Integrated materials management for commercial aircraft fleets including access to real-time on-board systems information
First Claim
1. A method of managing a supply chain of materials used to service fleet aircraft at multiple geographical service locations for a plurality of customers, said customers operating said fleet aircraft, by a single network integrator at a non-mobile central operations center, said network integrator a separate business entity from said customers, comprising the steps of:
- (A) said network integrator organizing a network of material suppliers;
(B) said network integrator maintaining inventories of the materials at customer designated sites, said customer designated sites comprising said multiple geographical service locations;
(C) said network integrator managing the material suppliers and the inventories at each of the customer designated sites; and
(D) said network integrator providing the customers with electronic access to real-time data over a shared communications network controlled by said network integrator relating to an operational status of systems on-board the fleet aircraft including said fleet aircraft in flight, the real-time data being useful in performing maintenance requiring the materials maintained in the inventories, said real-time data collected by one or more computer servers at said central operations center controlled by said network integrator, said real-time data wirelessly received from each of said fleet aircraft and converted and stored by said one or more computer servers at said central operations center.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Turnkey maintenance of a customer'"'"'s aircraft fleet is managed by a single management service provider (MSP) controlling integrated maintenance and materials services from a central operations site. The MSP converts data received directly from on-board aircraft systems into information it uses to manage maintenance service providers and parts suppliers. The MSP contracts with and manages maintenance, repair and overhaul organizations (MROs) who perform the maintenance on the customers'"'"' aircraft at line and base stations. The MSP either remotely manages part inventories at the customer'"'"'s site, or manages suppliers who deliver the parts to the MROs. Maintenance planning, scheduling and execution information is exchanged between the MSP, MROs, part suppliers and the customers through a shared data communication network controlled by the MSP. The MSP charges the customer for the maintenance services based on a flat rate per unit of aircraft flying time.
39 Citations
23 Claims
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1. A method of managing a supply chain of materials used to service fleet aircraft at multiple geographical service locations for a plurality of customers, said customers operating said fleet aircraft, by a single network integrator at a non-mobile central operations center, said network integrator a separate business entity from said customers, comprising the steps of:
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(A) said network integrator organizing a network of material suppliers; (B) said network integrator maintaining inventories of the materials at customer designated sites, said customer designated sites comprising said multiple geographical service locations; (C) said network integrator managing the material suppliers and the inventories at each of the customer designated sites; and (D) said network integrator providing the customers with electronic access to real-time data over a shared communications network controlled by said network integrator relating to an operational status of systems on-board the fleet aircraft including said fleet aircraft in flight, the real-time data being useful in performing maintenance requiring the materials maintained in the inventories, said real-time data collected by one or more computer servers at said central operations center controlled by said network integrator, said real-time data wirelessly received from each of said fleet aircraft and converted and stored by said one or more computer servers at said central operations center. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method of managing parts used to service multiple fleets of aircraft at multiple geographical service locations for a plurality of customers, each of said customers operating one or more of said multiple fleets of aircraft, by a single network integrator at a non-mobile central operations center, said network integrator a separate business entity from said customers, comprising the steps of:
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(A) said network integrator establishing an integrated network of suppliers under control of said network integrator; (B) said network integrator maintaining inventories of the parts from the suppliers at customer designated sites, said customer designated sites comprising said multiple geographical service locations; (C) said network integrator collecting and storing real-time operating data from the aircraft including said aircraft in flight in each of the fleets, said real-time operating data used to determine maintenance involving the parts for said aircraft, said real-time data collected by one or more computer servers at said central operations center controlled by said network integrator, said real-time data wirelessly received from each of said aircraft and converted and stored by said one or more computer servers at said central operations center; (D) said network integrator providing the customers with access over a shared communications network controlled by said network integrator to the real-time operating data collected and converted and stored in step (C); and (E) said network integrator controlling the inventories at the customer designated sites. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An integrated supply chain management system for materials used in servicing vehicle fleets at multiple geographical service locations for customers, said customers operating said vehicle fleets, by a single supply chain network integrator at a non-mobile central operations center, said supply chain network integrator a separate business entity from said customers, comprising:
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a network of material suppliers for supplying the materials used in servicing the vehicle fleets; inventories of the materials located at each of customer designated sites, said customer designated sites comprising said multiple geographical service locations; said supply chain network integrator managing the network of material suppliers and the inventories; a system for collecting real-time data including operational on-board vehicle data for said vehicle fleets in transit, said real-time data for said vehicle fleets used to determine maintenance for said vehicle fleets involving use of the materials, said real-time data collected by one or more computer servers at the central operations center controlled by said supply chain network integrator, said real-time data wirelessly received from each of said vehicle fleets and converted and stored by said one or more computer servers at said central operations center; a navigation tool for allowing the customers to access and navigate through the real-time data in order to determine a need for the materials required to service the vehicle fleets; and a shared data communication network controlled by said supply chain network integrator connecting the customers with the supply chain network integrator and the navigation tool. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23)
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Specification