AU756934B1

AU756934B1 - A system for method for providing component lists for material

Info

Publication number: AU756934B1
Application number: AU65468/01A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Carlyle Nagel
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2000-09-28
Filing date: 2001-08-24
Publication date: 2003-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-28

Description

.9 SEE SUBSTITUTED

SPECIFICATION

LODGED

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT Applicant(s): CARLYLE NAGEL Invention Title: A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING COMPONENT LISTS FOR

MATERIAL

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me/us: 2 A SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PROVIDING COMPONENT LISTS AND PLANS FOR MATERIEL ITEMS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention provides a system and method of providing component lists and plans for materiel items, and particularly, but not exclusively, to a system and method for providing complete component lists and plans for assemblies or configuration items of materiel items.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The term materiel includes any "complex" article e.g.

an article which is made up of one or more assemblies.

Examples include machines including vehicles eg tanks, automobiles, aeroplanes, ships, etc. An automobile is a materiel item which includes a plurality of "sub- .0 assemblies", e.g. engine, transmission, suspension, chassis etc.

Any assembly will be made up of a plurality of components. The components include all the "parts" (e.g.

nuts, screws, housings, etc) that make up the assembly.

Any materiel item will require support during its lifetime. To ensure that this is carried out correctly, o 25 information is required which will "teach" how to support the assemblies which constitute the materiel item. E.g. a particular ship may require oil to be applied to the shaft of the prop daily, in order that the shaft and prop assembly can be maintained correctly. A maintenance engineer must be provided with this information, or the assembly and therefore the ship will not be properly maintained (leading to breakdown). Note that in the specification the term "support" is intended,as a general term to cover any process which is required to keep a 43209 3 material item operating properly through its life time.

This includes maintenance, servicing, repair, but is not limited to just these processes.

The preparation and upkeep of information for supporting any materiel is a very complex matter. In particular, a materiel type (ie make of vehicle) may go through many design changes and modifications from the initial materiel design (and these design changes may occur even before any materiel item has been manufactured ie during development and testing from the original design, never mind design changes which occur after a materiel type has first been manufactured). The usual process followed in the construction of any materiel is *0*.:that first of all the materiel is designed and an Engineering Drawing Pack (EDP) is produced which instructs construction of the materiel. The process then moves on to manufacture of the materiel items. During this construction phase (and sometimes before construction of a single materiel item has been completed, as discussed •0•coo 20 above), it may be determined that modifications to the materiel design are desirable. Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs) will be made for changing various aspects of the design. These will be reviewed and if approved an Engineering Change Order (ECO) will issue ordering the 25 change. The change is then entered in the EDP and the modification is then applied during construction of materiel items. ECOs may be made at any time during the lifetime of a particular "type" of materiel eg model of car. At any time during this lifetime ("life of type" LOT), materiel items may have already been manufactured and sold and a decision will be made for any particular design change whether to recall items in the field for a retrofit to incorporate the design change or whether to 43209 4 continue with the type in two or more "configurations" (ie one configuration with the design modification, one without) For any materiel type, many ECOs may be made during the LOT. Defence equipment is a particular example. The life of some types of tanks and aeroplanes may extend over several decades. During this time, many modifications can be made, and as it is often complex and costly to apply retrofits for modifications, retrofits will tend to be avoided where at all possible. This results in the existence of many different configurations of the one type of materiel being in existence, all of which require information to be available for support, which information may vary from configuration to configuration.

15 This leads to a significant problem in Through Life Support (TLS) of materiel throughout its LOT (Through Life Support TLS). As any particular item may be one of any number of configurations, it is difficult for the operative maintenance engineer) to access the correct information to enable them to support the materiel item. In some cases the information for the particular configuration may not even be available at all, as the information may not have been kept up to date.

The information presently available to enable TLS of S 25 materiel is usually in the following form: a parts book, which designates the parts that make up an item of materiel; a parts list which lists the parts and identifies them by, eg a manufacturer's number, to enable obtaining spare parts. The parts list may be separate from the parts book; 43209 a repair book, which provides instructions for taking apart, repairing, putting back together, etc, the materiel type; a service manual, which provides instructions on how to apply regular maintenance to the materiel, e.g. oil change; a user manual, providing instructions on use of the materiel; drawings and diagrams of the material.

This information is provided in a non-integrated ("Stove Pipe") form. That is, the repair book, service manual, parts list, parts book, user manual, etc. are all provided separately from each other. When modifications are made to materiel, they may not be entered in some of 15 the publications required from maintaining the materiel.

