AIRCRAFT MODIFICATION MARKETPLACE

• US 20200134704A1
• Filed: 09/17/2019
• Published: 04/30/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Fahey, Patrick C., Gilley, Sheldon D., Bowe, Mark A.
• Granted Patent: US 11,605,122 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/629 to features or functions of an application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/84 output devices, e.g. displays or monitors
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0603 Catalogue ordering
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0621 Item configuration or customization
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0635 Processing of requisition or of purchase orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0641 Shopping interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0643 Graphical representation of items or shoppers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 2463/103 applying security measure for protecting copy right protecting software against unauthorised usage in a vending or licensing environment, e.g. protection the software providers copyright G06F21/10; data processing systems or methods, specially adapted for payment schemes, architectures or protocols G06Q20/00; secrecy systems or subscription systems H04N7/16
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/101 Access control lists [ACL]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/102 Entity profiles

Abstract

Methods and systems for managing aircraft modifications. A link to a customer information database is established in response to receiving a launch input for a modification marketplace entered by a user via a graphical user interface. The customer information database includes identification information and customer information associated with the user. A determination is made as to whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace using the identification information. A link to an engineering database containing aircraft product information is established in response to a determination that the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace. A selected level of access to the aircraft product information in the engineering database is provided, via the graphical user interface, based on the customer information associated with the user.

Claims

1. A method for managing aircraft modification, the method comprising:

establishing a link to a customer information database in response to receiving a launch input for a modification marketplace entered by a user via a graphical user interface, wherein the customer information database includes identification information and customer information associated with the user;

determining whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace using the identification information associated with the user;

establishing a link to an engineering database containing aircraft product information in response to a determination that the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace; and

providing, via the graphical user interface, a selected level of access to the aircraft product information in the engineering database based on the customer information associated with the user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving, via the graphical user interface, user input selecting a set of aircraft; and

customizing an experience of the user within the modification marketplace based on the set of aircraft selected.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing, via the graphical user interface, the selected level of access to the aircraft product information comprises:

retrieving the customer information from the customer information database, wherein the customer information includes at least one of a customer type or an owner status associated with the user; and

limiting access of the user to the selected level of access based on the at least one of the customer type or the owner status associated with the user such that the user is allowed to only access a portion of the aircraft product information in the engineering database.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein providing, via the graphical user interface, the selected level of access to the aircraft product information further comprises:

identifying a fleet associated with the user based on the customer information associated with the user, wherein the selected level of access allows access to only a portion of the aircraft product information that is relevant to the fleet.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the owner status indicates whether the user is associated with a customer that owns the fleet, wherein a number of cart options available to the user is limited based on whether the customer owns the fleet, and wherein the cart options include a purchase option, a firm proposal option, and a rough order of magnitude option.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a plurality of aircraft relevant to the user based on the customer information; and

displaying an effectivity selector in the graphical user interface that allows the user to select a set of aircraft to be modified from the plurality of aircraft, wherein the effectivity selector provides access to effectivity information for each aircraft in the plurality of aircraft.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace comprises:

establishing a link to a licensing database in response to receiving the launch input; and

determining, based on the identification information associated with the user and licensing information in the licensing database associated with the user, whether the user is associated with a customer having a valid license with an entity hosting the modification marketplace.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein determining whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace further comprises:

denying access to the modification marketplace in response to a determination that the customer does not have the valid license.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein determining whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace further comprises:

establishing a link to an accounts receivable system in response to a determination that the user is associated with the customer having the valid license with the entity; and

determining, based on credit information in the accounts receivable system associated with the customer, whether a credit worthiness of the customer meets threshold criteria.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace further comprises:

denying access to the modification marketplace if the credit worthiness does not meet the threshold criteria.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein determining whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace further comprises:

determining whether the credit worthiness associated with the customer indicates that an up-front payment is required when a purchase is made via the modification marketplace, in response to a determination that the credit worthiness of the customer meets the threshold criteria; and

computing up-front payment information for use in forming a final purchase contract for the user in response to a determination that the credit worthiness indicates that the up-front payment is required.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein determining whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace comprises:

determining the selected level of access to be provided to the user using at least one of a purchase authorization filter, a product access filter, or a business scenario filter,

wherein the purchase authorization filter limits features available to the user based on an owner status of a customer with which the user is associated;

