METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR THE NONINTRUSIVE IDENTIFICATION AND ORDERING OF COMPONENT PARTS

• US 20140244433A1
• Filed: 02/26/2013
• Published: 08/28/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Original Assignee: WW Grainger Incorporated
• Inventors: Cruz, Erwin Munoz
• Granted Patent: US 9,378,522 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/26.8
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/17 Mechanical parametric or variational design
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2200/04 involving 3D image data
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/10116 X-ray image
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2207/30164 Workpiece; Machine component
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/016 Exploded view
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2008 Assembling, disassembling
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2012 Colour editing, changing, or manipulating; Use of colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 7/001 using an image reference approach
• CPC Class Codes: G06V 20/64 Three-dimensional objects

Abstract

A noninstrusive system and method of scanning an object having component parts includes a vendor based data repository of component parts and a matching processor to receive a scanned image representative of the assembled object and to provide suggested and/or matched component parts for purchase from the vendor.

Claims

1. A non-transient, computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions for providing nonintrusive identification and ordering of component parts, within an electronic vendor system, the instructions comprising:

storing in a data repository a listing of a plurality of component parts that are available for purchase, wherein each of the plurality of component parts is directly associated with an assembled object and wherein each of the plurality of component parts includes at least one identifying characteristic;

receiving from a nonintrusive scanning device, an image representative of the assembled object and including at least one identifiable scanned component part;

matching the identifiable scanned component part against the identifiable characteristics of at least one of the plurality of component parts stored in the data repository; and

causing a user interface to be displayed on a client computing device to permit a user to access an order access point in which the at least one of the plurality of component parts matched against the identifiable scanned component part can be purchased from the electronic vendor system.

2. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the nonintrusive scanning device is at least one of an x-ray or a γ

-ray device.

3. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the image representative of the assembled object is a three-dimensional image.

4. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 3, wherein the three-dimensional image is manipulatable to provide additional views of the image.

5. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, further comprising causing the user interface to display a user interface element to allow the user to confirm the matching of the identifiable scanned component part against the identifiable characteristics of at least one of the plurality of component parts stored in the data repository.

6. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, further comprising causing the user interface to display a user interface element providing to the user a listing of at least two closely related matched component parts.

7. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 5, further comprising causing the user interface to display a user interface element to allow the user to select from a plurality of matched identifiable scanned components parts.

8. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, further comprising causing the user interface to display a user interface element to allow the user to browse the plurality of component parts stored in the data repository.

9. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 1, wherein the identifiable scanned component part includes at least one highlighted portion.

10. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 9, wherein the at least one highlighted portion is indicative of an abnormal component part.

11. A nonintrusive identification and ordering system for an electronic vendor system comprising:

a data repository storing a listing of a plurality of component parts that are available for purchase, wherein each of the plurality of component parts is directly associated with an assembled object and wherein each of the plurality of component parts includes at least one identifying characteristic;

a scanning device for nonintrusively scanning an assembled object and constructing an image representative of the assembled object, including at least one identifiable scanned component part;

a processor for matching the identifiable scanned component part against the identifiable characteristics of at least one of the plurality of component parts stored in the data repository; and

a client computing device having a display, wherein the processor causes the display to provide a user interface element that permits a user to access an order access point in which the at least one of the plurality of component parts matched against the identifiable scanned component part can be purchased from the electronic vendor system.

12. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the nonintrusive scanning device is at least one of an x-ray or a γ

-ray scanning device.

13. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the image representative of the assembled object is a three-dimensional image.

14. A system as recited in claim 13, wherein the three-dimensional image is manipulatable on the display to provide additional displayed views of the image.

15. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to cause the display to provide a user interface element to allow the user to confirm the matching of the identifiable scanned component part against the identifiable characteristics of at least one of the plurality of component parts stored in the data repository.

16. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to display a user interface element providing to the user a listing of at least two closely related matched component parts.

17. A system as recited in claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to display a user interface element to allow the user to select from a plurality of matched identifiable scanned components parts.

18. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to display a user interface element to allow the user to browse the plurality of component parts stored in the data repository.

19. A system as recited in claim 11, wherein the identifiable scanned component part includes at least one highlighted portion.

20. A system as recited in claim 19, wherein the at least one highlighted portion is indicative of an abnormal component part.

21. A non-transient, computer-readable media having stored thereon instructions for providing nonintrusive identification and ordering of component parts, within an electronic vendor system, the instructions comprising:

storing in a data repository a listing of a plurality of component parts that are associated with additional information regarding the respective component part, wherein each of the plurality of component parts is directly associated with an assembled object and wherein each of the plurality of component parts includes at least one identifying characteristic;

receiving from a nonintrusive scanning device, an image representative of the assembled object and including at least one identifiable scanned component part;

matching the identifiable scanned component part against the identifiable characteristics of at least one of the plurality of component parts stored in the data repository; and

causing a user interface to be displayed on a client computing device to permit a user to access and display the additional information regarding the at least one of the plurality of component parts matched against the identifiable scanned component part.

22. A computer-readable media as recited in claim 21, wherein the additional information includes at least one of a repair manual, order history, recommendation, price, repair video, or manufacturer provided information.