0oSo Further, even where they are entered, usually new versions of the publications are not produced until a significant number of changes have occurred to justify the printing costs. To properly support a materiel item, therefore, 20 firstly the information for the particular item configuration must have been maintained, and, secondly, the operative must be able to locate the correct publication.

o. The Correct support of an item of materiel throughout its life is therefore a difficult and complex matter. The operative must have access to the correct support information. Particularly where many different configurations of type of materiel have been implemented, it is quite unlikely that the operative will have access to the correct publications. Further, the operative may not be aware that original consumables are no longer available, and replacements must be located. This can lead to the item being supported incorrectly. It can lead 43209 6 to a lot of time being consumed to locate the proper information required for support. It can lead to breakdown of materiel, because the materiel cannot or has not been supported correctly.

Yet a further problem is that even where an operative may have access to the correct publications the information required for a particular support process may not be presented in a convenient manner. A support process will affect at least one "configuration item".

Configuration item is the term given to a fundamental unit of an assembly of a materiel item, being the "smallest" unit which requires support. A particular support process may affect a plurality of configuration items, eg to repair a configuration item in the transmission of a 15 vehicle may require removal of assemblies such as the -engine and will therefore affect configuration items in the engine and information will be required by the operative to enable them to correctly deal with the configuration items that may be affected in gaining access to the relevant transmission configuration item.

Information on all the configuration items which are likely to be affected will not be presented in a convenient manner in the publications the operative presently has access to, and they will have to search 25 through the publications to locate all the information that is required. It may often be difficult to do this and often all the required information may not be located, leading to error, leading to incorrect support.

Note that the technical terminology used above (EDP, ECO, etc) applies particularly to materiel in the Defence industry. The processes discussed apply generically, however, to any materiel, and the present invention is not limited to materiel used in Defence.

43209 7 The present applicants have devised a system and process for improving configuration management. This configuration management system and process is disclosed in the applicants' earlier Australian patent number 730713, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

The configuration management system includes a computer system which includes a storage means, such as a database for storing a plurality of items of "task data".

Each task data item includes information data providing information on the handling of an associated configuration item of materiel for particular support process. In the applicants' earlier invention, each task data item .provides information on the handling of a configuration 15 item of materiel for a particular support process and each task data item is also linked, by a link means, to other task data items, the associated configuration items of which may be affected by a support process of the configuration item associated with the task data item.

20 Inquiry means accesses a storage means to extract 400. information required for a support process affecting at least one configuration item, the inquiry means utilising the link means to extract information from task data items associated with configuration items which may be affected by the support process affecting the at least one configuration item, whereby information is provided giving instructions on the handling of all configurations items affected by a particular support process. Information is therefore provided to an operative which enables the operative to fully carry out a support process affecting a particular configuration item e.g. in the transmission of a vehicle, as information is provided from the links on the handling of all other configuration items affected by 43209 8 the support process e.g. other configuration items which may be affected in the engine of the vehicle.

The applicants' earlier invention therefore addresses some of the problems associated with the provision of the information required to support materiel.

Another problem that occurs because of the "evolution" of materiel items through what may be many different types of configurations (so that there be may different configurations for a particular materiel item "in the field" at any one time) is that details of the components of assemblies, and, indeed, details of assemblies of each materiel item may vary quite widely.

It may also be difficult to obtain this information, as athis is not conventionally included in support materials a a" (which provide the information required to service and maintain a materiel item, but not necessarily to "rebuild" materiel items from scratch). Although conventional support processes don't require information detailing all of the components of an assembly, there may be cases when a a20 it useful to have that information. For example, it might a a: be useful to have the information on the components for an 9 a a assembly in order to identify parts that are missing from an assembly. In some cases, an assembly may be required o-.o to be rebuilt totally in the field e.g. where it is not possible to return the materiel item to the manufacturer, and it is not possible to obtain a completely built replacement assembly from the manufacturer.

At present, there is no system which enables the provision of information in the form of a complete list of components of a configuration item or an assembly.

Further, at present there is no system which enables the provision of information in the form of a "Hardware Breakdown Structure" (HBS). A hardware breakdown 43209 -9structure is a "plan" which indicates the relationship between components of an assembly and also lists the components. An HBS can be used to assist in construction of an assembly from the components.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with a first aspect, the present invention provides a system for providing component lists for materiel items, the system comprising storage means storing a plurality of items of task data, each task data item including component data identifying components required for an associated configuration item of materiel, and interface means by way of which the system is arranged to obtain from the task data item the component data for 15 the associated configuration item.

iPreferably, the system is also arranged to produce a "plan" giving relationships between the components of the component list. Preferably, the plan is produced in the form of a Hardware Breakdown Structure (HBS).

