends of the operational data, the availability of the necessary repair resources, and other criteria defined by the owner. Work planning also includes automatic generation of appropriate work orders including advanced reservation of necessary service equipment, spare parts and repair personnel. The different participants and owners of assets in these
10 activities are provided with appropriate levels of information through a global information network. The information presentation powers of the multimedia format of an Internet website are ideally suited to achieve many of the communication functions necessary for
15 implement this invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the invention read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a communications network for managing a fleet of assets mobile Figure 2 illustrates the steps of a method for managing a fleet of mobile assets.
the fc-f ... l? Jt jtf &tkAi ..- ^ ¿üte * ,. ±? * ~~ **. ^.? "H? U 6-Aaa" a &tefc- - * 11 xtt Üíf á l Figure 3 is a block diagram of a system according to the invention for communicating data from a mobile asset. Fig. 4 is a block diagram of the system monitoring station apparatus 5 shown in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a block diagram of a vehicle maintenance management method. Figure 6 is a block diagram of a system to carry
# out a remote incoming inspection of locomotives. Figure 7 illustrates an apparatus and method for generating work orders. Figure 8 illustrates a web page that shows a road map for mobile assets. Figure 9 illustrates a web page showing the output of a search engine accessible by means of a global information network that identifies the proximity of locomotives to a workshop. Figures 10-12 illustrate pages of a website that contains information related to the management of a fleet of locomotives.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
To effectively manage a fleet of mobile assets, it is necessary to avoid unexpected equipment failures and achieve activities
25 repair and maintenance in an efficient way as to
ajuÉa i. -a-í -.- B * - «- A.« «- - < fa -----. t "- ^ .-- £ -ÉMÉ-.A A j time. There is a tremendous amount of information available related to a fleet of mobile assets. Such information may include design information, real-time operational data, historical performance data including probabilities of failure, inventory of parts, and geographic information related to the assets, the cargo that is being transported with the assets, parts, personnel and facilities. of repair, etc. The key to achieving an efficient operation is the ability to communicate such information to the people and places where it is necessary, and present the information in a format that makes it useful to achieve the desired result. Accordingly, the inventors have imagined the system 10 of Figure 1 to be used in the management of a fleet of mobile assets. Although illustrated and described with respect to a fleet of locomotives 12, the invention can be implemented with other types of mobile assets, such as trucks, ships, etc. In addition, the apparatus and method described herein are useful for managing not only mobile vehicles but also the cargo transported with said vehicles. The communication system 10 allows a variety of user types to obtain detailed and timely information with respect to each of the mobile assets 12. Such users can include the transport company 14 that owns and operates the locomotives 12, a customer 24 of the transport company, personnel in a locomotive service center 22, personnel in a data center 18, and the engineer on board of each individual locomotive 12. The locomotives 12 can be equipped with a plurality of detectors to monitor a plurality of of representative operational parameters * of the condition of the locomotive 12 and the efficiency of its operation. The locomotive 12 can also be equipped with a GPS receiver 16 or another satellite-based instrument or local instrument to determine the locomotive's geographical location 12. The data regarding the location of the locomotive 12 and its parameters
• Operations can be transferred periodically or in real time to a
10 database 18 by means of a data link 20, such as a satellite system, cellular phone, optical or infrared system, a wired telephone line, etc. The owner of the present invention
• operates said data center 18 at its Diagnostic and Monitoring Service Center (MDSC) in Erie, Pennsylvania. Affiliates with
15 said data center 18 can be found one or more service centers 22 where the locomotives 12 are brought for repair and maintenance service. As illustrated in Figure 1, the data center 18 and the service center 22 can be linked to a network of
20 global information, such as Internet 15, by means of known types
