System for reliable collaborative assembly and maintenance of complex systems

• US 7,787,981 B2
• Filed: 05/16/2008
• Issued: 08/31/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Weber, Scott David, Weselak, Gregory F., Austin, Paul R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jarrett; Ryan A
• Application Number:
  US12/122,199
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138116A1
• Time in Patent Office: 837 Days
• Field of Search: 700/168, 702/95
• US Class Current: 700/168
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41805 characterised by assembly
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/31046 Aid for assembly, show display on screen next workpiece, task, position to be assembled, executed
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/45127 Portable, hand drill
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

A system and method of tracking location and orientation of power tools utilized in the assembly and maintenance of complex systems is disclosed. The system can facilitate collaboration between maintenance and alert maintenance personnel to complete complex system activities.

Claims

1. A system for reliable assembly and maintenance of complex systems comprising:

a network;

a power tool operatively coupled to said network, said power tool comprising a sensor to sense operational characteristics associated with said tool being applied to a procedure, said operational characteristics comprising tool location and tool performance information, said tool location being calibrated by placing said power tool at a predetermined location with respect to a complex system and identifying a procedure to be performed by said power tool on the complex system; and

a computer operatively coupled to said network, said computer arranged to provide an operation instruction to the power tool in response to receiving said operational characteristics and the procedure to be performed.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said sensor is at least one of a single axis accelerometer, a multiple axis accelerometer, an analog accelerometer, a digital accelerometer, a rotational speed sensor, an angular speed sensor, and a laser ring gyroscope.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein said sensor is wireless.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said network is a wireless network selected from the group consisting essentially of a 802.11-compliant network, Bluetooth network, cellular digital packet data (CDPD) network, high speed circuit switched data (HSCSD) network, packet data cellular (PDC-P) network, general packet radio service (GPRS) network, 1x radio transmission technology (1xRTT) network, IrDA network, multichannel multipoint distribution service (MMDS) network, local multipoint distribution service (LMDS) network, and worldwide interoperability for microwave access (WiMAX) network.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said operation instruction comprises an operation location for said power tool, said operation location corresponding to a location for performing the procedure.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said power tool comprises a display to display an operation instruction for said tool.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said operation instruction comprises tool setting information for said tool.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer provides a user interface to display a status associated with said tool.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein said computer stores said status in a task status data store.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer determines said operation instruction from a task design data store.

11. The system of claim 1, wherein said computer provides said operation instruction on a display device associated with said power tool.