DETAILED ACTION
Notice to Applicant
The following is a NON-FINAL Office action upon examination of application number 19/294,170 filed on 08/07/2025. Claims 1-19 are pending in the application and have been examined on the merits discussed below.
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Priority
Application 19/294,170 filed 08/07/2025 is a Continuation of PCT/IB2023/061301, filed 11/09/2023. Application PCT/IB2023/061301 claims foreign priority to 10 2023 103 208.9, filed 02/09/2023.
Information Disclosure Statement
4. The information disclosure statement (IDS) filed on 08/07/2025 has been acknowledged. The submission is in compliance with the provisions of 37 CFR 1.97. Accordingly, the information disclosure statement is being considered by the examiner.
Specification
5. The disclosure is objected to because of the following informalities: missing information. The Specification provides a list of related applications, but fails to provide the corresponding application number. Paragraph 0001 indicates the following “[0001] This application is a bypass continuation and claims priority to PCT Application No. PCT/IB2023/061301 (published as WO/2024/165902) filed on November 8, 2023, which claims priority to German Patent Application No. 10 2023 103 208.9 filed February 9, 2023, the entire disclosure of both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein. This application is also related to US Application No. (attorney docket no. 15191-24026A (P05769/8)), US Application No. (attorney docket no. 15191-24027A (P05770/8)), US Application No. (attorney docket no. 15191-24028A (P05771/8)), US Application No. (attorney docket no. 15191-24029A (P05772/8)), US Application No. (attorney docket no. 15191-24030A (P05773/8)), US Application No. (attorney docket no. 15191-24031A (P05774/8)), and US Application No. (attorney docket no. 15191-24032A (P05775/8)), each of which are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety.” However, the US Application Number for the related applications is not provided. Appropriate correction is required.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 112
6. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112(b):
(b) CONCLUSION.—The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor regards as the invention.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph:
The specification shall conclude with one or more claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which the applicant regards as his invention.
7. Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 112(b) or 35 U.S.C. 112 (pre-AIA ), second paragraph, as being indefinite for failing to particularly point out and distinctly claim the subject matter which the inventor or a joint inventor, or for pre-AIA the applicant regards as the invention.
8. Claim 1 recites “automatically accessing a database, wherein the database comprises information about the agricultural process, location of the agricultural working machine, one or more locations of spare parts for the agricultural working machine, information about one or more transport devices for transport of parts, information about one or more service vehicles comprising tools for servicing the agricultural working machine, and information about one or more service technicians, wherein the parts are located in the one or more service vehicles or at one or more central storages; automatically deriving, using a data analytics system of the digital service module and based on the request for service, at least one service event, wherein the at least one service event includes one or more services in order to fix the technical problem of the agricultural working machine, one or more service technicians to fix the technical problem, one or more tools used by the one or more service technicians to fix the technical problem, and one or more spare parts used by the one or more service technicians to fix the technical problem.” The claim inconsistently refers to “spare parts,” “parts,” and “one or more spare parts” creating uncertainty as to whether these terms refer to the same items or to different categories of parts, and therefore rendering the scope of the claim unclear. Appropriate correction is required.
9. Claim 7 recites “potential routes for transport devices to directly or indirectly transport instances to the location of the service event; in an optimization cycle based on the optimization strategy, identifying the respective instances and desired relocation requirements for at least part of the instances and resulting routes for transportation devices and generating a time schedule for the implementation; in an implementation cycle, forwarding implementation requests including the instances that are identified, routes for transportation devices and a time schedule to the technician management system, the spare parts management system and the route management system; and based on the implementation requests, the technician management system, the spare parts management system and the route management system implement the time schedule by sending execution requests to the instances…” The phrases “the respective instances” and “the instances” lack antecedent basis, therefore rendering the scope of the claim indefinite. Appropriate correction is required.
10. All claims dependent from above rejected claims are also rejected due to dependency.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 101
11. 35 U.S.C. 101 reads as follows:
Whoever invents or discovers any new and useful process, machine, manufacture, or composition of matter, or any new and useful improvement thereof, may obtain a patent therefor, subject to the conditions and requirements of this title.
12. Claims 1-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 101 because the claimed invention is directed to non-patentable subject matter. The claims are directed to an abstract idea without significantly more. The eligibility analysis in support of these findings is provided below, in accordance with MPEP 2106.
With respect to Step 1 of the eligibility inquiry (as explained in MPEP 2106), it is first noted that the method (claims 1-19) is directed to at least one potentially eligible category of subject matter (i.e., process). Thus, Step 1 of the Subject Matter Eligibility test for claims 1-19 is satisfied.
With respect to Step 2A Prong One, it is next noted that the claims recite an abstract idea that falls into the “Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity” abstract idea set forth in MPEP 2106. With respect to independent claim 1, the limitations reciting the abstract idea are indicated in bold below: receiving, by a digital service module of a server for coordinating the technical service, a request for service at least partly during performing the agricultural process, the request for service including a problem description regarding a technical problem of the agricultural working machine; automatically accessing a database, wherein the database comprises information about the agricultural process, location of the agricultural working machine, one or more locations of spare parts for the agricultural working machine, information about one or more transport devices for transport of parts, information about one or more service vehicles comprising tools for servicing the agricultural working machine, and information about one or more service technicians, wherein the parts are located in the one or more service vehicles or at one or more central storages; automatically deriving, using a data analytics system of the digital service module and based on the request for service, at least one service event, wherein the at least one service event includes one or more services in order to fix the technical problem of the agricultural working machine, one or more service technicians to fix the technical problem, one or more tools used by the one or more service technicians to fix the technical problem, and one or more spare parts used by the one or more service technicians to fix the technical problem; automatically generating and implementing, using a route management system of the digital service module, one or more routes of one or more transport devices for transporting the one or more spare parts, the one or more tools and the one or more service technicians; automatically planning and implementing, using a spare parts management system of the digital service module, availability of the one or more spare parts in at least one central storage or in the one or more service vehicles; automatically planning and implementing, using a technician management system of the digital service module, availability of the one or more service technicians; and automatically coordinating, using a central management system of the digital service module, the route management system, the spare parts management system and the technician management system for planning and implementing the at least one service event based on a strategy, wherein the strategy comprises a multi-target strategy based on a plurality of weighted criteria, wherein the plurality of weighted criteria at least include: reduce reaction time between the request for service and starting time in performing the at least one service event; reduce costs for the at least one service event; increase quality level in performing the at least one service event; and reduce waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine. Considered together, these steps set forth an abstract idea of that falls under the “Certain methods of organizing human activity” abstract idea grouping set forth in MPEP 2106. The claim recites limitations related to certain methods of organizing human activity because the claim recites limitations related to organizing and coordinating a service operation involving technicians, spare parts, tools, transportation, scheduling, and costs. The claim coordinates technicians, spare parts, tools, transportation, and service activities to schedule and manage the repair of an agricultural machine. Therefore, because the limitations above set forth activities falling within the “Certain methods of organizing human activity” abstract idea grouping described in MPEP 2106, the additional elements recited in the claims are further evaluated, individually and in combination, under Step 2A Prong Two and Step 2B below.
With respect to Step 2A Prong Two, the judicial exception is not integrated into a practical application. With respect to the independent claims, the additional elements are: a digital service module of a server for coordinating the technical service, a database, a data analytics system of the digital service module using a route management system of the digital service module, one or more transport devices, using a spare parts management system of the digital service module, using a technician management system of the digital service module, using a central management system of the digital service module, the route management system, the spare parts management system and the technician management system, and the agricultural working machine (claim 1). These elements have been considered individually and in combination, but fail to integrate the abstract idea into a practical application because they amount to using generic computing elements or instructions (software) to perform the abstract idea, similar to adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent), which merely serves to link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment (network computing environment). See MPEP 2106.05(f) and 2106.05(h). Even if the step for receiving is not deemed part of the abstract idea, this step is at most directed to insignificant extra-solution activity, which is not sufficient to amount to a practical application. See MPEP 2106.05(g).In addition, these limitations fail to provide an improvement to the functioning of a computer or to any other technology or technical field, fail to apply the exception with a particular machine, fail to apply the judicial exception to effect a particular treatment or prophylaxis for a disease or medical condition, fail to effect a transformation of a particular article to a different state or thing, and fail to apply/use the abstract idea in a meaningful way beyond generally linking the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment.
Accordingly, because the Step 2A Prong One and Prong Two analysis resulted in the conclusion that the claims are directed to an abstract idea, additional analysis under Step 2B of the eligibility inquiry must be conducted in order to determine whether any claim element or combination of elements amount to significantly more than the judicial exception.
With respect to Step 2B of the eligibility inquiry, it has been determined that the claims do not include additional elements that are sufficient to amount to significantly more than the judicial exception. With respect to the independent claims, the additional elements are: a digital service module of a server for coordinating the technical service, a database, a data analytics system of the digital service module using a route management system of the digital service module, one or more transport devices, using a spare parts management system of the digital service module, using a technician management system of the digital service module, using a central management system of the digital service module, the route management system, the spare parts management system and the technician management system, and the agricultural working machine (claim 1). These elements have been considered individually and in combination, but fail to add significantly more to the claims because they amount to using generic computing elements or instructions (software) to perform the abstract idea, similar to adding the words “apply it” (or an equivalent), which merely serves to link the use of the judicial exception to a particular technological environment (network computing environment) and does not amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself. Notably, Applicant’s Specification acknowledges that the claimed invention relies on nothing more than a general purpose computer executing instructions to implement the invention (Specification at paragraph 0039). Therefore, the additional elements merely describe generic computing elements or computer-executable instructions (software) merely serve to tie the abstract idea to a particular operating environment, which does not add significantly more to the abstract idea. See, e.g., Alice Corp., 134 S. Ct. 2347, 110 USPQ2d 1976; Versata Dev. Group, Inc. v. SAP Am., Inc., 793 F.3d 1306, 1334, 115 USPQ2d 1681, 1701 (Fed. Cir. 2015).
Even if the step for receiving is not deemed part of the abstract idea, this step is at most directed to insignificant extra-solution activity, which has been recognized as well-understood, routine, and conventional, and thus insufficient to add significantly more to the abstract idea. See MPEP 2106.05(d) - Receiving or transmitting data over a network, e.g., using the Internet to gather data, Symantec, 838 F.3d at 1321, 120 USPQ2d at 1362 (utilizing an intermediary computer to forward information); TLI Communications LLC v. AV Auto. LLC, 823 F.3d 607, 610, 118 USPQ2d 1744, 1745 (Fed. Cir. 2016) (using a telephone for image transmission); OIP Techs., Inc., v. Amazon.com, Inc., 788 F.3d 1359, 1363, 115 USPQ2d 1090, 1093 (Fed. Cir. 2015) (sending messages over a network); buySAFE, Inc. v. Google, Inc., 765 F.3d 1350, 1355, 112 USPQ2d 1093, 1096 (Fed. Cir. 2014) (computer receives and sends information over a network).
In addition, when taken as an ordered combination, the ordered combination adds nothing that is not already present as when the elements are taken individually. There is no indication that the combination of elements integrate the abstract idea into a practical application. Their collective functions merely provide generic computer implementation. Therefore, when viewed as a whole, these additional claim elements do not provide meaningful limitations to transform the abstract idea into a practical application of the abstract idea or that, as an ordered combination, amount to significantly more than the abstract idea itself.