wherein the product access filter limits features available to the user based on a customer type of the customer; and

wherein the business scenario filter is used to determine what types of business scenarios are applicable to the customer.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

customizing an experience of the user within the modification marketplace based on a set of aircraft selected by the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein customizing the experience of the user comprises:

receiving a feature selection via the graphical user interface;

retrieving corresponding information from at least one of a customer information database, an engineering database, an aircraft tracking configuration database, a contract database, or a project management database in response to receiving the feature selection; and

determining whether the feature selection includes a feature already installed on at least one of the set of aircraft selected based on the corresponding information retrieved.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein customizing the experience of the user further comprises:

alerting the user, via the graphical user interface, that the feature was previously installed on the at least one of the set of aircraft.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein customizing the experience of the user comprises:

receiving a feature selection via the graphical user interface;

generating, automatically, pricing information for the feature selection based on a number of aircraft included in the set of aircraft selected.

17. A method for managing aircraft modification, the method comprising:

establishing a link to a customer information database in response to receiving a launch input for a modification marketplace entered by a user via a graphical user interface, wherein the customer information database includes identification information and customer information associated with the user;

determining whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace using the identification information associated with the user;

establishing a link to at least one of a plurality of data systems containing aircraft product information in response to a determination that the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace;

providing, via the graphical user interface, a selected level of access to the aircraft product information based on the customer information associated with the user;

receiving, via the graphical user interface, user input selecting a set of aircraft;

receiving, via the graphical user interface, a feature selection to modify the set of aircraft;

retrieving corresponding information from at least one of the plurality of data systems in response to receiving the feature selection;

determining whether the feature selection includes a feature already installed on at least one of the set of aircraft selected based on the corresponding information retrieved; and

alerting the user, via the graphical user interface, that the feature was previously installed on the at least one of the set of aircraft.

18. A system for managing modifications to aircraft, the system comprising:

a graphical user interface for display on a display system; and

a modification marketplace presented to a user via the graphical user interface, wherein the modification marketplace comprises;

an access manager that establishes a link to a customer information database in response to receiving a launch input for a modification marketplace entered by the user via a graphical user interface, wherein the customer information database includes identification information and customer information associated with the user;

determines whether the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace using the identification information associated with the user;

establishes a link to at least one of a plurality of data systems containing aircraft product information in response to a determination that the user is authorized to access the modification marketplace; and

provides, via the graphical user interface, a selected level of access to the aircraft product information based on the customer information associated with the user; and

a retrofit manager that receives, via the graphical user interface, user input selecting a set of aircraft and customizes an experience of the user within the modification marketplace based on the set of aircraft selected.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the customer information includes at least one of a customer type or an owner status associated with the user.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the modification marketplace identifies a fleet associated with the user based on the customer information associated with the user and wherein the selected level of access allows access to only a portion of the aircraft product information that is relevant to the fleet.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein the owner status indicates whether the user is associated with a customer that owns the fleet, wherein a number of cart options available to the user is limited based on whether the customer owns the fleet, and wherein the cart options include a purchase option, a firm proposal option, and a rough order of magnitude option.

22. The system of claim 18, wherein the modification marketplace displays an effectivity selector in the graphical user interface that allows the user to select the set of aircraft to be modified from the plurality of aircraft, wherein the effectivity selector provides access to effectivity information for each aircraft in the plurality of aircraft.

23. The system of claim 18, wherein the access manager determines the selected level of access to be provided to the user using at least one of a purchase authorization filter, a product access filter, or a business scenario filter.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the purchase authorization filter limits features available to the user based on an owner status of a customer with which the user is associated.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the product access filter limits features available to the user based on a customer type of the customer.

26. The system of claim 23, wherein the business scenario filter is used to determine what types of business scenarios are applicable to the customer.

27. The system of claim 18, wherein the modification marketplace further comprises:

a layout tool that presents at least one of an interactive interior layout or an interactive flight deck layout that allows the user to make feature selections for at least one of an interior of an aircraft or a flight deck of the aircraft, respectively.

28. The system of claim 18, wherein the modification marketplace further comprises:

a weight change manager that enables the user to make feature selections based on a desired weight change for an aircraft, wherein the weight change manager uses weight requirement information and operational weight information obtained from a weight data system to determine whether the desired weight change meets requirements.