Identification, categorization, and integration of unplanned maintenance, repair and overhaul work on mechanical equipment

• US 8,788,312 B2
• Filed: 09/09/2008
• Issued: 07/22/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Wetzer, Michael, Garrow, Gary R., West, David P. II, Weir, Patrick E., Ashby, Gary, Newton, Charles P. III
• Primary Examiner(s): BOYCE, ANDRE D
• Application Number:
  US12/207,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006169A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,142 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.26
• US Class Current: 705/7.26
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0631 Resource planning, allocation, distributing or scheduling for enterprises or organisations
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063112 Skill-based matching of a person or a group to a task
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06313 Resource planning in a project environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06315 Needs-based resource requirements planning or analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

An automated interactive method dynamically identifies an unplanned maintenance task during execution of a planned maintenance task on equipment. A user device displays a maintenance menu system for data entry and access and provides an input relating to unplanned maintenance task discovered on the equipment. The unplanned maintenance task is associated with the planned maintenance task at least with respect to a location. The automated interactive method sequentially processes unplanned maintenance task information based on the input from the user device. The automated interactive method establishes and stores an unplanned maintenance task data record including a selected geographical location, a selected item, a selected work category, a selected task type, a selected task description, and selected component data of the unplanned maintenance task.

Claims

1. An automated interactive method for dynamically identifying an unplanned maintenance task during execution of a planned maintenance task on equipment and creating a corresponding unplanned maintenance task data record associated with the planned maintenance task, the method comprising:

displaying on a user device a maintenance menu system for data entry and access;

receiving from the user device a selected geographical location of unplanned maintenance work discovered on the equipment, the unplanned maintenance work comprising a first unplanned maintenance task associated with the selected geographical location and a second unplanned maintenance task not associated with the selected geographical location;

establishing, through a task pointer, a first path to the first unplanned maintenance task on the equipment;

establishing, through a location pointer, a second path through the selected geographical location to both the planned maintenance task and the first unplanned maintenance task;

displaying on the user device the first unplanned maintenance task and suppressing display of the second unplanned maintenance task;

receiving from the user device a selection specifying the first unplanned maintenance task at the selected geographical location of the equipment;

receiving from the user device a selected work category to assign to the first unplanned maintenance task;

receiving from the user device a selected task type to associate with the selected work category;

determining a task description corresponding to the selected task type;

acquiring component data for the first unplanned maintenance task; and

establishing and storing in a memory a resultant unplanned maintenance task data record comprising the selected geographical location, the selected work category, the selected task type, the task description, and the component data.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected work category specifies a maintenance field operable to distinguish between a mechanical field, an electrical field and a software field.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the selected work category specifies a physical region of the equipment.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying on the user device relevant entries for receiving the task description according to the selected task type; and

suppressing a display of irrelevant entries with respect to the selected task type.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring component data comprises:

reading a machine readable unique data code from the equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein acquiring component data comprises:

posing on the user device a tailored question to the selected task type.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

preparing an integrated schedule including the planned maintenance task and the first unplanned maintenance task by sequencing the first unplanned maintenance task into a planned work sequence; and

generating a work plan incorporating the integrated schedule.

8. An automated interactive system for dynamically identifying an unplanned maintenance task during execution of a planned maintenance task on equipment and creating a corresponding unplanned maintenance task data record associated with the planned maintenance task, the system comprising:

a user interface in communication with a wearable user device operable to display a maintenance menu system for data entry and access, the user interface operable to;

receive from the wearable user device a selected geographical location of unplanned maintenance work discovered on equipment wherein the unplanned maintenance work comprising a first unplanned maintenance task associated with the selected geographical location and a second unplanned maintenance task not associated with the selected geographical location;

receive from the wearable user device a selection specifying the first unplanned maintenance task at the selected geographical location of the equipment;

receive from the wearable user device a selected work category to assign to the first unplanned maintenance task;

receive from the wearable user device a selected task type to associate with the selected work category; and

acquire component data for the first unplanned maintenance task;

a storage device configured to store maintenance data in a plurality of databases comprising;

a planned work probable findings database configured to establish, through a task pointer, a first path to the first unplanned maintenance task on the equipment;

a planned work geography located database configured to establish through a location pointer, a second path through the selected geographical location to the planned maintenance task;

a geography definition database configured to establish through the location pointer, the second path through the selected geographical location to the first unplanned maintenance task;

a work description library database configured to identify the selected work category and the selected task type; and

a standard repair library database configured to store a standard method of repair and associated data and to identify a task description corresponding to the selected task type; and

a maintenance server in communication with the user interface and the storage device and operable to establish a resultant unplanned maintenance task data record comprising the selected geographical location, the selected work category, the selected task type, the task description, and the component data.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

a scheduler in communication with the maintenance server and operable to generate a work plan based on the planned maintenance task.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the scheduler is further operable to prepare an integrated schedule including the planned maintenance task and the first unplanned maintenance task by sequencing the first unplanned maintenance task into a planned work sequence and to generate a revised work plan incorporating the integrated schedule.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the maintenance server is operable to determine whether the resultant unplanned maintenance task data record can or cannot be developed based on linkages among the selected geographical location, the selected work category, the selected task type, the task description, and the component data.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein upon determination that the resultant unplanned maintenance task data record cannot be developed, the maintenance server is further operable to produce a transaction to a maintenance control area for further analysis or engineering assistance.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the maintenance server is operable to, through the user interface, pose on the wearable user device an initial tailored question corresponding to the selected type, and present an additional tailored question chosen based on a response received by the wearable user device to the initial tailored question.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the user interface is operable to present the tailored question to be viewed as a tree structure where a branch taken in the tree structure is dependent upon the response received from the wearable user device.

15. An automated interactive method for providing relevant maintenance information to a technician assigned to maintain equipment, the method comprising:

entering through a user interface unplanned maintenance work discovered while planned maintenance work is under way;

defining in a database contained on a storage medium a geographic location of the unplanned maintenance work by;

establishing in the database, through a task pointer, a first path to the unplanned maintenance work on the equipment;

establishing in the database, through a location pointer, a second path through the selected geographical location to both the planned maintenance work and the unplanned maintenance work;

selecting with a server comprising a processor and in communication with the user interface and the database a task paired with the geographic location of the unplanned maintenance work wherein once the geographic location is defined, a display of another task paired with a different geographic location is suppressed;

selecting with the server a work category of the selected task that shares resource allocated for the planned maintenance work;

selecting with the server a type of the selected task associated with the selected work category;

identifying with the server a task description corresponding to the selected type;

entering through the user interface component data for the unplanned maintenance work; and

establishing with a scheduler comprising a computer and in communication with the server a resultant unplanned maintenance work data record comprising the selected geographical location, the selected work category, the selected task type, the task description, and the component data.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

prompting to enter a required time for completion of the discovered unplanned maintenance work.

17. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

prompting to enter a need for evaluation of the unplanned maintenance work upon completion.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

prompting to enter a need for additional technicians or a need for a special technician comprising quality assurance personnel, a lead technician, or a lead mechanic for completion of the unplanned maintenance work.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

displaying information corresponding to the selected type as a tree structure where a branch taken in the tree structure is dependent upon data entered from a technician.

20. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

determining that a resultant unplanned maintenance task data record cannot be developed based on linkages among the geographical location, the selected task, the selected work category, the selected task type, the task description, and the component data; and

generating and sending a transaction to a maintenance control area for further analysis or engineering assistance of the unplanned maintenance work.