Dependent claims 2-19 recite the same abstract idea as recited in the independent claims, and when evaluated under Step 2A Prong One are found to merely recite details that serve to narrow the same abstract idea recited in the independent claims accompanied by the same generic computing elements or software as those addressed above in the discussion of the independent claims, which is not sufficient to amount to a practical application or add significantly more, or other additional elements that fail to amount to a practical application or add significantly more, as noted above. In particular, dependent claims 2-19 recite the limitations “perform one or both of: automatically generating a map that includes the one or more routes for one or more of: transporting one or more of the spare parts, the tools or the service technicians,” “performs one or more of: (i) automatically generating an output at a designated time requesting an operator to approve the order of the spare part that needed to fix the technical problem; (ii) automatically ordering the spare part by automatically sending a communication in order to route the spare part to the location of the agricultural working machine or of the service vehicle,” “performs one or more of: automatically populating a calendar of the service technician; or sends an electronic message to the service technician to perform the service call,” “wherein the strategy comprises a multi-target optimization strategy based on a plurality of weighted optimization criteria; and wherein the plurality of weighted optimization criteria at least include: minimize the reaction time between the request for service and the starting time in performing the at least one service event; minimize the costs for the at least one service event; maximize the quality level in performing the at least one service event; and minimize the waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine,” “wherein the one or more transport devices comprise part runners,” “ wherein, after receipt of the request for service, coordinates based on an optimization strategy, by: in an information cycle, automatically sending one or more information requests to retrieve the information regarding: locations and availability of the one or more service technicians; the one or more tools to fix the technical problem; the one or more spare parts to fix the technical problem; and potential routes for transport devices to directly or indirectly transport instances to the location of the service event; in an optimization cycle based on the optimization strategy, identifying the respective instances and desired relocation requirements for at least part of the instances and resulting routes for transportation devices and generating a time schedule for the implementation; in an implementation cycle, forwarding implementation requests including the instances that are identified, routes for transportation devices and a time schedule; and based on the implementation requests, implement the time schedule by sending execution requests to the instances of needed service technician, of needed tools, of parts storage devices and to the transport devices assigned to the routes,” “wherein an optimization strategy comprises coordination of the service event with other service events, that are being implemented or that will be implemented, such that time schedule collisions are prevented and that redundant routes are combined,” “wherein, after an optimization cycle, or the implementation of one or more implementation requests, each perform detailed planning cycles with a predetermined freedom to deviate from the one or more implementation requests, taking into account an optimization strategy,” “generates an estimation of the starting time for the service event at the agricultural working machine; forwards the estimation of the starting time to the customer; wherein the strategy comprises an optimization strategy; and wherein at least one optimization criterium for the optimization strategy is minimizing delay of the starting time for the service event with respect to a planned starting time,” “derives an urgency indication from one or both of the customer or the information about the agricultural process stored; wherein the strategy comprises an optimization strategy; and wherein optimization criteria for the optimization strategy are: urgency level set by the customer; and urgency level set from within the agricultural process,” “wherein the urgency indication is dependent on increasing wear of other aggregates of the agricultural working machine induced by the technical problem to be fixed by the service event,” “wherein the strategy comprises an optimization strategy; and wherein each optimization criteria is weighted within the optimization strategy such that each optimization criteria is assigned a priority value, which is changed in implementation of the service event based on one or both of a customer request or a change of the agricultural process,” “generates prediction information regarding one or more of: regional cultivation and harvesting characteristics; regional climate/weather characteristics; or regional soil characteristics and/or regional technical failure expectations based on regional data, weather data and seasonal data in combination with local and global live information and that the prediction information is taken into account during an optimization cycle,” “responsive to receiving one or more implementation requests, automatically generates one or more routes of transport devices to orchestrate the transport of instances of needed service technicians and needed spare parts to the agricultural working machine to be serviced and transmits at least a part of the one or more implementation requests for execution to the respective transport devices, taking into account at least the plurality of weighted criteria including one or both of: reduction in reaction time between service request and starting time of the service event; or reduction in waiting time of the service technician for spare parts at the agricultural working machine,” “automatically and dynamically monitors actual execution of the routes of transport devices and automatically identifies one or more deviations from a time schedule; and responsive to the one or more deviations being greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, performing one or both of: modifying the routes of the transport devices to meet the time schedule and transmitting a request for execution of the routes that are modified; or sending a change request to perform an optimization cycle to generate a new implementation request,” “performs one or more of: monitors the locations and availability of the spare parts and saves the locations and the availability; organizes a predetermined inventory of spare parts in one or more warehouses by transmitting transport requests; responsive to an implementation request, organizes the availability of respective spare parts by transmitting a transport request; or responsive to the implementation request, organizes a handover of one or more instances of the spare parts at a predetermined location,” “performs each of: monitors the locations and availability of the spare parts and saves the locations and the availability; organizes a predetermined inventory of spare parts in one or more warehouses by transmitting transport requests; responsive to an implementation request, organizes the availability of respective spare parts by transmitting a transport request; and responsive to the implementation request, organizes a handover of one or more instances of the spare parts at a predetermined location,” “performs one or more of: monitors locations and the availability of service technicians and respective qualification and saves the locations, the availability and the respective qualification; organizes a predetermined distribution of qualification of service technicians by transmitting one or more transport requests to a respective service technician; responsive to an implementation request, automatically organizes the availability of respective service technicians by transmitting a transport request to the respective service technician,” however, these limitations fall under the same “Certain Methods of Organizing Human Activity” abstract idea grouping by describing additional details for organizing human activity. The additional elements recited in the dependent claims include: the route management system and automatically transporting one or more of the spare parts, the tools, or the service technicians (claim 2), the spare parts management system, a screen, and at least partly automatically transporting the spare parts to the location of the agricultural working machine or of the service vehicle (claim 3), the technician management system (claim 4), the one or more transport devices (claim 6), the central management system coordinates the route management system, the spare parts management system and the technician management system and transport devices (claim 7), the technician management system, the spare parts management system and the route management system (claim 9), the route management system, the central management system (claim 10), the central management system and the database (claim 11), wherein the digital service module further comprises a prediction management system (claim 14), the route management system (claim 15), the route management system, the transport devices, the central management system (claim 16), the spare parts management system, the database, the route management system, the central management system (claim 17), the spare parts management system, the database, the route management system, the central management system (claim 18), the technician management system, the database, the route management system, the central management system (claim 19). However, when evaluated under Step 2A Prong Two and Step 2B, these additional elements rely on generic computing elements or software for generally linking the judicial exception to a particular technological environment, which does not amount to a practical application. MPEP 2106.05(g)/(h). Under Step 2B, the use of such generic computing elements has been recognized by courts as insufficient to amount to significantly more than the abstract idea. See, Alice Corp., 134 S. Ct. 2347, 110 USPQ2d 1976; Versata Dev. Group, Inc. v. SAP Am., Inc., 793 F.3d 1306, 1334, 115 USPQe2d 1681, 1701 (Fed. Cir. 2015).
The ordered combination of elements in the dependent claims (including the limitations inherited from the parent claim(s)) add nothing that is not already present as when the elements are taken individually. There is no indication that the combination of elements improves the functioning of a computer or improves any other technology. Their collective functions merely provide generic computer implementation. Accordingly, the subject matter encompassed by the dependent claims fails to amount to a practical application or significantly more than the abstract idea itself.
For more information, see MPEP 2106.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
13. In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
14. The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102 of this title, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
15. The factual inquiries for establishing a background for determining obviousness under 35 U.S.C. 103 are summarized as follows:
1. Determining the scope and contents of the prior art.
2. Ascertaining the differences between the prior art and the claims at issue.
3. Resolving the level of ordinary skill in the pertinent art.
4. Considering objective evidence present in the application indicating obviousness or nonobviousness.
16. This application currently names joint inventors. In considering patentability of the claims the examiner presumes that the subject matter of the various claims was commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the claimed invention(s) absent any evidence to the contrary. Applicant is advised of the obligation under 37 CFR 1.56 to point out the inventor and effective filing dates of each claim that was not commonly owned as of the effective filing date of the later invention in order for the examiner to consider the applicability of 35 U.S.C. 102(b)(2)(C) for any potential 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(2) prior art against the later invention.
17. Claims 1-5 and 7-19 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Larson et al., Pub. No.: WO 2022/174340 A1, [hereinafter Larson], in view of Hampapur et al., Pub. No.: US 2012/0316906 A1, [hereinafter Hampapur], in further view of Hanson et al., Pub. No.: US 2017/0352104 A1, [hereinafter Hanson].
