Data processing: generic control systems or specific application – Specific application – apparatus or process – Product assembly or manufacturing
Reexamination Certificate
2002-02-25
2004-08-31
Picard, Leo (Department: 2125)
Data processing: generic control systems or specific application
Specific application, apparatus or process
Product assembly or manufacturing
C700S107000, C700S101000, C707S793000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06785582
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to an integrated system and a method for tracking parts used in effecting repairs. The system and the method of the present invention have particular utility in the tracking of repair parts and repair orders for jet engines and other turbomachinery devices.
Currently, information about parts needed for repairs on jet and turbine engines are kept in a plurality of computer systems in a number of different locations. For example, suppliers of various engine parts store information about the status of such parts, e.g. delivery dates, manufacturing dates, etc., in one format on their in-house computer systems. At the same time, repair facilities, which require and utilize the parts, often store data in a different format using different designations (names and part numbers) for the parts. Still further, company business units store data on their own computer systems. As a result of this complex situation, there generally is no efficient way to track the status of repair parts and provide customers with the information they desire about repair status and delivery dates. It is also difficult for customers to access current information about requested repairs.
It is also difficult with current record keeping systems to obtain historical data as to the performance of particular suppliers and repair facilities and as to the performance of the parts themselves.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an integrated tracking system and method which consolidates information about one or more repair parts from a plurality of sources and standardizes the information.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an integrated tracking system and method which allows customized reports about the status of one or more repair parts to be supplied to a company business unit and its customers.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide an integrated tracking system and method which provides notifications to customers about changes in part status.
The foregoing objects are attained by the integrated tracking system and method of the present invention.
In accordance with the present invention, an integrated tracking system for tracking parts broadly comprises means for inputting data about a plurality of parts to be tracked into a central processing unit, a staging table module means in the central processing unit for receiving and gathering the inputted data, a master table module means in the central processing unit for receiving the inputted data from the staging table module and for analyzing, organizing and standardizing the inputted parts data, and a temporary table module means in the central processing unit for aggregating transactional records about the parts. The transactional records preferably contain performance metrics on the part which is the subject of each transactional record.
Further, in accordance with the present invention, a method for tracking parts broadly comprises the steps of providing a central processing unit having a staging table module, a master table module, and a temporary table module, inputting data about a plurality of parts from a plurality of business units into a central processing unit, collecting the inputted data in the staging table module in the central processing unit, and analyzing, organizing, and standardizing the inputted data in the master table module to create a database of information about customer orders and part status. The method further comprises accessing the information database in the master table module and aggregating data concerning particular transactions into transactional records in the temporary table module.
Other details of the integrated tracking system of the present invention, as well as other objects and advantages attendant thereto, are set forth in the following detailed description and the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals depict like elements.
REFERENCES:
patent: 6115690 (2000-09-01), Wong
patent: 6134557 (2000-10-01), Freeman
patent: 2002/0111819 (2002-08-01), Li et al.
Bachman & Lapointe, P.C.
Masinick Michael D
Picard Leo
United Technologies Corporation
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