Equipment service vehicle with network-assisted vehicle service and repair

A method of ordering parts for an equipment service vehicle comprising:

• performing a diagnostic test on the equipment service vehicle, the performing step being performed by an on-board computer system of the equipment service vehicle, the results of the diagnostic test indicating that a part on the equipment service vehicle is in need of replacing;
• transmitting a request for a replacement part for the part in need of replacing, the request being transmitted from the on-board computer system to a first off-board computer system by way of a wireless radio frequency (RF) communication link, the first off-board computer system being associated with a maintenance center that maintains the equipment service vehicle;
• transmitting the request from the first off-board computer system to a second off-board computer system, the second off-board computer system being associated with a parts supplier that is capable of supplying replacement parts for the equipment service vehicle;
• responding to the request at the second off-board computer system, including transmitting expected delivery date information of the replacement part at the maintenance center, the expected delivery date information being transmitted from the second off-board computer system to the first off-board computer system;
• and
• scheduling the equipment service vehicle for maintenance on a scheduled maintenance date, the scheduling step being performed by the first off-board computer system based on the expected delivery date information.

A system comprising:

• (A) an equipment service vehicle including
• (1) a power source,
• (2) a power transmission link,
• (3) a plurality of input devices, the plurality of input devices including a sensor that provides information pertaining to health and operation of the equipment service vehicle,
• (4) a plurality of output devices,
• (5) an on-board computer system including a plurality of microprocessor-based interface modules and a communication network, the plurality of interface modules being coupled to the power source by way of the power transmission link, the plurality of interface modules being interconnected to each other by way of the communication network, each of the plurality of interface modules being coupled to respective ones of the plurality of input devices and the plurality of output devices by way of respective dedicated communication links;
• and
• (B) an off-board computer system;
• wherein the on-board computer system receives the health and operation information from the sensor, the health and operation information being used to determine that the equipment service vehicle has a part which needs to be replaced;
• wherein the on-board communication establishes a wireless radio-frequency communication link with the off-board computer system and places an order for a replacement part to replace the part which needs to be replaced;
• and
• (C) an off-board computer-implemented inventory management system, the inventory management system comprising inventory information for an inventory of replacement parts for the equipment service vehicle, the inventory management system being used to determine whether the replacement part is in the inventory, and the inventory management system transmitting a message to the on-board computer indicating whether the replacement part is in inventory, wherein the inventory management system categorizes the replacement parts according to a multi-tier system, the multi-tier system including a first tier of replacement parts that can be ordered by the on-board computer directly without human intervention, and a second tier of replacement parts that can be ordered by the on-board computer only with the assistance of human intervention.