As per claim 1, Larson teaches a computer-implemented method for providing technical service to an agricultural working machine, wherein the agricultural working machine operates an agricultural process by a customer, the method (paragraphs 0002, 0035, 0074) comprising:
receiving, by a digital service module of a server for coordinating the technical service, a request for service at least partly during performing the agricultural process, the request for service including a problem description regarding a technical problem of the agricultural working machine ((paragraph 0019, discussing that the prescribed action may include one or more of determine a service vendor in the vicinity of the remote asset, notify the determined service vendor to attend at the remote asset location; paragraph 0074, discussing that emergency breakdowns (in remote yards, or the like) can be managed by the system. Telematics or a client app can electronically request emergency assistance via the EP (enterprise platform). When the service request is initiated, the system obtains the latitude/longitude of the remote asset [i.e., agricultural working machine] and the system/EP can match the latitude/longitude of the nearest service provider that can provide the requested maintenance for the service requested. The EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO (maintenance and repair providers/operators) who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair…; paragraph 0076, discussing that using the client app or an EP connection, asset owner/operators are able to request service or maintenance for their assets to MROs. The asset owner/operator identifies the type of service requested through the app (urgent, scheduled, unscheduled, emergency, on road breakdown, etc.), thus prioritizing communications with the MROs. The EP can provide asset details with the service repair request, such as unit number/vin lookup, service request date and time, response date and time, and completion date and time; paragraph 003, discussing that management and maintenance of commercial vehicles, including vehicles such as trucks, trailers and the like, can involve management systems and coordination among multiple service providers. The owners/operators of a group of commercial vehicles, generally called “fleets”, often operate throughout a large geographic area, regionally, nationally, or internationally, on public and private roads, properties, and highways, 24 hours of the day, 7 days of the week. Fleets may be made up of, for example, commercial trucks, trailers, shunt trucks, forklifts, refrigeration units, passenger vehicles, and related equipment; paragraphs 0007, 0008, 0043);
automatically accessing a database, wherein the database comprises information about the agricultural process, location of the agricultural working machine, one or more locations of spare parts for the agricultural working machine, information about one or more transport devices for transport of parts, information about one or more service vehicles comprising tools for servicing the agricultural working machine, and information about one or more service technicians (paragraph 0030, discussing a process performed by the application, databases and end users for an urgent service request use case; paragraph 0039, discussing that the databases can then be accessed by one or more reporting tools, such as, for example, business information tools or SQL report generators or the like. In some cases, the reporting tools may access the databases through a gateway or the like to allow connection to multiple data sources or databases; paragraph 0040, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are intended to provide for integrating the maintenance supply chain throughout a region in which a fleet, customer, or consumer operates, locally, regionally, nationally, or internationally. Further, at least some embodiments provide for management of condition and uptime of assets or groups of assets, standardizes maintenance and repairs to assets, streamlines communications between the owners and operators of the assets (fleets/customers/consumers) and the maintenance and repair organizations (MROs) and vendors, capturing and aggregating maintenance and repair data for each transaction wherever and whenever maintenance is performed…; paragraph 0067, discussing that benchmarking of asset performance, uptime, costs, KPIs, and any asset metric can be provided by the system through aggregation of data from assets in the EP. Comparable applications, industries, and geographies can be benchmarked and data, reports, and analytics can be presented to a customer. Benchmarking can include repair and maintenance data captured in the system, including asset details, manufacturers, component parts, groups of assets, regions within a company, industry benchmarking, environmental effects, and additional benchmarking criteria the database will facilitate; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app…; paragraph 0007, discussing a system for managing remote assets, the system including: a server running software to manage data and communications; a database accessible by the server; a client application provided to one or more clients, in communication with the server; wherein the server is configured to: receive communications from the remote asset and receive communications from the client application; analyze the received communications for data related to the remote asset; determine if the data indicates an issue in relation to the remote asset; if so: determine a prescribed action based on the issue and the data; automatically determine resources for the prescribed action; and send communications to at least one of the remote asset and the client application with the prescribed action and determined resources…; paragraphs 0008, 0018, 0049, 0057, 0081),
wherein the parts are located in the one or more service vehicles or at one or more central storages (paragraph 0049, discussing that the MRO (maintenance and repair providers/operator) can capture data from most or all repair and maintenance transactions directly through its employee or broker technicians through hand held or other computing devices, online apps, web-based portals, or direct entry by the MRO into the EP integrated online hardware and software tools, connected to a central database. In some embodiments, the MRO uses standard data and repair methods developed and deployed by the EPP to advise maintenance and repair organizations how to safely and properly complete each repair using its standard work methods, standard jobs, standard parts, warranty detection and recovery methods, and other standard work methods. The EP provides online tools to communicate with the MRO employees and agents to request purchase orders, purchase order approvals to proceed with repairs, invoicing and payments, and the standards to follow in completing repairs, utilizing the central database. The EPP may own/operate its own facilities and mobile technicians to complete repairs, leveraging direct access to its central database through connected technology tools. The MROs can communicate through website interfaces, apps provided on phones, or the like. The EPP or EP arranges for scheduled repairs and maintenance, unscheduled repairs and maintenance, emergency repairs….through apps, online tools, scheduling software, and automated reporting; paragraph 0050, discussing that the EP can standardize the methods and parts used in a repair through standard work definition and documents including documented repair methods and standard parts to be used at time of repair (either industry recommended or preferred or customer preferred methods and parts) to provide for safety, quality, and performance of each replacement part. The standardization of repair methods and parts optimizes asset uptime and reduces chronic repairs due to wear and tear and damage between preventive maintenance inspections, as well as improves safety to the public and infrastructure through reduced accidents, injuries, fatalities, and unscheduled breakdown incidents);
automatically deriving, using a data analytics system of the digital service module and based on the request for service, at least one service event, wherein the at least one service event includes one or more services in order to fix the technical problem of the agricultural working machine, one or more service technicians to fix the technical problem, one or more tools used by the one or more service technicians to fix the technical problem, and one or more spare parts used by the one or more service technicians to fix the technical problem (paragraph 0018, discussing determining availability and select one or more resources based on location and availability; paragraph 0073, discussing that using the EP, MROs, Vendors, and asset owner/operators can utilize the integrated communications app to request emergency assistance, including roadside, at a remote location of the asset. The system can integrate the user’s lat/long from their client app into the EP, and the EP can auto-dispatch the service request to the nearest MRO electronically. The integration of the asset specification details with the user location and service request, along with the parts required to complete the repair, dispatch of the MRO, are tasks that can be centrally managed by the EP. The EP gathers the repair data, transaction timestamps for events during the emergency request and can automatically report the details and timestamps of the events. The EP can provide payment to the MRO based on the rules of the customer; paragraph 0074, discussing that as an example, emergency breakdowns (in remote yards, or the like) can be managed by the system. Telematics or a client app can electronically request emergency assistance via the EP. When the service request is initiated, the system obtains the latitude/longitude of the remote asset and the system/EP can match the latitude/longitude of the nearest service provider that can provide the requested maintenance for the service requested. The EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repairs);
automatically planning and implementing, using a spare parts management system of the digital service module, availability of the one or more spare parts in at least one central storage or in the one or more service vehicles (paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site; paragraph 0042, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service (SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs);
automatically planning and implementing, using a technician management system of the digital service module, availability of the one or more service technicians (paragraph 0011, discussing that automatically determining resources may include: determining a location of the remote asset; determining resources that has a location geographically proximate to the remote asset; contacting the resources to determine availability and select one or more resources based on location and availability; and confirm the one or more selected resources to provide the prescribed action; paragraph 0075, discussing that through integration, the EP can be configured to automatically assign the appropriate MRO to a Service Request for emergency assistance, wherever the user/driver is located. When a driver creates an emergency request, a GPS fix of the driver’s current location can be included in the request. When the task is received by the system, the GPS location will be inspected and used to find the closest affiliate MRO capable of performing the repair. The task will be routed directly to that MRO or to a group of local MROs. The automated dispatch to nearby vendors reduces the time it takes for an MRO to attend to the driver, reducing downtime and improving fleet efficiency. MROs benefit by having access to repairs they would have otherwise likely not have been requested to receive; paragraphs 0018, 00113); and
automatically coordinating, using a central management system of the digital service module, the route management system, the spare parts management system and the technician management system for planning and implementing the at least one service event based on a strategy (paragraph 0035, discussing an improved system and method for managing remote assets and data aggregation which incorporates elements such as remote repair management (including service technician dispatch); warranty administration; work order administration; purchase order processing; and communication among asset owners/operators, service organizations, parts suppliers, warranty providers, and OEMs. The system and method also provide for data aggregation from the disparate parties to maintain a record of activity with regard to each asset being managed; paragraph 0041, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process. Data from each repair and maintenance transaction is captured electronically using, for example, mobile tablet computers connected to the network, input by an MRO/franchisee or vendors and IMROs through a web based portal or the like, direct integrations with MROs/franchisees and vendors, or by electronic or paper copy submitted by an MRO/franchisee/IMRO to the fleet, customer, or consumer to manually input the transaction. Data is captured by the system from various sources, including all maintenance transactions, to provide as complete, timely, and accurate data about the remote assets as possible for analytics and benchmarking; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service(SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs. The SaaS can provide functionality such as automated warranty detection, automated chronic repair detection and automated notifications and alerts sent directly to the appropriate party through email, phone, or portal notifications at an appropriate timing. Data relating to each repair can be automatically organized in an appropriate format from repair and maintenance transactions and aggregated. The communications technology can also facilitate quote requests for repairs and maintenance, purchase order authorizations and facilitate vendor payments to vendors for repairs and maintenance services. Communications for repair requests (emergency, in yard/facility, scheduled, unscheduled, on road breakdowns, etc.), can be captured electronically into the EP, linked to the asset maintenance history record; paragraph 0044, discussing that asset service requests can be made through an app or online portal to request maintenance on any assets, which can be routed to an appropriate vendor through the EP. Service request metrics can be measured and tracked at each stage of the service request, and the EP can provide performance reports based on Customer. This can allow the Customer to measure response times of MROs in the network and measure and optimize uptime of the assets; paragraph 0046, discussing that the EPP can provide planning and scheduling, coordinating and managing, and at times performing maintenance services to provide mechanical inspections to confirm regulatory compliance for remote assets, periodic preventive maintenance mechanical inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and emergency and on road breakdown maintenance; paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repairs).
While Larson describes applying customizable weights to the inputs (paragraph 0092), Larson does not explicitly teach automatically generating and implementing, using a route management system of the digital service module, one or more routes of one or more transport devices for transporting the one or more spare parts, the one or more tools and the one or more service technicians; wherein the strategy comprises a multi-target strategy based on a plurality of weighted criteria, wherein the plurality of weighted criteria at least include: reduce reaction time between the request for service and starting time in performing the at least one service event; reduce costs for the at least one service event; increase quality level in performing the at least one service event; and reduce waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine. Hampapur in the analogous art of repairs management systems teaches:
automatically generating and implementing, using a route management system of the digital service module, one or more routes of one or more transport devices for transporting the one or more spare parts, the one or more tools and the one or more service technicians (paragraph 0037, discussing that asset failure risks can be estimated and understood given external factors and spatio-temporal correlations such as which assets tend to fail, when to inspect and replace assets, etc. Further, the spatial-temporal information is made actionable, such as in the optimization of scheduling and routing, for example, where to direct maintenance trucks); and
wherein the strategy comprises a multi-target strategy based on a plurality of weighted criteria (paragraph 0040, discussing that a decision support module utilizes predicted infrastructure failure in determining a strategic maintenance plan. That is, given various inputs, the decision support module may minimize a combination of cost and service disruption on a given time horizon. For example, the decision support module may be implemented as a multi-objective optimization as used to solve above with appropriate variables for the replacement cost estimations, maintenance and rehabilitation cost estimations, budgets and external constraints. That is, the decision support module can take the replacement cost estimations and/or maintenance and rehabilitation cost estimations as input, and optionally additional inputs, such as budgets and external constraints, and produces the strategic maintenance plan that may minimize the combination of cost and service disruption. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the inputs in the combination may be weighted…),
wherein the plurality of weighted criteria at least include: reduce reaction time between the request for service and starting time in performing the at least one service event; reduce costs for the at least one service event; and increase quality level in performing the at least one service event (paragraph 0040, discussing that a decision support module utilizes predicted infrastructure failure in determining a strategic maintenance plan. That is, given various inputs, the decision support module may minimize a combination of cost and service disruption on a given time horizon. For example, the decision support module may be implemented as a multi-objective optimization as used to solve above with appropriate variables for the replacement cost estimations, maintenance and rehabilitation cost estimations, budgets and external constraints. That is, the decision support module can take the replacement cost estimations and/or maintenance and rehabilitation cost estimations as input, and optionally additional inputs, such as budgets and external constraints, and produces the strategic maintenance plan that may minimize the combination of cost and service disruption. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the inputs in the combination may be weighted…; paragraph 0041, discussing that routing of the inspection schedule is risk-based, and further considers additional factors to arrive at a weighted traveling salesman problem. That is, given failure predictions of certain assets, a strategic maintenance plan may be determined for the assets wherein each asset is visited once in a shortest tour of the assets; for example, the failure predictions may be used as weights on the distances between assets; paragraph 0042, discussing that assuming that two different candidate routes are determined for these assets 301-310. These routes are shown as ABCDEF and JIHG and linked by potential routes 311 and 312. Between the two candidates ABCDEF may be determined to be superior; for example, ABCDEF includes more assets than JIHG, the assets are at higher risk, and further, the distance between the assets is shorter, reducing overall cost. Thus, the routing is risk-based and weighted to take into account additional routing/scheduling factors).