Preferably, the system includes link means linking the task data items to one or more other task data items, the associated configuration items of which may comprise a materiel assembly, the one or more other task data items also including component data identifying the components of the associated configuration item whereby, via the link means, the system may obtain a list of components comprising a materiel asseimbly.

In this way, the user can access the system and can obtain a complete "build list" of the components required to build a configuration item or an assembly such as, for example, an engine or a suspension of a vehicle.

43209 10 The use may also, in the preferred embodiment, obtain an HBS for the assembly, to assist them in, for example, building the assembly.

The user may therefore be able to use these build lists to locate all the components required for them to rebuild an assembly or configuration item. Alternatively, they may use these build lists for other purposes, such as to ensure that all the components that should be with the assembly they are supporting, are present.

The configuration of materiel items can evolve over time. Changes in the materiel items can result in the components that are required changing as the materiel item evolves. The component list (and HBS) provided by the system of the present invention can be used to quantify the evolution of particular materiel items. Component lists of earlier configuration type materiel items can be compared with that of later type materiel items to determine the change in the components. It may, for example, then be possible to "upgrade" the early configuration materiel items by obtaining the "new" components. Generally, the system of the present invention can be used to determine the difference in components between different configurations of materiel.

Preferably, as well as component data, the task data items may include source data, providing an indication of where the components may be sourced from. This source data may include a manufacturer's reference number, for example. Alternatively, the source data required may include links or other metadata which enables the source of the component to be identified.

Preferably, the component data for each task data item can be produced as a list which may be printed out as hardcopy or provided on a computer screen. Preferably, 43209 11 the component data for an entire assembly can be produced as a list which may be printed out as hardcopy or provided on a computer screen or other interface. Preferably, the system may also be arranged to produce an HBS.

The system is preferably a configuration management system which has been augmented by the inclusion of the component data. The configuration management system is preferably constantly updated with changes to configuration information and component data information, to ensure currency of the information.

The configuration management system is preferably a configuration management system in accordance with the applicants' above referenced patent, augmented with the component data.

15 In accordance with a second aspect, the present invention provides a method of providing component lists for materiel items, comprising the steps of storing a plurality of items of task data, each task data item including component data identifying the components a a 20 comprising an associated configuration item of materiel, and enabling access to the component data in order to obtain the component data for the associated configuration .'.item of materiel.

In accordance with a third aspect, the present invention provides a computer program which, when loaded onto a computing system is arranged to control the computing system to provide a system for providing component lists of materiel items in accordance with the first aspect of the present invention.

In accordance with a fourth aspect, the present invention provides computer readable media providing a computer program in accordance with the third aspect of the invention.

43209 12 In accordance with a fifth aspect, the present invention provides a system for providing component plans for materiel items, the system comprising storage means storing a plurality of items of task data, each task data item including component. data identifying components required for an associated configuration item of materiel, and interface means by way of which the system is arranged to obtain from a task data item the component data for the associated configuration item, and produce a component plan.

Preferably, the component plan is a Hardware Breakdown Structure.

9, BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

S

15 Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, by way of example only, with reference oi to the accompanying drawings, in which; Figure i is a schematic diagram of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, i and Figure 2 is a further diagram of the system of the present invention illustrating the data stored in the system.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT With reference to Figure i, a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a storage means 3 storing a plurality of items of task data.

Each task data item(s) includes component data identifying the components comprising an associated configuration item of materiel. The interface means, in this embodiment being a computing system 2 networked to the storage means 43209 13 3, enables access to the component data so that the user can obtain the component data.

The computing system 2, in this example, may be any type of computing system including a networked computing system, a PC, terminal/mainframe, etc.

The computing system 2 includes a standard interface including keyboard 2A, display 2B and also a printer 3 for outputting hardcopy materials 4. It will be appreciated that the computing system may have any type of configuration, however, and is not limited to this particular configuration.

In this embodiment, the system, generally designated by reference numeral 1, is based on the configuration management system of the applicants' above referenced 15 patent, the specification of which is appended hereto as "Appendix In addition to the data described in the referenced patent as being stored in the configuration management system, component data, identifying components -which would be required to build an associated

S

o 20 configuration item, is also included in the database. The system is known as Continuous Acquisition and Lifecycle Support or GALS. The GALS system manages and provides S: information required for support processes for configuration items of materiel. As is described in Appendix A, information on support processes is organised into a number of "task data items" which are linked by link means so that complete information for a particular support process can be provided. For example, an operative requiring information on a support process for a particular configuration item will be provided, by way of the linked task data items, with all the information required for the support process for that configuration item and also information that may be required because of 43209 14 the effect of the support process on the other configuration items that need to be affected in order to implement the support process for the particular configuration item.