# of data connections. Such links can typically be a computer interface through an Internet service provider. The Internet and the Great World Network provide a means to communicate between the data center 18 and the center
25 service 22. In addition, these facilities may be in
communication with the user of the transport company 14 by means of an Internet connection. Customers 24 in the transport company or other members of the public can also be in communication with these facilities through Internet links. Because the Internet 15 and known web page formats provide a means to communicate data and information in a multimedia format, such a global information network is a useful communication tool to display and communicate the large amount of data that can be associated with it. with the operation of a fleet of mobile assets 12. Figure 2 illustrates a method 28 for managing a flotilla of mobile assets that can be implemented using a communications system 10 as illustrated in Figure 1. Each mobile asset can be uniquely identified , as by means of an identification number, as in step No. 30 of Figure 2. One or more identifiers may also be associated with the cargo that is being transported with the mobile assets 12. For the mode of a locomotive fleet 12, the operating parameters for each of the locomotives 12 can be monitored in 32 by means of the on-board detectors. Preferably, said operating parameters are monitored in real time, and data related to these operating parameters are available to communicate to a data center 18 when appropriate. The location of each asset is also determined at 34, such as using a GPS system or otherwise, identifying the
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locomotive in a particular location on the rail line. The data with respect to both the location and operating parameters of each locomotive 12 can be traversed 36 periodically from an on-board data file to a centralized database 39. In the event that a critical failure 38 is identified in one of the systems of a locomotive, it might be preferable to download the data of the locomotive immediately when recognizing the failure. This download time can also be determined based on the availability and quality of data link 20 between the locomotive 12 and the data center 18. The database 39 located in the data center 18 can also include data representing the reports of inspection 42, maintenance records 44, and design information 46 related to the specific vehicles included in the plurality of mobile assets. For example, if a locomotive engine 12 returns to a service center 22 for a periodic inspection and a maintenance visit, the information regarding the results of the inspection and maintenance activities can be used to update the database 39 for that particular locomotive. The database can also be updated 39 if the designer of the locomotive 12 provides any corrected design parameter 43, such as a new number of parts for an updated component. The amount of data in that database can be immense considering the number of vehicles in some fleets, and considering the amount of data
that can be collected on a periodic basis with respect to the operation of each of the vehicles. However, the computing power of modern data processing equipment makes it easy to analyze 48 said database. Several data processing routines 5 can be used to generate operation reports 50 with respect to each of the individual assets or the entire fleet. Statistical data 52 can be calculated to help the analysis of the operation parameters of the flotilla. 10 To be able to effectively use the large amount of data that may be available with respect to a fleet or a mobile asset, the result of the analysis 48 of said data must effectively be displayed and transmitted to an interested user 14. There may be more than one user 14, 24 interested in the data, and the level of
15 details of interest may vary from one moment to another. The inventor has found that an Internet web page is an effective means to communicate such data and information. An Internet web page can be updated 56 to reflect the operation reports 50, operation statistics 52, and / or the map of
20 current location 54 for the mobile assets fleet. One or more of these web pages can be used with appropriate hyperlinks to additional web pages. By nesting related web pages, the level of detail presented to the user 14 can be controlled by the user. For example, a location map 190 of Figure 8, which
25 illustrates the current geographical location of each of the locomotives
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12 belonging to a transport company, can include a hyperlink 192 in the indication of the location of each of the locomotives 12. This map can illustrate the location of the service facilities. Similarly, for a fleet of 5 trucks, a road map can be generated showing the location of each truck along with its route. By constructing such a map in a website format, a hyperlink 192 can be provided on the map for each mobile asset to connect the user to an interconnected nested web page containing information
