Methods and systems for managing part replacement

• US 8,630,918 B1
• Filed: 07/18/2011
• Issued: 01/14/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Krechel, William E., Owens, Kenneth G., Brintrup, Alexandra, Sanchez-Lopez, Tomas, McFarlane, Duncan, Harrison, Mark G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rosen, Nicholas D
• Application Number:
  US13/185,010
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 705/26.1, 705/26.5, 700/95, 700/97
• US Class Current: 705/26.5
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Methods and systems for use in managing part replacement associated with a manufactured product. A part agent, executed by a computing system and associated with a current part installed in the manufactured product, provides a replacement notification to an ordering manager agent executed by the computing system and associated with the current part. The replacement notification indicates that a replacement of the current part is desired. The ordering manager agent determines that the current part is associated with a configuration change that represents a substitution of a new part for the current part. The ordering manager agent provides the configuration change to the part agent. The part agent orders the new part via the ordering manager agent based on the configuration change.

Claims

1. A method for use in managing part replacement associated with a manufactured product, said method comprising:

providing, by a part agent executed by a computing system and associated with a current part installed in the manufactured product, a replacement notification to an ordering manager agent executed by the computing system and associated with the current part, wherein the replacement notification indicates that a replacement of the current part is desired;

determining, by the ordering manager agent, that the current part is associated with a configuration change that represents a substitution of a new part for the current part;

providing, by the ordering manager agent, the configuration change to the part agent; and

ordering, by the part agent, the new part via the ordering manager agent based on the configuration change.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the ordering manager agent determines that the current part is associated with a configuration change at least in part by determining that the manufactured product is associated with a configuration change that represents a substitution of a plurality of new parts for a plurality of current parts that are installed in the manufactured product.

3. A method in accordance with claim 2, further comprising:

providing, by the ordering manager agent, the configuration change to a plurality of part agents associated with the plurality of current parts; and

ordering, by each part agent of the plurality of part agents, the new part that is substituted for the current part associated with the part agent.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the part agent orders the new part based at least in part on a determination that the new part is not already ordered.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising determining, by the part agent, that the replacement of the current part is desired.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the part agent determines that the replacement of the current part is desired based at least in part on a failure of the current part.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the part agent determines that the replacement of the current part is desired based at least in part on at least one of a predicted life of the current part and an expiry associated with the current part.

8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the ordering manager agent determines that the current part is associated with a configuration change at least in part by querying a part configuration database that includes a desired configuration associated with the manufactured product, wherein the desired configuration includes a specification of parts.

9. A system for use in managing part replacement associated with a manufactured product, said system comprising:

a storage device configured to store a configuration database that includes a desired configuration associated with a manufactured product, wherein the desired configuration includes a specification of parts;

a processor unit coupled in communication with said storage device, wherein said processor unit is programmed to;

provide, by a part agent associated with a current part installed in the manufactured product, a replacement notification to an ordering manager agent associated with the current part, wherein the replacement notification indicates that a replacement of the current part is desired;

determine, by the ordering manager agent, that the current part is associated with a configuration change that represents a substitution of a new part for the current part based on the specification of parts in the configuration database;

provide, by the ordering manager agent, the configuration change to the part agent; and

order, by the part agent, the new part via the ordering manager agent based on the configuration change.

10. A system in accordance with claim 9, wherein the ordering manager agent determines that the current part is associated with a configuration change at least in part by determining that the manufactured product is associated with a configuration change that represents a substitution of a plurality of new parts for a plurality of current parts that are installed in the manufactured product.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, further comprising:

providing, by the ordering manager agent, the configuration change to a plurality of part agents associated with the plurality of current parts; and

ordering, by each part agent of the plurality of part agents, the new part that is substituted for the current part associated with the part agent.

12. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the part agent orders the new part based at least in part on a determination that the new part is not already ordered.

13. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein said processor unit is further programmed to determine, by the part agent, that the replacement of the current part is desired based at least in part on at least one of a failure of the current part, a predicted life of the current part, and an expiry associated with the current part.

14. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having computer-executable components embodied thereon, said computer-executable components comprising:

a part agent that when executed by at least one processor unit causes the processor unit to;

provide a replacement notification to an ordering manager agent associated with the current part, wherein the replacement notification indicates that a replacement of the current part is desired; and

an ordering manager agent that when executed by at least one processor unit causes the processor unit to;

determine that the current part is associated with a configuration change that represents a substitution of a new part for the current part;

provide the configuration change to the part agent; and

order the new part in response to an order request by the part agent.

15. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media in accordance with claim 14, wherein said ordering manager agent causes the processor unit to determine that the current part is associated with a configuration change at least in part by determining that the manufactured product is associated with a configuration change that represents a substitution of a plurality of new parts for a plurality of current parts that are installed in the manufactured product.

16. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media in accordance with claim 15, wherein said ordering manager agent further causes the processor unit to provide the configuration change to a plurality of part agent components associated with the plurality of current parts, wherein each part agent of the plurality of part agents orders the new part that is substituted for the current part associated with the part agent.

17. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media in accordance with claim 14, wherein said part agent further causes the processor unit to order the new part based at least in part on a determination that the new part is not already ordered.

18. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media in accordance with claim 14, wherein said part agent further causes the processor unit to determine that the replacement of the current part is desired.

19. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media in accordance with claim 18, wherein said part agent causes the processor unit to determine that the replacement of the current part is desired based at least in part on a failure of the current part.

20. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media in accordance with claim 18, wherein said part agent causes the processor unit to determine that the replacement of the current part is desired based at least in part on at least one of a predicted life of the current part and an expiry associated with the current part.