Method and system for obtaining service related information about equipment located at a plurality of sites

• US 7,337,191 B2
• Filed: 07/28/2003
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/27/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Industry Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Building Technologies Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Wisniewski, Karen, Dehart, Michael, Haeberle, Brad, Emery, Doug
• Primary Examiner(s): WOO, ISAAC M
• Application Number:
  US10/628,978
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080805A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,674 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 10, 707100-1041, 707200-206, 715500-529
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• 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

Abstract

A method and system is provided for communicating service and maintenance information about equipment located at distributed building sites. A customer web portal is provided with a database for storing the equipment service information. The web portal provides an efficient way of determining the service activity for equipment located at distributed sites without the need for maintaining service related information at each site. The user can also obtain information about individual service orders and service agreements for individual pieces of equipment.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for displaying information about a service activity for equipment located at a plurality of building sites:

providing a web portal comprising a database, and storing service activity information, about a plurality of pieces of equipment operatively connected to different types of systems located at distributed building sites, in said database;

receiving a user request from one or more clients to send said service activity information;

determining which service activity information is implicated by said user request;

sending said service activity information to a client and

sending graphic images about at least one of the plurality of pieces of equipment such that the graphic image of the at least one of the plurality of pieces of equipment includes highlighting on the image of the at least one of the plurality pieces of equipment where the equipment requires service.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a client request to display information about a piece of equipment, and sending said information about a piece of equipment such that it is capable of being displayed on a client display.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising I receiving client request to display information about service activity for a piece of equipment, and sending said service activity information for a piece of equipment such that it is capable of being displayed on a client display.

4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a user request to display information about a service contract relevant to a piece of equipment, and sending said information about a service contract relevant to a piece of equipment such that it is capable of being displayed on a client display.

5. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a user request to display information about the service history for a piece of equipment, and sending said service history for a piece of equipment such that it is capable of being displayed on a client display.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a user request to display information about scheduled services for a piece of equipment, and sending said information about scheduled services for a piece of equipment such that it is capable of being displayed on a client display.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein said service activity information includes information about the building site where the equipment is located, and information about the equipment'"'"'s location in said building site.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising receiving a client request for information about a service order for a piece of equipment, and sending said information about a service order for a piece of equipment such that it is capable of being displayed on a client display.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the different types of systems located at a plurality of building sites are selected from the group consisting of HVAC systems, fire safety systems, security systems and mechanical systems.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending information about the status of a service contract associated with a piece of equipment.

11. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending information about the service performed under the service contract associated with a piece of equipment.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending information about a system a piece of equipment is associated with.

13. The method according to claim 1, further comprising sending the status of a service contract associated with a piece of equipment.