WO2001030022A2

WO2001030022A2 - Method and device for transmitting the operating data of an operating unit and method for making available operating data of one or more operating units

Info

Publication number: WO2001030022A2
Application number: PCT/DE2000/003505
Authority: WO
Inventors: Jörg ARNOLD
Original assignee: Ip2H Ag
Priority date: 1999-10-17
Filing date: 2000-10-06
Publication date: 2001-04-26
Also published as: WO2001030022A3; AU1692101A

Abstract

The invention relates to a method and a device for transmitting the operating data of an operating unit between said operating unit and at least one receiver, in particular, for accessing and/or exploiting the information in the operating unit, comprising a transmission means between the operating unit and the receiver. In order to facilitate the effective operation of the operating unit, a public network along the lines of the Internet, or the Internet itself is used as the transmission means for transmitting the operating data. The invention also relates to a method for making available the operating data of one or more operating units, whereby the operating data is transmitted to a receiver via a public network along the lines of the Internet or via the Internet itself and whereby the receiver puts the operating data at the disposal of one or more third parties.

Description

“Method and device for transmitting

Operating data of an operating unit and a method for

Providing operational data of one or more

Operating units "

The invention relates to a method and a device for transmitting operating data of an operating unit between the operating unit and at least one receiver, in particular for accessing and / or manipulating the operating unit, with a transmission means acting between the operating unit and the receiver.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for providing operating data of one or more operating units.

Methods and devices for transmitting operating data of an operating unit of the type mentioned at the outset are known from practice. This is, for example, the remote control of operational processes and production processes of devices, machines or entire industrial plants serving as operating units. In this case, an operating data exchange can take place between the operating unit and a receiver in both directions, wherein operating data can be transmitted to the receiver and the receiver can send corresponding control commands back to the operating unit. Such transmissions take place via telecommunication connections, for example telephone lines and radio connections. The transmissions enable monitoring and control via control and control centers serving as receivers, which may be hundreds or thousands of kilometers away. So z. B. certain devices of a manufacturer or distributor at different locations from only one central control or control center are economically advantageous and a significant part of the operational management is outsourced to third-party service providers. This is basically a process for optimizing operational processes. The transmission means in the form of the telecommunication connection provides a secure "point-to-point connection" between the operating unit and a receiver. This form of transmission of operating data has the disadvantage that in most cases only one receiver can communicate with the operating unit. If, for example, several operators if there are different components of the operating unit that want to access the operating unit or the component assigned to the respective operator at the same time, the connection is often occupied, since another operator is already communicating with the operating unit , since it must always be waited until an operator has finished communicating with the operating unit before another operator can communicate.

The present invention is therefore based on the object of specifying a method and a device for transmitting operating data of an operating unit of the type mentioned at the outset, according to which effective operation of an operating unit is achieved in a simple manner.

According to the invention, the above object is achieved by a method and a device for transmitting operating data with the features of claims 1 and 21. Thereafter, a public network in the sense of the Internet or the Internet is used as the transmission means for transmitting the operating data. The transmission means for transmitting the operating data is formed by a public network in the sense of the Internet or by the Internet.

In the manner according to the invention, it was first recognized that the use of a public network in the sense of the Internet or the Internet itself as a transmission medium solved the above task in a surprisingly simple manner. Linking the operating unit and the receiver by means of such a network enables simple access even of several receivers to an operating unit, with known and already existing fast-conveying protocols being able to be used here in view of the sequence of communications of several receivers with the operating unit. The above- Carrying over a public network in the sense of the Internet or the Internet itself simplifies and accelerates the communication of several receivers with one operating unit. This provides an alternative method of transferring operating data between the operating unit and at least one receiver, which considerably simplifies the management of an operating unit.

Consequently, the method and the device according to the invention for transmitting operating data provide a method and a device according to which an effective operation of an operating unit is achieved in a simple manner.

With regard to particularly effective communication between the operating unit and the receiver, the operating unit could be assigned a module for collecting the operating data. The module could be arranged directly in the area of the operating unit and possibly connected integrally to the operating unit.

