AUTOMATED KNOWLEDGE SYSTEM FOR EQUIPMENT REPAIR BASED ON COMPONENT FAILURE HISTORY

• US 20050102119A1
• Filed: 11/11/2003
• Published: 05/12/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: McClintock, Michael S., Alvarez, Bruce H., Bergeron, Steven R., Cavanaugh, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,206,771 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/183
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

The invention presents a computerized method for tracking equipment repair that begins by receiving an equipment identification of an item of equipment to be repaired from a user through a graphic user interface. The invention provides the user with a list of common problems for that item of equipment (and similar equipment) and a component hierarchy for the item of equipment. The invention allows the user to browse through multiple levels of the component hierarchy and select a major component, a minor component, or a subcomponent from the component hierarchy. The invention receives diagnosis input from the user optionally selecting one of the problems and/or a component from the component hierarchy and, in response, provides the user with detailed information regarding the problem or component selected by the user. Such detailed information comprises, for each direct subcomponent of the selected component (highest level if none selected), the number of failures, the probability of failure, the mean time between failures, the occurrence of the most recent failure for each component and the next expected failure, etc. Successful prior repairs for the same problem/component are presented including tool, date, time, technician, components involved and action taken. These successful repairs are linked to textual comments regarding the repair. Comments made for what is later determined to be an ineffectual repair are linked to the subsequent successful repair information.

Claims

1. A computerized method for tracking equipment repair comprising:

receiving an equipment identification of an item of equipment to be repaired from a user;

providing said user with a list of common problems for said item of equipment and a component hierarchy for said item of equipment;

receiving input from said user in response to said list of common problems and said component hierarchy; and

in response to said input from said user, providing said user with detailed information regarding said item of equipment, said detailed information comprising at least one of the number of failures, the probability of failure, the mean time between failures, the occurrence of the most recent failure for each component, and the next expected failure.

2. The method in claim 1, wherein said process of providing said user with said component hierarchy includes allowing said user to browse through multiple levels of said component hierarchy and select at least one component from any level of said component hierarchy.

3. The method in claim 1, wherein said process of providing said detailed information includes providing detailed information for similar equipment.

4. The method in claim 1, wherein said detailed information further comprises all successful repairs related to said problem, with the most recent successful repairs being listed first.

5. The method in claim 1, wherein if no problem is selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs matching any component selected by said user.

6. The method in claim 1, wherein if no components are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components matching any problem selected by said user.

7. The method in claim 1, wherein if no components and no problems are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components.

8. A computerized method for tracking equipment repair comprising:

receiving an equipment identification of an item of equipment to be repaired from a user;

providing said user with a list of common problems for said item of equipment and a component hierarchy for said item of equipment;

receiving input from said user in response to said list of common problems and said component hierarchy; and

in response to said input from said user, providing said user with detailed information regarding said item of equipment, said detailed information comprising the number of failures, the probability of failure, the mean time between failures, the occurrence of the most recent failure for each component, and the next expected failure.

9. The method in claim 8, wherein said process of providing said user with said component hierarchy includes allowing said user to browse through multiple levels of said component hierarchy and select at least one component from any level of said component hierarchy.

10. The method in claim 8, wherein said process of providing said detailed information includes providing detailed information for similar equipment.

11. The method in claim 8, wherein said detailed information further comprises all successful repairs related to said problem, with the most recent successful repairs being listed first.

12. The method in claim 8, wherein if no problem is selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs matching any component selected by said user.

13. The method in claim 8, wherein if no components are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components matching any problem selected by said user.

14. The method in claim 8, wherein if no components and no problems are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components.

15. A computerized method for tracking equipment repair comprising:

receiving an equipment identification of an item of equipment to be repaired from a user;

providing said user with a list of common problems for said item of equipment and a component hierarchy for said item of equipment;

receiving input from said user in response to said list of common problems and said component hierarchy;

in response to said input from said user, providing said user with detailed information regarding said item of equipment, said detailed information comprising at least one of the number of failures, the probability of failure, the mean time between failures, the occurrence of the most recent failure for each component, and the next expected failure;

maintaining a database of said detailed information based on repair history input from said user; and

calculating said mean time between failures by ignoring repairs where the same problem occurred within a predetermined time of the most recent failure.