The structure of the system of Figure 1 is the same as the structure of the system described in Appendix A, with the addition that component data is included in at least some of the task data items.

In more detail, and with reference to Figure 2, utilising the interface 2, 3, 4 the user can access the CALS 3 database in order to return task data items For support processes, the user will merely require the o information required to support a particular configuration item and this will also return information of affected 00*0 configuration items, to enable support of those as well.

In some cases, however, as discussed above, a user may require information on all the components that may be required to build a particular configuration item. More likely, the user may require information on all the components that comprise a particular assembly.

Certain task data items (not necessarily all) include component data 11. Task data items that include component data would include "build" task data items (which give instructions on building a particular configuration item) and "assembly" task data items (which give instructions on assembling a particular configuration item) In the example of Figure 2, a user wishes to build an engine of vehicle xyz. Accessing CALS 3 via the interface 2, 3, 4 asking for all the task data components 10 which relate to an engine build, returns all those task data items To, T 1

T

2

T

3 etc. As well as including lists of consumables, instructions and drawings, these task 'data items also include component data. The system enables 43209 15 this component data to be displayed as a list or "Bill Of Materials" (BOM). The user thus has at his fingertips a list of all the components necessary to enable an engine to be built for vehicle xyz.

Because the task data items include instructions to support materiel items, including construction of assemblies, the system of the present invention is also able to return Hardware Breakdown Structures illustrating relationships between the components of a configuration item or assembly. The HBSs may either be returned directly from the system by concatenating instructions from linked task data items for an assembly, or HBS o.o: preparation means may be provided in the interface in the form of software for accessing the task data items and o0*p 15 building the HBS from the component lists and 00.0 instructions.

This list (or HBS) can be printed out as hardcopy item 4 or displayed on the display 2B or produced as a i webpage, or provided as any other type of output. Any 20 type of output can be provided, including head-up display, screen, voice-output system, electronic paper or similar, artificial intelligence training system, other computer systems and other media.

The component data is accompanied'by "source data" 12. The source data 12 is metadata which enables an operative to "source" the components. It may be a manufacturer's part number, for example, or it may be more "active" metadata, such as hyperlinks to an ordering system of a manufacturer or supplier.

The system of the present invention may be used to generate component lists and HBSs for components of any materiel item. The system database may include task data 43209 16 items for any materiel item in a varied fleet of materiel items.

As well as the component parts, the task data items also include lists of consumables (including tools) which might need to be used to build the particular configuration item.

Modifications and variations as would be apparent to a skilled addressee are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention.

s> i.l See 0*

S

0*6 43209 17 APPENDIX A CONFIGURATION MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND PROCESS FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a configuration management system and process and particularly, but not exclusively, to a configuration management system and process for managing information required for the support of materiel.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION The term materiel includes any "complex" article eg an article which is made up of one or more assemblies.

Examples include machines including vehicles eg tanks, o o automobiles, aeroplanes, ships, etc. An automobile is a e 15 materiel item which includes a plurality of "subassemblies", eg engine, transmission, suspension, chassis etc.

(0 °IAny materiel item will require support during its 0)00 lifetime. To ensure that this is carried out correctly, 0000 20 information is required which will "teach" how to support the assemblies which constitute the materiel item. E.g. a particular ship may require oil to be applied to the shaft o: of the prop daily, in order that the shaft and prop assembly can be maintained correctly. A maintenance engineer must be provided with this information, or the assembly and therefore the ship will not be properly maintained (leading to breakdown). Note that in the specification the term "support" is intended as a general term to cover any process which is required to keep a material item operating properly through its life time.

43209 18 The preparation and upkeep of information for supporting any materiel is a very complex matter. In particular, a materiel type (ie make of vehicle) may go through many design changes and modifications from the initial materiel design (and these design changes may occur even before any materiel item has been manufactured ie during development and testing from the original design, never mind design changes which occur after a materiel type has first been manufactured). The usual process followed in the construction of any materiel is that first of all the materiel is designed and an Engineering Drawing Pack (EDP) is produced which instructs construction of the materiel. The process then moves on to manufacture of the materiel items. During this *0 0 construction phase (and sometimes before construction of a single materiel item has been completed, as discussed above), it may be determined that modifications to the -tt materiel design are desirable. Engineering Change Proposals (ECPs) will be made for changing various aspects of the design. These will be reviewed and if approved an Engineering Change Order (ECO) will issue ordering the change. The change is then entered in the EDP and the oo: modification is then applied during construction of o materiel items. ECOs may be made at any time during the lifetime of a particular "type" of materiel eg model of car. At any time during this lifetime ("life of type" LOT), materiel items may have already been manufactured and sold and a decision will be made for any particular design change whether to recall items in the field for a retrofit to incorporate the design change or whether to continue with the type in two or more "configurations" (ie one configuration with the design modification, one without).