Larson is directed towards a system and method for managing remote assets. Hampapur is directed towards a system for optimization of physical asset maintenance. Therefore, they are deemed to be analogous as they both are directed towards repair and maintenance systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Larson with Hampapur because the references are analogous art because they are both directed to solutions for providing repair and maintenance services to a machine, which falls within applicant’s field of endeavor (method and system for providing a technical service to an agricultural working machine), and because modifying Larson to include Hampapur’s features for automatically generating and implementing, using a route management system of the digital service module, one or more routes of one or more transport devices for transporting the one or more spare parts, the one or more tools and the one or more service technicians; wherein the strategy comprises a multi-target strategy based on a plurality of weighted criteria, wherein the plurality of weighted criteria at least include: reduce reaction time between the request for service and starting time in performing the at least one service event; reduce costs for the at least one service event, and increase quality level in performing the at least one service event, in the manner claimed, would serve the motivation of improving the lifecycle of physical assets through efficient resource use (Hampapur at paragraph 0020); and further obvious because the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
The Larson-Hampapur combination does not explicitly teach reduce waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine. However, Hanson in the analogous art of systems for damage detection and repair teaches this concept. Hanson teaches:
reduce waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine (paragraph 0058, discussing that the enhanced claims processing system may query one or more repair service provider systems to determine whether a repair service provider has the parts needed to repair the insured item (or at least ready access to the parts needed to repair the insured item) and has the capacity to promptly repair the insured item within a reasonable timeframe (e.g., around the average amount of time needed to conduct repairs of the type needed). The enhanced claims processing system may also be in signal communication with a parts ordering system and transmit a parts order to the parts ordering system. The parts order may include the list of parts identified by the telematics analyzer or the damage information analyzer. If a repair service provider has been selected to repair the insured item, then the enhanced claims processing system may identify that repair service provider as the recipient for the delivery of the parts order. If a repair service provider has not yet been selected, then the enhanced claims processing system may identify a local distribution center as the recipient for the delivery of the parts order. The local distribution center may be one that is located in a geographic region within which the claimant will have the insured item repaired. In either case, the enhanced claims processing system reduces repair wait times by obtaining or requesting the parts needed to repair the damaged item shortly after receipt of the first notice of loss. In this way, the parts may have already been delivered to or may already be in transit to the repair service provider when the claimant delivers the insured item to the repair service provider for repair).
The Larson-Hampapur combination describes features related to physical asset maintenance and repair. Hanson is directed towards a system for damage detection and repair. Therefore, they are deemed to be analogous as they both are directed towards repair systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the Larson-Hampapur combination with Hanson because the references are analogous art because they are both directed to solutions for providing repair and maintenance services to a physical asset, which falls within applicant’s field of endeavor (method and system for providing a technical service to an agricultural working machine), and because modifying the Larson-Hampapur combination to include Hanson’s feature for including reducing waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine, in the manner claimed, would serve the motivation of improving the pool of actual repair cost data utilized by the repair cost model when generating repair cost amounts and reducing repair wait times (Hanson at paragraphs 0029, 0058); and further obvious because the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 2, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the route management system is configured to perform one or both of: automatically generating a map that includes the one or more routes for one or more of: transporting one or more of the spare parts, the tools or the service technicians; or automatically transporting one or more of the spare parts, the tools, or the service technicians (paragraph 0042, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process; paragraph 0069, discussing that through use of the EP and integrated communications app, the latitude/longitude location of the remote asset can be captured by the system for geolocation and identification for dispatch of nearest affiliated MRO to repair the asset, including threaded communications relating to the repair request, a defined multi stage notification protocol, automated next day incident reporting and the like; paragraph 0073, discussing that using the EP, MROs, Vendors, and asset owner/operators can utilize the integrated communications app to request emergency assistance, including roadside, at a remote location of the asset. The system can integrate the user’s lat/long from their client app into the EP, and the EP can auto-dispatch the service request to the nearest MRO electronically. The integration of the asset specification details with the user location and service request, along with the parts required to complete the repair, dispatch of the MRO, are tasks that can be centrally managed by the EP; paragraph 0075, discussing that the EP can be configured to automatically assign the appropriate MRO to a Service Request for emergency assistance, wherever the user/driver is located. When a driver creates an emergency request, a GPS fix of the driver’s current location can be included in the request. When the task is received by the system, the GPS location will be inspected and used to find the closest affiliate MRO capable of performing the repair. The task will be routed directly to that MRO or to a group of local MROs. The automated dispatch to nearby vendors reduces the time it takes for an MRO to attend to the driver, reducing downtime and improving fleet efficiency).
Examiner notes that Hanson, in addition to Larson as cited above, also teaches wherein the route management system is configured to perform one or both of: automatically generating a map that includes the one or more routes for one or more of: transporting one or more of the spare parts, the tools or the service technicians; or automatically transporting one or more of the spare parts, the tools, or the service technicians (paragraph 0058, discussing that the enhanced claims processing system reduces repair wait times by obtaining or requesting the parts needed to repair the damaged item shortly after receipt of the first notice of loss. In this way, the parts may have already been delivered to or may already be in transit to the repair service provider when the claimant delivers the insured item to the repair service provider for repair).
As per claim 3, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the spare parts management system performs one or more of: (i) automatically generating an output on a screen at a designated time requesting an operator to approve the order of the spare part that needed to fix the technical problem; (ii) automatically ordering the spare part by automatically sending a communication in order to route the spare part to the location of the agricultural working machine or of the service vehicle; or (iii) at least partly automatically transporting the spare parts to the location of the agricultural working machine or of the service vehicle (paragraph 0043, discussing that the communications technology can also facilitate quote requests for repairs and maintenance, purchase order authorizations; paragraph 0049, discussing that the EP provides online tools to communicate with the MRO employees and agents to request purchase orders, purchase order approvals to proceed with repairs, invoicing and payments, and the standards to follow in completing repairs, utilizing the central database; paragraph 00109).
Examiner notes that Hanson, in addition to Larson as cited above, also teaches wherein the spare parts management system performs one or more of: (i) automatically generating an output on a screen at a designated time requesting an operator to approve the order of the spare part that needed to fix the technical problem; (ii) automatically ordering the spare part by automatically sending a communication in order to route the spare part to the location of the agricultural working machine or of the service vehicle; or (iii) at least partly automatically transporting the spare parts to the location of the agricultural working machine or of the service vehicle (paragraph 0058, discussing that the enhanced claims processing system may also be in signal communication with a parts ordering system and transmit a parts order to the parts ordering system. The parts order may include the list of parts identified by the telematics analyzer or the damage information analyzer. If a repair service provider has been selected to repair the insured item, then the enhanced claims processing system may identify that repair service provider as the recipient for the delivery of the parts order. If a repair service provider has not yet been selected, then the enhanced claims processing system may identify a local distribution center as the recipient for the delivery of the parts order…).
As per claim 4, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the technician management system performs one or more of: automatically populating a calendar of the service technician; or sends an electronic message to the service technician to perform the service call (paragraph 0019, discussing that the prescribed action may include one or more of determine a service vendor in the vicinity of the remote asset, notify the determined service vendor to attend at the remote asset location; paragraph 0043, discussing automated notifications and alerts sent directly to the appropriate party through email, phone, or portal notifications at an appropriate timing; paragraph 0096).
As per claim 5, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. While Larson describes applying customizable weights to the inputs (paragraph 0092), Larson does not explicitly teach wherein the strategy comprises a multi-target optimization strategy based on a plurality of weighted optimization criteria; and wherein the plurality of weighted optimization criteria at least include: minimize the reaction time between the request for service and the starting time in performing the at least one service event; minimize the costs for the at least one service event; maximize the quality level in performing the at least one service event; and minimize the waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine. Hampapur in the analogous art of repair management systems teaches:
wherein the strategy comprises a multi-target optimization strategy based on a plurality of weighted optimization criteria (paragraph 0040, discussing that a decision support module utilizes predicted infrastructure failure in determining a strategic maintenance plan. That is, given various inputs, the decision support module may minimize a combination of cost and service disruption on a given time horizon. For example, the decision support module may be implemented as a multi-objective optimization as used to solve above with appropriate variables for the replacement cost estimations, maintenance and rehabilitation cost estimations, budgets and external constraints. That is, the decision support module can take the replacement cost estimations and/or maintenance and rehabilitation cost estimations as input, and optionally additional inputs, such as budgets and external constraints, and produces the strategic maintenance plan that may minimize the combination of cost and service disruption. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the inputs in the combination may be weighted…),
wherein the plurality of weighted optimization criteria at least include: minimize the reaction time between the request for service and the starting time in performing the at least one service event; minimize the costs for the at least one service event; and maximize the quality level in performing the at least one service event (paragraph 0040, discussing that a decision support module utilizes predicted infrastructure failure in determining a strategic maintenance plan. That is, given various inputs, the decision support module may minimize a combination of cost and service disruption on a given time horizon. For example, the decision support module may be implemented as a multi-objective optimization as used to solve above with appropriate variables for the replacement cost estimations, maintenance and rehabilitation cost estimations, budgets and external constraints. That is, the decision support module can take the replacement cost estimations and/or maintenance and rehabilitation cost estimations as input, and optionally additional inputs, such as budgets and external constraints, and produces the strategic maintenance plan that may minimize the combination of cost and service disruption. One of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that the inputs in the combination may be weighted…; paragraph 0041, discussing that routing of the inspection schedule is risk-based, and further considers additional factors to arrive at a weighted traveling salesman problem. That is, given failure predictions of certain assets, a strategic maintenance plan may be determined for the assets wherein each asset is visited once in a shortest tour of the assets; for example, the failure predictions may be used as weights on the distances between assets; paragraph 0042, discussing that assuming that two different candidate routes are determined for these assets 301-310. These routes are shown as ABCDEF and JIHG and linked by potential routes 311 and 312. Between the two candidates ABCDEF may be determined to be superior; for example, ABCDEF includes more assets than JIHG, the assets are at higher risk, and further, the distance between the assets is shorter, reducing overall cost. Thus, the routing is risk-based and weighted to take into account additional routing/scheduling factors).
Larson is directed towards a system and method for managing remote assets. Hampapur is directed towards a system for optimization of physical asset maintenance. Therefore, they are deemed to be analogous as they both are directed towards repair and maintenance systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Larson with Hampapur because the references are analogous art because they are both directed to solutions for providing repair and maintenance services to a machine, which falls within applicant’s field of endeavor (method and system for providing a technical service to an agricultural working machine), and because modifying Larson to include Hampapur’s features for including wherein the strategy comprises a multi-target optimization strategy based on a plurality of weighted optimization criteria, and wherein the plurality of weighted optimization criteria at least include: minimize the reaction time between the request for service and the starting time in performing the at least one service event; minimize the costs for the at least one service event; and maximize the quality level in performing the at least one service event, in the manner claimed, would serve the motivation of improving the lifecycle of physical assets through efficient resource use (Hampapur at paragraph 0020); and further obvious because the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
The Larson-Hampapur combination does not explicitly teach minimize the waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine. However, Hanson in the analogous art of systems for damage detection and repair teaches this concept. Hanson teaches:
minimize the waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine (paragraph 0058, discussing that the enhanced claims processing system may query one or more repair service provider systems to determine whether a repair service provider has the parts needed to repair the insured item (or at least ready access to the parts needed to repair the insured item) and has the capacity to promptly repair the insured item within a reasonable timeframe (e.g., around the average amount of time needed to conduct repairs of the type needed). The enhanced claims processing system may also be in signal communication with a parts ordering system and transmit a parts order to the parts ordering system. The parts order may include the list of parts identified by the telematics analyzer or the damage information analyzer. If a repair service provider has been selected to repair the insured item, then the enhanced claims processing system may identify that repair service provider as the recipient for the delivery of the parts order. If a repair service provider has not yet been selected, then the enhanced claims processing system may identify a local distribution center as the recipient for the delivery of the parts order. The local distribution center may be one that is located in a geographic region within which the claimant will have the insured item repaired. In either case, the enhanced claims processing system reduces repair wait times by obtaining or requesting the parts needed to repair the damaged item shortly after receipt of the first notice of loss. In this way, the parts may have already been delivered to or may already be in transit to the repair service provider when the claimant delivers the insured item to the repair service provider for repair).
