Computer system for maintenance resource optimization

• US 20030187865A1
• Filed: 05/15/2002
• Published: 10/02/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 03/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Franklin Frisina
• Original Assignee: Franklin Frisina
• Inventors: Frisina, Franklin
• Granted Patent: US 7,467,161 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/102
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31265 Control process by combining history and real time data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/80 Management or planning
• 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

Abstract

A computer based maintenance resource management system has an operations software component with access to historical operations requirements such that job plans for the current operations and safety requirements to generate work orders, and allows operations personnel to review, approve or modify the requirements such that the job plan and work orders can be issued without lost time or productivity as maintenance and operations are fully coordinated.

Claims

1. A computer based maintenance resources system comprising:

a user accessible computer terminal;

a software program for producing a job plan and/or work orders based on information supplied by the user, the software program being accessible via the computer terminal;

a job planning software component for use with the software program for enabling generation of

a job plan and/or related work orders;

an operations interface for a user to interact with the software program and having means for enabling input of operations data related to the generated job plan and/or work order to the software program, and means for integrating the operations data into the job plan and/or work order for use in scheduling and assigning resources to execute the job plan and/or protection request.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the means for integrating the operations data comprises means for searching data in an operations database, means for transferring data from the operations database for filling predefined fields in the job plan and/or work orders and/or protection request.

3. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a job standards software program, accessible via the software program.

4. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising at least one table selected from the group consisting of a preventive maintenance table, a work order table, a schedule table, a calendar table, a job plan table, a lockout table, preventative maintenance scheduled activity table, a tag lockout table, a tag out table, a work order lockout table, a work order precaution table, a work order safety link table, a work order scheduled activity table, a work order tag lock table and combinations thereof.

5. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a job plan software component, accessible via the software program.

6. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a request software component to deliver requests to the software program.

7. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a database accessible by the software program selected from the group consisting of a job standard database, a job planning database, an operations request database and a safety requirement database, and combinations thereof.

8. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a management interface for use with the software program for enabling management review and/or approval of the job plan and/or related work orders and/or protection request.

9. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising a user configurable interface for use with the software program for enabling third party interaction for participation in the review, modification or approval of the job plan and/or related work orders and/or protection request.

10. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising an operations software component that provides the instruction means for safely removing equipment from service and returning equipment to service, respectively.

11. The computer system of claim 1 further comprising means for generating and printing a work order containing details on the equipment status and reference numbers to any protection requests or safety permits.

12. A method for preparing a job plan and/or work order for a maintenance operation comprising:

providing a software program having means responsive to a user command to select a job planning program or an operations request program, respectively, and having transfer means for transferring data between the job planning program and the operations request program to generate a job plan and/or work order, and,

providing an operations interface for use with the software program for interaction with operations for enabling operations data input, review and approval of the generated job plan and/or work order and/or protection request

13. A method for operations personnel to review, revise and/or approve a computer generated work order comprising:

providing at least one user accessible computer terminal, connected to a computer containing at least one of a work order software program, a job plan software program, an operations software program, a scheduling software program, a tag/lock out software program, and, having means for integrating the software programs for exchange of data therebetween, and having means for interactive approval, disapproval, and/or modification of generated job plans and/or work orders and/or requests and means for computer generating and attaching an operating order having limits of protection and/or switching orders to the computer generated job plan and/or work order; and

,

using the interactive means to review, revise or approve the generated job plan and/or work orders and/or protection request.