To ensure that the operating data in the module is always up to date, the module could automatically collect the operating data. This could take place periodically after predeterminable time intervals or whenever the operating data change.

The module could advantageously process the operating data in a predeterminable manner and / or prepare it for the respective receiver, so that the receiver can receive optimally prepared operating data for it.

The transfer of operating data from the module to the receiver or to the receivers could take place automatically. In this case, a transmission could take place after predefinable time intervals or whenever operating data has changed

In particular, the receiver, which has received operating data, could process the operating data further and carry out a corresponding control of the operating unit. For this purpose, operating data from the receiver to the operating unit could take place via the module. In particular with regard to the use of the Internet or a comparable network as a means of transmission, a web server could be used as a module. This enables a particularly simple integration of the operating unit into the network.

Specifically, the recipient (s) could be a service provider to support the operation of the operating unit. This would result in a “device-to-user” transmission.

Furthermore, the receiver or receivers could be a further operating unit or further operating units. In this case, a so-called "device-to-device" transmission would be achieved. This would allow mutual influencing or control between two or more operating units.

In a particularly universal manner, the receiver (s) could be a module or modules of a further operating unit or further operating units. As a result, in particular the adaptation to the network serving as the transmission means is optimized, wherein the transmission via modules designed as web servers could be particularly simple.

The operating data could be transmitted in the form of a work program and / or in the form of software for accessing and / or manipulating the operating unit from the operating unit or from the module to the receiver or the receivers. In this case, for example, a receiver could receive a work program from the operating unit, whereby the work program could only enable the receiver to operate the operating unit in a suitable manner. This considerably simplifies the operation of an operating unit, since virtually any - possibly authorized - recipients or users could access the operating unit and start their operation via the work program. Furthermore, the operating data could be used to control the module in order to control its data collection processes and data transmission processes, if necessary.

The transfer of the operating data, in particular a work program, could take place on request by the recipient or recipients or automatically. This is based on the respective application.

A receiver could be in contact with several operating units in a particularly effective manner. Operating data of several operating units could be transmitted to a receiver. Similarly, a receiver could communicate with multiple operating units.

With regard to a particularly advantageous business idea, the recipient could make the operating data available to one or more third users. The recipient could work as a kind of "data provider". The operational data could be made available to third parties.

With regard to the transmission or the provision of operational data, it may be necessary to work with a security level with regard to data misuse. Such a security level could include crypting the operating data. Alternatively or additionally, the security level could include an authorization and / or authentication process. In other words, only those recipients could receive operational data and send operational data that have the appropriate authorization.

The claimed device for transmitting operating data of an operating unit could have one or more of the above-mentioned device features which are necessary or suitable for carrying out the claimed method for transmitting operating data of an operating unit. The present invention also relates to a method for providing operating data of one or more operating units, the operating data being transmitted to a receiver via a public network in the sense of the Internet or the Internet, and the receiver making the operating data available to one or more third users.

According to the inventive use of a public network in the sense of the Internet or the Internet as a transmission means for transmitting the operating data, the claimed method for providing operating data opens up an economically extremely interesting field of business. With the claimed method it is possible to trade data in a simple and effective manner.

The data is made available commercially. The provision and also the transmission of the data could take place with a security level, wherein the security level could include crypting the operating data.

Furthermore, the security level could include an authorization and / or authentication process.

Furthermore, the transmission could take place via a module assigned to each operating unit.

The module could automatically collect the operating data and / or process the operating data in a predefinable manner. Furthermore, the module could automatically transmit the operating data to the recipient or recipients. A web server could be used as a module in a particularly simple manner.

To explain the invention, some aspects of the claimed teaching are described in more detail below by way of example.

The invention could in particular apply to a connection between an operating unit and a receiver used as a control and control computer find their application. Such a control and control computer is used to record information in the form of data from the operating units to be serviced, to process them and to return information in the form of data back to the operating units. The data exchange and data processing could take place by means of certain forms of transmission with certain transmission languages or so-called standards together with computer programs or execution programs for data collection, data transmission, data processing and operating instructions. Such computer programs or execution programs are referred to as work programs.