The Larson-Hampapur combination describes features related to physical asset maintenance and repair. Hanson is directed towards a system for damage detection and repair. Therefore, they are deemed to be analogous as they both are directed towards repair systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the Larson-Hampapur combination with Hanson because the references are analogous art because they are both directed to solutions for providing repair and maintenance services to a physical asset, which falls within applicant’s field of endeavor (method and system for providing a technical service to an agricultural working machine), and because modifying the Larson-Hampapur combination to include Hanson’s feature for including minimizing the waiting time of the one or more service technician for one or more spare parts at the agricultural working machine, in the manner claimed, would serve the motivation of improving the pool of actual repair cost data utilized by the repair cost model when generating repair cost amounts and reducing repair wait times (Hanson at paragraphs 0029, 0058); and further obvious because the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 7, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein, after receipt of the request for service, the central management system coordinates the route management system, the spare parts management system and the technician management system based on an optimization strategy, by: in an information cycle, automatically sending one or more information requests to the technician management system, the spare parts management system and the route management system to retrieve the information regarding: locations and availability of the one or more service technicians; the one or more tools to fix the technical problem; the one or more spare parts to fix the technical problem; and potential routes for transport devices to directly or indirectly transport instances to the location of the service event (paragraph 0011, discussing that automatically determining resources may include: determining a location of the remote asset; determining resources that has a location geographically proximate to the remote asset; contacting the resources to determine availability and select one or more resources based on location and availability; and confirm the one or more selected resources to provide the prescribed action; paragraph 0075, discussing that through integration, the EP can be configured to automatically assign the appropriate MRO to a Service Request for emergency assistance, wherever the user/driver is located. When a driver creates an emergency request, a GPS fix of the driver’s current location can be included in the request. When the task is received by the system, the GPS location will be inspected and used to find the closest affiliate MRO capable of performing the repair. The task will be routed directly to that MRO or to a group of local MROs. The automated dispatch to nearby vendors reduces the time it takes for an MRO to attend to the driver, reducing downtime and improving fleet efficiency. MROs benefit by having access to repairs they would have otherwise likely not have been requested to receive; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repair; paragraphs 0049, 0053-0059);
in an optimization cycle based on the optimization strategy, generating a time schedule for the implementation (paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service(SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs. The SaaS can provide functionality such as automated warranty detection, automated chronic repair detection and automated notifications and alerts sent directly to the appropriate party through email, phone, or portal notifications at an appropriate timing. Data relating to each repair can be automatically organized in an appropriate format from repair and maintenance transactions and aggregated. The communications technology can also facilitate quote requests for repairs and maintenance, purchase order authorizations and facilitate vendor payments to vendors for repairs and maintenance services. Communications for repair requests (emergency, in yard/facility, scheduled, unscheduled, on road breakdowns, etc.), can be captured electronically into the EP, linked to the asset maintenance history record; paragraph 0044, discussing that asset service requests can be made through an app or online portal to request maintenance on any assets, which can be routed to an appropriate vendor through the EP. Service request metrics can be measured and tracked at each stage of the service request, and the EP can provide performance reports based on Customer. This can allow the Customer to measure response times of MROs in the network and measure and optimize uptime of the assets; paragraph 0046, discussing that the EPP can provide planning and scheduling, coordinating and managing, and at times performing maintenance services to provide mechanical inspections to confirm regulatory compliance for remote assets, periodic preventive maintenance mechanical inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and emergency and on road breakdown maintenance; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repairs);
in an implementation cycle, forwarding implementation requests including the instances that are identified, and a time schedule to the technician management system, the spare parts management system and the route management system (paragraph 0046, discussing that the EPP can provide planning and scheduling, coordinating and managing, and at times performing maintenance services to provide mechanical inspections to confirm regulatory compliance for remote assets, periodic preventive maintenance mechanical inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and emergency and on road breakdown maintenance; paragraph 0050, discussing that the EP can standardize the methods and parts used in a repair through standard work definition and documents including documented repair methods and standard parts to be used at time of repair (either industry recommended or preferred or customer preferred methods and parts) to provide for safety, quality, and performance of each replacement part. The standardization of repair methods and parts optimizes asset uptime and reduces chronic repairs due to wear and tear and damage between preventive maintenance inspections, as well as improves safety to the public and infrastructure through reduced accidents, injuries, fatalities, and unscheduled breakdown incidents; paragraph 0073, discussing that the integration of the asset specification details with the user location and service request, along with the parts required to complete the repair, dispatch of the MRO, are tasks that can be centrally managed by the EP; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repair); and
based on the implementation requests, the technician management system, the spare parts management system and the route management system implement the time schedule by sending execution requests to the instances of needed service technician, of needed tools, of parts storage devices (paragraph 0046, discussing that The EPP can provide planning and scheduling, coordinating and managing, and at times performing maintenance services to provide mechanical inspections to confirm regulatory compliance for remote assets, periodic preventive maintenance mechanical inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and emergency and on road breakdown maintenance; paragraph 0050, discussing that the EP can standardize the methods and parts used in a repair through standard work definition and documents including documented repair methods and standard parts to be used at time of repair (either industry recommended or preferred or customer preferred methods and parts) to provide for safety, quality, and performance of each replacement part. The standardization of repair methods and parts optimizes asset uptime and reduces chronic repairs due to wear and tear and damage between preventive maintenance inspections, as well as improves safety to the public and infrastructure through reduced accidents, injuries, fatalities, and unscheduled breakdown incidents; paragraph 0073, discussing that the integration of the asset specification details with the user location and service request, along with the parts required to complete the repair, dispatch of the MRO, are tasks that can be centrally managed by the EP; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repair; paragraphs 0049, 0053-0059);
Larson does not explicitly teach retrieve the information regarding potential routes for transport devices to directly or indirectly transport instances to the location of the service event; identifying the respective instances and desired relocation requirements for at least part of the instances and resulting routes for transportation devices; and including the instances that are identified, routes for transportation devices; and sending execution requests the transport devices assigned to the routes. However, Hampapur in the analogous art of repair management systems teaches these concepts. Hampapur teaches:
retrieve the information regarding potential routes for transport devices to directly or indirectly transport instances to the location of the service event (paragraph 0037, discussing that asset failure risks can be estimated and understood given external factors and spatio-temporal correlations such as which assets tend to fail, when to inspect and replace assets, etc. Further, the spatial-temporal information is made actionable, such as in the optimization of scheduling and routing, for example, where to direct maintenance trucks; paragraph 0042, discussing that assuming that two different candidate routes are determined for these assets 301-310. These routes are shown as ABCDEF and JIHG and linked by potential routes 311 and 312. Between the two candidates ABCDEF may be determined to be superior; for example, ABCDEF includes more assets than JIHG, the assets are at higher risk, and further, the distance between the assets is shorter, reducing overall cost. Thus, the routing is risk-based and weighted to take into account additional routing/scheduling factors);
identifying the respective instances and desired relocation requirements for at least part of the instances and resulting routes for transportation devices (paragraph 0037, discussing that asset failure risks can be estimated and understood given external factors and spatio-temporal correlations such as which assets tend to fail, when to inspect and replace assets, etc. Further, the spatial-temporal information is made actionable, such as in the optimization of scheduling and routing, for example, where to direct maintenance trucks; paragraph 0042, discussing that assuming that two different candidate routes are determined for these assets 301-310. These routes are shown as ABCDEF and JIHG and linked by potential routes 311 and 312. Between the two candidates ABCDEF may be determined to be superior; for example, ABCDEF includes more assets than JIHG, the assets are at higher risk, and further, the distance between the assets is shorter, reducing overall cost. Thus, the routing is risk-based and weighted to take into account additional routing/scheduling factors); and
including the instances that are identified, routes for transportation devices (paragraph 0037, discussing that asset failure risks can be estimated and understood given external factors and spatio-temporal correlations such as which assets tend to fail, when to inspect and replace assets, etc. Further, the spatial-temporal information is made actionable, such as in the optimization of scheduling and routing, for example, where to direct maintenance trucks); and
sending execution requests the transport devices assigned to the routes (paragraph 0037, discussing that asset failure risks can be estimated and understood given external factors and spatio-temporal correlations such as which assets tend to fail, when to inspect and replace assets, etc. Further, the spatial-temporal information is made actionable, such as in the optimization of scheduling and routing, for example, where to direct maintenance trucks; paragraph 0042, discussing that assuming that two different candidate routes are determined for these assets 301-310. These routes are shown as ABCDEF and JIHG and linked by potential routes 311 and 312. Between the two candidates ABCDEF may be determined to be superior; for example, ABCDEF includes more assets than JIHG, the assets are at higher risk, and further, the distance between the assets is shorter, reducing overall cost. Thus, the routing is risk-based and weighted to take into account additional routing/scheduling factors).
Larson is directed towards a system and method for managing remote assets. Hampapur is directed towards a system for optimization of physical asset maintenance. Therefore, they are deemed to be analogous as they both are directed towards repair and maintenance systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Larson with Hampapur because the references are analogous art because they are both directed to solutions for providing repair and maintenance services to a machine, which falls within applicant’s field of endeavor (method and system for providing a technical service to an agricultural working machine), and because modifying Larson to include Hampapur’s features for retrieving the information regarding potential routes for transport devices to directly or indirectly transport instances to the location of the service event, identifying the respective instances and desired relocation requirements for at least part of the instances and resulting routes for transportation devices, including the instances that are identified, routes for transportation devices, and sending execution requests the transport devices assigned to the routes, in the manner claimed, would serve the motivation of improving the lifecycle of physical assets through efficient resource use (Hampapur at paragraph 0020); and further obvious because the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 8, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein an optimization strategy comprises coordination of the service event with other service events, that are being implemented or that will be implemented, such that time schedule collisions are prevented and that redundant routes are combined (paragraph 0046, discussing that The EP provider may also provide additional fee based mechanical services and communication tools and services to repair and maintain customer assets or group of assets, which may include transportation trucks, trailers, refrigeration units, lift gates, heater units, fork lift trucks, shunt trucks, accessories for each asset, amongst other assets; paragraph 0047, discussing that the EPP can provide planning and scheduling, coordinating and managing, and at times performing maintenance services to provide mechanical inspections to confirm regulatory compliance for remote assets, periodic preventive maintenance mechanical inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and emergency and on road breakdown maintenance; paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP, upon entering into a contract with a Customer, loads the customer’s asset details into the EP, to facilitate asset and fleet management functions and contracted services for the customer. Services can include all aspects of asset and fleet management and maintenance, including but not limited to scheduling of preventive maintenance inspections, OEM recommended inspections, regulatory required inspections, coordinating and/or performing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, recalls and campaigns, emergency or urgent on site, off site, or roadside maintenance. The EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0049, discussing that the EPP or EP arranges for scheduled repairs and maintenance, unscheduled repairs and maintenance, emergency repairs, and inspections and preventive maintenance and annual inspections through apps, online tools, scheduling software, and automated reporting; paragraph 0051, discussing that the EP optimizes asset uptime and reduces the number of assets required to perform tasks, reducing the cost to the fleet or asset owners/operators to operate a fleet or group of assets, including reducing the number of spare or idle assets. Optimizing uptime of assets allows owners/operators of assets to employ fewer employees and staff to manage fewer incidents and assets; paragraphs 0050, 0052).
