Online tracking of life-limited parts
First Claim
1. A computer-based method comprising:
- receiving, at a server of a first entity, a query referencing a life-limited part;
responsive to receiving the query, searching a database for lifetime information associated with the life-limited part, the lifetime information being provided by at least a second entity throughout a lifetime of the life-limited part;
receiving, at the server, the lifetime information associated with the life-limited part; and
integrating, at the server, the lifetime information into a report providing a comprehensive history of the life-limited part for the lifetime of the life-limited part;
wherein the comprehensive history of the life-limited part comprises information associated with any actions taken over the lifetime of the life-limited part that correspond to at least one of the followingstorage of the life-limited part for any period of time during the lifetime of the life-limited part,installation of the life-limited part into a vehicle for any period of time during the lifetime of the life-limited part,association or assembly of the life-limited part with another life-limited part for any period of time during the lifetime of the life-limited part,services related to repairing, reconditioning or refurbishing the life-limited part, andregulatory directives affecting the life-limited part.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
This application describes tools for online tracking of life-limited parts. These tools may support methods that include receiving queries, and searching databases in response to the queries. These methods may integrate results of the searches into reports that provide comprehensive histories of life-limited parts for installation within vehicles, and may report these integrated results. To build these databases, other methods may receive information relating to the life-limited parts from a variety of sources, load the information into suitable databases, and integrate this information as provided by the various sources. Other methods may also evaluate whether the parts have any permitted life remaining. These tools may also provide databases that store serial numbers associated with the parts, store physical locations of the parts at various times, indicate who owned the parts at different times, and include remaining life records that indicate any permitted life remaining for the parts.
26 Citations
23 Claims
-
1. A computer-based method comprising:
-
receiving, at a server of a first entity, a query referencing a life-limited part; responsive to receiving the query, searching a database for lifetime information associated with the life-limited part, the lifetime information being provided by at least a second entity throughout a lifetime of the life-limited part; receiving, at the server, the lifetime information associated with the life-limited part; and integrating, at the server, the lifetime information into a report providing a comprehensive history of the life-limited part for the lifetime of the life-limited part; wherein the comprehensive history of the life-limited part comprises information associated with any actions taken over the lifetime of the life-limited part that correspond to at least one of the following storage of the life-limited part for any period of time during the lifetime of the life-limited part, installation of the life-limited part into a vehicle for any period of time during the lifetime of the life-limited part, association or assembly of the life-limited part with another life-limited part for any period of time during the lifetime of the life-limited part, services related to repairing, reconditioning or refurbishing the life-limited part, and regulatory directives affecting the life-limited part. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A computer-based method comprising:
-
receiving, via a computer, from a first source, a first instance of information relating to a life-limited part; receiving, via the computer, from at least a second source, at least a second instance of information relating to the life-limited part, wherein at least one of the first instance of information and the second instance of information provides a comprehensive history of the life-limited part throughout a lifetime of the life-limited part; loading the first instance of information and the second instance of information for the life-limited part into a database; integrating the first instance of information and the second instance of information within the database forming integrated information; calculating, via the computer, a permitted life remaining for the life-limited part based upon an in-service date record for the life-limited part and a maximum permitted life record for the life-limited part, the integrated information comprising the in-service date record and the maximum permitted life record; evaluating, via the computer, the permitted life remaining for the life-limited part to determine whether the life-limited part has any permitted life remaining; and upon evaluating that the life-limited part does not have any permitted life remaining, designating the life-limited part for scrap. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A computer-readable storage medium containing a database for tracking information related to a life-limited part, the database comprising:
-
a serial number record for indicating a serial number associated with the life-limited part; a location history record for indicating a geographical location where the life-limited part was located at a time; an owner history record for indicating an owner associated with the life-limited part; an in-service date record for the life-limited part; a maximum permitted life record for the life-limited part; and a remaining life record for indicating whether the life-limited part has any permitted life remaining, the remaining life record being calculated from the in-service date record and the maximum permitted life record. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23)
-
Specification