Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-01
2004-11-09
Zanelli, Michael J. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle diagnosis or maintenance indication
C701S211000, C340S995100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06816761
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for monitoring moving equipment work cycles and more particularly pertains to a new system and method for monitoring moving equipment operations for determining operator efficiencies for moving operations.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of systems for monitoring moving equipment work cycles is known in the prior art. The area is replete with systems which are operationally coupled to actuators controlling the movements of buckets or blades of moving equipment. These systems are optimized for monitoring the efficiency of the equipment itself.
Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,924,493; 5,944,764; 5,955,706; 5,996,702; 5,964,298; and 5,646,844.
While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new system and method for monitoring moving equipment operations. The inventive device includes a position locating assembly coupled to an moving equipment for determining a current position of the moving equipment on an interval basis, a data storage means operationally coupled to the position locating assembly for recording the current position for each interval, and a data processing means for processing and presenting the position information for a user.
In these respects, the system and method for monitoring moving equipment operations according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of determining operator efficiencies for moving operations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A major component of any moving project is the efficiency of the individual operators themselves. Preplanned operational, contour or cut maps help direct the operators towards executing the operations in an efficient manner. However, ineffective contouring swaths, inefficient transitions between contouring swaths, and idling increase the overall cost of a contouring project through increased fuel consumption, higher labor expenses due to increased hours, and lost opportunities for other projects. Monitoring of operator actions and post analysis can help develop measurements of individual operator efficiency and provide opportunities for cost reductions.
The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new system and method for monitoring moving equipment operations apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the systems for monitoring moving equipment work cycles mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new system and method for monitoring moving equipment operations which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art systems for monitoring moving equipment work cycles, either alone or in any combination thereof.
To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a position locating assembly coupled to an moving equipment for determining a current position of the moving equipment on an interval basis, a data storage means operationally coupled to the position locating assembly for recording the current position for each interval, and a data processing means for processing and presenting the position information for a user.
There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new system and method for monitoring moving equipment operations apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the systems for monitoring moving equipment work cycles mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new system and method for monitoring moving equipment operations which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art systems for monitoring moving equipment work cycles, either alone or in any combination thereof.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cost effective means of monitoring operator efficiency which can either be permanently installed onto moving equipment or temporarily coupled to the same for periodic monitoring and assistance as needed.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new system and method for monitoring moving equipment operations for determining operator efficiencies for moving operations.
Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new system and method for monitoring moving equipment operations which includes a position locating assembly coupled to an moving equipment for determining a current position of the moving equipment on an interval basis, a data storage means operationally coupled to the position locating assembly for recording the current position for each interval, and a data processing means for processing and presenting the position information for a user.
These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4831539 (1989-05-01), Hagenbuch
patent: 5646844 (1997-07-01), Gudat et al.
patent: 5659470 (1997-08-01), Goska et al.
patent: 5850341 (1998-12-01), Fournier et al.
patent: 5897602 (1999-04-01), Mizuta
patent: 5924493 (1999-07-01), Hartman et al.
patent: 5944764 (1999-08-01), Henderson et al.
patent: 5955706 (1999-09-01), Fonkalsrud et al.
patent: 5964298 (1999-10-01), Greenspun
patent: 5996702 (1999-12-01), Hall
patent: 6084542 (2000-07-01), Wright et al.
patent: 6114993 (2000-09-01), Henderson et al.
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