Barcode access to electronic resources for lifecycle tracking of complex system parts

• US 9,098,593 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2013
• Issued: 08/04/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Floyd, Joseph F., Hadley, Brent L., Eames, Patrick J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Sonji
• Application Number:
  US13/868,188
• Publication Number:
  US 20140312114A1
• Time in Patent Office: 833 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9554 by using bar codes

Abstract

A method is provided that includes locating a barcode applied to a part of a complex system. The barcode may encode links to respective system-related resources for the part, which may include software-based systems and/or electronic documents. At one or more instances during a lifecycle of the part, then, the method may include scanning the barcode, and decoding the links from the barcode. The method may include displaying the links in a graphical user interface, and affecting navigation of at least one of the links through the graphical user interface to access a respective at least one of the system-related resources for the respective part.

Claims

1. A system for access to electronic resources for lifecycle tracking of complex-system parts, the system comprising:

a barcode scanner configured to scan a barcode applied to a part of a complex system, the barcode encoding a plurality of links to respective system-related resources for the part, the system-related resources including at least one of software-based systems or electronic documents, the barcode scanner being configured to decode the plurality of links from the barcode, wherein the plurality of links encoded by the barcode are standard links; and

a front-end engine configured to retrieve other, custom links to system-related resources for the complex-system part, the custom links being distinct from the standard links encoded by the barcode, the front-end engine being configured to generate and cause display of a portal in a graphical user interface, the portal including the plurality of links decoded from the barcode, the portal identifying the complex-system part, and including both standard links and custom links, the front-end engine being configured to affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links through the portal to access a respective at least one of the system-related resources for the respective part,

wherein the portal further includes a user interface control through which an indication of removal of the part is receivable, the indication being of removal of the part from the complex system on which the part is installed for at least some period of time, the user interface control linking to a software-based maintenance system through which one or more technical records for the part are updateable, and

wherein the barcode scanner is configured to scan the barcode and decode the plurality of links, and the front-end engine is configured to generate and cause display of the portal including the plurality of links, and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, at one or more instances during a lifecycle of the part.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the barcode scanner is configured to scan the barcode generated and applied to the part during pre-production, production or post-production of the complex system.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of a design record, manufacturing record, receiving record, installation instructions and record, rework record or testing record, and

wherein the barcode scanner is configured to scan the barcode and decode the plurality of links, and the front-end engine is configured to generate and cause display of the portal including the plurality of links, and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, during production of the complex system.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of a maintenance record or repair record,

wherein the barcode scanner is configured to scan the barcode and decode the plurality of links, and the front-end engine is configured to generate and cause display of the portal including the plurality of links, and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, during maintenance or service of the complex system, and

wherein the front-end engine is configured to affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links to access and enable an update to the at least one of the maintenance record or repair record consistent with maintenance and service activities performed on the complex system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of an illustrated parts catalog, part information system, spare-part management system or part supplier system,

wherein the barcode scanner is configured to scan the barcode and decode the plurality of links, and the front-end engine is configured to generate and cause display of the portal including the plurality of links, and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, during maintenance or service of the complex system, and

wherein the front-end engine is configured to affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links to enable determination of an availability of a replacement or spare part, or a suitable substitute part, for the part to which the barcode is applied.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of a maintenance record or repair record for the part,

wherein the barcode scanner is configured to scan the barcode and decode the plurality of links, and the front-end engine is configured to generate and cause display of the portal including the plurality of links, and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, after removal of the part from the complex system on which the part is installed for at least some period of time, and

wherein the front-end engine is configured to affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links to access and enable an update to the at least one of the maintenance record or repair record consistent with maintenance and service activities performed on the part after removal of the part from the complex system.

