Abstract:
A method for managing equipment may include operating one or more equipment units, tracking operating data for the one or more equipment units, tracking equipment service data for the one or more equipment units, communicating the operating data and the equipment service data to a database, maintaining the operating data and the equipment service data at the database, operating one or more point of sale interfaces for processing customer orders, communicating customer order data from the point of sale interfaces to the database, maintaining customer order data at the database, and calculating estimated service dates for one or more of the equipments units. The calculation of estimated service dates may be based on the operating data, the equipment service data, and the customer order data.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to a system and method for equipment management. More particularly, the present disclosure relates to a system and method for predicting when equipment is likely to fail or require service. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    Effective operation of a restaurant depends upon functional operation of many pieces and/or types of equipment. Accordingly, when a piece of equipment fails, restaurant operations are often disrupted. Such disruption may result in significant service delays and/or inability to fulfill customer orders. Traditionally, prevention of such equipment failure includes premature maintenance and/or replacement of equipment and/or the components thereof. This type of remedy, however, is less than ideal because premature maintenance and/or replacement results in increased service costs and under-utilizes the equipment. 
         [0003]    A need thus exists for a method of predicting when equipment is likely to fail or require service such that overall maintenance costs are minimized and service is performed before equipment failure. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0004]    Systems and methods for equipment management are provided. More particularly, systems and methods for predicting when equipment units are likely to fail or require service are provided. 
         [0005]    A method for managing equipment may include operating one or more equipment units, tracking operating data for the one or more equipment units, tracking equipment service data for the one or more equipment units, communicating the operating data and the equipment service data to a database, maintaining the operating data and the equipment service data at the database, operating one or more point of sale interfaces for processing customer orders, communicating customer order data from the point of sale interfaces to the database, maintaining customer order data at the database, and calculating estimated service dates for one or more of the equipments units. The calculation of estimated service dates may be based on the operating data, the equipment service data, and the customer order data. 
         [0006]    An equipment management system may include one or more equipment units, one or more point of sale interfaces configured to process customer orders, one or more user interfaces configured to receive equipment service data, a database for storing system information, the database being in electronic communication with one or more of the equipment units such that equipment operating data is stored to the database, one or more of the point of sale interfaces such that customer order information is stored to the database, and one or more of the user interfaces such that equipment service data is stored to the data, and a central processor operatively associated with the database and including software configured to calculate estimated service dates, the calculations being based on the equipment operating data, customer order data, and equipment service data. 
         [0007]    While multiple embodiments are disclosed, still other embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which shows and describes illustrative embodiments of the invention. As will be realized, the system and method are capable of modifications in various obvious aspects, all without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and detailed description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not restrictive. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]    While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter that is regarded as forming the present invention, it is believed that the invention will be better understood from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying Figures, in which: 
           [0009]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram illustrating the inputs and outputs of a equipment management system in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0010]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram illustrating an equipment management system in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0011]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram illustrating the tracking of point of sale data in accordance with one embodiment. 
           [0012]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram illustrating the tracking of equipment service data in accordance with one embodiment. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A. Overview 
       [0013]    A system and method for equipment management is provided. More particularly, a system and method for predicting when equipment is likely to fail or require service is provided. In one embodiment, the system and method may include tracking equipment operating data, point of sale (“POS”) data, and equipment service data. On the basis of this information, the system and method may generate reports detailing, for example, when equipment units are likely to fail or require service. 
         [0014]    In some embodiments, the system and method of the present disclosure may predict when equipment is likely to fail or require service by monitoring or tracking equipment operating data, POS data, and equipment service data. For purposes of this description, equipment operating data may refer to any data related to the operation of an equipment unit. For purposes of this description, POS data may refer to any data related to the sale of food and/or beverages to a restaurant customer. For the purposes of this description, the term “restaurant” may refer to an entity having a single site or an entity having a plurality of sites. For purposes of this description, equipment service data may refer to any data related to repair and/or maintenance of equipment and/or the components thereof. 
