Method and system for tracking repair of components

• US 6,885,903 B2
• Filed: 07/10/2001
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/10/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Ware, Christopher A., Jackson, Andrew L. Jr., Schlegel, Mark D., Olle, Michael S., Godwin, Todd A., Gulati, Rishi, Bottoms, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Picard, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Garland, Steven R.
• Application Number:
  US09/903,373
• Publication Number:
  US 20030014142A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,386 Days
• Field of Search: 700/110, 700/109, 700/105, 700/108, 700/99, 700/97, 700/111, 701/29, 701/35, 702/183, 702/185, 702/184, 705/1, 705/4, 705/9, 705/15, 705/29
• US Class Current: 700/108
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

A computer-based method and system for tracking repairs of different types of components. The repair tracking system receives repair orders identifying components of customers that need repair. After a repair order is received, an engineer uses the repair tracking system to assign a repair plan to the repair order. When a repair technician receives a component or subcomponent of a repair order, the repair technician uses the repair tracking system to identify the steps that need to be performed next. After the repair of the component is complete, the repair technician uses the repair tracking system to indicate the completion and to determine where to send the component so that the next step in the repair plan can be performed.

Claims

1. A method in a computer system for tracking repair of a plurality of different types of components, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of repair orders, each repair order indicating that a component is to be repaired;

assigning a repair plan to each repair order, a repair plan having one or more repair steps, each repair step indicating a service to be performed to repair the component indicated in the received repair order; and

processing the received repair orders by, for steps of the assigned repair plan,

receiving a selection of the repair order by a repair technician;

receiving a selection of a repair step of the repair plan for the selected repair order;

providing to the repair technician description of the service to be performed on the component at the selected repair step;

receiving an indication that the selected repair step has been completed;

storing information indicating progress of the processing of each repair step of each repair order; and

using the stored information when designing components.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a standard plan for repairing components of the type of the repair order is assigned to the repair order.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a repair plan that is customized for the received repair order is assigned to the received repair order.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a plan has an associated inspection form for collecting information relating to an inspection of the component.

5. The method of claim 1 including coordinating approval of the assigned repair plan.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein a component comprises one or more sub-components, each sub-component having its own repair plan.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the provided description is a method sheet.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein a repair step includes multiple repair sub-steps.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein each repair order is associated with a customer and providing customers with access to the stored information for their repair orders.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the service of the repair steps may be performed at different repair stations.

11. A computer system for tracking repair of a plurality of different types of components, comprising:

a receive repair order module that receives repair orders indicating components to be repaired;

an assign repair plan module that assigns a repair plan to each repair order, a repair plan having one or more repair steps indicating services to be performed to repair the components indicated in received repair orders;

a process repair order module that processes the received repair orders by receiving a selection of the repair order by a repair technician, receiving a selection of a repair step of the repair plan for the selected repair order, and receiving an indication that the selected repair step has been completed;

a database for storing information indicating progress of the processing of each repair step of each repair order; and

for allowing use of the stored information when designing components.

12. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the assign repair plan module assigns to a repair order a standard plan for repairing components of the type of the repair order.

13. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the assign repair plan module assigns to a repair order a repair plan that is customized for the received repair order.

14. The computer system of claim 11 wherein a repair plan has an associated inspection form for collecting information relating to an inspection of a component.

15. The computer system of claim 11 including an approve repair order module that coordinates approval of the assigned repair plan.

16. The computer system of claim 11 wherein a component comprises one or more sub-components, each sub-component having its own repair plan.

17. The computer system of claim 11 wherein a repair step has an associated method sheet.

18. The computer system of claim 11 wherein a repair step includes multiple repair sub-steps.

19. The computer system of claim 11 wherein each repair order is associated with a customer and providing customers with access to the stored information for their repair orders.

20. The computer system of claim 11 wherein the service of the repair steps may be performed at different repair stations.

21. A method in a computer system for assigning repair plans to repair orders, the method comprising:

receiving a plurality of repair orders, each repair order having a component that is to be repaired;

selecting repair pians to be assigned to the repair orders, a repair plan having one or more repair steps, each repair step indicating processing to be performed to repair the component of the repair order;

customizing the selected repair plan for the repair order;

receiving approval of the customized repair plan for the repair order;

storing information indicating progress of the processing of each repair step of an associated repair order; and

using the stored information when designing components.

22. The method of claim 21 including processing the received repair orders by

receiving a selection of the repair order by a repair technician;

receiving a selection of a repair step of the repair plan for the selected repair order;

providing to the repair technician a description of the processing to be performed to repair the component at the selected repair step; and

receiving an indication that the processing of the selected repair step has been completed.

23. The method of claim 21 wherein a standard repair plan for repairing components of the type of the repair order is selected.

24. The method of claim 21 wherein a repair plan has an associated inspection form for collecting information relating to an inspection of the component.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein a component comprises one or more sub-components, each sub-component having its own repair plan.

26. The method of claim 21 wherein a repair step includes multiple repair sub-steps.

27. The method of claim 21 wherein each repair order is associated with a customer and providing customers with access to information relating to their repair orders.

28. The method of claim 21 wherein the processing of repair steps may be performed at different workstations.

29. A computer-readable medium for controlling a computer system to track repair of components, by a method comprising:

receiving a repair order indicating that a component is to be repaired;

assigning a repair plan to the received repair order, the repair plan having one or more repair steps, each repair step indicating processing to be performed to repair the component indicated in the received repair order; and

processing the received repair order by,

receiving a selection of the repair order;

receiving a selection of a repair step of the repair plan for the selected repair order;

receiving an indication that the selected repair step has been completed;

storing information indicating progress of the processing of each repair step of an associated repair order; and

using the stored information when designing components.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein a standard repair plan for repairing components is assigned to the repair order.

31. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein a repair plan that is customized for the received repair order is assigned to the received repair order.

32. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein a repair plan has an associated inspection form for collecting information relating to an inspection of the component.

33. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 including coordinating approval of the assigned repair plan.

34. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein a component comprises one or more sub-components, each sub-component having its own repair plan.

35. The computer-readable medium of claim 29 wherein a repair order is associated with a customer and providing customers with access to the stored information for their repair orders.

36. A computer system for tracking repair of components, comprising:

means for receiving a repair order;

means for assigning a repair plan to a repair order; and

means for processing the received repair order by

receiving a selection of a repair step;

providing a description of processing to be performed at the selected repair step;

receiving an indication that the processing at the selected repair step is complete; and

storing information indicating progress of the processing of each repair step of a repair order for use when designing components.