10 additional with respect to that particular vehicle. For example, while the location of a mobile asset can be seen on map 190, by double-clicking on the cursor on the symbol of a single locomotive 12, the speed, destination, route, loading information, fuel level , information about the crew, and
15 other operational information for that locomotive can be seen on the nested web pages. A user, such as a customer 24 of the transport company, may only be interested in the location of the train. Another user 14, as a service engineer employed by the railroad, may be interested not only in the
To 20 locomotive location but also on the amount of fuel on board or other operational parameters. Both users 14, 24 can quickly obtain the information they need by simply pointing and clicking using the known Internet browser technology. 25 Search engine software technology can
ktkáilkáXLkáß * $ - < --- ** -----: provided to allow a user to identify the desired information related to mobile assets 12 through the global information network 15. Access to an appropriate web page containing the desired information it can then be provided by means of a hyperlink directly from the search engine. An Internet web page display used with the present invention can incorporate all the capabilities of the multimedia capabilities of a global information network 15. For
For example, the location map 54 may include the use of color to indicate an enlistment status for each locomotive, for example, green for a locomotive operating properly, yellow for a locomotive showing an anomaly in one of its operating parameters, and red for a locomotive that has a
15 critical size. The user 14 of said information may be able to quickly assimilate a large volume of data and cause his attention to be directed to important portions of the data. This web page may also include links to additional pages that contain drawings of component parts, specifications, or
20 repair and operating manuals or other design parameters 46. In some cases, it may be advantageous to include video information on that website, such as a motion or static video produced by the locomotive operator and transmitted directly from the mobile asset to show the condition of a
25 component. Said video information may be accompanied
for live audio information, including voice of the operator, thereby enabling the user 14, the operator located in the locomotive 12, and the personnel in the service center 22 to be in conference. with respect to an anomaly that is in development. Communication over the global information network 15 using the Internet Protocol allows data packets to be communicated between different types of networks. Packages may consist of voice, text, video, audio or other types of data. System 10 of Figure 1 can be adapted to use future platforms as they become available. When a critical fault 38 is identified, or an anomaly 58 is found in one or more of the operating parameters, a service recommendation 60 could be developed. The information regarding the anomaly 58, critical failure 38, and / or recommendation of Service 60 can also be loaded 56 on an Internet web page. When appropriate, a user may be notified 62 that new information or urgent information has been displayed on the Internet website. The user may be notified 62 by an email, telephone call, fax or other form of communication. simple communication. The user can then actively interact with the web pages that present the data with respect to the mobile assets of interest. Such interaction may include a request by the user for additional information. This request can be transmitted to the locomotive operator or other appropriate person through the information network connection
global, and the answer could be communicated back. The information available to the user on the website of
The Internet may include information regarding services that are available; 64 and / or inventory of parts 66 that can be
5 is important for making any decision regarding a maintenance recommendation 60. Personnel located in a service center 22 may not only provide data for the user 14, but also receive a communication from the user 14 with
Wß regarding a planned maintenance activity, with this
10 facilitating the scheduling of maintenance activities in the service center 22. The advantage of the communication system 10 of Figure 1 and method 28 of Figure 2 can be seen by considering a train with three locomotives 12 operating in relatively large terrain. plane of
15 way to a mountainous section of a line of rails. Because the three locomotives operate at a reduced capacity in the flat terrain, the operator of the locomotives that may be physically sitting in the front of the locomotive, may not be aware that a degraded condition has developed in the locomotive.