In previous procedures, the work programs are contained in the central control and control computer. They are permanently contained in the control and control computer or can be loaded into the control and control computer from a database to which the control and control computer is connected. Because of this singular approach, the work programs are usually highly specialized for the specific care area or operational area. They are not openly accessible in order to be able to be used in other operating areas or sectors with the operating units there, but which require the same support.

The disadvantage of this previous procedure or method is that only a user of these work programs in the point-to-point connection can have instant access to the operating data and the operating data transfer of the operating units. To do this, he needs the entire work program, which may disclose information about the operating sequence of the units to be managed that must be kept secret.

When looking after operational units, however, it is often essential that third parties other than the control center operator have access to operational data or the operational data transfer of the operational units. These can be, for example, maintenance services, equipment suppliers, spare parts manufacturers or the operators and owners of the operating units. In the previous procedure, they always have to be informed by the control center operator or go on site to find the information for to obtain the necessary operating data. This often leads to coordination problems and wasted time in looking after the operating units.

For example, the control center operator does not know the schedule or route order schedule of the maintenance service, he does not know the production planning or warehouse planning of the spare parts manufacturer or the equipment supplier, or he does not know the replacement capacities of the operator to commission him after a correspondingly analyzed maintenance or repair request. The operator of the control center has so far only had to coordinate the request periods with the relevant service providers or link their various service offers or services. If such operational support service providers can get the corresponding request information sooner or faster, the operating process of the operating unit to be supported can be started, secured and optimized much more quickly for economic benefit.

The possibility of directly accessing several operational support service providers to be included can solve the problem of operational failure or the problem of operational optimization better than the previous method. However, the work programs are usually very complicated and time-consuming, so that several third parties who want to influence or access the operational process or its data documentation must have the same control center equipment. This usually includes the same computing power and an identical operating system. The highly specialized work programs depend on the computer and operating system.

In the method according to the invention, it is no longer necessary for the work programs to be available and used in a central control center. Rather, the work programs for monitoring and controlling the operating sequence can be stored decentrally in modules and be accessible via the Internet or a comparable public network. The modules are directly assigned to the operating units. Such modules could be referred to as access modules or “embedded web servers”. The access module could independently and automatically carry out the operational analysis and collect the documenting operational data by means of the work program. As a result, third-party operational support service providers could be informed directly by the access module , if operational irregularities occur. Accordingly, a "device-to-user" application could be made possible via, for example, the Internet.

Conversely, the operational support service providers can directly access the access modules in order to obtain information about the operational process or to obtain operational data or to influence the operational process as necessary. Accordingly, a "user-to-device" application is possible via the Internet or a comparable public network. So far, Internet applications have only been available in the context of "user-to-user mail" applications or "user-to-application websites" The response time for starting operations after a breakdown or optimizing or securing the operational sequence can now be reduced considerably with the method and the device according to the invention Repair periods together with the resource and spare parts requirement can be better planned by the operational support services.

In order to be able to access the operating data or the operational data transfer and the execution of the work program of the access module, the access support service providers who are authorized to access must have the same data transmission standards as the access modules themselves. The above-mentioned problem of the same necessary control center facilities would then only be the same Communication facilities relocated.

According to the invention, however, this problem is solved by the fact that the access modules use transmission standards which have meanwhile become the most widespread in the world and therefore virtually every user - that is to say every operating support service providers - are available. These are the transmission standards and translation standard translations of the Internet. The access modules therefore use an Internet connection by means of, for example, web browser software such as Netscape Navigator or Internet Explorer, in order to provide the operational support service providers with access to the operational data or the operational data transfer and work program execution via the Internet. The access module thus represents, as it were, a "web server".

The exemplary Internet connection allows the maximum number of all data transmission standards of the operational support service providers for access to the operational units. The integration of the Internet or a comparable public network in the operational sequence control or control enables several operational support service providers to access the necessary operational data or the operational data transfer or the work program application independently and possibly even simultaneously.

