System, process and computer program product for issue communication and facilitating issue resolution

• US 8,565,937 B2
• Filed: 04/04/2002
• Issued: 10/22/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Blankenstein, Craig W., Cowan, Michael N., Lloyd, Timothy S., May, Timothy I., McCutchon, William P., Noble, Gary P., Taylor, Bradley J., Williams, Janice L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shafi, Muhammad
• Application Number:
  US10/116,312
• Publication Number:
  US 20020116346A1
• Time in Patent Office: 4,219 Days
• Field of Search: 345/1.3, 707/3, 707/694, 707/697, 705/8, 705/26, 705/26.44, 705/26.41, 705/302, 715/744, 715/533, 709/206, 709/223, 701/3
• US Class Current: 701/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/188 Electronic negotiation

Abstract

A system for communicating issues and facilitating resolution of the issues, wherein the issues affect a plurality of similar complex systems, the system being implemented over a computer network and comprising at least one first computer device, a second computer device and a third computer device, all of which are configured to be in communication with the computer network. The first computer devices are adapted to be used by at least one customer, and the second computer device is adapted to be used by an originating entity. The third computer device is configured to maintain a discussion-capable electronic media accessible to the first and second computer devices over the computer network. The electronic media is configured to have a plurality of issues and a plurality of comments posted thereon to facilitate resolving the issue.

Claims

1. A process of communicating issues and facilitating resolution of the issues administered by an originating entity, wherein the issues affect a plurality of similar complex systems which comprise aircraft, the process comprising:

receiving an issue comprising a safety issue and at least one comment corresponding to the issue, wherein at least one of the issue or at least one comment is received from an originating entity comprising an aircraft a manufacturer of at least one system in the plurality of systems;

posting the issue and the at least one comment on a discussion-capable electronic media accessible to the originating entity and a plurality of customers in possession of a system in the plurality of systems over a network, the electronic media being configured to have a plurality of issues and a plurality of comments posted thereon;

developing a proposed corrective action to the issue at least partially based upon the comments posted on the discussion-capable electronic media;

allowing a regulatory entity to review the proposed corrective action to thereby facilitate resolving the issue; and

closing the issue following lapse of at least a predetermined amount of time after developing the proposed corrective action to the issue.

2. The process according to claim 1, wherein the process is implemented over a computer network, wherein posting comprises posting the issue and the at least one comment on the discussion-capable electronic media accessible to at least one first computer device or a second computer device over the computer network, wherein each first computer device is adapted to be used by a customer in possession of a system in the plurality of systems, and wherein the second computer device is adapted to be used by the originating entity.

3. The process according to claim 2, wherein receiving comprises receiving an issue and at least one comment over the computer network from at least one of at least one first computer device or the second computer device.

4. The process according to claim 2, wherein posting comprises posting the issue and the at least one comment on the discussion-capable electronic media accessible to at least one first computer device, the second computer device and a third computer device over the computer network, the third computer device being adapted to be used by a resolution facilitating entity.

5. The process according to claim 1 further comprising posting the proposed corrective action to the discussion-capable electronic media after developing the proposed corrective action.

6. A system for communicating issues and facilitating resolution of the issues comprise safety issues and affect a plurality of similar complex systems which comprise aircraft, the system being implemented over a computer network and comprising:

at least one first computer device adapted to be used by at least one customer and configured to be in communication with the computer network;

a second computer device adapted to be used by an originating entity and configured to be in communication with the computer network, wherein the originating entity comprises a manufacturer of at least one system in the plurality of systems; and

a third computer device configured to be in communication with said first and second computer devices over the computer network, said third computer device configured to maintain a discussion-capable electronic media accessible to said first and second computer devices over the computer network, the electronic media being configured to have a plurality of issues and a plurality of comments posted thereon, wherein said third computer device comprises;

a first processing portion configured to post an issue and at least one comment corresponding to issue on the discussion-capable electronic media, at least one of the issue or at least one comment having been received from the originating entity via said second computer device, wherein said second computer device has access to the discussion-capable electronic media to thereby aid the originating entity in developing a proposed corrective action to the issue at least partially based upon comments posted on the discussion-capable electronic media such that a regulatory entity can review the proposed corrective action to thereby facilitate resolving the issue; and

a second processing portion configured to facilitate closing the issue following lapse of at least a predetermined amount of time after the originating entity develops the proposed corrective action to the issue.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said third computer device further comprises a third processing portion configured receive the issue and the at least one comment corresponding to the issue from at least one of at least one first computer device or said second computer device over the computer network, wherein said third processing portion is configured to receive the issue and the at least one comment corresponding to the issue before said first processing portion posts at least one of the issue or the comment.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said third computer device further comprises a fourth processing portion configured to post the proposed corrective action on the discussion-capable electronic media after said first processing portion posts the issue and the at least one comment.

9. The system according to claim 6 further comprising a fourth computer device adapted to be used by a resolution facilitating entity and configured to be in communication with a computer network, wherein said third computer device is further configured to be in communication with said fourth computer device over the computer network, wherein the discussion-capable electronic media is further accessible to said fourth computer device over the computer network, and wherein at least one of said second computer device or said fourth computer device has access to the discussion-capable electronic media to thereby aid at least one of the originating entity or the resolution facilitating entity in developing the proposed corrective action to the issue.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said third computer device is embodied in at least one of the first computer device, the second computer device or the fourth computer device.

11. The system according to claim 6, wherein the originating entity comprises a manufacturer of the plurality of similar complex systems.

12. A non-transitory computer program product for communicating issues and facilitating resolution of the issues administered by an originating entity, wherein the issues affect a plurality of similar complex systems which comprise aircraft, the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code embodied in said medium, the computer-readable program code comprising:

a first executable portion for receiving an issue comprising a safety issue and at least one comment corresponding to the issue, wherein at least one of the issue or at least one comment is received from an originating entity comprising an aircraft manufacturer of at least one system in the plurality of systems;

a second executable portion for posting the issue and the at least one comment on a discussion-capable electronic media accessible to the originating entity and a plurality of customers in possession of a system in the plurality of systems over a network, the electronic media being configured to have a plurality of issues and a plurality of comments posted thereon, wherein originating entity has access to the discussion-capable electronic media to aid the originating entity in developing a proposed corrective action to the issue at least partially based upon comments posted on the discussion-capable electronic media such that a regulatory entity can review the proposed corrective action to thereby facilitate resolving the issue; and

a third executable portion for closing the issue following lapse of at least a predetermined amount of time after the originating entity develops the proposed corrective action to the issue.

13. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 12, wherein the computer program product is implemented over a computer network, wherein said second executable portion posts the issue and the at least one comment on the discussion-capable electronic media accessible to at least one first computer device and a second computer device over the computer network, wherein each computer device is adapted to be used by a customer in possession of a system in the plurality of systems, and wherein the second computer device is adapted to be used by the originating entity.

14. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said first executable portion receives an issue and at least one comment over the computer network from at least one of at least one first computer device or the second computer device.

15. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 13, wherein said second executable portion posts the issue and the at least one comment on the discussion-capable electronic media accessible to at least one first computer device, the second computer device and a third computer device over the computer network, the third computer device being adapted to be used by a resolution facilitating entity.

16. The non-transitory computer program product according to claim 12 further comprising a fourth executable portion for posting the proposed corrective action to the discussion-capable electronic media after the originating entity develops the proposed corrective action to the issue.