System and method for providing information regarding mounting, dismounting and servicing a bearing or a seal

• US 7,088,378 B1
• Filed: 11/24/2000
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ABet SKF
• Original Assignee: ABet SKF
• Inventors: Engström, Bengt, Lewinschal, Leif, Rydin, Magnus
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Cao (Kevin)
• Application Number:
  US09/718,385
• Time in Patent Office: 2,083 Days
• Field of Search: 345/705, 345/712, 345/714, 345/715, 705/25, 705/26
• US Class Current: 715/715
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/00 Information retrieval; Database structures therefor; File system structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A support information communication system for transferring requests for information support that is to be used by personnel performing servicing, mounting and/or dismounting of a bearing and/or a seal. The system includes one or more information terminals and an information support computer.

Claims

1. A support information communication system for transferring requests for information support regarding at least one of a plurality of activities including mounting, dismounting and servicing a bearing or seal, and for transferring the information support, comprising an information terminal and an information support computer, the information support computer being adapted to:

receive an information support request via a communication network from an information terminal, the request being related to detailed support information for performing one of the activities;

process the information support request and provide support information in relation to the request; and

transmit the support information via the communication network to the information terminal;

the information terminal being adapted to receive information support from the information support computer via the communication network after transmitting an information support request from the information terminal.

2. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein the information terminal and the information support computer are remotely arranged in relation to each other.

3. The communication system according to claim 1, wherein a selection of available alternatives for at least one of the activities is transmitted from the information terminal to the information support computer.

4. An information support computer for providing support information relating to at least one of a plurality of activities including mounting, dismounting and servicing a bearing or seal, the information support computer comprising:

a processor which receives an information support request via a communication network from an information terminal, the request being related to detailed support information for performing one of the activities, which processes the information support request and provides support information in relation to the request, and which transmits support information via the communication network to the information terminal.

5. The information support computer according to claim 4, wherein the support information is provided in a single information support transmission in response to a request comprising a set of data relating to the information.

6. The information support computer according to claim 4, wherein the support information is provided sequentially and transmitted in several information support transmissions to an information terminal.

7. The information support computer according to claim 4, wherein the transmitted support information presents opportunities of requesting further information support.

8. The information support computer according to claim 4, in which the support information comprises the following three categories of information:

precautions, activity procedures and recommended tools.

9. The information support computer according to claim 8, which offers personnel an opportunity to purchase recommended tools.

10. The information support computer according to claim 8, in which the support information offers information support in relation to alternatives of the at least one activity.

11. The information support computer according to claim 4, wherein the information support computer receives a code from the information terminal that is specifically related to the at least one activity.

12. The information support computer according to claim 4, in which a format of the transmitted support information is in hypertext mark-up language (HTML).

13. The information support computer according to claim 4, which allows users to choose a language for the support information from a predetermined set of languages.

14. The information support computer according to claim 4, in which the information support is in the form of text.

15. The information support computer according to claim 4, wherein the information support is in the form of images.

16. An information terminal for obtaining support information for performing at least one of a plurality of activities that include servicing, mounting and dismounting a bearing or a seal, the information terminal comprising:

a processor which receives information support from an information support computer via a communication network after transmitting an information support request, related to at least one of the plurality of activities, from the information terminal to allow the at least one activity to be performed.

17. The information terminal according to claim 16, wherein the information terminal is one of a stationary computer, a portable computer, a hand-held computer, and a mobile phone.

18. The information terminal according to claim 16, including a printer operatively associated with the information terminal.

19. The information terminal according to claim 16, wherein the terminal transmits a selection of available alternatives for performing at least one of the plurality of activities.

20. A method for providing information support specifically related to performing an activity comprising:

receiving an information support request at an information support computer from an information terminal via a communication network regarding at least one of a plurality of activities that include mounting, dismounting and servicing a bearing or a seal;

processing the information support request to provide support information regarding the at least one activity; and

transmitting the support information via the communication network to the information terminal.

21. The method according to claim 20, including transmitting the support information in a single information support transmission in response to the request comprising a set of data relating to the information requested.

22. The method according to claim 20, including providing and transmitting the support information in several information support transmissions, of which each one is the response of a request from an information terminal.

23. The method according to claim 20, further comprising receiving a code from the information terminal, and the information support computer transmitting support information relevant to an activity specifically related to the code.

24. The method according to claim 20, further comprising formatting the information support prior to transmission to the hypertext mark-up language (HTML).

25. The method according to claim 20, further comprising choosing a language of the information support from a predetermined set of languages in the information support computer.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein the support information is provided at least partially as text.

27. The method according to claim 20, wherein the support information is provided at least partially as images.

28. The method according to claim 20, further comprising:

providing available alternatives for performing at least one of the plurality of activities.

29. A method for obtaining information support to be used by personnel to perform at least one of a plurality of activities that include servicing, mounting and dismounting a bearing or a seal, comprising:

transmitting to an information support computer via a communication network an information support request relating to a bearing or seal using an information terminal; and

receiving detailed information support at the information terminal from the information support computer via the communication network regarding the at least one activity involving the bearing or seal.

30. The method according to claim 29, further comprising:

displaying available alternatives for performing the at least one of the plurality of activities.

31. A graphical user interface for selective provision of service information associated with at least one of a bearing and a seal, said graphical user interface comprising:

a first interface element for entering a code associated with said at least one of a bearing and a seal; and

a second interface element for selecting one of a plurality of types of service procedures for which said service information is to be provided.

32. The graphical user interface of claim 31, wherein said at least one of a bearing and a seal is a bearing, and said second interface element includes a link for each of a plurality of types of procedures including at least one of:

a first link for providing service information associated with mounting said bearing;

a second link for providing service information associated with dismounting said bearing; and

a third link for providing other service information associated with said bearing.

33. The graphical user interface of claim 31, further comprising a third interface element for selecting a combination of said code and a selected one of said plurality of types of service procedures.

34. The graphical user interface of claim 33, wherein user actuation of said third interface element results in a set of additional interface elements being displayed, which additional interface elements are each associated with subfeatures of said selected one of said plurality of types of service procedures.

35. The graphical user interface of claim 31, wherein said at least one of a bearing and a seal is a bearing, said selected one of said plurality of types of service procedures is mounting said bearing and said subfeatures associated with said additional interface elements include:

a first link for providing service information associated with mounting said bearing on a first member;

a second link for providing service information associated with mounting said bearing on a second member different from said first member; and

a third link for providing service information associated with mounting said bearing on a third member different from said first and second members.

36. The graphical user interface of claim 35, wherein user actuation of one of said first, second and third links results in a display of service information associated with a corresponding mounting technique for said bearing.

37. The graphical user interface of claim 36, wherein said display of service information includes graphics which illustrate how to perform said corresponding mounting technique.