With the method according to the invention, the previous network topology of an Internet is changed in a manner as can be seen, for example, from FIGS. 1a and 1b. In the previous network use according to FIG. 1a, a peripheral device of users accesses a central web server which controls the network connections and is optionally networked as a network node with other central “web servers”. The number of “users” is always in the usual configuration much larger than the number of "web servers". In contrast to this, in contrast to each "user", a periphery of "web servers" according to FIG. 1 b arises because any number of access modules, ie exactly as many as networkable operating units that can be implemented in the network. The number of “web servers” may then be much larger than the number of “users”.

With the integration of the Internet or a comparable public network according to the invention, the operating support services can also use all information transmission media for access to the operating unit, which meanwhile have an Internet connection. These are e.g. B. the various fixed telecommunications networks or mobile networks with information transmission standards such as e-mail, for example in Form of HTML pages, or Java scripts or Java applets or other standards such as fax or SMS with related protocol forms such as ARP, TCP, UDP, IP, ICMP, PPP, TAP-AIM, UCP, WAP, which are then in the corresponding Internet transmission standards can be translated using, for example, a TCP / IP protocol.

The operations support service provider therefore no longer has to have a special maintenance computer, but only a "standard web browser software" to connect his information transfer to the Internet in the transmission standard of his choice with the transmission medium he wants Access module also represents a "web server" that can send freely configurable e-mails, faxes or SMS messages.

This independent communication capability of the “web server”, which can generate freely configurable information flows, in principle enables “device-to-device application” and “application-to-device” communication. The integration of the Internet or A comparable public network then enables the operational communication between the operational support service providers themselves. For example, repair service providers, spare parts suppliers and equipment suppliers must coordinate each other according to a repair request in order to be able to link their different services.

Since the invention provides for the integration of the Internet or a comparable public network into the operational sequence control and the operational sequence control, the operating instructions stored in the access module can also be transmitted to the user via the Internet communication. Accordingly, an “application-to-user” application or an “application-to-device application” is implemented, because the transmitted operating instructions can in turn serve to control the access module or its possible uses. So far, for example, internet connections have only provided the option of downloading work programs from “servers”, for example, in order to store them in computers, for example terminal computers, and to use them there. According to the case according to the invention, the user therefore only needs minimal information and training, as a result of which a wide variety of operational support service providers can be involved in the operational process, who can obtain the respective work program via the Internet.

With the previous method for operating sequence control and operation control, usually only one control center operator has access to the possibly secret operating sequence data, which he can then only partially make available according to authorized operating support service providers. For this purpose, he has precise knowledge of the use of, for example, the work program for manipulating the operational process. Although it is possible according to the invention that several operational support service providers have access to the operational data and operational data transfer via the Internet, for example, it would have to be ensured that the operational support service provider only carry out certain data and a certain data transfer possibility or operational sequence manipulation according to their authorization can.

The method according to the invention could therefore include a security level in which the access server only provides the user with an appropriate authentication and / or authorization of the user. Access can include the presentation of your own operating instructions for the transfer of operating unit-side operating data to a certain extent or the user-side data transfer of operating data and work programs for operating sequence manipulation to a certain extent. Here, for example, access is only granted to certain IP addresses or certain groups of IP addresses to a certain extent. In the context of the invention, this can be done, for example, by a so-called "single sign-on navigation" procedure via a uniform portal for all "users".

The invention enables completely new business principles. A new type of "service aggregator" is created in the form of, for example, an operational support service provider. This is according to the "open service gateway architecture" Suppliers of registration services that can be distributed to a gateway, for example also to a central issuing office. Service providers want to offer their customers a service via the Internet, for example, via a "gateway" to the Internet. They can then conclude a contract with the business support service provider that provides the technical customer access.

The information basis or control basis for this is provided by the access modules in operating systems, operating facilities, household appliances or household appliances, that is to say in capital goods or consumer goods that have already been prepared and produced accordingly by industry. These access modules will then contact or will be contacted by the operational support service provider to enable the service or application offered.

The illustrated invention enables the inclusion of several operational support service providers in a wide variety of operational processes in the most varied operational areas of different industries, which have the same control and control requirements. The invention makes it possible to link individual and different services or “services” virtually vertically. It enables completely new services or applications such as, for example, “device-to-user”, “device-to-device” or “application -to-device "applications over the Internet or a comparable public network.

