Component tagging with maintenance related information in open and closed formats

• US 20040020994A1
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Muehl, Gordon, Irle, Klaus, Kienle, Walter G., Heusermann, Knut
• Granted Patent: US 7,341,197 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 235/492
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/00 Registering or indicating the condition or the working of machines or other apparatus, other than vehicles

Abstract

A method for maintaining a complex article, including retrieving maintenance information relating to maintenance of a component of a complex article from an electronically-accessible tag coupled to the component and applying the retrieved maintenance information to a determination regarding maintenance of the complex article. A device including a complex article including a first component and a second component, the first and second components being one of individually replaceable and maintainable. The first component is tagged with a first tag that stores first computer accessible information including a first identifier identifying the first component and first maintenance information describing maintenance of the first component. The second component is tagged with a second tag that stores second computer accessible information including a second identifier identifying the second component and second maintenance information describing maintenance of the second component.

Claims

1. A method for storing maintenance information on an electronically-accessible tag that is coupled to an article, the method comprising:

storing maintenance information in both a first and second format in the electronically-accessible tag, the first format being in accordance with an open standard and the second format being in accordance with a closed standard.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing maintenance information in a format that is device independent.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein storing maintenance information in the first format includes:

storing the maintenance information in a format that is in accordance with one of RTF, ASCII, and PDF.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein storing maintenance information in the second format includes:

storing the maintenance information in a format that is proprietary and that can only be accessed by proprietary devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

retrieving the maintenance data; and

updating the format of the maintenance data; and

storing the maintenance data with the updated format in the electronically-accessible tag.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein storing maintenance data includes:

storing maintenance procedures and technical specifications related to the article.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein storing maintenance information includes:

storing a first type of maintenance information in the first format; and

storing a second type of maintenance information in the second format.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein storing a first type of maintenance information in the first format includes:

storing maintenance logs in the first format; and

storing maintenance procedures and technical specifications in the second format.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein storing maintenance information includes:

storing maintenance information of a component of one of an aircraft, a sea going vessel, and a vessel that travels on land.

10. An electronically-accessible tag, comprising:

memory that includes maintenance data of a first and a second format, the first format being in accordance with an open standard and the second format being in accordance with a closed standard.

11. The electronically-accessible tag of claim 10, wherein:

the first format is device independent.

12. The electronically-accessible tag of claim 10, wherein:

the first format is in accordance with one of RTF, ASCII, and PDF.

13. The electronically-accessible tag of claim 10, wherein:

the second format is a proprietary format.

14. The electronically-accessible tag of claim 10, wherein:

the maintenance data includes maintenance procedures and technical specifications of an article.

15. The electronically-accessible tag of claim 10, further comprising:

an input and output device for sending maintenance data and receiving updated maintenance data.

16. The electronically-accessible tag of claim 10, further comprising:

a processor and logic for updating the first and second format.

17. The electronically-accessible tag of claim 10, wherein:

maintenance data of the first format includes maintenance logs; and

maintenance data of the second format includes maintenance procedures and technical specifications.

18. The electronically-accessible tag of claim 10, wherein:

the tag is coupled to one of an aircraft, a sea going vessel, and a vessel that travels by land; and

the maintenance data stored in the memory includes maintenance data of one or more components of the aircraft, sea going vessel, or vessel that travels by land.