20 the third locomotive. For example, a degraded cooling system can cause the third locomotive to drown back to a reduced energy outlet. Because the first and second locomotives can provide the necessary energy, the progress of the train is not affected. If this condition degraded
25 still not noticed, the train will not be able to deal with the mountainous terrain with which it will be found later in the road. However, on-board detectors in the third locomotive identify the degraded cooling condition and the related data - with the degraded condition are immediately downloaded 40 to data center 18 to update the data center database 38. Computers and / or the personnel located in the data center 18 can analyze the data 48 and identify that there is an anomaly 58 and determine that a maintenance action 60 is recommended. For example, if a fan motor controller has developed
10 a malfunction, a maintenance recommendation 60 to replace the control panel can be generated. A web page display showing the location of the locomotive would then be rapidly updated 56 to show the degraded condition,
• and railway maintenance personnel are notified 62 by
15 means of an email message that is automatically generated in the data center 18. The email includes a Universal Resource Locator (URL) that directs the maintenance staff to an Internet web page that contains information regarding the degraded condition and
20 recommended maintenance activity. The staff of
• maintenance then view the available parts inventory 66 illustrated on another web page to verify the availability of the required control panel in a service center 22 located along the route of the locomotive 12. In this example, a user 14 is
25 able to use the powers of the presentation of the web page
of the global information network 15 to quickly assess the importance of the anomaly that affects one of a fleet of mobile assets and evaluate the different options to solve said anomaly. In this example, the degraded locomotive can be repaired before the train stops in the mountainous section of the tracks, thereby avoiding an unexpected expense and a costly schedule delay for the transport company. The speed of communication via the Internet and the range of information that can effectively be communicated through an Internet web page makes the communication system 10 of Figure 1 and the method of managing the assets 28 of Figure 2 be beneficial for a large fleet of mobile assets distributed over a large geographical area. Access to an Internet web page that contains important information regarding a fleet of mobile assets may be restricted only to those users who have appropriate authorization to access said data. For example, the information derived from the 48 analysis of the database can be displayed on an Internet web page protected with a password. Only authorized users 14, 24 will then be provided with the necessary password to access the web page. Similarly, the information received from a user and used to update web page 56 can only be accepted as authentic if the user enters an appropriate password to confirm their identity. Other protection measures such as data from
I ii ^ AtfeáÍ »tf (n1tfl | tfl ....-,. ^ ^ T. ^ ^^^ ís? *? Á ^ mié' é? M ßí ^ i ^^^^» s ^. ^? ^ Aíma ^^^ j * ái? x encryption may also be used In some cases, it may be desirable that at least a portion of the information displayed on an Internet web page may be publicly available t For example;, it could be desirable that the location map 54, so
5 less for a portion of the mobile assets, be available for public viewing. In the case of a rail transport company, the location of the passenger trains may be information that may be available on a public Internet website, while the location of the trains of
10 cargo may be limited only to those specific industrial customers of the railroad company. The present invention may also include the ability to predict the failure of the vehicle and to use said predictions to plan the repair and maintenance work for each asset.
15 individual. Once the data is collected from the mobile asset, it can be used to develop a variety of information types with respect to mobile assets. Said capacity includes monitoring the parameters data of on-board systems transmitted from each vehicle during its operation; determine if
20 any of the monitored data are outside a range
^ default; calculate trends for monitored data determined to be out of range; identify any system failure; predict when such a system is likely to fail unless it is corrected; and predict which, if
25 exists, systems must be corrected to avoid failure of the
••••••••••••• •••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• ^^ -. tMMaa > M, jtt; maj¡, "...., .- .. ti vehicle, develop a recommendation of the service, and communicate the service recommendation through a global information network. An apparatus for achieving said steps is generally identified by the number 110 of Figure 3, and comprises a communication element 112 and a monitoring station 114. The communication elements 112 are transported by the remote vehicle, for example, the locomotive 12. The communication elements may comprise a cellular MODEM, a transmitter, satellite or other similar well known means or methods for transporting wireless signals over long distances. The signals transmitted by the communication element 112 are received by the monitoring station 114 which, for example, can be the maintenance facility 22 or the data center 18 of Figure 1. The monitoring station 114 includes software and hardware suitable for receiving and processing the data signals of vehicle system parameters generated by the locomotive 12 from a remote location. Said equipment, as illustrated in the block diagram form in Figure 4, comprises the receiving element 116, the processing element 118, and the man-machine interface element 120. Examples of suitable receiving elements 116 include a satellite communications receiver or a cellular communications receiver. The processing element 118 may comprise a processor, memory and MODEM or an Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN) adapter of a computer