         [0015]    In some embodiments, the system and method may be used by restaurants to, for example, prevent disruption of restaurant operation. For example, a restaurant experiencing frequent equipment breakdown resulting in service disruption may use the system and method to schedule for equipment service such that unplanned service disruptions may be avoided. In some embodiments, the system and method may further be used by restaurants to, for example, maximize utilization of their equipment and/or the components thereof. For example, a restaurant that conducts maintenance on certain types of equipment prematurely can use the system and method to schedule for equipment maintenance such that equipment utilization may be maximized and such that unnecessary costs are reduced or eliminated. 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  illustrates one embodiment of a system  5  for predicting when equipment is likely to fail or require service. As shown equipment operating data  7 , POS data  9 , and equipment service data  11  may serve as inputs to an equipment management application  13 . The equipment management application  13  may issue reports  15  detailing, for example, when an equipment unit is likely to fail or require service. 
       B. System Configuration 
       [0017]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , an equipment management system  10  is provided. In one embodiment, the system  10  may comprise a central processor  20 , located at a central location, one or more databases  30  to store system data, and a plurality of equipment units  40  located at a plurality of restaurant locations. In one embodiment, one or more of the equipment units  40  are equipped with means to communicate with the central processor  20  and database  30  over a communications network  35 , such as the Internet. The equipment units  40  may be located at different locations, at the same locations, or a mix thereof. Additionally, in one embodiment, the system may comprise a plurality of point of sale (“POS”) interfaces  50  located at a plurality of restaurant locations, each equipped with means to communicate with the central processor  20  and database  30  over the network  35 . In a further embodiment, the system  10  may comprise one or more user interfaces  60  located at one or more restaurant locations. In one embodiment, user interfaces  60  may be used by users of the system to enter system data. While the system is described with respect to an embodiment wherein the central processor  20  is at a location remote from the equipment units  40 , it is to be appreciated that the central processor  20  may alternatively be provided at a location of the equipment units  40 . 
         [0018]    The central processor  20  may be any computer known to those skilled in the art, including standard attachments and components thereof (e.g., a disk drive, hard drive, CD player or network server that communicates with a CPU and main memory, a sound board, a keyboard and mouse, and a monitor). The central processor  20  may include software programs or instructions that process requests and responses from a user of the system  10 . These software programs or instructions send information to and receive information from the database  30  (described below), perform compilation and storage functions, and generate reports that may be accessed by users of the system  10 . The software may be software applications commercially sold and normally used by those skilled in the art or may be one or more specific applications coded for use with the system disclosed herein. 
         [0019]    The system  10  may also include one or more databases  30  for storing system data. The databases  30  may be of any type generally known in the art. In one embodiment, the databases  30  may be integral to the central processor  20 . In an alternative embodiment, the databases  30  may be accessible to the central processor through the network  35  or other suitable communication link. In one embodiment, the database  30  comprises a plurality of database servers, some of which are integral to the central processor  20 , and some of which are located remotely from the central processor  20 . In some embodiments, as will be discussed in greater detail below, the databases  30  may store any information directly and/or indirectly relating to use, maintenance, and/or repair of restaurant equipment. 
         [0020]    As shown, the system  10  may include one or more equipment units  40 . In some embodiments, equipment units  40  may comprise any equipment used in a restaurant which requires periodic maintenance and/or is susceptible to breakdown and/or failure, such as for example, commercial appliances, heating and cooling equipment, sanitation equipment, and/or the components thereof. For example, in one embodiment, equipment units  40  may include, without limitation, fryers, coffee brewers, microwaves, stoves, grills, mixers, steamers, ice makers, beverage dispensers, filters, dishwashers, coolers, freezers, and/or components thereof. 