7. A method comprising:

locating a barcode applied to a part of a complex system, the barcode encoding a plurality of links to respective system-related resources for the part, the system-related resources including at least one of software-based systems or electronic documents; and

at one or more instances during a lifecycle of the part,

scanning the barcode, and decoding the plurality of links from the barcode, wherein the plurality of links encoded by the barcode are standard links;

retrieving other, custom links to system-related resources for the complex-system part, the custom links being distinct from the standard links encoded by the barcode;

generating and displaying a portal in a graphical user interface, the portal including the plurality of links decoded from the barcode, the portal identifying the complex-system part, and including both standard links and custom links; and

affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links through the portal to access a respective at least one of the system-related resources for the respective part,

wherein the portal further includes a user interface control through which an indication of removal of the part is receivable, the indication being of removal of the part from the complex system on which the part is installed for at least some period of time, the user interface control linking to a software-based maintenance system through which one or more technical records for the part are updateable.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

generating and applying the barcode to the part during pre-production, production or post-production of the complex system.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of a design record, manufacturing record, receiving record, installation instructions and record, rework record or testing record, and

wherein scanning the barcode, decoding the plurality of links, generating and displaying the portal including plurality of links, and affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, occur during production of the complex system.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of a maintenance record or repair record,

wherein scanning the barcode, decoding the plurality of links, generating and displaying the portal including the plurality of links, and affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, occur during maintenance or service of the complex system, and

wherein affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links includes affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links to access and enable an update to the at least one of the maintenance record or repair record consistent with maintenance and service activities performed on the complex system.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of an illustrated parts catalog, part information system, spare-part management system or part supplier system,

wherein scanning the barcode, decoding the plurality of links, generating and displaying the portal including the plurality of links, and affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, occur during maintenance or service of the complex system, and

wherein affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links includes affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links to enable determination of an availability of a replacement or spare part, or a suitable substitute part, for the part to which the barcode is applied.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of a maintenance record or repair record for the part,

wherein scanning the barcode, decoding the plurality of links, generating and displaying the portal including the plurality of links, and affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, occur after removal of the part from the complex system on which the part is installed for at least some period of time, and

wherein affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links includes affecting navigation of at least one of the plurality of links to access and enable an update to the at least one of the maintenance record or repair record consistent with maintenance and service activities performed on the part after removal of the part from the complex system.

13. A computer-readable storage medium that is non-transitory and has computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by a processor, cause an apparatus to at least:

decode a plurality of links from a barcode applied to a part of a complex system, the barcode encoding the plurality of links to respective system-related resources for the part, the system-related resources including at least one of software-based systems or electronic documents, wherein the plurality of links encoded by the barcode are standard links;

retrieve other, custom links to system-related resources for the complex-system part, the custom links being distinct from the standard links encoded by the barcode;

generate and display a portal in a graphical user interface, the portal including the plurality of links decoded from the barcode, the portal identifying the complex-system part, and including both standard links and custom links; and

affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links through the portal to access a respective at least one of the system-related resources for the respective part,

wherein the portal further includes a user interface control through which an indication of removal of the part is receivable, the indication being of removal of the part from the complex system on which the part is installed for at least some period of time, the user interface control linking to a software-based maintenance system through which one or more technical records for the part are updateable, and

wherein the apparatus is caused to decode the plurality of links, generate and display the portal including the plurality of links, and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, at one or more instances during a lifecycle of the part.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the apparatus is caused to decode the plurality of links from the barcode generated and applied to the part during pre-production, production or post-production of the complex system.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of a design record, manufacturing record, receiving record, installation instructions and record, rework record or testing record, and

wherein the apparatus is caused to decode the plurality of links, generate and display the portal including the plurality of links and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, during production of the complex system.

16. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of a maintenance record or repair record,

wherein the apparatus is caused to decode the plurality of links, generate and display the portal including the plurality of links, and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, during maintenance or service of the complex system, and

wherein the apparatus is caused to affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links to access and enable an update to the at least one of the maintenance record or repair record consistent with maintenance and service activities performed on the complex system.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of an illustrated parts catalog, part information system, spare-part management system or part supplier system,

wherein the apparatus is caused to decode the plurality of links, generate and display the portal including the plurality of links, and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, during maintenance or service of the complex system, and

wherein the apparatus is caused to affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links to enable determination of an availability of a replacement or spare part, or a suitable substitute part, for the part to which the barcode is applied.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the system-related resources include at least one of a maintenance record or repair record for the part,

wherein the apparatus is caused to decode the plurality of links, generate and display the portal including the plurality of links, and affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links, after removal of the part from the complex system on which the part is installed for at least some period of time, and

wherein the apparatus is caused to affect navigation of at least one of the plurality of links to access and enable an update to the at least one of the maintenance record or repair record consistent with maintenance and service activities performed on the part after removal of the part from the complex system.