Service operation data processing using checklist functionality in association with inspected items

• US 8,150,721 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2009
• Issued: 04/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RPM Industries LLC
• Original Assignee: RPM Industries LLC
• Inventors: Apostolides, John K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jeanty, Romain
• Application Number:
  US12/505,944
• Publication Number:
  US 20100042457A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.28, 705/7.27
• US Class Current: 705/7.27
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06395 Quality analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 10/50 Systems or methods supporting the power network operation or management, involving a certain degree of interaction with the load-side end user applications
• CPC Class Codes: Y04S 50/14 Marketing, i.e. market research and analysis, surveying, promotions, advertising, buyer profiling, customer management or rewards

Abstract

In one embodiment, a system is provided for performing at least one service operation in association with at least one inspected item. The system includes a service data device configured for displaying at least one data screen including at least one checklist configured for operative use in connection with performance of the service operation on the inspected item, the data device being portable and being configured for processing at least one communication; a service administrator having at least one data storage medium configured for storing at least one of the checklists displayed on the data device, the service administrator further having at least one server for enabling at least one communication between the service administrator and the data device; at least a portion of at least one of the checklists being customizable by at least the service administrator; and, at least a portion of at least one of the checklists being electronically interactive in association with performance of the service operation on the inspected item. It is emphasized that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to quickly ascertain the subject matter of the technical disclosure. It is submitted with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Claims

1. A system for performing at least one service operation in association with at least one inspected item, said system comprising:

a service data device configured for electronically displaying at least one data screen including at least one checklist configured for operative use in connection with performance of said service operation on said inspected item, said data device being portable and being configured for processing at least one communication;

a service administrator computer system having at least one data storage medium configured for storing at least one of said checklists displayed on said data device, said service administrator further having at least one server for enabling at least one communication between said service administrator computer system and said data device;

at least a portion of at least one of said checklists being customizable by at least said service administrator computer system;

at least a portion of at least one of said checklists being electronically interactive in association with performance of said service operation on said inspected item;

further including said data device being configured to generate at least one of a summary report or a service report; and

,

further including said data device being configured to capture digital image data in association with performance of said service operation on said inspected item and to automatically make the captured digital image data part of the summary report or the service report.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspected item includes at least one machine.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspected item includes at least one financial document.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspected item includes at least one patient.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said data device includes at least one device selected from the group consisting of a personal digital assistant, a laptop, a pen-based computer system, and a telephone.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said data device includes one or more local data storage media for receiving and storing data collected during performance of one or more of said service operations on said inspected item.

7. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for storing at least a portion of at least one report prior to said communication between said data device and said service administrator.

8. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for displaying at least a portion of at least one report prior to said communication between said data device and said service administrator.

9. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for editing at least a portion of at least one report prior to said communication between said data device and said service administrator.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one printing device operatively associated with said data device.

11. The system of claim 1 further including said data device being configured for printing at least one of a label, said summary report, or said service report on at least one printing device.

12. The system of claim 1, wherein said server of said service administrator includes at least one of a web server or a data server.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for synchronization with at least one computer system of said service administrator.

14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a distributor operatively associated with said service administrator.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising at least one service cost system operatively associated with said distributor.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising said data device being configured for communication of at least said summary report to said service cost system of said distributor.

17. The system of claim 1, further comprising a customer operatively associated with said service administrator.

18. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one additional service provider operatively associated with said service administrator.

19. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least one data screen of said data device being configured for receiving one or more pre-populated fields of data.

20. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for receiving a key identifier in association with said service operation performed on said inspected item.

21. The system of claim 20, further comprising means for pre-populating at least one data field of said data device in association with entry of said key identifier.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said key identifier includes at least one machine serial number.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein said key identifier includes at least one social security number.

24. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspected item further comprises at least one bar code.

25. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for performing one or more assigned work orders.

26. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for performing one or more unassigned tasks.

27. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured to receive one or more types of input data.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein said types of said input data include at least one type of input data selected from the group consisting of text entered by a keyboard operatively associated with said data device, text entered by use of a pen-based computer system, verbal communications recorded by one or more microphones of said data device, verbal communications received by said data device, verbal communications received by said data device and transcribed into text format, digital image data, and digital photographic data.

29. The system of claim 27, further comprising said data device being configured for associating said input data with at least one service report.

30. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured to display data for one or more repetitive service operations.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein at least one of said repetitive service operations includes a warranty service operation.

32. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspected item includes a machine and further comprising said data device being configured for performing at least one load bank test.

33. The system of claim 32, further comprising said data device being configured to awaken when a load bank test reading is required.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein said data device is configured to awaken from an on-state of said data device.

35. The system of claim 33, wherein said data device is configured to awaken from an off-state of said data device.

36. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for assisting with performance of one or more fluid operations.

37. The system of claim 36, wherein said fluid operation includes at least one fluid change service operation.

38. The system of claim 36, wherein said fluid operation includes at least one fluid sampling service operation.

39. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for generating a label including at least one electronically readable bar code portion representing data associated with at least one said service operation performed on said inspected item.

40. The system of claim 39, further comprising said data device being configured for generating said label in association with at least one fluid operation performed on said inspected item.

41. The system of claim 40, wherein said label includes at least one bar code representing at least a portion of data collected in association with at least one of said fluid operations.

42. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said data screens of said data device includes a work order data screen.

43. The system of claim 1, further comprising said service administrator being configured to access data associated with a service interval of a prior service operation performed for said inspected item.

44. The system of claim 1, further comprising said service administrator being configured to increment a service interval for said inspected item based on said service operation performed for said inspected item.

45. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured to override a service interval determined by said service administrator for said service operation for said inspected item.

46. The system of claim 1, wherein at least one of said checklists includes one or more checklist items.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein at least one of said checklist items includes a default designation.

48. The system of claim 46, wherein at least one of said checklist items is configured on a “

less than or equal to”

basis with respect to a service interval associated with said checklist item.

49. The system of claim 46, further comprising at least one note operatively associated with at least one of said checklist items.

50. The system of claim 49, further comprising said data device being configured for displaying said note.

51. The system of claim 49, further comprising at least one hyperlink operatively associated with said note.

52. The system of claim 46, further comprising said data device being configured for generating a summary of any said checklist items including a recommend repair designation.

53. The system of claim 46, further comprising said data device being configured for generating a percentage complete status field based on means for comparing a number of currently uncompleted said checklist items to a total number of said checklist items.

54. The system of claim 46, further comprising said data device being configured for collecting time/date information on a per checklist item basis.

55. The system of claim 46, further comprising said data device being configured for recording a sequence of operation for completion of said checklist items.

56. The system of claim 46, further comprising said data device being configured for collecting time/date information associated with completion of said checklist items.

57. The system of claim 1, further comprising said service administrator being configured for selecting one or more samples required for at least one fluid operation performed for said inspected item and being further configured for displaying said required samples on said data device.

58. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured with at least one default set of choices for at least one fluid operation performed on said inspected item.

59. The system of claim 58, wherein said fluid operation includes at least one sampling operation.

60. The system of claim 58, wherein said fluid operation includes at least one fluid change operation.

61. The system of claim 1, further comprising said service administrator being configured for calculating an interval difference between at least two positive fluid change indications for fluid operations performed on said inspected item.

62. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for receiving at least one default setting in association with at least one fluid operation performed in association with said inspected item.

63. The system of claim 1, wherein said inspected item includes at least one machine and further comprising said data device being configured for at least one of adding at least one new machine and updating a profile of a machine.

64. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for translation of at least a portion of at least one of said checklists into at least one of a multiple of languages.

65. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured by said service administrator for translation of at least a portion of at least one of said checklists into at least one of a multiple of languages.

66. The system of claim 1, further comprising said data device being configured for storing at least one of time data, hourly rate data, mileage data or mileage charge data in association with performance of said service operation.