Operational support service providers do not need complex remote control and remote control hardware or software, but can access the operational units with their normal information processing system. The necessary knowledge for user group-defined access to the operating data or the operating unit is made available to the user by the operating unit or its access module. The training effort, the use of services by the operational support service providers and the response time to optimize the operational process in operational units are thus minimized, which enables a considerable economic advantage for the respective company. In the following, the teaching according to the invention is specifically explained by way of example for use in the automotive field. However, the invention is fully applicable to all suitable economic sectors and industries.

The future equipping of vehicles - as an example of an operating unit - with access modules and work programs enables an enormous increase in productivity in the vehicle service sector. So far, only large production companies and distributors have been able to implement just-in-time concepts with the help of their centrally controlled data volume or because of their data networking with their suppliers.

Smaller service companies that do not have the necessary infrastructure or "affiliation to the network" cannot take advantage of these advantages. This is now changing with the help of the Internet and the access modules. It enables all companies to network through communication and access - Cumulative use of decentralized data in the network and implementation in "just-in-time" concepts.

Every vehicle has to go several times a year to the service centers of vehicle manufacturers or independent third-party service providers, such as tire suppliers, for technical inspection or repair. This is usually necessary after certain mileage of the vehicles or after sudden technical errors or traffic events.

A car repair shop affiliated with the service stations - operational support service providers - is normally operated at capacity utilization. The service requests of vehicle owners are recorded in waiting lists, after which service appointments are made. For a service appointment, the vehicle data such as mileage, technical options, maintenance requirements and vehicle status must first be recorded visually on site in the service station or, for example, from electronic storage of the driving be read out. If a technical cause of the error cannot be precisely pinpointed, a further diagnosis phase follows.

After that, the necessary equipment and spare parts must be provided or ordered if necessary. This section of work is usually carried out by a qualified specialist - a master car mechanic. Only after this administrative phase can the actual service work on the vehicle begin, which on average is less than two thirds of the total man-made work of the technical specialist. In the background, the effort for warehouse logistics has to be considered in order to always keep spare parts and equipment in stock.

Through the use of access modules in every vehicle, which can collect the necessary vehicle data and operating status data independently and keep them ready for access via a comprehensive sensor system and diagnostic software, or even direct them to a responsible service station, the overall administrative effort and the productivity of the company can be significantly reduced increase sustainably.

The access module could recognize the vehicle location or the responsible service station. For this purpose, the access modules could possibly be equipped with GPS units or the vehicle data of the vehicle registration could be evaluated. The access module detects mileage, for example, and can precisely predict mileage-related wear or the exhaustion of spare parts. Such spare parts with definable life cycle developments are, for example, tires, brake pads, brake discs, wheel bearings, shaft seals, shock absorbers, exhaust systems, catalysts, steering gear, tie rod ends, clutch discs, V-belts, air filters, oil filters, spark plugs, vehicle lighting, vehicle battery, alternator contacts, seals, operating fluids or lubricants.

Sudden errors that occur can already be diagnosed by the access module during vehicle operation and service requirements and spare parts requirements can be defined - "device-to-device" application. The workshop is quasi partially shifted to the road or to four wheels. In this way, each vehicle becomes its own repair workshop and the diagnostic manpower, for example, is automated. This is an extension of the logistic "just in time" concept to internet applications.

The administrative effort in the service center is then limited to the formal handover of the vehicle and billing, which no longer requires highly qualified technical specialists. The technical specialists can only concentrate on the replacement of spare parts or repairs. A service base can therefore increase its technical capacity by an estimated one third or reduce the corresponding technical personnel costs by a third. The operating facilities and in particular the diagnostic facilities of the workshops can be reduced appropriately. In addition to personnel costs, this also reduces investment capital tied up in the workshops.

The request for a service appointment can now be processed completely automatically between the access modules and a service computer of the service station - "device-to-device" application. In the event of sudden technical errors on the vehicle, a resident breakdown service or transport service can also be included. This links different service providers or services.

