Computer-implemented method and system for collecting and communicating inspection information for a mechanism

• US 20100030615A1
• Filed: 09/24/2009
• Published: 02/04/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Original Assignee: Ford Motor Company
• Inventors: Graham, John, Doyle, Dennis, Santer, Kevin, Benakovich, Michael, Retzbach, Joe
• Application Number:
  US12/586,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20100030615A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0203 Market surveys; Market polls

Abstract

A method for collecting and communicating inspection information for a vehicle is provided. The method comprises electrically transmitting repair order information from an original electronic repair order to initiate a repair on the vehicle. The repair order information designates a technician to perform the repair. The method further comprises electronically receiving a notification to indicate that the technician received the repair order information and electronically generating an electronic inspection form including a questionnaire for the technician to input inspection information in response to the notification. The method further comprises electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information and determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.

Claims

1. A method for collecting and communicating inspection information for a vehicle, the method comprising:

electrically transmitting repair order information from an original electronic repair order to initiate a repair on the vehicle, the repair order information designating a technician to perform the repair;

electronically receiving a notification to indicate that the technician received the repair order information;

electronically generating an electronic inspection form including a questionnaire for the technician to input inspection information in response to the notification;

electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information; and

determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising generating a count for the technician indicating that the electronic inspection form is complete in response to determining that the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising executing the steps of (i) electrically transmitting the repair order information from an original electronic repair order to initiate a repair on the vehicle;

(ii) electronically receiving the notification;

(iii) electronically generating the electronic inspection form;

(iv) electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information; and

(v) determining that the electronic inspection form is complete one or more times.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising incrementing the count for the technician to generate a technician based metric corresponding to a number of electronic inspection forms processed with a complete inspection each time it is determined that the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the notification corresponds to a repair order number that is associated with the original repair order.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information further comprises causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with at least a portion of the inspection information to obtain an electronic appended order.

7. The method of claim 6 further comprising determining whether the electronic appended order is available to print.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising executing the steps of causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with the at least a portion of the inspection information to obtain the electronic appended order and determining whether the electronic appended order is available to print one or more times.

9. The method of claim 8 further comprising determining a value for a cashier based metric which corresponds to a number of printed electronic appended repair orders based on the number of times the steps of causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with the at least a portion of the inspection information to obtain the electronic appended repair order and determining whether the electronic appended repair order is available to print are executed.

10. A computer-implemented method for collecting and communicating inspection information for a mechanism, the method comprising:

electronically transmitting repair order information from an original electronic repair order to initiate a repair on the mechanism;

electronically generating an electronic inspection form including a questionnaire for inputting inspection information;

electronically receiving the inspection information;

causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with at least a portion of the received inspection information to obtain an electronic appended repair order;

determining whether the electronic appended repair order is available to print;

executing the steps of causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with the at least a portion of the received inspection information and determining whether the electronic appended repair order is available to print one or more times; and

determining a value for a cashier based metric which corresponds to a number of printed electronic appended repair orders based on the number of times the steps of causing the original electronic repair order to be appended with the at least a portion of the received inspection information and determining whether the electronic appended repair order is available to print is executed.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein the repair order information designating a technician to perform the repair.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising electronically receiving a notification to indicate that the technician received the repair order information prior to electronically generating the electronic inspection form.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein electronically generating the electronic inspection form further comprises electronically generating the electronic inspection form including a questionnaire for the technician to input inspection information in response to the notification.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising generating a count for the technician indicating that the electronic inspection form is complete in response to determining that the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.

16. A method comprising:

electronically transmitting repair information from an original repair order, the repair information designating a technician to perform a repair on a vehicle;

receiving an electronic notification to indicate that the technician received the repair information;

generating an electronic inspection form in response to the electronic notification; and

determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether the electronic inspection form is generated.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the electronic inspection form includes a questionnaire for the technician to input inspection information.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising electronically receiving into the electronic inspection form the inspection information.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising determining that the electronic inspection form is complete based on whether the inspection information is received.

20. The method of claim 19 further comprising generating a count for the technician indicating that the electronic inspection form is complete in response to determining that the at least one of the electronic inspection form has been generated and the inspection information is received.