Method and system for servicing a selected piece of equipment having unique system configurations and servicing requirements

• US 6,810,406 B2
• Filed: 04/20/2001
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Global Sourcing LLC (Westinghouse Air Brake Technologies Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Schlabach, James Edward, Zuberi, Nabeel Ahmed
• Primary Examiner(s): Alam, Shahid
• Assistant Examiner(s): FLEURANTIN, JEAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/839,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20020059270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1-10, 707/100-104, 707/200-206, 700/2, 700/108-111, 700/80, 700/97, 700/100, 702/183-185, 705/8-9
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B61L 27/57 for vehicles or trains, e.g. trackside supervision of train conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99952 Coherency, e.g. same view to multiple users

Abstract

Computerized method and system for servicing a selected piece of equipment made up of a plurality of systems and subject to unique system configurations and servicing requirements are provided. The method allows to respectively provide a database including detailed system configuration data regarding a selected piece of equipment, and a database including service modules for facilitating the servicing of equipment of a group of equipment that includes a selected piece of equipment. The method further allows to provide a respective identifier for uniquely identifying any selected equipment, and an input/output device to communicate with the databases. Respective accessing steps allow to access the database having configuration data to interface with the detailed system configuration data, and the database having the service modules to interface with at least one of the service modules. Configuration data about the selected equipment, using the respective identifier for the equipment, is communicated from the database including detailed system configuration data to the input/output device, wherein service personnel at a service site may access the detailed configuration data to select a service action appropriate for the system configuration of the selected piece of equipment, and may access a service module for the system configuration of the selected piece of equipment to facilitate taking such service action.

Claims

1. A computerized method for communicating information to service personnel for on-site servicing of a selected piece of equipment from a group of generally similar pieces of equipment, with said selected piece of equipment being made up of a plurality of systems and subject to unique system configurations and servicing requirements, said method comprising:

providing a first database including detailed system configuration data regarding a selected piece of equipment;

providing a second database including at least one service module for said system configurations for facilitating the servicing of the selected piece of equipment;

providing a respective identifier for uniquely identifying the selected equipment from among the group of generally similar pieces of equipment;

providing a portable input/output device for service personnel to communicate remotely with said databases from a location adjacent the selected piece of equipment to be serviced via a wireless communication connection;

accessing the first database through the portable input/output device by communicating information indicative of the respective identifier to the first database for the selected piece of equipment through the portable input/output device;

accessing the second database through the portable input/output device by communicating information indicative of the respective identifier for the selected piece of equipment to the second database through the portable input/output device; and

communicating via a wireless communication to said service personnel adjacent the selected piece of equipment through the input/output device configuration data about the selected piece of equipment from the first database to select a service action appropriate for the system configuration of the selected piece of equipment, and communicating a service module for the system configuration of the selected piece of equipment to facilitate taking such service action.

2. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the service module comprises at least one of a troubleshooting module, a training module, and a supply module for providing parts or tools for the service action.

3. The computerized method of claim 1 further comprising updating detailed system configuration data in the first database to reflect any changes to the system configuration of the serviced equipment.

4. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the detailed system configuration data includes data indicative of the respective configurations of any subsystems and parts thereof in any selected system of the selected equipment.

5. The computerized method of claim 1 wherein the detailed system configuration data is selected from at least one of hardware and software configurations for the selected equipment.

6. A computerized system for communicating information to service personnel for on-site servicing of a selected piece of equipment from a group of generally similar pieces of equipment, with said selected piece of equipment being made up of a plurality of systems and subject to unique system configurations and servicing requirements, said system comprising:

a first database including detailed system configuration data regarding a selected piece of equipment;

a second database including service modules for facilitating the servicing of equipment of a group of equipment that includes a selected piece of equipment;

a respective identifier for uniquely identifying the selected piece of equipment from among the group of generally similar pieces of equipment;

a wireless portable input/output device for service personnel to communicate remotely with said databases from a location adjacent the selected piece of quipment to send and receive information;

with the first database interfacing with the detailed system configuration data when accessed by the portable input/output device delivering information indicative of the respective identifier of the selected piece of equipment to the first database through the portable input/output device;

with the second database interfacing with at least one of the service modules when accessed by portable input/output device delivering information indicative of the respective identifier of the selected piece of equipment to the second database through the portable input/output device; and

wherein said service personnel communicates to the datbases through the input/output device using the respective identifier for the equipment for accessing the detailed configuration data to select a service action appropriate for the selected piece of equipment, and accessing a service module for the selected piece of equipment to facilitate taking such service action.

7. The computerized system of claim 6 wherein the service module comprises at least one of a troubleshooting module, a training module, and a supply module for providing parts or tools for the service action.

8. The computerized system of claim 6 wherein the detailed system configuration data in the first database is updated to reflect any changes to the system configuration of the serviced equipment.

9. The computerized system of claim 6 wherein the detailed system configuration data includes data indicative of the respective configurations of any subsystems and parts thereof in any selected system of selected equipment.

10. The computerized method of claim 6 wherein the detailed system configuration data is selected from at least one of hardware and software configurations for the selected equipment.

11. A method for providing information to service personnel for on-site servicing of a selected piece of equipment from a group of generally similar pieces of equipment, with said piece of equipment being made up of a plurality of systems and is subject to unique system configurations and servicing requirements, said method comprising:

providing a wireless portable input/output device for service personnel located adjacent the selected piece of equipment to communicate remotely with a first database having configuration data regarding the piece of equipment and a second data base having service modules for directing the servicing of the equipment;

entering a unique identification for the selected piece of equipment through the input/output device;

retrieving information from the databases through the portable input/output device specific to the selected piece of equipment based on the unique identification;

accessing service modules to select a specific service module based on a service required and the unique identification of the selected piece of equipment through the portable input/output device; and

servicing the piece of equipment using the specific service module provided through the portable input/output device.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising communicating information through the portable input/output device to order a part needed for the servicing of the selected piece of equipment.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising, if the equipment is unable to be serviced, communicating information through the portable input/output device to the database with an explanation why the equipment was not serviced.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein servicing the piece of equipment comprises at least one of repairing, maintaining, inspecting, diagnosing and ordering parts for the selected piece of equipment.

15. The method of claim 11 further comprising updating the database to reflect any changes to the system configurations of the selected piece of equipment.

16. The method of claim 11 wherein the information specific to the piece of equipment is downloaded to the portable input/output device.

17. The method of claim 11 wherein the service module is selected from a group comprising troubleshooting, training, ordering parts, supplying parts, ordering tools, supplying tools and reporting work completion for servicing the selected piece of equipment.

18. A system for providing information to service personnel for on-site servicing of a selected piece of equipment from a group of generally similar pieces of equipment, with said piece of equipment being made up of a plurality of systems and is subject to unique system configurations and servicing requirements, said system comprising:

a wireless portable input/output device for service personnel to communicate remotely with databases having configuration data regarding the piece of equipment and service modules for directing the servicing of the equipment;

a unique identification specific to the selected piece of equipment;

databases containing information specific to the pieces of equipment based on their unique identification, including

service modules containing information for service required by the plurality of pieces of equipment; and

with the service modules being accessed, through the portable input/output device, to select a specific service module based on a service required and the unique system configuration of the selected piece of equipment.

19. The system of claim 18 further comprising communicating information through the portable input/output device to order a part needed for the servicing of the selected piece of equipment.

20. The method of claim 18 wherein the service module is at least one of a troubleshooting module, a training module, an ordering parts module, a supplying parts module, an ordering tools module, a supplying tools module and a reporting work completion module for servicing the selected piece of equipment.