Vehicle maintenance management system and method

Claim 1

A method of predicting vehicle breakdown comprising: (a) monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location; (b) determining whether any of the monitored data transmitted from the vehicle is out of a predetermined range; (c) comparing monitored data transmitted from the vehicle with historical data for similar vehicles; (d) establishing trends in the monitored data relative to the historical data and, if unfavorable, associating the trends with a fault code; (e) comparing the fault code for the vehicle with historical fault code data for similar vehicles to prioritize the fault; and (f) predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected.

Claim 2

A method of predicting vehicle breakdown comprising: (a) monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location; (b) determining whether any of the monitored data transmitted from the vehicle is out of a predetermined range; (c) comparing monitored data transmitted from the vehicle with historical data for similar vehicles; (d) establishing trends in the monitored data relative to the historical data and, if unfavorable, associating the trends with a fault code; (e) comparing the fault code for the vehicle with historical fault code data for similar vehicles to prioritize the fault; and (f) predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected.

Claim 8

A method of predicting vehicle breakdown comprising: (a) monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location; (b) determining whether any of the monitored data is out of a predetermined range; (c) calculating trends for monitored data determined to be out of range; (d) predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected; and (e) determining the optimum time and place the vehicle should be shopped.

Claim 9

A method of predicting vehicle breakdown comprising: (a) monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location; (b) determining whether any of the monitored data is out of a predetermined range; (c) calculating trends for monitored data determined to be out of range; (d) predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected; and (e) determining the optimum time and place the vehicle should be shopped.

Claim 10

A method of predicting vehicle breakdown comprising: (a) monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location; (b) determining whether any of the monitored data is out of a predetermined range; (c) calculating trends for monitored data determined to be out of range; (d) predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected; and (e) assigning at least one fault code corresponding to at least one system fault, the at least one fault code is selected from the group consisting of overcurrents, flashovers, crankcase overtemperatures, crankcase overpressures, communication failures, electrical ground failures, air conditioner converter failures, propulsion system faults, auxiliary system faults, propulsion motor faults, auxiliary motor faults, auxiliary system charging faults, engine cooling system faults, oil system faults, control wiring faults, and microelectronics faults.

Claim 11

A method of predicting vehicle breakdown comprising: (a) monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location; (b) determining whether any of the monitored data is out of a predetermined range; (c) calculating trends for monitored data determined to be out of range; (d) predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected; and (e) assigning at least one fault code corresponding to at least one system fault, the at least one fault code is selected from the group consisting of overcurrents, flashovers, crankcase overtemperatures, crankcase overpressures, communication failures, electrical ground failures, air conditioner converter failures, propulsion system faults, auxiliary system faults, propulsion motor faults, auxiliary motor faults, auxiliary system charging faults, engine cooling system faults, oil system faults, control wiring faults, and microelectronics faults.

Claim 12

A method of predicting vehicle breakdown comprising: (a) monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location; (b) determining whether any of the monitored data is out of a predetermined range; (c) calculating trends for monitored data determined to be out of range; (d) predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected; and (e) identifying one or more system faults and determining whether to correct the fault prior to scheduled maintenance of the faulty system, when to correct the fault, what fault to correct, and the optimal facility at which to correct the fault.

Claim 13

A method of predicting vehicle breakdown comprising: (a) monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location; (b) determining whether any of the monitored data is out of a predetermined range; (c) calculating trends for monitored data determined to be out of range; (d) predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected; and (e) identifying one or more system faults and determining whether to correct the fault prior to scheduled maintenance of the faulty system, when to correct the fault, what fault to correct, and the optimal facility at which to correct the fault.

Claim 14

A method of determining vehicle operability comprising: monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location, the monitored data comprising one or more systems parameter data selected from the group consisting of ambient air temperature, train notch, total track and force power, total voltage, total amps, software versions, engine RPM, engine temperature, crankcase pressure, dynamic braking, battery voltage, and voltage and amperage for auxiliary motors; determining whether any of the monitored data is out of a predetermined range; calculating trends for monitored data determined to be out of range based in part on prior downloads of vehicle systems parameter data collected in a database accessible by the monitoring station; identifying at least one system fault code corresponding to the at least one system fault selected from the group consisting of overcurrents, flashovers, crankcase overtemperatures, crankcase overpressures, communication failures, electrical ground failures, air conditioner converter failures, propulsion system faults, auxiliary system faults, propulsion motor faults, auxiliary motor faults, auxiliary system charging faults, engine cooling system faults, oil system faults, control wiring faults, and microelectronics faults; determining whether the at least one system fault is critical, restrictive, or both critical and restrictive; and predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected and the approximate distance or time vehicle can be safely operated before it must be shopped prior to failure.

Claim 15

A method of determining vehicle operability comprising: monitoring at a monitoring station on-board systems parameter data transmitted from a vehicle from a remote location, the monitored data comprising one or more systems parameter data selected from the group consisting of ambient air temperature, train notch, total track and force power, total voltage, total amps, software versions, engine RPM, engine temperature, crankcase pressure, dynamic braking, battery voltage, and voltage and amperage for auxiliary motors; determining whether any of the monitored data is out of a predetermined range; calculating trends for monitored data determined to be out of range based in part on prior downloads of vehicle systems parameter data collected in a database accessible by the monitoring station; identifying at least one system fault code corresponding to the at least one system fault selected from the group consisting of overcurrents, flashovers, crankcase overtemperatures, crankcase overpressures, communication failures, electrical ground failures, air conditioner converter failures, propulsion system faults, auxiliary system faults, propulsion motor faults, auxiliary motor faults, auxiliary system charging faults, engine cooling system faults, oil system faults, control wiring faults, and microelectronics faults; determining whether the at least one system fault is critical, restrictive, or both critical and restrictive; and predicting which, if any, vehicle system(s) must be corrected to avoid vehicle failure and when such system(s) are likely to fail unless corrected and the approximate distance or time vehicle can be safely operated before it must be shopped prior to failure.

Claim 16

A system for determining vehicle operability comprising: (a) a monitoring device for gathering on-board systems parameter data from the vehicle; (b) a transmitter associated with the vehicle for transmitting the data to a remote location; (c) a receiver at the remote location for receiving the data; (d) at least one processor for storing the data received over time from the vehicle; (e) memory at the remote location; (f) a data base of historical data for similar vehicles for establishing trends; (g) a data base of historical fault code data; and (h) at least one processor determining whether any of the monitored data transmitted from the vehicle is out of a predetermined range, comparing monitored data transmitted from the vehicle with historical data for similar vehicles, establishing trends in the monitored data relative to the historical data and, if favorable, associating the trends with a fault code and comparing the fault code with the historical fault code data to prioritize the fault and predicting which vehicle system, if any, must be corrected and when such system is likely to fail.

Claim 17

A system for determining vehicle operability comprising: (a) a monitoring device for gathering on-board systems parameter data from the vehicle; (b) a transmitter associated with the vehicle for transmitting the data to a remote location; (c) a receiver at the remote location for receiving the data; (d) at least one processor for storing the data received over time from the vehicle; (e) memory at the remote location; (f) a data base of historical data for similar vehicles for establishing trends; (g) a data base of historical fault code data; and (h) at least one processor determining whether any of the monitored data transmitted from the vehicle is out of a predetermined range, comparing monitored data transmitted from the vehicle with historical data for similar vehicles, establishing trends in the monitored data relative to the historical data and, if favorable, associating the trends with a fault code and comparing the fault code with the historical fault code data to prioritize the fault and predicting which vehicle system, if any, must be corrected and when such system is likely to fail.