The warehouse logistics is considerably rationalized by the current and actual demand data of the access modules. A tire supplier or spare parts supplier, as further examples of service supporters, can control its inventory right on schedule according to the actually existing and predictably occurring access module requirements. In addition to the producers, the smaller "Just-in-Time" service stations can now also be supplied with the necessary spare parts. A corresponding inventory level can be reduced.

Even the production planning of the spare parts producers or even the equipment suppliers or producers can be done through the access module data volume can be controlled. This reduces the warehousing costs and the capital commitment for the spare parts inventory or means of production for all connected spare parts suppliers and spare parts producers. In particular, production idle capacity costs - costs of readiness for production - can be avoided due to the fact that the actual demand development, which has hitherto been unknown.

Resource producers such as refineries can determine the actual, for example, fuel demand of drivers based on their current vehicle usage behavior from the access module data. In this way, for example, crude oil quantities can be ordered more economically on the international market or expensive stocks can be adjusted more precisely.

Since the access modules are capable of bidirectional data communication, vehicle manufacturers can record and address corresponding vehicles and assigned service bases much more easily in order to initiate conversions or retrofits. Recall campaigns - "user-to-device" applications - can thus be carried out much faster and in shorter time periods with the correspondingly shorter staff retention. This can significantly reduce costs for recall campaigns, for example.

For a recall, the vehicle manufacturer must first receive the damage report from various vehicle workshops until it is clear that an entire vehicle production series is most likely to be affected. After that, the affected series vehicles must be located. H. The location of the vehicle and the buyer must be found. To do this, the manufacturer's production data and the vehicle data of the service centers must be evaluated.

This is almost impossible if the vehicle has been sold or relocated in the meantime and is no longer maintained at a manufacturer's service center. Therefore, recall campaigns are then supported by means of recall announcements via radio and television. Furthermore, the affected drivers witnesses or drivers are informed. This is usually done by post and in urgent cases also by telephone. As a rule, however, this means that not all vehicles of the series concerned can be found. The vehicle manufacturer then remains a considerable residual risk, since recall campaigns are only potential hazards for which the manufacturer is liable.

The entire recall campaign must then be repeated in each country to which this vehicle series type was sold. The total effort described, including staff loyalty for the manufacturer and the service stations, can now be significantly reduced, since the manufacturer now has the option of simultaneously accessing and initiating all access modules of the affected vehicles via the Internet worldwide, the desired data - for example Vehicle diagnosis, vehicle location and assigned service station data - to be transmitted to the vehicle driver, to the responsible service station and to the manufacturer. This recall phase traditionally takes several weeks and can now be done in minutes.

The service linkage can also take place here, in that the service computers of the service stations simultaneously transmit the necessary service scheduling to the vehicle access modules. In particular, the effort of the recall campaign can be significantly reduced, since only those vehicles need to be recalled whose access modules have delivered a positive diagnostic result. These diagnostic results or the required spare parts and assigned service points or spare parts delivery addresses can be transmitted directly from the access modules to the suppliers or manufacturers.

The legally required technical inspection - for example TÜV - of vehicles in operation can also be considerably simplified and rationalized using the access module vehicle data. It is then only necessary to check those technical aspects of the vehicle on site that are not certain from the access module data. Furthermore, road safety is increased because the inspection bases can be get a current picture of the general technical condition of a vehicle by accessing the modules and order it to be repaired outside the previously periodic inspection times.

The access module vehicle data enable other operational support service providers such as car insurance companies, if necessary, to assess damage events more precisely and enable them to more economically compensate for damage, because the actual technical condition of a vehicle - e.g. maintenance periods complied with, diagnosed maintenance conditions and previous damage incidents, vehicle behavior - or its actual residual value before the damage event or the causes of the damage and related questions of guilt can now be determined directly and reliably by the insurance company from the access module data without the intermediary of a cost-causing expert. In the case of a correspondingly designed sensor system, which even records vehicle movement data, the access module can even take on the task of the "black box", as a result of which the insurance company can even unequivocally identify guilt questions regarding the damage events from the access module data and the cause of the vehicle behavior is immediately reconstructed from the access module vehicle data and vehicle movement data immediately before a damage event. Correct damage regulations are then possible in spite of contradicting information provided by vehicle drivers or experts.