conventional personnel or a workstation coupled with software capable of executing the functions depicted in Figure 4. The appropriate processing element 118 may include a locomotive failure diagnostic system as described in the US patent. No. 5,845,272. The man-machine interface element 120 may include a monitor, a keyboard, a mouse or mouse, a printer and / or other related I / O devices to allow interaction between a human operator and processing means 118. The data of monitored vehicle parameters received by the receiving means 116 are communicated to the processing element 118 where they are processed in the manner shown in Figure 5. Many vehicle system operating parameters are monitored, and the trends are calculated on a subset of those parameters, or in all parameters. Among the parameters that can be monitored for locomotives are the ambient air temperature, train speed, total power and track energy, total voltage, total amperes, software versions, engine RPM, engine temperature, engine pressure, crankcase, dynamic braking, battery voltage, and voltage and amperage for all auxiliary motors. For other vehicles, other sets of parameters can be monitored. For a turbocharged diesel truck, for example, the monitored parameters may also include vacuum, fuel injection pressure, inlet thrust pressure, intake valve position, etc. The
Monitored parameters can also include important data measurements in relation to the cargo 25 that is being transported by the mobile asset, for example, the temperature -in a trailer or refrigerated car. Referring to Figure 5, a block diagram of the operations performed of the processing element 118 is shown upon receiving the parameter data of vehicle systems transmitted by the communication element 112. When sending a request for transmission of the communication station. monitoring 114, the communication element 112 preferably continuously transmits the data and the receiving element 116 preferably continuously receives the data. When using the reception element 116, the processing element 118 monitors the data as indicated at 122. A first determination 124 made by the processing element 118 is whether any of the data is outside of an acceptable range for any of the vehicle systems that are being monitored. If the processing element identifies out-of-range data, it executes a routine 126 to calculate whether the data suggests one or more trends suggesting a possible or current impediment or failure of the vehicle systems being monitored. The trends are calculated by comparing values for a given parameter over a period of time and comparing those values that the historical data for identical vehicle systems, This allows an accurate and fast correlation of the data of
trends with a dedicated fault occurrence experience database. Preferred trends are calculated based, in part, on previous downloads collected in the database. The database of preference data is continuously updated and can be stored in the memory of the processing element 118, elsewhere in the monitoring station 114, or off-site whereby it can be accessed on-line . An example of a trend that may indicate a system failure would be a crankcase overpressure trend from negative to positive. This condition may suggest that there is a piston or cylinder problem or excessive motor wear. The processing element 118 is preferably able to link the results of various observed trends to more accurately diagnose a problem. For example, the aforementioned crankcase overpressure tendency can be coupled by the processing element 118 with an observed tendency in electronic fuel injection parameters to more clearly determine the cause of the problem. Once an unfavorable trend is detected, it is identified by the processing element 118 with a stored fault code as indicated at 128. The fault codes of correspond to the wide variety of faults can be stored, and the trends can be calculated by some or all of them. Examples of faults that can be categorized include, without limitation, overcurrents, jumps, crankcase over-temperatures, overpressures
crankcase, communication failures, ground electrical faults, air conditioner converter faults, propulsion system failures, auxiliary system failures, propulsion motor failures, auxiliary motor failures, auxiliary system load failures, engine cooling system, oil system failures, control wiring faults and microelectronic failures. As indicated at 130, after an identification and categorization of a fault, the processing element 118 then gives priority to the failure. The process of giving priority to the failure involves comparing the identified fault code with a database of historical failures with which the failure can be classified as critical, restrictive or both critical and restrictive. A critical fault is one that will cause a shutdown of the imminent vehicle if not corrected immediately. Examples include, without limitation, serious engine problems, main and auxiliary alternator grounding, loss of oil or coolant pressure and microelectronic failures. A restrictive failure is one that, although probably does not cause the imminent shutdown of the vehicle, prevents the operation of the vehicle. A restrictive failure will probably get progressively worse and may degenerate into a critical failure if it is not solved in time. Examples of restrictive failures include, without limitation, an overheated engine or the loss of one or more of the traction engines, each of which depletes horsepower and can cause other stresses in the engine or other systems of the vehicle.