         [0021]    In some embodiments, the system  10  may include one or more POS interfaces  50 . POS interfaces  50  may be any computer or computer systems used in the restaurant industry to process customer orders. In one embodiment, the POS interfaces  50  comprise a central processor unit and main memory, an input/output interface for communicating with various databases, files, programs, and networks (such as the Internet). The POS interfaces  50  may also have a monitor or other screen device and an input device, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch sensitive screen. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, the system  10  may include one or more user interfaces  60 . User interfaces  60  may be any computer or computer systems. In one embodiment, the user interfaces  60  may comprise a central processor unit and main memory, an input/output interface for communicating with various databases, files, programs, and networks. The user interfaces  60  may also have a monitor or other screen device and an input device, such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a touch sensitive screen. In some embodiments, user interfaces  60  may be provided in one or more restaurant sites having equipment units  40 . Alternatively, user interfaces  60  may be provided in any location accessible to users of the system  10 . In one embodiment, users of the system may access user interfaces  60  to view system information, input system information, and/or exchange data with the central processor. 
       C. Equipment Operating Data 
       [0023]    Prior to implementation of the system and method, or as part of implementation of the system and method, general equipment unit information may be provided and stored to the databases  30 . The general equipment unit information may include site information relating to all the sites where a restaurant has equipment, including site location, identification of equipment at the site, and any other relevant site information. In a further embodiment, a restaurant&#39;s equipment units  40  may be inventoried and an identifier created for each equipment unit  40  to give it a trackable identity. In some embodiments, the equipment unit identifiers may also be stored to the databases  30 . 
         [0024]    In some embodiments, equipment operating data may be provided to the system manually by a user of the system  10  or automatically (i.e., without manual input by a user). Generally, equipment operating data may include any information related to the operation of an equipment unit, or the components thereof. More specifically, in one embodiment, equipment operating data may include data related to the number of uses, type of use, duration of use, and/or operating conditions of equipment units  40 , or the components thereof. For example, equipment operating data may include the number of batches of food which have been prepared in a given commercial fryer (“fryer cycles”). An exemplary system and method for tracking the number of fryer cycles which have occurred in a commercial fryer is described in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/060,705, entitled Fry Cycle Monitoring, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. Additionally, for example, equipment operating data may include the number of compressor cycles which have occurred for a given refrigeration unit. A further example of equipment operating data may include the brew temperature at which a commercial coffee brewer has been brewing at. Alternatively, equipment operating data may include any data related to the number of uses, type of use, duration of use, and/or operating conditions of equipment units. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, the system may automatically track equipment operating data. In one embodiment, automatic tracking of operating data may include enabling electronic communication between one or more equipment units  40  and the network  35 , receiving operating data over the network  35  at the central processor  20 , and storing the operating data to the database  30 . 
         [0026]    In some embodiments, equipment units  40  may be equipped with communications capabilities in order to automatically tracking operating data. In one embodiment, one or more equipment units  40  may have data ports through which operating data may be communicated to the network  35 . Alternatively, in some embodiments, electrical components may be coupled to equipment units  40  such that operating data may be communicated electronically to the network  35 . An exemplary configuration of electrical components coupled to an equipment unit is provided in U.S. application Ser. No. 12/060,705, entitled Fry Cycle Monitoring, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0027]    In a further embodiment, equipment units  40  may comprise intelligent equipment. For purposes of the present disclosure, intelligent equipment refers to equipment that has been manufactured to communicate over a network, such as the Internet, and is equipped built-in resident sensors. 
         [0028]    In some embodiments, operating data may be provided to the system manually by a user of the system  10 . In one embodiment, users of the system  10  may access user interfaces  60  and input operating data. The entered data may then be received over the network  35  at the central processor  20  and stored to the database  30 . 
