Fleet management system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11047769-B2
Application number	US-201816043955-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2018
Priority date	Jan 17, 2014
Publication date	Jun 29, 2021
Grant date	Jun 29, 2021

Abstract

In one example, fleet devices are monitored. The fleet devices include engines. A controller, such as an engine controller or centralized controller, receives sensor data indicative of a load on the engine from one or more of the fleet devices. The controller analyzes the load from the sensor data to identify a management function. The controller generates a message including the management function.

First claim

We claim:

1. A method comprising: receiving sensor data indicative of a load in an engine from one or more lawnmowers; analyzing, using a processor, the load from the sensor data to identify a management function of the one or more lawnmowers; calculating a maintenance interval for the management function, wherein the sensor data includes injection time data indicative of an operation of one or more fuel injectors of the engine and the maintenance interval is calculated as a function of the injection time data; and generate, using the processor, a message including the management function.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes throttle position data and manifold pressure data.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
accessing an expected value for manifold pressure according to the throttle position data;
comparing the manifold pressure data to the expected value for manifold pressure; and
generating a warning message for the management function when the manifold pressure data exceeds the expected value by a threshold amount.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes oil data indicative of a state of the oil of the engine and the maintenance interval is calculated as a function of the oil data, wherein the state of the oil includes an oil quality, an oil level, or both.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the load includes a lawnmower deck.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: comparing the sensor data to a load signature; and starting a timer when the sensor data matches the load signature, wherein the management function is based on the timer.

7. A method comprising: receiving sensor data indicative of a load on an engine from one or more lawnmowers; performing a comparison of the sensor data to a set of load signatures; and selecting a lawnmower based on the comparison; analyzing, using a processor, the load from the sensor data to identify a management function for the one or more lawnmowers; and generate, using the processor, a message including the management function.

8. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
assigning a job request based on a deck size of the selected lawnmower.

9. The method of claim 7 , further comprising:
determining a mowing pattern based on a deck size of the selected lawnmower.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the sensor data includes throttle position data and manifold pressure data.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising:
accessing an expected value for manifold pressure according to the throttle position data; comparing the manifold pressure data to the expected value for manifold pressure; and generating a warning message for the management function when the manifold pressure data exceeds the expected value by a threshold amount.

12. The method of claim 7 , wherein the load includes a lawnmower deck.

13. The method of claim 7 , further comprising: comparing the sensor data to a load signature; and starting a timer when the sensor data matches the load signature, wherein the management function is based on the timer.

14. An apparatus comprising: a memory including a plurality of management functions for one or more fleet devices; and a processor configured to analyze sensor data indicative of a load signature for a mechanical device connected to an engine of the one or more fleet devices and generate a message including a management function selected from the memory in response to the load signature for the engine, wherein the processor is configured to compare the sensor data to the load signature and start a timer when the sensor data matches the load signature, wherein the management function is based on the timer.

15. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the load signature describes a model of a lawnmower, a welder, a pump, or a plow.

16. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sensor data includes throttle position data and manifold pressure data, and the processor is configured to access an expected value based on the sensor data and generate a warning message when the sensor data is inconsistent with the expected value.

17. The apparatus of claim 14 , wherein the sensor data is indicative of throttle position of the engine and indicative of a lawnmower deck connected to the engine.

18. An apparatus comprising: a memory including a plurality of management functions for one or more fleet devices; and a processor configured to analyze sensor data indicative of a load signature for a mechanical device connected to an engine of the one or more fleet devices and generate a message including a management function selected from the memory in response to the load signature for the engine, wherein the processor is configured to perform a comparison of the sensor data to a set of load signatures and select a lawnmower based on the comparison.

Assignees

• Kohler Co

Inventors

• Schnell William
• Radue Martin
• Andren Travis
• Baumann Todd
• Johansen Mark

Classifications

• G07C5/008 Primary

  communicating information to a remotely located station (transmission systems for measured values G08C) · CPC title

• G07C2205/02

  using a vehicle scan tool · CPC title

• G06Q10/20

  Administration of product repair or maintenance · CPC title

• G01M15/05 Primary

  by combined monitoring of two or more different engine parameters · CPC title

• G06Q10/0631

  Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations · CPC title