Computer based interactive defect reporting system for the paperless reporting of problems in a vehicle forming part of a fleet

• US 6,345,257 B1
• Filed: 12/14/1998
• Issued: 02/05/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Government of the United States of America)
• Original Assignee: National Railroad Passenger Corporation (Government of the United States of America)
• Inventors: Jarrett, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Millin, Vincent
• Assistant Examiner(s): AKERS, GEOFFREY R
• Application Number:
  US09/210,481
• Time in Patent Office: 1,149 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 701/29, 701/35, 702/183, 702/184
• US Class Current: 705/305
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/50 Trackside diagnosis or maintenance, e.g. software upgrades
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

An interactive defect reporting system is designed to handle enroute equipment problems and repairs in a paperless process that enables on-board personnel to report equipment problems using a phone. After calling the system, the on-board personnel describes the, problem in their own words in as much detail as necessary. The computerized reporting system assigns a unique Trouble Ticket number to the report and all subsequent repairs. Mechanics listen to the Trouble Tickets or have transcribed copies faxed to their facilities. Trouble Tickets are also immediately available to all downline maintenance facilities so that mechanics can prepared for problems on a train well in advance of its arrival. Once a problem is fixed, the mechanics called in the repair and describe in detail what was done to fix the problem. On-board personnel can listen to the repairs or request a fax copy of the Trouble Ticket. The system updates an existing nationwide master system that contains all information pertaining to trains within the fleet so that any one with access to the master system can also access the Trouble Tickets and repair histories therefor. The interactive defect reporting system also has the capability of updating the nationwide master system with repair codes and equipment problem histories for auditing purposes.

Claims

1. A method for reporting defects and tracking repairs in one or more vehicles, comprising the steps of:

(a) reporting a problem to an interactive computer based system by an on-board crew member accessing the system by utilizing a phone;

(b) storing the problem on the system as a voice message;

(c) providing advance notification to a maintenance facility towards which said vehicle is enroute

(d) facilitating repair of the reported problem by enabling repair personnel to obtain a description of the problem by accessing at least one of (1) the voice message describing the problem; and

(2) a transcription of said voice message; and

(e) reporting the successful repair or other disposition of the problem to said interactive computer based system by said repair personnel or an authorized representative thereof utilizing a phone.

2. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of assigning the reported problem a Trouble Ticket number.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein advance notification in accordance with claim 1, step (c) is provided by faxing a text message automatically generated by said computer based system to the downline facility, said text message including the Trouble Ticket number, vehicle identification information, and the date and time the problem was reported.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein said text message is faxed within a short predetermined time interval.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said predetermined time interval is less than ten minutes.

6. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of said interactive computer based system including a browser display and interface enabling an authorized user of said system, inclusive of said on-board crew member and repair personnel, to access information associated with said problem and repair status via computer.

7. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of enabling users of said computer based system, inclusive of said on-board crew member and repair personnel to interrogate the system and obtain a facsimile of information associated with said problem which is automatically faxed by said computer.

8. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of utilizing said interactive computer based system to update the computer data base on a predetermined or periodic basis to reflect the current maintenance facility to which said vehicle is enroute after said problem has been reported.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein said computer based system updates the location of said vehicle and the maintenance facility towards which said vehicle is enroute by accessing a computerized master system containing fleet information of which fleet said vehicle is a part of and current and future time table information tracking the present and further locations of said vehicle.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein said master computerized system is the ARROW system.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein said computer based system identifies a future train to which said vehicle is or will be a part of.

12. The method of claim 6, comprising the further step of enabling the user to access, via the Browser display, information indicative of ticket numbers representative of open tickets.

13. The method of claim 6, comprising the further step of enabling the user to access, via the Browser display, information indicative of ticket numbers representative of updated tickets.

14. The method of claim 6, comprising the further step of enabling the user to access, via the Browser display, information indicative of ticket numbers representative of closed tickets.

15. The method of claim 6, comprising the further step of providing a drop-down menu in the Browser display to enable the user to select one of all repair facilities intended to receive vehicles.

16. The method of claim 15, comprising the further step of enabling the user to select one of said facilities and have the Browser display indicate all open and updated tickets representative of vehicles to which said facility is a downline facility to which trains containing cars associated with said ticket numbers are enroute.

17. The method of claim 6, wherein said user can selectively search for one or more specific ticket numbers by clicking an appropriate button on the Browser display.

18. The method of claim 6, comprising the further step of enabling a user to browse for all tickets relating to a specific one of said vehicles.

19. The method of claim 6, comprising the further step of enabling the user to browse specific ticket numbers generated on a selected date or other time interval.

20. The method of claim 6, comprising the further step of enabling the user to listen to the problem in the reporting crew member'"'"'s own words or listen to the repair of the problem in the repairman'"'"'s own words.

21. The method of claim 6, comprising the further step of enabling the user to click a MAP button on the display to generate a map of a geographic area in which the total number of open tickets is displayed in association with a geographic representation of repair facilities to which vehicles associated with said open tickets are enroute.

22. The method of claim 21, comprising the further step of enabling the user to visualize open tickets associated with one of said visually represented downline facilities.

23. The method of claim 9, comprising the step of automatically updating, on a predetermined periodic interval, the identification of downline facilities to which cars having open or updated tickets are enroute.

24. The method of claim 23, comprising the further step of manually updating this information by depressing a START button icon appearing in a computer screen containing a Redirect program icon.

25. The method of claim 1, comprising the further step of providing a transcription clerk with a computer screen visual representation of ticket numbers containing one of problems and repairs in need of transcription.

26. The method of claim 25, comprising the further step of providing the transcription clerk with another computer screen containing a plurality of buttons which the transcription clerk can actuate to hear the message as well as rewind, fast forward, and pause the message as desired by said transcription clerk.

27. The method of claim 26, comprising the further step of providing the transcription clerk with a display area on the computer screen on which the transcribed text is displayed.

28. The method of claim 27, comprising the further step of providing the transcription clerk with a computer screen containing coding information, displayed adjacent the transcribed information indicative of transcribed repairs, to enable said transcription clerk to selectively identify a coding description which is representative of the repair being made.

29. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicles are railway cars and railway locomotives.

30. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicles are passenger aircraft.

31. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicles are cargo aircraft.

32. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicles are passenger buses.

33. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicles are automotive trucks.

34. A system for reporting defects and tracking repairs in one or more vehicles, comprising:

(a) computerized data base system accessible by telephony;

(b) means, interactive with said computerized data base system, for storing a voice message containing information reporting a defect in said vehicle;

(c) means, interactive with said data base system, for storing a voice message indicative of a repair of the problem reported by said voice message; and

(d) means, interactive with said computerized data base system, for enabling authorized users of said system to selectively listen to at least one of said voice message problems and voice message repairs.