Prior to a failure, the processing element 118, as indicated at 132, predicts which vehicle system will likely fail. Additionally, the processing element also predicts the estimated failure time, preferably expressed as an approximation of the view (in miles or kilometers, for example) that the vehicle can be safely operated before it must enter the workshop prior to the fails or the amount of operating time before failure. The optimum time that the vehicle should remain in the workshop is determined by using the relevant trend data for the identified failure and comparing that data with a knowledge base of projected failure time that has been entered into the database for the calculation . As indicated in 134, the processing element 118 is also preferably programmed to instruct a human operator at the monitoring station 114: (1) whether to correct the fault before the scheduled maintenance of the vehicle, (2) when to correct the fault, (3) ) that fails to correct (preferably including which parts of the vehicle components should be repaired), and (4) the optimal installation at which the failure can be corrected. The optimum repair facility depends on the proximity of the vehicle to the installation and whether the facility has the capacity, including the parts, service equipment and personnel experience necessary to repair the fault. The service center staff receives an alert of the planned arrival of the locomotive in step
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135. The data monitored in step 122 may include data with respect to the cargo 25 being transported by a mobile active t 16. That data may be used to develop information regarding the cargo, and said information may be distributed through the network. of global information 15. A website can be developed by including information of interest to the owners of cargo 25, such as the location of the shipment, and said owners can access the respective web pages through an insured or uninsured web access through of the global information network 25. A route map as illustrated in Figure 8 can be placed in the global information network 15 to illustrate the location of various cargo loads. A two-way communication may be provided between a controller 24 for the operation of mobile assets 16 and the owners 14 of the load 25. The apparatus and method of the present invention may also include improvements in the processing of a mobile asset through the installation of repair 22 of Figure 1 when maintenance / repair is necessary. Figure 6 illustrates in the form of a block diagram, a system for conducting an inspection of a remote incoming vehicle, and for planning the maintenance / repair activities on the vehicle before it arrives at the place of service. This process begins by identifying an incoming mobile asset, such as a locomotive 12, and its maintenance date
tomAj ^ ai ^, • rtÉÜMlilfiíinÜlii-i * & .. «ite.1, -1. «I ****. *» ^ Programmed 141. The maintenance schedule can be maintained on a computer at service center 22 or at any other convenient location accessible through the information network; 15 of Figure 1. Before arriving at the workshop, a signal is sent to the communication element 112 of Figure 3, as an on-board computer, and it sends instructions to the same to transmit data in all the monitored parameters 142. Service staff and the service center computer have access to a wealth of experience and historical data
10 related to the system used in various locomotive models, and as they use said data in accordance with an algorithm to determine which maintenance operation and
^ Repair is required, advisable, and optional 143 for the particular incoming locomotive. A report is generated and sent to
15 owner of the asset, such as via an Internet web page, to identify said operations while the vehicle is still incoming. Decisions 144 are made in which of the advisable and optional maintenance operations should be carried out when the locomotive reaches the workshop. The staff of
Maintenance can then begin with preparations with repair activities 145 before the mobile asset arrives at the repair facility. The system imagines starting with repair operations 146 immediately at the time of arrival of asset 12 to place of service 22, avoiding the requirement of
25 an inspection that takes time and a decision-making process
after arriving at the workshop. The information regarding the status of the service activity can also be distributed through the global information network. Once a repair is completed and the locomotive returns to service, the performance data can once again be monitored 147 to conform a satisfactory completion of the service activity, and information regarding successful completion can be distributed by means of the global information network. f Step 143 to determine which operations are recommended
10 can include the analysis process illustrated in Figure 5. Trends are calculated 126 by comparing values for a given parameter over a period of time and comparing those values with historical data for identical vehicle systems. This allows a fast and accurate correlation of data from
15 trends with a dedicated fault occurrence experience database. The preference trends are calculated based in part on previous operation data that has been downloaded and collected in the database. The preference database is continually updated and can be stored in the memory of the
