Method for guiding repair or replacement of parts for generally complex equipment

• US 20020059269A1
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Smith, Mark Douglas, Schlabach, James Edward, McQuown, Christopher McDonald
• Application Number:
  US09/839,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059269A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/100
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

Computerized method and system computerized method for guiding equipment service personnel while at an equipment work site through a plurality of tasks for troubleshooting the health of a selected system of a selected equipment to determine the nature and extent of service needed for such system. The method allows to provide a database comprising detailed data for health assessment and servicing of a selected equipment and system thereof, and an expert rule-based troubleshooting wizard for eliciting information regarding the selected equipment and system and for providing troubleshooting instructions to determine the nature of the equipment fault and the servicing required for the selected equipment and system. An input/output device at the work site for communicating with the database is provided. The method allows to select the equipment and the system thereof to be serviced and to access the database to interface with the troubleshooting wizard for the selected equipment and system. The method allows to provide in response to a set of prompts to the personnel from the troubleshooting wizard at least one set of observations selected from the group comprising operational performance of the selected equipment, operational performance of the selected system, and fault indications detected in the equipment and system. The method processes the observation information relative to the troubleshooting wizard to determine whether or not said selected equipment and system needs to be serviced, and if so the nature and extent of that service.

Claims

1. A computerized method for guiding equipment service personnel while at an equipment work site through a plurality of tasks for troubleshooting the health of a selected system of a selected equipment to determine the nature and extent of service needed for such system, said method comprising:

providing a database comprising detailed data for health assessment and servicing of a selected equipment and system thereof, and an expert rule-based troubleshooting wizard for eliciting information regarding the selected equipment and system and for providing troubleshooting instructions to determine the nature of the equipment fault and the servicing required for the selected equipment and system;

providing an input/output device at the work site for communicating with the database;

selecting the equipment and the system thereof to be serviced;

accessing the database to interface with the troubleshooting wizard for the selected equipment and system;

providing in response to a set of prompts to the personnel from the troubleshooting wizard at least one set of observations selected from the group comprising operational performance of the selected equipment, operational performance of the selected system, and fault indications detected in the equipment and system; and

processing said observation information relative to the troubleshooting wizard to determine whether or not said selected equipment and system needs to be serviced, and if so the nature and extent of that service.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the troubleshooting wizard is downloaded to the input/output device for performing the servicing activities.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the input/output device communicates with the database after completion of the servicing activities to transfer information regarding the servicing of the selected equipment and system back to the database.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the input/output device is in communication with the database during the servicing activities

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the input/output device interfaces with the troubleshooting wizard while the wizard is resident in the database.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the input/output device is selected from the group comprising an Internet terminal, a computer terminal, a telephone and a radio transceiver.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the input/output device communicates to the database via wireless communications.

8. A computerized system for guiding equipment service personnel while at an equipment work site through a plurality of tasks for troubleshooting the health of a selected system of a selected equipment to determine the nature and extent of service needed for such system, said system comprising:

a database comprising detailed data for health assessment and servicing of a selected equipment and system thereof, and an expert rule-based troubleshooting wizard for eliciting information regarding the selected equipment and system and for providing troubleshooting instructions to determine the nature of the equipment fault and the servicing required for the selected equipment and system;

an input/output device at the work site for communicating with the database and selecting the equipment and the system thereof to be serviced;

a data management module for accessing the database to interface with the troubleshooting wizard for the selected equipment and system and supply, in response to a set of prompts to the personnel from the troubleshooting wizard, at least one set of observations selected from the group comprising operational performance of the selected equipment, operational performance of the selected system, and fault indications detected in the equipment and system; and

a processor configured to process said observation information relative to the troubleshooting wizard to determine whether or not said selected equipment and system needs to be serviced, and if so the nature and extent of that service.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the input/output device communicates with the database after completion of the servicing activities to transfer information regarding the servicing of the selected equipment and system back to the database.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein the input/output device is in communication with the database during the servicing activities

11. The system of claim 8 wherein the input/output device interfaces with the troubleshooting wizard while the wizard is resident in the database.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein the input/output device is selected from the group comprising an Internet terminal, a computer terminal, a telephone and a radio transceiver.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein the input/output device communicates to the database via wireless communications.