16. The method in claim 15, wherein said process of providing said user with said component hierarchy includes allowing said user to browse through multiple levels of said component hierarchy and select at least one component from any level of said component hierarchy.

17. The method in claim 15, wherein if no problem is selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs matching any component selected by said user.

18. The method in claim 15, wherein if no components are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components matching any problem selected by said user.

19. The method in claim 15, wherein if no components and no problems are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components with the most recent successful repairs being listed first.

20. A computerized method for tracking equipment repair comprising:

receiving an equipment identification of an item of equipment to be repaired from a user; and

providing said user with detailed information regarding said item of equipment, said detailed information comprising at least one of the number of failures, the probability of failure, the mean time between failures, the occurrence of the most recent failure for each component, and the next expected failure.

21. The method in claim 20, wherein said process further comprises providing said user with a component hierarchy that allows said user to browse through multiple levels of said component hierarchy and select at least one component from any level of said component hierarchy.

22. The method in claim 20, wherein said process of providing said detailed information includes providing detailed information for similar equipment.

23. The method in claim 20, wherein said detailed information further comprises all successful repairs related to said problem, with the most recent successful repairs being listed first.

24. The method in claim 20, wherein if no problem is identified by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs matching any component selected by said user.

25. The method in claim 20, wherein if no components are identified by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components matching any problem selected by said user.

26. The method in claim 20, wherein if no components and no problems are identified by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components.

27. A computerized service for tracking equipment repair comprising:

receiving an equipment identification of an item of equipment to be repaired from a user;

providing said user with a list of common problems for said item of equipment and a component hierarchy for said item of equipment;

receiving input from said user in response to said list of common problems and said component hierarchy; and

in response to said input from said user, providing said user with detailed information regarding said item of equipment, said detailed information comprising at least one of the number of failures, the probability of failure, the mean time between failures, the occurrence of the most recent failure for each component, and the next expected failure.

28. The service in claim 27, wherein said process of providing said user with said component hierarchy includes allowing said user to browse through multiple levels of said component hierarchy and select at least one component from any level of said component hierarchy.

29. The service in claim 27, wherein said process of providing said detailed information includes providing detailed information for similar equipment.

30. The service in claim 27, wherein said detailed information further comprises all successful repairs related to said problem, with the most recent successful repairs being listed first.

31. The service in claim 27, wherein if no problem is selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs matching any component selected by said user.

32. The service in claim 27, wherein if no components are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components matching any problem selected by said user.

33. The service in claim 27, wherein if no components and no problems are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components.

34. A program storage device readable by computer tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by said computer, said program of instructions comprising a method for tracking equipment repair comprising:

receiving an equipment identification of an item of equipment to be repaired from a user;

providing said user with a list of common problems for said item of equipment and a component hierarchy for said item of equipment;

receiving input from said user in response to said list of common problems and said component hierarchy; and

in response to said input from said user, providing said user with detailed information regarding said item of equipment, said detailed information comprising at least one of the number of failures, the probability of failure, the mean time between failures, the occurrence of the most recent failure for each component, and the next expected failure.

35. The program storage device in claim 34, wherein said process of providing said user with said component hierarchy includes allowing said user to browse through multiple levels of said component hierarchy and select at least one component from any level of said component hierarchy.

36. The program storage device in claim 34, wherein said process of providing said detailed information includes providing detailed information for similar equipment.

37. The program storage device in claim 34, wherein said detailed information further comprises all successful repairs related to said problem, with the most recent successful repairs being listed first.

38. The program storage device in claim 34, wherein if no problem is selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs matching any component selected by said user.

39. The program storage device in claim 34, wherein if no components are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components matching any problem selected by said user.

40. The program storage device in claim 34, wherein if no components and no problems are selected by said user, said detailed information comprises all successful repairs of major components.

41. A computerized system for tracking equipment repair comprising:

means for receiving an equipment identification of an item of equipment to be repaired from a user;

means for providing said user with a list of common problems for said item of equipment and a component hierarchy for said item of equipment;

means for receiving input from said user in response to said list of common problems and said component hierarchy; and

means for providing, in response to said input from said user, said user with detailed information regarding said item of equipment, said detailed information comprising at least one of the number of failures, the probability of failure, the mean time between failures, the occurrence of the most recent failure for each component, and the next expected failure.