System and method of remote diagnostics

Abstract

A system of remote diagnostics comprising a guidance device having a guidance device identifier, the guidance device further including a communication module for communicating a service request message, the service request message including the guidance device identifier; and a diagnostics module able to communicate with the communication module of the guidance device and configured to receive the service request message of the communication module of the guidance device, the diagnostics module maintaining a data store associating the guidance device identifier with a service provider entity; wherein, the diagnostics module is configured to facilitate communication between the service provider entity and the communication module of the guidance device in response to receipt of the service request message from the communication device of the guidance device and based upon the association of the guidance device identifier with the service provider entity.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The present application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) from a United States Provisional Patent Application of Hill, Donald John, et al. entitled “A System and Method of Remote Diagnostics”, Ser. No. 60 / 889,774, filed on Feb. 14, 2007, the entire contents being incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a remote diagnostics system and method. In particular, although not exclusively, the present invention relates to a system and method for remotely diagnosing a vehicular guidance device.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION[0003]Off-road vehicles typically utilised in, for example, agricultural, construction, mining and forestry applications, such as tractors, harvesters, diggers, graders, dump trucks and other powered vehicles, commonly comprise electronic equipment designed to assist an operator in guiding the vehicle along a particular path.[0004]In particular, agricultural vehicles, such ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017]Suitably, the diagnostics module facilitates communication between the service provider entity and the communication module of the guidance device by providing a web based interface to allow the service provider entity to receive and view performance data associated with the guidance device communicated to the diagnostics module.

[0024]In another form, although again not necessarily the broadest form, the invention resides in a method of remote diagnostics, the method including the steps of receiving a service request message from a communication module of a guidance device, the service request message including a guidance device identifier and a network address of the communication module of the guidance device; identifying a service provider entity based on the guidance device identifier; notifying the service provider entity of the service request message; placing the service provider entity in communication with the communication module of the guidance device utilizing the network address of the communication module of the guidance device; and facilitating communication of performance data associated with the guidance device from the communications module of the guidance device to the service provider entity, the performance data including location data associated with the guidance device.

Problems solved by technology

However, like all high technology equipment, it is not uncommon for guidance devices that are utilised in agricultural vehicles to fail and, from the point of view of the user at least, without any apparent reason.

Often these faults are transient and stem from situations such as communication errors between a base station guidance sub-module of the guidance device and an on-board guidance sub-module due to the terrain and obstructions between the sub-modules.

Given the often remote locations in which agricultural vehicles operate, a failure of the guidance device may result in a long period of down time whilst the technician travels to a site in order to diagnose and correct the fault.

Often, a fault with a guidance device on an agricultural vehicle is relatively simple for a skilled technician to correct and requires a relatively small amount of time on site compared with the relatively large amount of time required for the diagnostician / technician to travel to the site.

Whilst the systems described above adequately provide for remote diagnostics of vehicles, remotely diagnosing a vehicle guidance device has a different set of problems that are not catered for by these prior art systems.