METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING SITE-SPECIFIC OPERATIONS

• US 20150073603A1
• Filed: 11/19/2014
• Published: 03/12/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Wetzel, Robert Alan, Venneman, Patrick Joseph
• Granted Patent: US 9,904,274 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 700/275
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/402 characterised by control arrangements for positioning, e.g. centring a tool relative to a hole in the workpiece, additional detection means to correct position G05B19/19 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/4063 Monitoring general control system G05B19/4062 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/42249 Relative positioning
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 1/20 Checking timed patrols, e.g. of watchman
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 3/14 Quality control systems
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 64/00 Locating users or terminals or network equipment for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling a site-specific activity at a plurality of remote locations, for example, the inspection of geographically remote equipment or the gathering of data fir a census. A mobile operator transports a portable tool to a plurality of locations where a site-specific activity is to be conducted. The portable tool includes a location detection device. Processing of data using the portable tool is enabled only when the portable tool is located proximate a designated site, as determined by the location detection device. In various embodiments, the enabled site-specific activity may include data recordation, data transmission, data reception, data processing, and/or the display of a data entry form.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a tool comprising the steps of:

locating the tool by a monitoring system; and

enabling the tool to perform a site specific operation related to an asset when the monitoring system indicates that the tool is located proximate to at least one of the site or the asset.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the locating step is performed in three dimensions.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the locating step comprises determining a location of the tool in the three dimensions, the three dimensions comprising latitude, longitude, and altitude.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the monitoring system indicates that the tool is located proximate to the at least one of the site or the asset based on a comparison of the location of the tool in the three dimensions to at least one of a location of the site in the three dimensions or a location of the asset in the three dimensions.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring system indicates that the tool is located proximate to the at least one of the site or the asset based on a location of the tool being within a tolerance of at least one of a location of the site or a location of the asset.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the site specific operation includes calibration of the asset.

7. An apparatus for controlling a tool comprising:

a monitoring system capable of locating the tool; and

a processor enabling the tool to perform a site specific operation related to an asset in response to the monitoring system indicating the tool is located proximate to at least one of the site or the asset.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the monitoring system is configured to locate the tool in three dimensions.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the three dimensions comprise latitude, longitude, and altitude.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the monitoring system is configured to indicate that the tool is located proximate to the at least one of the site or the asset based on a comparison of the location of the tool in the three dimensions to at least one of a location of the site in the three dimensions or a location of the asset in the three dimensions.

11. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the monitoring system is configured to indicate that the tool is located proximate to the at least one of the site or the asset based on a location of the tool being within a tolerance of at least one of a location of the site or a location of the asset.

12. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the performed site specific operation is calibration of the asset.

13. An apparatus for controlling a tool comprising:

a location detector configured to determine a location of the tool; and

a processor configured to enable the tool to perform a site specific operation related to an asset in response to the location detector indicating the tool is located proximate to at least one of the site or the asset.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the location detector is configured to determine the location of the tool in three dimensions.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the three dimensions comprise latitude, longitude, and altitude.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the location detector is configured to indicate that the tool is located proximate to the at least one of the site or the asset based on a comparison of the location of the tool in the three dimensions to at least one of a location of the site in the three dimensions or a location of the asset in the three dimensions.

17. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the location detector is configured to indicate that the tool is located proximate to the at least one of the site or the asset based on the location of the tool being within a tolerance of at least one of a location of the site or a location of the asset.

18. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the site specific operation hat the tool is configured to perform is calibration of the asset.

19. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the location detector and processor are part of the tool.