System and method for obtaining and utilizing maintenance information

• US 20080204553A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 08/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/11/2000
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Pinotage LLC
• Original Assignee: Pinotage LLC
• Inventors: Thompson, Robert Lee
• Application Number:
  US11/894,174
• Publication Number:
  US 20080204553A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 348/143
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 5/60 Testing or inspecting aircraft components or systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/5866 using information manually generated, e.g. tags, keywords, comments, manually generated location and time information
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

A system for obtaining, recording, displaying, storing, transmitting and receiving maintenance and other information is provided. The system, which may include an electronic maintenance apparatus that may be in the form of a hand-held digital computer, allows a user to capture and store images, sound, and/or error codes and related text or voice data and other information concerning the system or object being maintained. The information can be stored locally and/or transmitted to remote locations. Retrieval of the images and other data at a later date provides an historical perspective of the object, enabling one using the maintenance apparatus to compare and contrast the condition of the object over time. Instruction on how to accomplish a job at hand, diagnostic information and/or support information may also be transmitted to and from the maintenance apparatus.

Claims

1. A method of inspecting a motor vehicle or components thereof, the method comprising:

loading a desired program into an electronic inspection apparatus, the apparatus having a computer and a camera control unit coupled to the computer and adapted to receive and process images from an imager, the apparatus, together with the imager, being capable of capturing one of a streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof and a still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof;

instructing the same apparatus to capture through the imager at least one of a) the streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof and b) the still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof;

operating the same apparatus to enter in the program remarks about the motor vehicle or components thereof, the remarks including at least one of notes regarding a condition of the motor vehicle or components thereof, a date the image was taken, an identification of the motor vehicle or components thereof, and an identification of a person using the apparatus;

instructing the same apparatus to electronically transmit the at least one of streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof and a still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof from a first location to a second location that is remote from the first location;

reviewing the at least one of the streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof, the still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof, and the remarks;

preparing instructions based on the at least one of the streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof, the still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof, and the remarks; and

transmitting instructions back to the first location from the second location.

2. A method of inspecting a motor vehicle or components thereof, the method comprising:

loading a desired program into an electronic inspection apparatus, the apparatus having a computer and a camera control unit coupled to the computer and adapted to receive and process images from an imager, the apparatus, together with the imager, being capable of capturing one of a streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof and a still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof;

instructing the same apparatus to capture through the imager at least one of a) the streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof and b) the still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof;

operating the same apparatus to enter in the program remarks about the motor vehicle or components thereof, the remarks including at least one of notes regarding a condition of the motor vehicle or components thereof, a date the image was taken, an identification of the motor vehicle or components thereof, and an identification of a person using the apparatus;

instructing the same apparatus to electronically transmit the at least one of streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof and a still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof from a first location to a second location that is remote from the first location; and

receiving instructions from the second location, the instructions being prepared in response to reviewing the at least one of the streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof, the still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof, and the remarks.

3. A method of inspecting a motor vehicle or components thereof, the method comprising:

loading a desired program into an electronic inspection apparatus, the apparatus having a computer and a camera control unit coupled to the computer and adapted to receive and process images from an imager, the apparatus, together with the imager, being capable of capturing one of a streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof and a still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof, the apparatus further adapted to enter in the program remarks about the motor vehicle or components thereof, the remarks including at least one of notes regarding a condition of the motor vehicle or components thereof, a date the image was taken, an identification of the motor vehicle or components thereof, and an identification of a person using the apparatus;

receiving, at a second location, an electronic transmission from the apparatus located at a first location, the second location being remote from the first location, the transmission including the remarks and the at least one of streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof and a still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof;

reviewing the remarks and at least one of the streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof, the still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof;

preparing instructions based on the remarks and at least one of the streaming video digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof, the still digital image of the motor vehicle or components thereof; and

transmitting instructions back to the first location from the second location.