In general, an insurance company can use the vehicle movement data of the access modules to assess the driving behavior and the insurance risk of the corresponding vehicles more precisely. The actual risk of the individual policyholder can be assessed instead of the statistical risk assessment. As a result, insurance premiums can be better adapted to the individual risk situation. This enables the stratification of risk groups to be improved, which results in increased efficiency for the insurance company. In addition to the rationalization potential or productivity increase potential, the access modules of the invention also allow new business concepts in an Internet network. The vehicle manufacturer ensures that the vehicles are equipped with access modules, thereby enabling service centers and spare parts suppliers or spare parts manufacturers or third-party service providers or third-party producers to increase their productivity. The vehicle manufacturer acts as a so-called "service aggregator" and has thereby created a business basis that it can offer its affiliated service centers and the independent third-party service providers and producers under license. The automobile manufacturer is now becoming a data provider. This enables the authentication and authorization function or access control The data provider is able to instruct all access modules to allow certain user groups to access certain data content or work programs of certain access module groups, either on demand or automatically by sending it to the user happen.

The use of access modules in connection with an Internet network leads to completely new business structures in transport logistics. So far, the classic forwarding company has been the intermediary between transport capacity and transport demand. The forwarding company has been an additional cost factor in the transport chain. The inevitability of this cost center to date is based firstly on the historically grown ties between the carriers and the forwarding agent, who are often even part of the forwarding company, and secondly on the forwarding agent's dispatching activity, which is based on in-house knowledge and contacts with its loyal customers.

By using access modules in the transport vehicles or transport units - for example, ^lorries, ships, aircraft, trains and containers - all of the information about the transport stream can be made integral whole and over the Internet. The carrier enters the goods to be transported, the planned transport plan - transport route and transport schedule - and the free transport capacity in the access modules at the start of the transport. If necessary, this data will be Carrier or the access module of the transport unit already transmitted by the dispatcher over the Internet. This transport data can be compared with the data from the access module sensors, which provide information about the mileage, the axle load, the GPS location and the time of day, for example. Every Internet user with the appropriate authorization can access the transport units for information purposes over the Internet.

Tax authorities can query actual taxable transport kilometers over the Internet. Customs offices can process goods data and transport vehicle data before the arrival of the transport vehicle at the customs point or checkpoint, which significantly reduces the time spent at customs or checkpoints or can even make them unnecessary. Customs duties and taxes can then be raised by the carrier directly at his company headquarters. Police forces can instantly detect, track and pick up dangerous or stolen cargoes or transport vehicles over the Internet. Fire brigades and technical assistants can determine dangerous loads in the event of an accident even before the auxiliary personnel arrive and take the necessary measures.

The recipient of the goods can query the time-exact transport route, the current exact position of the goods and the arrival of his goods or also early or delays in the transport unit via the Internet. If necessary, he can inform the carrier about his appointment request via the Internet and delay or speed up the arrival of goods. This gives him the opportunity to significantly support his "just-in-time" concept. The transport fleet can now be used more efficiently as a warehouse.

The dispatcher can immediately query and recognize free and usable transport capacities, the transport route and the position of the transport units via the Internet. This means that transport capacities can be combined in situ to guide goods in the best and fastest possible way. Transport routes crosses with transhipment points such as car parks, motorway service stations or truck stops can be set up and used to the often usual complicated transport one example, cargo truck ^'s with multiple target dissolve. In the context of necessary transshipment to different transport carriers, previously available transport units with the same transport destination or transport route can be used instead of waiting for planned but delayed transport units.

The main new degree of freedom is the dissolution of the carrier's connection to the freight forwarders. All freight carriers or transport units integrated into the Internet connection via access modules no longer have to work as part of special transport orders. They now alternatively make their transport capacity available to the emerging transport network. They don't care who they're transporting for. The transport capacity provided by you is directly attributed to the transported goods and billed directly to the carrier via an internet billing system.