20 workshop computer or off-site in data center 18 where it can be accessed online through network 15 of Figure 1. The present invention allows reliable service personnel to quickly remove a vast amount of information
25 filed directly on the work floor, either by means of a
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kiosk 21 located within the service facility 22 and / or with display and communication units 23 carried by hand that the service personnel can take with them to the locomotive 12. said t portals; data 21, 23 can be communicated to a central computer by means of electromagnetic signals, such as RF signals, or online via the Internet or via a service provider Intranet. Data portals advantageously display the information directly on the job site. It will be appreciated that the present invention contemplates the use of mobile wireless web access devices that can directly access the intranet of the service provider. The Electronic Service Delivery (E-izing) as contemplated by the present invention is a fairly broad term used to describe the result of many applications that will be used in the service application site 22. It involves modernizing and standardizing multiple service processes , as well as providing users with all the information they need to maintain and repair a product on the site. A first data portal can be a kiosk 21, for example, a PC-based information point containing all the technical and security information that is currently available in copy. The information is conveniently available by clicking with the mouse, touching the screen, a voice command, etc. A second portal can be a hand-carried device 23 that can use the kiosk 21 as its activity center and can be used to display
t ?? *. ^?. ^ .... "Fa-n-á real-time information relevant to the tasks involved in the inspection and repair of the product 12. The present invention may also allow to display information related to the service on a monitoring board. to allow fast service personnel to know exactly on a real-time basis the status of each piece of equipment that is being serviced at service site 22 or other sites. By way of example, the information transmitted through each of these portals 21, 23 may be technical information available in copy but improved through suitable multimedia applications, such as audio and / or visual search applications and / or assistant of program (visual drill downs, and / or wizard applications) that allow service personnel to make a uniformly correct decision at all service sites. The electronic data delivery system of the present invention allows improving field service operations by applying e-Business technologies to replace paper-based manual processes. The business benefit includes improved asset availability by reducing the site time of repairs and having higher quality repairs. In addition, other processes, such as inventory management, are improved to have the correct part available when necessary. As shown in Figure 7, a work order flow module 150 is used to control the different repair processes. An exemplary action or step is to develop an exact work approach 152 in response to a service recommendation, as developed in step 143 of Figure 6. The information will be accumulated electronically to develop the work focus, and at least some of this information can be communicated through the global information network 15 as illustrated in Figure 1. By way of example and not limitation, the information may include the following: product performance information 154, repair history information 156, customer information 158, required and optional repairs 160, and information obtained during the inspection 162. The next step is to use the work approach to determine the sequence of repairs 164 based on the customer's need 158, availability of materials 166, and availability of resources 168, and drawings regarding the work steps to the measured and stored in a data warehouse 169. The process will provide the service personnel with the necessary information to determine the l Repair order and communicate it to the technical work force. The execution of the repairs will be carried out 170 directing the worker through the data portal 21, 23. The work order 172 provided to the worker through the data portal will direct the worker through each repair that is necessary . The completion of each step is recorded through the data portal to update the data warehouse 169 and provide repair status information in real time by
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middle of a monitoring board 175. A feedback loop will be used to update the current production configuration. Work order 172 will provide an accurate and more controlled repair process. The information obtained from the 5 completions of the work order will allow the monitoring of the status of the repairs and will also allow the clients 176 to obtain a real-time status of their product in the repair time. The data will also be used to improve the reliability of the product and compare and improve the processes of
10 field workshop through field sites. The communication of said information can be efficiently achieved by means of the global information network 15 of Figure 1. During the operation, consider a scenario of how the present invention improves productivity and performance in a