As per claim 9, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein, after an optimization cycle, the technician management system, the spare parts management system and the route management system, for the implementation of one or more implementation requests, each perform detailed planning cycles with a predetermined freedom to deviate from the one or more implementation requests, taking into account an optimization strategy (paragraph 0046, discussing that The EP provider may also provide additional fee based mechanical services and communication tools and services to repair and maintain customer assets or group of assets, which may include transportation trucks, trailers, refrigeration units, lift gates, heater units, fork lift trucks, shunt trucks, accessories for each asset, amongst other assets; paragraph 0047, discussing that the EPP can provide planning and scheduling, coordinating and managing, and at times performing maintenance services to provide mechanical inspections to confirm regulatory compliance for remote assets, periodic preventive maintenance mechanical inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and emergency and on road breakdown maintenance; paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP, upon entering into a contract with a Customer, loads the customer’s asset details into the EP, to facilitate asset and fleet management functions and contracted services for the customer. Services can include all aspects of asset and fleet management and maintenance, including but not limited to scheduling of preventive maintenance inspections, OEM recommended inspections, regulatory required inspections, coordinating and/or performing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, recalls and campaigns, emergency or urgent on site, off site, or roadside maintenance. The EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0049, discussing that the EPP or EP arranges for scheduled repairs and maintenance, unscheduled repairs and maintenance, emergency repairs, and inspections and preventive maintenance and annual inspections through apps, online tools, scheduling software, and automated reporting; paragraph 0051, discussing that the EP optimizes asset uptime and reduces the number of assets required to perform tasks, reducing the cost to the fleet or asset owners/operators to operate a fleet or group of assets, including reducing the number of spare or idle assets. Optimizing uptime of assets allows owners/operators of assets to employ fewer employees and staff to manage fewer incidents and assets; paragraphs 0050, 0052).
As per claim 10, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the route management system generates an estimation of the starting time for the service event at the agricultural working machine (paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repairs; paragraph 0051, discussing that the EP optimizes asset uptime and reduces the number of assets required to perform tasks, reducing the cost to the fleet or asset owners/operators to operate a fleet or group of assets, including reducing the number of spare or idle assets. Optimizing uptime of assets allows owners/operators of assets to employ fewer employees and staff to manage fewer incidents and assets. Integrating communications through online apps reduces communications, optimizing staffing levels and improving response time to scheduled, unscheduled, and emergency repairs and maintenance; paragraphs 0053-0057);
wherein the central management system forwards the estimation of the starting time to the customer (paragraph 0044, discussing that asset service requests can be made through an app or online portal to request maintenance on any assets, which can be routed to an appropriate vendor through the EP. Service request metrics can be measured and tracked at each stage of the service request, and the EP can provide performance reports based on Customer. This can allow the Customer to measure response times of MROs in the network and measure and optimize uptime of the assets. The MROs receive opportunities to perform maintenance for contracted Customers in the EP, with efficient and integrated communications within the system; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repairs; paragraphs 0053-0057);
wherein the strategy comprises an optimization strategy (paragraph 0035, discussing an improved system and method for managing remote assets and data aggregation which incorporates elements such as remote repair management (including service technician dispatch); warranty administration; work order administration; purchase order processing; and communication among asset owners/operators, service organizations, parts suppliers, warranty providers, and OEMs. The system and method also provide for data aggregation from the disparate parties to maintain a record of activity with regard to each asset being managed; paragraph 0041, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process. Data from each repair and maintenance transaction is captured electronically using, for example, mobile tablet computers connected to the network, input by an MRO/franchisee or vendors and IMROs through a web based portal or the like, direct integrations with MROs/franchisees and vendors, or by electronic or paper copy submitted by an MRO/franchisee/IMRO to the fleet, customer, or consumer to manually input the transaction. Data is captured by the system from various sources, including all maintenance transactions, to provide as complete, timely, and accurate data about the remote assets as possible for analytics and benchmarking; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service(SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs. The SaaS can provide functionality such as automated warranty detection, automated chronic repair detection and automated notifications and alerts sent directly to the appropriate party through email, phone, or portal notifications at an appropriate timing. Data relating to each repair can be automatically organized in an appropriate format from repair and maintenance transactions and aggregated. The communications technology can also facilitate quote requests for repairs and maintenance, purchase order authorizations and facilitate vendor payments to vendors for repairs and maintenance services. Communications for repair requests (emergency, in yard/facility, scheduled, unscheduled, on road breakdowns, etc.), can be captured electronically into the EP, linked to the asset maintenance history record; paragraph 0044, discussing that asset service requests can be made through an app or online portal to request maintenance on any assets, which can be routed to an appropriate vendor through the EP. Service request metrics can be measured and tracked at each stage of the service request, and the EP can provide performance reports based on Customer. This can allow the Customer to measure response times of MROs in the network and measure and optimize uptime of the assets; paragraph 0046, discussing that the EPP can provide planning and scheduling, coordinating and managing, and at times performing maintenance services to provide mechanical inspections to confirm regulatory compliance for remote assets, periodic preventive maintenance mechanical inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and emergency and on road breakdown maintenance; paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0051, discussing that the EP optimizes asset uptime and reduces the number of assets required to perform tasks, reducing the cost to the fleet or asset owners/operators to operate a fleet or group of assets, including reducing the number of spare or idle assets. Optimizing uptime of assets allows owners/operators of assets to employ fewer employees and staff to manage fewer incidents and assets. Integrating communications through online apps reduces communications, optimizing staffing levels and improving response time to scheduled, unscheduled, and emergency repairs and maintenance); and
wherein at least one optimization criterium for the optimization strategy is minimizing delay of the starting time for the service event with respect to a planned starting time (paragraph 0036, discussing that an objective of embodiments of the systems and methods herein is to provide an integrated system and data that can provide timely, accurate maintenance data that will facilitate reporting, budgeting, forecasting, and managing of maintenance costs, optimize uptime, update fleet safety compliance, and promote standardization of maintenance practices in their own facilities and third party maintenance and repair organizations (MROs); paragraph 0044, discussing that asset service requests can be made through an app or online portal to request maintenance on any assets, which can be routed to an appropriate vendor through the EP. Service request metrics can be measured and tracked at each stage of the service request, and the EP can provide performance reports based on Customer. This can allow the Customer to measure response times of MROs in the network and measure and optimize uptime of the assets. The MROs receive opportunities to perform maintenance for contracted Customers in the EP, with efficient and integrated communications within the system; paragraph 0051, discussing that the EP optimizes asset uptime and reduces the number of assets required to perform tasks, reducing the cost to the fleet or asset owners/operators to operate a fleet or group of assets, including reducing the number of spare or idle assets. Optimizing uptime of assets allows owners/operators of assets to employ fewer employees and staff to manage fewer incidents and assets. Integrating communications through online apps reduces communications, optimizing staffing levels and improving response time to scheduled, unscheduled, and emergency repairs and maintenance).
As per claim 11, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the central management system derives an urgency indication from one or both of the customer or the information about the agricultural process stored in the database (paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP, upon entering into a contract with a Customer, loads the customer’s asset details into the EP, to facilitate asset and fleet management functions and contracted services for the customer. Services can include all aspects of asset and fleet management and maintenance, including but not limited to scheduling of preventive maintenance inspections, OEM recommended inspections, regulatory required inspections, coordinating and/or performing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, recalls and campaigns, emergency or urgent on site, off site, or roadside maintenance. The EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0049, discussing that the MRO can capture data from most or all repair and maintenance transactions directly through its employee or broker technicians through hand held or other computing devices, online apps, web-based portals, or direct entry by the MRO into the EP integrated online hardware and software tools, connected to a central database. In some embodiments, the MRO uses standard data and repair methods developed and deployed by the EPP to advise maintenance and repair organizations (MROs) how to safely and properly complete each repair using its standard work methods, standard jobs, standard parts, warranty detection and recovery methods, and other standard work methods. The EP provides online tools to communicate with the MRO employees and agents to request purchase orders, purchase order approvals to proceed with repairs, invoicing and payments, and the standards to follow in completing repairs, utilizing the central database. The EPP may own/operate its own facilities and mobile technicians to complete repairs, leveraging direct access to its central database through connected technology tools….; paragraph 0050, discussing that the EP can standardize the methods and parts used in a repair through standard work definition and documents including documented repair methods and standard parts to be used at time of repair (either industry recommended or preferred or customer preferred methods and parts) to provide for safety, quality, and performance of each replacement part. The standardization of repair methods and parts optimizes asset uptime and reduces chronic repairs due to wear and tear and damage between preventive maintenance inspections, as well as improves safety to the public and infrastructure through reduced accidents, injuries, fatalities, and unscheduled breakdown incidents; paragraphs 0030, 0051, 0076);
wherein the strategy comprises an optimization strategy (paragraph 0035, discussing an improved system and method for managing remote assets and data aggregation which incorporates elements such as remote repair management (including service technician dispatch); warranty administration; work order administration; purchase order processing; and communication among asset owners/operators, service organizations, parts suppliers, warranty providers, and OEMs. The system and method also provide for data aggregation from the disparate parties to maintain a record of activity with regard to each asset being managed; paragraph 0041, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process. Data from each repair and maintenance transaction is captured electronically using, for example, mobile tablet computers connected to the network, input by an MRO/franchisee or vendors and IMROs through a web based portal or the like, direct integrations with MROs/franchisees and vendors, or by electronic or paper copy submitted by an MRO/franchisee/IMRO to the fleet, customer, or consumer to manually input the transaction. Data is captured by the system from various sources, including all maintenance transactions, to provide as complete, timely, and accurate data about the remote assets as possible for analytics and benchmarking; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service(SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs. The SaaS can provide functionality such as automated warranty detection, automated chronic repair detection and automated notifications and alerts sent directly to the appropriate party through email, phone, or portal notifications at an appropriate timing. Data relating to each repair can be automatically organized in an appropriate format from repair and maintenance transactions and aggregated. The communications technology can also facilitate quote requests for repairs and maintenance, purchase order authorizations and facilitate vendor payments to vendors for repairs and maintenance services. Communications for repair requests (emergency, in yard/facility, scheduled, unscheduled, on road breakdowns, etc.), can be captured electronically into the EP, linked to the asset maintenance history record; paragraph 0044, discussing that asset service requests can be made through an app or online portal to request maintenance on any assets, which can be routed to an appropriate vendor through the EP. Service request metrics can be measured and tracked at each stage of the service request, and the EP can provide performance reports based on Customer. This can allow the Customer to measure response times of MROs in the network and measure and optimize uptime of the assets; paragraph 0046, discussing that the EPP can provide planning and scheduling, coordinating and managing, and at times performing maintenance services to provide mechanical inspections to confirm regulatory compliance for remote assets, periodic preventive maintenance mechanical inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and emergency and on road breakdown maintenance; paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0051, discussing that the EP optimizes asset uptime and reduces the number of assets required to perform tasks, reducing the cost to the fleet or asset owners/operators to operate a fleet or group of assets, including reducing the number of spare or idle assets. Optimizing uptime of assets allows owners/operators of assets to employ fewer employees and staff to manage fewer incidents and assets. Integrating communications through online apps reduces communications, optimizing staffing levels and improving response time to scheduled, unscheduled, and emergency repairs and maintenance); and
wherein optimization criteria for the optimization strategy are: urgency level set by the customer; and urgency level set from within the agricultural process (paragraph 0030, discussing an embodiment of a process performed by the application, databases and end users for an urgent service request use case; paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP, upon entering into a contract with a Customer, loads the customer’s asset details into the EP, to facilitate asset and fleet management functions and contracted services for the customer. Services can include all aspects of asset and fleet management and maintenance, including but not limited to scheduling of preventive maintenance inspections, OEM recommended inspections, regulatory required inspections, coordinating and/or performing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, recalls and campaigns, emergency or urgent on site, off site, or roadside maintenance. The EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0076, discussing that using the client app or an EP connection, asset owner/operators are able to request service or maintenance for their assets to MROs. The asset owner/operator identifies the type of service requested through the app (urgent, scheduled, unscheduled, emergency, on road breakdown, etc.), thus prioritizing communications with the MROs; paragraphs 0049-0051).
