Granted Patent B2

US 7,398,423 · App. 11/007,872 · Granted Jul 8, 2008

Abstract

Claims (40)

1. A method for determining whether to provide automatic reset instructions to a machine with reset capability in response to a fault code event, the method comprising:

collecting downtime event data comprising an identification of the machine, a fault code associated therewith, downtime duration, and a fault associated with the fault code that the machine experienced within a time period;

statistically analyzing the downtime event data; and

determining whether executing an automatic reset on the machine probabilistically rectifies the fault for each fault code based upon the statistical analysis of the downtime event data.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the downtime event data further comprise the manner in which the fault was rectified during the time period.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 or claim 2 , further comprising:

storing the downtime event data in a datastore for access by a processor associated with the machine; and

providing automatic reset instructions to the machine in the event that a generated fault code is one where probabilistically the fault associated with the generated fault code will be rectified by executing the automatic reset on the machine.

4. The method as recited in claim 3 , further comprising:

providing a message to maintenance personnel in the event that the generated fault code is not one where probabilistically the fault associated with the generated fault code will be rectified by executing the automatic reset on the machine.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein the statistical analysis treats a number of automatic resets in a sequence of downtime events as normally distributed random variables.

6. A method for determining whether to provide automatic reset instructions to a machine with reset capability with respect to a fault code event, the method comprising:

in a database, collecting records comprising the identification of the machine, a fault code associated therewith and the duration of a fault associated with the fault code that the machine experienced within a time period;

performing a statistical analysis on the records to analyze whether executing an automatic reset on the machine with respect to the fault code will probabilistically rectify the fault and to generate resultant data;

storing the resultant data in a datastore for access by a processor associated with the machine in the event that the machine experiences a fault;

providing automatic reset instructions to the machine in the event that a generated fault code having an associated fault is one where probabilistically the associated fault will be rectified by an automatic reset; and,

illuminating a light atop the machine in the event that the generated fault code is not one where probabilistically the associated fault will be rectified by an automatic reset.

7. A method for determining whether to provide automatic reset instructions to a machine with reset capability with respect to a fault code event, the method comprising:

in a database, collecting records comprising the identification of the machine, a fault code associated therewith and the duration of a fault associated with the fault code that the machine experienced within a time period; and

performing a statistical analysis on the records to analyze whether executing an automatic reset on the machine with respect to the fault code will probabilistically rectify the fault and to generate resultant data;

wherein the statistical analysis treats a downtime event result as a Bernoulli trial.

8. A method for correlating machine fault codes and machine automatic reset instructions, comprising:

recording pertinent information relating to a machine with reset capability, comprising a fault code of the machine and a remedy for rectifying a fault of the machine associated with the fault code;

performing a statistical analysis on the pertinent information to determine whether the fault code is a candidate for an automatic reset action; and

generating output of correlated machine fault code and machine automatic reset instructions for use by an automatic reset instruction processor operatively connected to the machine.

9. A method as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

in the event the machine generates a fault code, communication with the automatic reset instruction processor to send an automatic reset instruction to the machine.

10. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the automatic reset instruction processor is in a location remote to a machine.

11. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the automatic reset instruction processor operates with respect to a single station.

12. A method as recited in claim 9 wherein the automatic reset instruction processor operates with respect to an individual machine.

13. A method as recited in claim 8 further comprising:

sending a message to maintenance personnel in the event that an automatic reset instruction was not sent to the machine.

14. A system for providing automatic reset instructions to a machine with reset capability in the event that the machine generates a fault code, the system comprising:

a processor in communication with a automatic reset data store that contains the result of analysis performed upon information relating to the machine, the fault code and the time taken for rectifying a fault associated with the fault code;

a network system for allowing the machine to automatically access the automatic reset data store by sending a fault code and in turn receiving instructions from the processor associated with the automatic reset data store to engage the machine's automatic reset capability; and

illuminating a light atop the machine in the event that the machine's automatic reset capability is not engaged.

15. A system as recited in claim 14 wherein the information further relates to a manner in which the fault was rectified.

16. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein the analysis comprises a probability analysis.

17. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein the analysis comprises a confidence level analysis.

18. A system as recited in claim 15 wherein the analysis comprises a risk analysis.

Assignments (13)