15 plurality of locomotive fleets leveraging advanced communications, diagnostics, programming, data management and locomotive repair technologies, thereby increasing the punctuality and useful time of the train. Imagine a train operating along a railroad route. The diagnostic modules
20 regularly monitor the different subsystems of the locomotive to ensure that operations remain within established parameters. For example, the system or edge may be configured to maintain optimal fluid conditions to maximize the life of the oil without sacrificing either the reliability of the
25 engine or the operation of the locomotive. If the monitor on board
recognizes trends outside the predefined limits, the fluid management system denotes the abnormality in the locomotive indicating a potential interest. Based on the severity of the interest, the system can automatically call the 5 remote diagnostics service center with the necessary data to confirm the diagnosis. Experts in systems and / or expert personnel evaluate if a fault condition is developing outside of normal limits and a corrective action must be proposed and communicated by
• medium of a global information network. The recommended action
10 can be directly administered in the train control system. At this time, the data center or the service personnel can evaluate the most logical place of repair in terms of different
• criteria, such as train proximity, parts, availability of repair equipment, availability of personnel, etc. The recommendation of
The service automatically triggers the creation of an electronic work order 172 within a service shop management system. Then a notice is sent, such as by means of an email message or by providing information on an Internet web page, to the service team detailing the parts and the
20 work needed for an accurate and timely repair. • The recommendation also sets a proximity trigger to notify the service shop when the locomotive is some distance from the repair site. As soon as the service team receives information about the necessary repair, the
25 team members gather or reserve the parts, equipment and
Personnel needed to perform corrective action 145, The approaching locomotive can automatically send a warning message to the service repair shop indicating that it is about to arrive. Alternatively, the service personnel can use a search engine 70 to identify the proximity of the locomotives in relation to their respective service shop. An example of a web page presenting such information is presented in Figure 9. A hyperlink can be provided in
• this screen to connect the user with the nested web pages
10 showing more detailed information regarding a particular locomotive. When the train arrives at the scheduled repair station, the locomotive is repaired by a service technician equipped with the necessary parts and wireless handheld device 23
* Containing proper maintenance, instructions for
15 training and safety so that the repair is carried out safely, quickly and accurately. In addition, plans can be made before the train arrives at the service workshop so that the transport of the cargo that is being transported by the train can be continued, thus avoiding excessive delays
20 in the delivery of the cargo. • The service technician informs the service shop management system that the operation has been completed. The train continues its route without delay. During this trip, the technology service center monitors the latest data downloaded 147 for
25 ensure that the problem has been corrected.
The global information network 15 facilitates the effective communication of many forms of information to improve the management of a plurality of mobile assets 12. A website accessible through the global information network 15 and using the Internet Protocol 5. Standard can present information in a variety of formats to meet the unique requirements of a variety of users. Such information may include predictions of failure, service recommendations, availability of service sizes 22, parts and personnel, the location of an asset
10 mobile 12 or its loading 25, operation data, audio and video information produced on board the mobile asset, a two-way communication between a mobile asset 12 and a fixed site 14, 18, 22, 24 statistical information with respect to the
• asset availability 12, repair status information,
15 etc. The technology of the website, including the interconnected web pages and hyperlink connectivity, can be used to present multimedia information. Exemplary web pages of a website created as part of system 10 of Figure 1 are illustrated in Figures 10-13. Figure 10 illustrates a
20 web page 200 that provides hyperlinks to a variety of
• design documents for a locomotive. One of said hyperlinks 202 takes the user to an interconnected page that has a specific fault location and correction guide. That page is illustrated in Figure 11. The web page 200 also
25 includes the user's ability to carry out research, such as
í t h ----. -. , 1, A i what is specific 204. Figure 12 illustrates another web page 210 whereby best practices are shared by the placement of messages by several users / Here, once more, various search capabilities 212 are provided for allow the user to use information effectively, and several hyperlinks 214 provide easy connections to other functions and associated web pages. As the bandwidth capabilities increase and become less expensive, the benefits of the disclosed invention will be even more important. IO
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