As per claim 12, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 11. Larson further teaches wherein the urgency indication is dependent on increasing wear of other aggregates of the agricultural working machine induced by the technical problem to be fixed by the service event (paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP, upon entering into a contract with a Customer, loads the customer’s asset details into the EP, to facilitate asset and fleet management functions and contracted services for the customer. Services can include all aspects of asset and fleet management and maintenance, including but not limited to scheduling of preventive maintenance inspections, OEM recommended inspections, regulatory required inspections, coordinating and/or performing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, recalls and campaigns, emergency or urgent on site, off site, or roadside maintenance. The EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0049, discussing that the EPP or EP arranges for scheduled repairs and maintenance, unscheduled repairs and maintenance, emergency repairs, and inspections and preventive maintenance and annual inspections through apps, online tools, scheduling software, and automated reporting; paragraph 0050, discussing that The EP can standardize the methods and parts used in a repair through standard work definition and documents including documented repair methods and standard parts to be used at time of repair (either industry recommended or preferred or customer preferred methods and parts) to provide for safety, quality, and performance of each replacement part. The standardization of repair methods and parts optimizes asset uptime and reduces chronic repairs due to wear and tear and damage between preventive maintenance inspections, as well as improves safety to the public and infrastructure through reduced accidents, injuries, fatalities, and unscheduled breakdown incidents; paragraphs 0051, 0052).
As per claim 13, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the strategy comprises an optimization strategy (paragraph 0035, discussing an improved system and method for managing remote assets and data aggregation which incorporates elements such as remote repair management (including service technician dispatch); warranty administration; work order administration; purchase order processing; and communication among asset owners/operators, service organizations, parts suppliers, warranty providers, and OEMs. The system and method also provide for data aggregation from the disparate parties to maintain a record of activity with regard to each asset being managed; paragraph 0041, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process. Data from each repair and maintenance transaction is captured electronically using, for example, mobile tablet computers connected to the network, input by an MRO/franchisee or vendors and IMROs through a web based portal or the like, direct integrations with MROs/franchisees and vendors, or by electronic or paper copy submitted by an MRO/franchisee/IMRO to the fleet, customer, or consumer to manually input the transaction. Data is captured by the system from various sources, including all maintenance transactions, to provide as complete, timely, and accurate data about the remote assets as possible for analytics and benchmarking; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service(SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs. The SaaS can provide functionality such as automated warranty detection, automated chronic repair detection and automated notifications and alerts sent directly to the appropriate party through email, phone, or portal notifications at an appropriate timing. Data relating to each repair can be automatically organized in an appropriate format from repair and maintenance transactions and aggregated. The communications technology can also facilitate quote requests for repairs and maintenance, purchase order authorizations and facilitate vendor payments to vendors for repairs and maintenance services. Communications for repair requests (emergency, in yard/facility, scheduled, unscheduled, on road breakdowns, etc.), can be captured electronically into the EP, linked to the asset maintenance history record; paragraph 0044, discussing that asset service requests can be made through an app or online portal to request maintenance on any assets, which can be routed to an appropriate vendor through the EP. Service request metrics can be measured and tracked at each stage of the service request, and the EP can provide performance reports based on Customer. This can allow the Customer to measure response times of MROs in the network and measure and optimize uptime of the assets; paragraph 0046, discussing that the EPP can provide planning and scheduling, coordinating and managing, and at times performing maintenance services to provide mechanical inspections to confirm regulatory compliance for remote assets, periodic preventive maintenance mechanical inspections, scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, and emergency and on road breakdown maintenance; paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0051, discussing that the EP optimizes asset uptime and reduces the number of assets required to perform tasks, reducing the cost to the fleet or asset owners/operators to operate a fleet or group of assets, including reducing the number of spare or idle assets. Optimizing uptime of assets allows owners/operators of assets to employ fewer employees and staff to manage fewer incidents and assets. Integrating communications through online apps reduces communications, optimizing staffing levels and improving response time to scheduled, unscheduled, and emergency repairs and maintenance); and
wherein each optimization criteria is weighted within the optimization strategy such that each optimization criteria is assigned a priority value, which is changed in implementation of the service event based on one or both of a customer request or a change of the agricultural process (paragraph 0030, discussing an embodiment of a process performed by the application, databases and end users for an urgent service request use case; paragraph 0048, discussing that the EPP, upon entering into a contract with a Customer, loads the customer’s asset details into the EP, to facilitate asset and fleet management functions and contracted services for the customer. Services can include all aspects of asset and fleet management and maintenance, including but not limited to scheduling of preventive maintenance inspections, OEM recommended inspections, regulatory required inspections, coordinating and/or performing scheduled and unscheduled maintenance, recalls and campaigns, emergency or urgent on site, off site, or roadside maintenance. The EPP performs these services, and coordinates these services with MROs through its EP and related services, with centralized management, coordination, data collection and storage, and reporting and analytics for the customer; paragraph 0058, discussing that the EP can create automated real time notifications, alerts, reports, and analytics for the customers. The notifications can be prioritized and may include a prescriptive action that the EP will take to resolve any issues; paragraph 0076, discussing that using the client app or an EP connection, asset owner/operators are able to request service or maintenance for their assets to MROs. The asset owner/operator identifies the type of service requested through the app (urgent, scheduled, unscheduled, emergency, on road breakdown, etc.), thus prioritizing communications with the MROs; paragraph 0092, discussing that the prescriptive action(s) may be determined by applying customizable weights to the inputs and the weights may be adjusted over time based on results, other data, or the like. It is noted that the prescriptive actions could vary from fleet/customer to fleet/customer).
As per claim 14, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the digital service module further comprises a prediction management system that generates prediction information regarding one or more of: regional cultivation and harvesting characteristics; regional climate/weather characteristics; or regional soil characteristics and/or regional technical failure expectations based on regional data, weather data and seasonal data in combination with local and global live information and that the prediction information is taken into account during an optimization cycle (paragraph 0060, discussing that aggregation of transactional data from repair and maintenance transactions of the assets can provide for analysis of performance of parts, assets, and groups to allow for real time reporting and feedback to original parts, component, and asset/equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”) about the performance of their products when in use. Product performance reports may be manually created or automated and posted electronically in portals or emailed automatically, accessible only to the OEM. The OEM may use the data and information from these reports to further enhance, improve, and innovate their products, as well as expedite research and development and commercialization, sales and marketing or other processes to support development of their products for the market. In some cases, the reports may be segmented regionally, by asset application, or other segregation methods. Predictive failure reports can also be generated using algorithms, sensors, and electronic communications of pending part failures are automatically electronically sent to OEMs for accident, incident, and downtime prevention, corrective action, and analytics. [0061] In the EP, OEM extended and component warranty agreements can be assigned to the fleet/customer asset and parts records in the EP. Should an MRO or vendor replace a component or perform labour to an asset with a warranty agreement still in force at the time of the repair, the EP can automatically detect warranty, and an automated warranty detection alert, notification, and report can be generated. In some cases, the EP may commence warranty adjudication with the MROs and Vendors on behalf of the fleet/customer, updating progress through automated warranty recovery reporting. The EP is intended to enable automated warranty claim creation, tracking, and management of the warranty claim; paragraph 0064, discussing that budgeting and forecasting can be made available through the capture of repair and maintenance data aggregation on a transaction-by-transaction basis, tracking date and time or transactions, and utilizing algorithms for predicting future costs and providing budgets for future periods to the owner of the assets).
As per claim 15, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the route management system, responsive to receiving one or more implementation requests, automatically transmits at least a part of the one or more implementation requests for execution, taking into account at least the plurality of weighted criteria including one or both of: reduction in reaction time between service request and starting time of the service event; or reduction in waiting time of the service technician for spare parts at the agricultural working machine (paragraphs 0075, discussing that through integration, the EP can be configured to automatically assign the appropriate MRO to a Service Request for emergency assistance, wherever the user/driver is located. When a driver creates an emergency request, a GPS fix of the driver’s current location can be included in the request. When the task is received by the system, the GPS location will be inspected and used to find the closest affiliate MRO capable of performing the repair. The task will be routed directly to that MRO or to a group of local MROs. The automated dispatch to nearby vendors reduces the time it takes for an MRO to attend to the driver, reducing downtime and improving fleet efficiency. MROs benefit by having access to repairs they would have otherwise likely not have been requested to receive; paragraph 0076, discussing that using the client app or an EP connection, asset owner/operators are able to request service or maintenance for their assets to MROs. The asset owner/operator identifies the type of service requested through the app (urgent, scheduled, unscheduled, emergency, on road breakdown, etc.), thus prioritizing communications with the MROs. The EP can provide asset details with the service repair request, such as unit number/vin lookup, service request date and time, response date and time, and completion date and time; paragraph 0077, discussing that in some embodiments, if a service request category is flagged by the EP to integrate, then data collected during the service request can be configured to export into other maintenance and business systems. Data such as geo location, asset information, repair request, request date and time, response date and time, completion date and time, and messages etc. can then be imported into other business systems, not limited to maintenance software, telematics systems, and other business systems).
Larson does not explicitly teach automatically generates one or more routes of transport devices to orchestrate the transport of instances of needed service technicians and needed spare parts to the agricultural working machine to be serviced and transmits at least a part of the one or more implementation requests for execution to the respective transport devices. However, Hampapur in the analogous art of repairs management systems teaches this concept. Hampapur teaches:
generates one or more routes of transport devices to orchestrate the transport of instances of needed service technicians and needed spare parts to the agricultural working machine to be serviced and transmits at least a part of the one or more implementation requests for execution to the respective transport devices (paragraph 0037, discussing that asset failure risks can be estimated and understood given external factors and spatio-temporal correlations such as which assets tend to fail, when to inspect and replace assets, etc. Further, the spatial-temporal information is made actionable, such as in the optimization of scheduling and routing, for example, where to direct maintenance trucks).
