System. apparatus, and method for interfacing workflow instructions

• US 9,058,815 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2012
• Issued: 06/16/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Digital Holdings LLC (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Pratt, Gary Lawrence, Johnston, Judy Ann
• Primary Examiner(s): Chevalier, Robert
• Application Number:
  US13/690,499
• Publication Number:
  US 20140152816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 348/143, 348/147, 348/135, 704/200, 704/233, 704/270, 704/270.1, 704/275
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 13/08 Text analysis or generation of parameters for speech synthesis out of text, e.g. grapheme to phoneme translation, prosody generation or stress or intonation determination
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/26 Speech to text systems G10L15/08 takes precedence

Abstract

A system, method, and apparatus for interfacing an operating management system with an operator is provided. The system provides a processor configured to execute workflow instructions; and an operator device in communication with the processor. The processor is configured to execute commands which convert the workflow instructions from a text command into an audible command and transmit the audible command to the operator device and the operator device is configured to receive the audible command, and is further configured to transmit an operator response to the processor.

Claims

1. A system for interfacing an operating management system with an operator, the system comprising:

a processor configured to execute workflow instructions; and

an operator device in communication with the processor, the operator device being a headset comprising a microphone, a camera, and a wireless receiver for communicative coupling with the processor;

wherein the processor is further configured to execute commands which convert the workflow instructions from a text command into an audible command and transmit the audible command to the operator device;

wherein the operator device is configured to receive the audible command via the microphone, and is further configured to transmit an operator response to the processor via the wireless receiver either directly or through the network; and

wherein the camera is configured to capture images of at least a workflow step, and configured to send the images to the processor for archiving.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a network in communication with the processor and the operator device, wherein the network is configured to transfer the audible workflow instructions from the processor to the operator device in real-time.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is disposed in a computer processing unit, the computer processing unit comprising:

random access memory and read only memory having preloaded software, wherein the preloaded software comprises;

text to speech software;

speech to text software; and

manufacturing workflow software.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the workflow software comprises the workflow instruction, and wherein the workflow instructions comprise a series of consecutive workflow instructions transmittable by the processor in series.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured to, between each of the series of workflow instructions, await a response from the operator device, and if received, transmit a next workflow instruction in the series of workflow instructions.

6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface in communication with the processor and configured to graphically display the workflow commands.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the headset further comprises:

operator device control touch controls; and

a monocular, semi-transparent, or wearable retina image display (RID) eye-glass monitor configured to provide the operator with visual workflow instructions and supplemental visual information.

8. An operator device for interfacing an operating management system with an operator, the device comprising:

a processor configured to execute workflow instructions wherein the process comprises

text to speech software;

speech to text software;

manufacturing workflow software;

recording and playback software;

an acoustic transducer in communication with the processor; and

a camera configured to capture images of at least a workflow step of the workflow instructions, and configured to send the images to the processor for archiving and perform computerized inspection;

wherein the processor is further configured to execute commands which convert the workflow instructions from a text command into an audible command and transmit the audible command to the operator; and

wherein the acoustic transducer is configured to receive an audible operator response and transmit the operator response to the processor for conversion to text.

9. The operator device of claim 8, wherein the operator device is configured to transmit the text over a network to a central processing unit.

11. The operator device of claim 8, further comprising:

operator device control touch controls; and

a monocular, semi-transparent, wearable retina image display (RID) eye-glass monitor configured to provide the operator with visual workflow instructions and supplemental visual information.

10. The operator device 8, wherein the operator device comprises a headset to be worn by the operator, the headset comprising:

a microphone configured to collect the operator response;

a speaker configured to communicate an auditory response to the operator; and

a wireless receiver for communicative coupling with the processor and configured to transmit the operator response to the processor either directly or through the network.