       D. POS Data 
       [0029]      FIG. 3  is a flow chart illustrating the tracking of POS data in accordance with one embodiment. Typically, the process may be initiated by a customer placing an order with a restaurant employee (block  300 ). An order may, generally, comprise one or more food and/or beverage items. The one or more food and/or drink items may have an associated “size” that corresponds to a predetermined quantity of food or beverage. For example, a customer may order a “medium” french fry, which may, for example, correspond to 6 oz. of french fries. Alternatively, for example, a customer may order a “medium” coffee, which may, for example, correspond to 12 fl. oz. of coffee. The restaurant employee may then enter the order into the system via the POS interface  50  (block  310 ). Alternatively, the customers themselves may enter orders into the system via a POS interface  50 . 
         [0030]    After an order is entered into the system, in some embodiments, the POS interface  50  provides information to the database (block  320 ). Provision of such information may be in real time or may, in some embodiments, be delayed, such as reporting of occurred events on a timed basis. In some embodiments, the POS interface  50  provides all information relating to the customer order. In one embodiment, if the customer order contains one or more food and/or beverage products (a “sale event”), for each sale event, the POS interface  50  provides any or all of the size (e.g., small, medium, large, etc.), type (e.g., french fries, hamburger, coffee, softdrink, etc.), and date/time of the order. The information provided by the POS interface  50  may then be stored to the databases  30  (block  330 ). In some embodiments, the system saves all sale event information in the databases  30  such that the system accumulates all sale event history. The customer may then conclude the order (block  340 ) by paying for the order. After conclusion of the order, another customer order may be placed (block  300 ). 
       E. Equipment Service Data 
       [0031]      FIG. 4  is a flow chart illustrating the tracking of the equipment service data, according to one embodiment. In some embodiments, service data may include any information related to service, maintenance, and/or repair performed on an equipment unit and/or the components thereof. In one embodiment, for example, the service information may include an equipment identifier, type of service performed, and/or date/time of the service. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, maintenance, repair, or any other type of service may be performed on an equipment unit and/or the components thereof (block  400 ). In one embodiment, the service provider may be a restaurant employee. In alternative embodiments, the service provider may be an individual or entity external to the restaurant. In some embodiments, a user associated with the service may access a user interface  60  and enter the service information (block  410 ). Alternatively, any authorized user of the system  10  may access a user interface  60  and enter the service information. The entered service information may then be provided to the database  30  over the network (block  420 ). After service information has been provided, the service information may be stored to the database  30  and associated with the equipment unit serviced (block  430 ). According to one embodiment, the system  10  saves all such service information in the databases  30  such that the system accumulates all service information history. 
       F. Estimated Service Dates 
       [0033]    In some embodiments, on the basis of the stored equipment unit operating data, POS data, and equipment service data, the system  10  may calculate estimated service dates. For purposes of the present disclosure, the estimated service date may refer to a date on which a particular equipment unit and/or the components thereof is likely to require maintenance and/or repair. 
       G. Report Generation 
       [0034]    In some embodiments, on the basis of the stored equipment unit operating data, POS data, and equipment service data, the system  10  may generate service reports. 
         [0035]    In some embodiments, service reports may comprise information relating to service of a restaurant&#39;s equipment units (“service information”). In one embodiment, service information may include any information related to future service which may be required on equipment units and/or the components thereof, such as for example, estimated service dates. Additionally, in some embodiments, service information may include any historical information related to past maintenance, service, and/or repair of one or more equipment units and/or the components thereof. 
         [0036]    In some embodiments, the service reports may include service information for one or more of a restaurant&#39;s equipment units. In one embodiment, the service reports may include service information for equipment units identified by the system  10  as having an estimated service date that is approaching. 
         [0037]    In some embodiments, the service reports may be generated and distributed on a periodic basis, such as daily, weekly, or monthly, for example. In an alternative embodiment, reports may be generated and distributed upon the occurrence of a triggering event, such as for example, when a time until the estimated service date of one or more equipment units falls below a predetermined threshold. 
         [0038]    Although the present invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments, persons skilled in the art will recognize that changes may be made in form and detail without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.