Bus diagnostic and control system and method

Claim 1

A system for control and operation of buses, comprising: a bus, comprising: one or more input/output (I/O) blocks coupled to bus components, a data bus coupled to the I/O blocks, a scanner card coupled to the data bus, the scanner card reading data signals off the data bus and providing signals to the I/O blocks using the data bus, a computer coupled to the scanner card and controlling operation of the scanner card, wherein the computer comprises: diagnostics modules that determine a status of bus components, and a control module that provides control functions to bus components, an interface coupled to the computer, wherein the interface comprises: a display that displays human to machine interfaces indicative of the bus components, and a user input that provides commands from a user to the computer, a bus database that stores parameter values for the bus components, wherein the database further comprises virtual objects, each of the virtual objects corresponding to a component of the bus, wherein the virtual objects are displayed to indicate real-time variation of a parameter of the bus component; a hub that receives data related to operation of the bus, wherein the hub comprises an Internet web site, and wherein the bus data are posted on the Internet web site; and a remote location that accesses the Internet web site to receive the bus data, wherein the bus receives control signals from the web site.

Claim 2

A system for control and operation of buses, comprising: a bus, comprising: one or more input/output (I/O) blocks coupled to bus components, a data bus coupled to the I/O blocks, a scanner card coupled to the data bus, the scanner card reading data signals off the data bus and providing signals to the I/O blocks using the data bus, a computer coupled to the scanner card and controlling operation of the scanner card, wherein the computer comprises: diagnostics modules that determine a status of bus components, and a control module that provides control functions to bus components, an interface coupled to the computer, wherein the interface comprises: a display that displays human to machine interfaces indicative of the bus components, and a user input that provides commands from a user to the computer, a bus database that stores parameter values for the bus components, wherein the database further comprises virtual objects, each of the virtual objects corresponding to a component of the bus, wherein the virtual objects are displayed to indicate real-time variation of a parameter of the bus component; a hub that receives data related to operation of the bus, wherein the hub comprises an Internet web site, and wherein the bus data are posted on the Internet web site; and a remote location that accesses the Internet web site to receive the bus data, wherein the bus receives control signals from the web site.

Claim 17

A system for controlling and diagnosing operation of a bus, comprising: one or more input/output (I/O) blocks coupled to bus components; a data bus coupled to the I/O blocks; a scanner card coupled to the data bus; the scanner card reading data signals off the data bus and providing signals to the I/O blocks using the data bus; a computer coupled to the scanner card and controlling operation of the scanner card, wherein the computer comprises: diagnostics modules that determine a status of bus components, and a control module that provides control functions to bus components; an interface coupled to the computer, wherein the interface comprises: a display that displays human to machine interfaces indicative of the bus components, and a user input that provide commands from a user to the computer; a database that stores parameter values for the bus components, wherein the database further comprises virtual objects, each of the virtual objects corresponding to a component of the bus, wherein the virtual objects are displayed to indicate real-time variation of a parameter of the bus component; and a transmit/receive device that communicates with a remote location to provide data related to the bus and to receive control signals directing an operation of the bus.

Claim 18

A system for controlling and diagnosing operation of a bus, comprising: one or more input/output (I/O) blocks coupled to bus components; a data bus coupled to the I/O blocks; a scanner card coupled to the data bus; the scanner card reading data signals off the data bus and providing signals to the I/O blocks using the data bus; a computer coupled to the scanner card and controlling operation of the scanner card, wherein the computer comprises: diagnostics modules that determine a status of bus components, and a control module that provides control functions to bus components; an interface coupled to the computer, wherein the interface comprises: a display that displays human to machine interfaces indicative of the bus components, and a user input that provide commands from a user to the computer; a database that stores parameter values for the bus components, wherein the database further comprises virtual objects, each of the virtual objects corresponding to a component of the bus, wherein the virtual objects are displayed to indicate real-time variation of a parameter of the bus component; and a transmit/receive device that communicates with a remote location to provide data related to the bus and to receive control signals directing an operation of the bus.

Claim 25

A method for operating a fleet of buses, comprising: collecting operating data from one or more buses in the fleet of buses, wherein the operating data comprises a status of bus components; transmitting the collected operating data to a hub, the hub including an Internet web site; posting the data on the web site; sending the posted data from the web site to a remote location; determining a status of the bus components using diagnostics modules located in a bus; providing control functions to the bus components using a control module located in the bus; and sending bus operating control signals to a bus.

Claim 26

A method for operating a fleet of buses, comprising: collecting operating data from one or more buses in the fleet of buses, wherein the operating data comprises a status of bus components; transmitting the collected operating data to a hub, the hub including an Internet web site; posting the data on the web site; sending the posted data from the web site to a remote location; determining a status of the bus components using diagnostics modules located in a bus; providing control functions to the bus components using a control module located in the bus; and sending bus operating control signals to a bus.