Larson is directed towards a system and method for managing remote assets. Hampapur is directed towards a system for optimization of physical asset maintenance. Therefore, they are deemed to be analogous as they both are directed towards repair and maintenance systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine Larson with Hampapur because the references are analogous art because they are both directed to solutions for providing repair and maintenance services to a machine, which falls within applicant’s field of endeavor (method and system for providing a technical service to an agricultural working machine), and because modifying Larson to include Hampapur’s feature for generating one or more routes of transport devices to orchestrate the transport of instances of needed service technicians and needed spare parts to the agricultural working machine to be serviced and transmits at least a part of the one or more implementation requests for execution to the respective transport devices, in the manner claimed, would serve the motivation of improving the lifecycle of physical assets through efficient resource use (Hampapur at paragraph 0020); and further obvious because the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
As per claim 16, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the route management system automatically and dynamically monitors actual execution of the routes of transport devices and automatically identifies one or more deviations from a time schedule (paragraph 0069, discussing that through use of the EP and integrated communications app, the latitude/longitude location of the remote asset can be captured by the system for geolocation and identification for dispatch of nearest affiliated MRO to repair the asset, including threaded communications relating to the repair request, a defined multi stage notification protocol, automated next day incident reporting and the like; paragraph 0071, discussing that the Service Request can then be tracked and monitored while being worked on. Timestamps can be added and the various life cycle statuses can also be measured with a pre-determined schedule to complete; paragraph 0073, discussing that Using the EP, MROs, Vendors, and asset owner/operators can utilize the integrated communications app to request emergency assistance, including roadside, at a remote location of the asset. The system can integrate the user’s lat/long from their client app into the EP, and the EP can auto-dispatch the service request to the nearest MRO electronically. The integration of the asset specification details with the user location and service request, along with the parts required to complete the repair, dispatch of the MRO, are tasks that can be centrally managed by the EP. The EP gathers the repair data, transaction timestamps for events during the emergency request and can automatically report the details and timestamps of the events; paragraph 0074, discussing that as an example, emergency breakdowns (in remote yards, or the like) can be managed by the system. Telematics or a client app can electronically request emergency assistance via the EP. When the service request is initiated, the system obtains the latitude/longitude of the remote asset and the system/EP can match the latitude/longitude of the nearest service provider that can provide the requested maintenance for the service requested. The EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repairs. The timing of the repairs can be compared to pre-established or historical KPIs for repairs for determination if on road response time objectives/KPIs were achieve), and
responsive to the one or more deviations being greater than or equal to a predetermined amount, performing one or both of: modifying the routes of the transport devices to meet the time schedule and transmitting, to the transport devices, a request for execution of the routes that are modified; or sending a change request to the central management system to perform an optimization cycle to generate a new implementation request (paragraph 0044, discussing that asset service requests can be made through an app or online portal to request maintenance on any assets, which can be routed to an appropriate vendor through the EP. Service request metrics can be measured and tracked at each stage of the service request, and the EP can provide performance reports based on Customer. This can allow the Customer to measure response times of MROs in the network and measure and optimize uptime of the assets. The MROs receive opportunities to perform maintenance for contracted Customers in the EP, with efficient and integrated communications within the system; paragraph 0074, discussing that as an example, emergency breakdowns (in remote yards, or the like) can be managed by the system. Telematics or a client app can electronically request emergency assistance via the EP. When the service request is initiated, the system obtains the latitude/longitude of the remote asset and the system/EP can match the latitude/longitude of the nearest service provider that can provide the requested maintenance for the service requested. The EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site. The MRO follows a scripted method of updating the fleet/customer of the status of the repair using the standard communication app for emergency service request procedures. The time of each stage of the on road breakdown can be electronically captured by the app. The MRO technician and the Fleet/Customer and user/driver can be updated throughout the service call event through the communications app. The customer managing the assets can receive an automated report with all the details including event timing and details of on road repairs. The timing of the repairs can be compared to pre-established or historical KPIs for repairs for determination if on road response time objectives/KPIs were achieved).
As per claim 17, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the spare parts management system performs one or more of: monitors the locations and availability of the spare parts and saves the locations and the availability into the database; organizes a predetermined inventory of spare parts in one or more warehouses by transmitting transport requests to the route management system; responsive to an implementation request by the central management system, organizes the availability of respective spare parts by transmitting a transport request to the route management system; or responsive to the implementation request by the central management system, organizes a handover of one or more instances of the spare parts at a predetermined location (paragraph 0040, discussing that at least some embodiments provide for management of condition and uptime of assets or groups of assets, standardizes maintenance and repairs to assets, streamlines communications between the owners and operators of the assets and the maintenance and repair organizations (MROs) and vendors, capturing and aggregating maintenance and repair data for each transaction wherever and whenever maintenance is performed, then performing automated and custom analytics on the maintenance data, creating and sending electronic reports or providing portal access for detailed reporting and analytics of the assets to the owners/operators of the assets; paragraph 0042, discussing that the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process. Data from each repair and maintenance transaction is captured electronically using, for example, mobile tablet computers connected to the network, input by an MRO/franchisee or vendors and IMROs through a web based portal or the like, direct integrations with MROs/franchisees and vendors, or by electronic or paper copy submitted by an MRO/franchisee/IMRO to the fleet, customer, or consumer to manually input the transaction. Data is captured by the system from various sources, including all maintenance transactions, to provide as complete, timely, and accurate data about the remote assets as possible for analytics and benchmarking; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service (SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs…; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site; paragraph 0042, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service (SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs; paragraphs 0036-0039, 0044-0049).
As per claim 18, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the spare parts management system performs each of: monitors the locations and availability of the spare parts and saves the locations and the availability into the database; organizes a predetermined inventory of spare parts in one or more warehouses by transmitting transport requests to the route management system; responsive to an implementation request by the central management system, organizes the availability of respective spare parts by transmitting a transport request to the route management system; and responsive to the implementation request by the central management system, organizes a handover of one or more instances of the spare parts at a predetermined location (paragraph 0040, discussing that at least some embodiments provide for management of condition and uptime of assets or groups of assets, standardizes maintenance and repairs to assets, streamlines communications between the owners and operators of the assets and the maintenance and repair organizations (MROs) and vendors, capturing and aggregating maintenance and repair data for each transaction wherever and whenever maintenance is performed, then performing automated and custom analytics on the maintenance data, creating and sending electronic reports or providing portal access for detailed reporting and analytics of the assets to the owners/operators of the assets; paragraph 0042, discussing that the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process. Data from each repair and maintenance transaction is captured electronically using, for example, mobile tablet computers connected to the network, input by an MRO/franchisee or vendors and IMROs through a web based portal or the like, direct integrations with MROs/franchisees and vendors, or by electronic or paper copy submitted by an MRO/franchisee/IMRO to the fleet, customer, or consumer to manually input the transaction. Data is captured by the system from various sources, including all maintenance transactions, to provide as complete, timely, and accurate data about the remote assets as possible for analytics and benchmarking; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service (SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs…; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site; paragraph 0042, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service (SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs; paragraphs 0036-0039, 0044-0049).
As per claim 19, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1. Larson further teaches wherein the technician management system performs one or more of: monitors locations and the availability of service technicians and respective qualification and saves the locations, the availability and the respective qualification into the database; organizes a predetermined distribution of qualification of service technicians by transmitting one or more transport requests to one or both of the route management system or to a respective service technician; responsive to an implementation request by the central management system, automatically organizes the availability of respective service technicians by transmitting a transport request to one or both of the route management system or to the respective service technician (paragraph 0011, discussing that automatically determining resources may include: determining a location of the remote asset; determining resources that has a location geographically proximate to the remote asset; contacting the resources to determine availability and select one or more resources based on location and availability; and confirm the one or more selected resources to provide the prescribed action; paragraph 0043, discussing that the repair and maintenance data is aggregated in a software as a service (SaaS) solution, sometimes called an enterprise platform (EP), which is included in embodiments of the system and method herein. The SaaS is intended to provide real time, automated reporting and analytics, including value added services, to optimize asset utilization and performance, including electronic communications to coordinate maintenance and repairs. This coordination can include standardization of the repair methods and parts as defined by, for example, the fleet, and used in repairs…; paragraph 0074, discussing that the EP routes a service request through the communications app to the local affiliated MRO who receives the location of the user/driver, the service requested, claims the repair request back through the app to the EP, and travels to the location of the user/driver to complete the repair. The EP will utilize its maintenance database to determine the parts to be used in the repair and advise the MRO through the communications app so the MRO takes the correct part to the repair site; paragraph 0042, discussing that embodiments of the system and method are configured to coordinate and integrate services from maintenance and repair providers/operators (MROs), vendors of equipment, parts or the like, and fleet owned and/operated transportation and other assets leveraging communication software and services, to coordinate repairs and maintenance between the various participants in the overall process; paragraphs 0036-0039, 0043-0049).
18. Claim 6 is rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Larson in view of Hampapur, in view of Hanson, in further view of Rana et al., Pub. No.: EP 3803772 B1, [hereinafter Rana].
As per claim 6, the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination teaches the method of claim 1, but it does not explicitly teach wherein the one or more transport devices comprise part runners. However, Rana in the analogous art of repair systems teaches this concept. Rana teaches wherein the one or more transport devices comprise part runners (Description: “Besides the autonomous ground vehicles (AGV) 5g, also airborne mobile vehicles 5a like unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) 5a or drones can be comprised in a system according to the invention. For example, such UAVs 5a can be flying around the factory and making quick checks with limited sensors and sending a more specialised mobile vehicle 5g or cobot, if some potential problem is detected. UAVs 5a can also be used to quickly supply smaller amounts of parts which are running out, replacement parts for tools, production equipment or manufacturing parts, etc.).
The Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination describes features related to physical asset maintenance and repair. Rana is directed towards a repair system using mobile vehicles. Therefore, they are deemed to be analogous as they both are directed towards repair systems. It would have been obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to combine the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination with Rana because the references are analogous art because they are both directed to solutions for providing repair and maintenance services to a physical asset, which falls within applicant’s field of endeavor (method and system for providing a technical service to an agricultural working machine), and because modifying the Larson-Hampapur-Hanson combination to include Rana’s feature for including wherein the one or more transport devices comprise part runners, in the manner claimed, would serve the motivation of including a mobile vehicle configured to move autonomously and providing automatic deployment (Rana, abstract) and further obvious because the claimed invention is merely a combination of old elements, and in the combination each element merely would have performed the same function as it did separately, and one of ordinary skill in the art would have recognized that the results of the combination were predictable.
Conclusion
The prior art made of record and not relied upon is considered pertinent to applicant's disclosure.
Barker et al., Patent No.: US 11,016,468 B1 – describes that if a specific machine component at a first facility is identified as needing maintenance in the near future, the data analyzer system operates to identify the location of a replacement machine component that will be required and reserves the part for use to replace the specific machine component requiring maintenance. If the analyzer system operates to determine the needed replacement machine component is not at the location of the machine needing maintenance, the analyzer system operates, in compliance with any lead-time requirements, to order a replacement machine component from a part supplier or from another location prior to maintenance scheduling. In this way it should be apparent that replacement machine components are at the proper location at the proper time. It should also be understood that the analyzer system can also function to transmit automated orders to part supplier.
Kobel et al., Pub. No.: US 2022/0229415 A1 – describes that a machine may send data to another device regarding the machine's battery level, whether any parts of the machine need repair or a replacement and how long the machine has been in use.
Bar et al., Pub. No.: US 2007/0152049 A1 – describes systems and methods for managing spare plug field inventory.
Colle et al., Pub. No.: US 2004/0133889 A1 – describes a resource allocation system for scheduling the deployment of service technicians to a particular field location where service is to be performed.
Henders on et al., Pub. No.: US 2023/0060289 A1 – describes reducing downtime waiting for parts to arrive.
Kolbet et al., Pub. No.: US 2013/0198556 A1 – describes systems and methods for creating a near optimal maintenance plan.
Smith et al., Pub. No.: WO 2004/114055 A2 – describes that responsive to the communicated request, the parts department may retrieve the parts from inventory before the service technician arrives at the parts department, thereby shortening the time the service technician has to wait for parts to be pulled from inventory.
Toigambayev, S., et al. "Justification of the methods of material and technical maintenance and repair of agricultural machines." Journal of Physics: Conference Series. Vol. 2176. No. 1. IOP Publishing, 2022 – describes that the maintenance and restoration of the operability of tractors and other agricultural machines in sufficient limits is ensured, as is known, with the help of a system of maintenance and repair, which provides for the implementation of preventive maintenance operations and the conduct of routine and major repairs of machines in a planned manner. The established system of maintenance and repair, the creation of a material and technical basis for its implementation, as well as a continuous process of improving the qualifications of machine operators and repair personnel, contribute to the effective use of equipment in agriculture.
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/Darlene Garcia-Guerra/
Primary Examiner, Art Unit 3625
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