As a result, the price structure can be standardized and the overall price level reduced due to the resulting cost advantages. Although competition can be removed from the transport network, the employment of carriers is secured even without traditional forwarding agents. The previous data carrier replaces the Internet data provider, who guarantees access authorization to the access modules of the transport fleet.

The task of all dispatchers can be taken over by automated software within an internet server that uses the internet data. The shipper registers his transport order and transport request via the Internet and immediately receives the calculated transport plan. After confirmation, his order is immediately transferred to the internet data and internet planning and executed.

The carrier who is currently being considered, for example because he is currently in the vicinity with free transport capacity or is on the route, is then automatically commissioned via the Internet and takes action immediately - taxi business. It is now becoming cheaper for carriers to keep their transport units in motion at all times, so that they can load somewhere in the transport network to be able to record. This automatically avoids over-supplied transport network areas and under-supplied areas are frequented more often.

The demand for e.g. B. ^lorries and ^cars' s future will depend on its Internet equipment and Internet capability or to participate capability on the Internet. That is why the automobile manufacturers have a great self-interest in supporting this "business" concept. The automobile manufacturers and cooperating access module software and access module hardware manufacturers and possibly Internet providers become access module data providers. This enables the authorization function or the protected access control to the data communication by means of the access modules.

Claims

claims

1. A method for transmitting operating data of an operating unit between the operating unit and at least one receiver, in particular for accessing and / or manipulating the operating unit, with a transmission means acting between the operating unit and the receiver, characterized in that the transmission means for transmission the operating data a public network in the sense of the Internet or the Internet is used.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the operating unit is assigned a module for collecting the operating data.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the module automatically collects the operating data.

4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the module processes the operating data in a predetermined manner.

5. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the module automatically transmits the operating data to the recipient or recipients.

6. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the transmission of operating data from the receiver to the operating unit via the module.

7. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that a web server is used as a module.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the recipient or recipients is or are a service provider to support the operation of the operating unit.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the receiver or receivers is or are a further operating unit or further operating units.

10. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 9, characterized in that the receiver or receivers is or are a module or modules of a further operating unit or further operating units.

11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that operating data in the form of a work program and / or software for access to and / or for manipulation of the operating unit from the operating unit or from the module to the receiver or the receivers are transmitted ,

12. The method according to any one of claims 2 to 11, characterized in that the operating data are used to control the module.

13. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the transmission is carried out on request by the recipient or recipients or automatically.

14. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that operating data of several operating units are transmitted to a receiver.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, characterized in that a receiver communicates with several operating units.

16. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 15, characterized in that the receiver makes the operating data available to one or more third users.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that the available Provision is made commercially.

18. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the transmission or the provision is carried out with a security level.

19. The method according to claim 18, characterized in that the security level comprises crypting the operating data.

20. The method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the security level comprises an authorization and / or authentication process.

21. Device for transmitting operating data of an operating unit between the operating unit and at least one receiver, in particular for accessing and / or manipulating the operating unit and in particular for carrying out the method according to one of the claims 1 to 20, with one between the operating unit and the receiver acting transmission means, characterized in that the transmission means for transmitting the operational data is formed by a public network in the sense of the Internet or by the Internet.

22. A method for providing operating data of one or more operating units, the operating data being transmitted to a receiver via a public network in the sense of the Internet or the Internet, and the receiver making the operating data available to one or more third-party users.

23. The method according to claim 22, characterized in that the provision is made commercially.

24. The method according to claim 22 or 23, characterized in that the provision is made with a security level.

25. The method according to claim 24, characterized in that the security level comprises crypting the operating data.

26. The method according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that the security level comprises an authorization and / or authentication process.

27. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 26, characterized in that the transmission takes place via a module assigned to each operating unit.

28. The method according to claim 27, characterized in that the module automatically collects the operating data.

29. The method according to claim 27 or 28, characterized in that the module processes the operating data in a predetermined manner.

30. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 29, characterized in that the module automatically transmits the operating data to the recipient or recipients.

31. The method according to any one of claims 27 to 30, characterized in that a web server is used as the module.