Method for database storing, accessing personnel to service selected assemblies of selected equipment

• US 6,950,829 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Issued: 09/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Higgins, Michael John, Parrish, Keith, Schlabach, James Edward
• Primary Examiner(s): CHANNAVAJJALA, SRIRAMA T
• Application Number:
  US09/839,024
• Publication Number:
  US 20020026537A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,621 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-205, 707/501, 707510-513, 706 45- 50, 706 8- 9, 701/33, 701/29, 701/35, 705 1- 30, 434/322, 434/219, 434/321, 434382-386, 434/167, 709201-230, 702184-188
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

Computerized method and system for training service personnel to service selected equipment. The method allows to provide a database for storing respective training modules for training service personnel to service respective assemblies of selected equipment. The method further identifies the present qualifications of a service personnel available at the service site for servicing the assembly. The method also correlates the present qualifications of the service personnel to predefined qualifications needed to service that assembly to determine whether or not the present qualifications of the service personnel meet the predetermined requirements. In the even the predefined qualifications for servicing the assembly are unmet by the present qualifications of the service provider, the method identifies one or more needed training modules that upon completion by the service personnel would enable the service personnel to meet the predefined qualifications relative to that assembly. An input/output device for communicating with the database is provided. The method allows to communicate the needed training modules from the database to the input/output device for access by the service personnel set to perform the service.

Claims

1. A computerized method for training service personnel to service selected equipment while the service personnel is on-site adjacent the equipment to perform a service for which the service personnel may not yet be qualified to perform, said method comprising:

providing a database for storing respective training modules for training service personnel to service respective assemblies of selected equipment;

identifying an assembly of equipment that requires servicing at the site;

identifying the present qualifications of a service personnel available at the service site for servicing the assembly;

correlating the present qualifications of the service personnel to predefined qualifications needed to service that assembly to determine whether or not the present qualifications of the service personnel meet said predefined requirements;

in the event the predefined qualifications for servicing the assembly are unmet by the present qualifications of the service provider, identifying one or more needed training modules in the database for storing training modules that upon completion by the service personnel would enable the service personnel to meet the predefined qualifications relative to that assembly;

providing an input/output device to the service personnel; and

communicating the needed training modules from the database to the input/output device for access by the service personnel set to perform the service, thereby enabling that service personnel to be trained to become qualified to complete the servicing task with the service personnel remaining on-site.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the present qualifications of service personnel available at the service site for servicing the assembly are stored in the database.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the predefined qualifications needed to service the assembly to be serviced is stored in the database.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising communicating the successful completion of training by the service personnel back to the database and updating the database.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the database does not recognize the equipment as having been serviced until the needed training module has been successfully completed.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the communications between the database and the input/output device is done via wireless communications.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the service personnel is present at the service site when the training modules are communicated and training is performed.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the training module is downloaded to the input/output device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the input/output device (314) interfaces with the training module while the training module is resident in the database.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the training module comprises a multimedia training module.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the database is configured to deliver, upon request of a service provider, background information regarding other assemblies interrelated to an assembly being serviced.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the training module includes a list of tools used to perform services for a given assembly.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein each training module is updated to reflect changes in the predefined requirements for servicing a respective assembly.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the database is configured to automatically schedule refresher training as may be required to maintain the present qualifications of a service provider.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein each training module includes a set of questions configured to elicit responses indicative of whether a service provider has mastered the training objectives set forth therein.

16. A computerized system for training service personnel to service selected equipment while the service personnel is on-site adjacent the equipment to perform a service for which the service personnel may not yet be qualified to perform, said system comprising:

a database for storing respective training modules for training service personnel to service respective assemblies of selected equipment;

an identifier module configured to identify an assembly of equipment that requires servicing at a service site, said module further configured to identify the present qualifications of a service personnel available at the service site for servicing the assembly;

a processor configured to process the present qualifications of the service personnel to predefined qualifications needed to service that assembly to determine whether or not the present qualifications of the service personnel meet said predefined requirements;

in the event the predefined qualifications for servicing the assembly are unmet by the present qualifications of the service provider, a training identifier configured to identify one or more needed training modules in the database for storing training modules that upon completion by the service personnel would enable the service personnel to meet the predefined qualifications relative to that assembly; and

an input/output device provided to the service personnel for communicating the needed training modules from the database to the input/output device for access by the service personnel set to perform the service, thereby enabling that service personnel to be trained to become qualified to complete the servicing task with the service personnel remaining on-site.