43209 19 For any materiel type, many ECOs may be made during the LOT. Defence equipment is a particular example. The life of some types of tanks and aeroplanes may extend over several decades. During this time, many modifications can be made, and as it is often complex and costly to apply retrofits for modifications, retrofits will tend to be avoided where at all possible. This results in the existence of many different configurations of the one type of materiel being in existence, all of which require information to be available for support, which information may vary from configuration to configuration.

This leads to a significant problem in Through Life Support (TLS) of materiel throughout its LOT (Through Life Support TLS). As any particular item may be one of any 15 number of configurations, it is difficult for the operative maintenance engineer) to access the 0 0* correct information to enable them to support the materiel item. In some cases the information for the particular configuration may not even be available at all, as the information may not have been kept up to date.

9*00 The information presently available to enable TLS of materiel is usually in the following form: a parts book, which designates the parts that make up an item of materiel; a parts list which lists the parts and identifies them by, eg a manufacturer's number, to enable obtaining spare parts. The parts list may be separate from the parts book; a repair book, which provides instructions for taking apart, repairing, putting back together, etc, the materiel type; 43209 20 a service manual, which provides instructions on how to apply regular maintenance to the materiel, e.g. oil change; a user manual, providing instructions on use of the materiel; drawings and diagrams of the material.

This information is provided in a non-integrated ("Stove Pipe") form. That is, the repair book, service manual, parts list, parts book, user manual, etc. are all provided separately from each other. When modifications are made to materiel, they may not be entered in some of the publications required from maintaining the materiel.

0 Further, even where they are entered, usually new versions o So o of the publications are not produced until a significant *000 15 number of changes have occurred to justify the printing on o costs. To properly support a materiel item, therefore, 0o firstly the information for the particular item oe.

configuration must have been maintained, and, secondly, the operative must be able to locate the correct Do's publication.

Yet another problem arises in relation to P"consumables" which are required for support of materiel.

o0 0 Consumables include materiels which are utilised during 2 support, such as replacement parts, fluids required for service (eg type of oil). Over the LOT of materiel, original consumables may become unavailable (eg the originally specified replacement part may no longer be manufactured), and it will be necessary for the operative to, firstly, be aware that the consumable is no longer available and, secondly, locate a suitable replacement.

Further, the replacement may require a different method of handling, eg it may require installation in a different way. It is unlikely that the information on the 43209 21 replacement consumable will be included in any of the publications discussed above. Indeed it is unlikely that the operative engineer will even be aware that the consumable is unavailable until an attempt to obtain a replacement is made, due to the "stove pipe" nature of the information available to the operative.

The correct support of an item of materiel throughout its life is therefore a difficult and complex matter. The operative must have access to the correct support information. Particularly where many different configurations of type of materiel have been implemented, it is quite unlikely that the operative will have access to the correct publications. Further, the operative may 0 D D DOD not be aware that original consumables are no longer coD S 15 available, and replacements must be located. This can oa 0 lead to the item being supported incorrectly. It can lead Doo 2 ol to a lot of time being consumed to locate the proper o a a DoDD DOD information required for support. It can lead to breakdown of materiel, because the materiel cannot or has a0 a 20 not been supported correctly.

De 00acaYet a further problem is that even where an operative a may have access to the correct publications the a c° information required for a particular support process may

DO

S not be presented in a convenient manner. A support

.O

process will affect at least one "configuration item".

Configuration item is the term given to a fundamental unit of an assembly of a materiel item, being the "smallest" unit which requires support (anything "smaller" is merely replaced eg a rocker-cover gasket is not a configuration item because it is replaceable, not supportable, but the rocker-box itself requires repair and maintenance). A particular support process may affect a plurality of configuration items, eg to repair a configuration item in 43209 22 the transmission of a vehicle may require removal of assemblies such as the engine and will therefore affect configuration items in the engine and information will be required by the operative to enable them to correctly deal with the configuration items that may be affected in gaining access to the relevant transmission configuration item. Information on all the configuration items which are likely to be affected will not be presented in a convenient manner in the publications the operative presently has access to, and they will have to search through the publications to locate all the information that is required. It may often be difficult to do this and often all the required information may not be located, leading to error, leading to incorrect support.

Note that the technical terminology used above (EDP, ECO, etc) applies particularly to materiel in the Defence 999* industry. The processes discussed apply generically, 999 however, to any materiel, and the present configuration is not limited to materiel used in Defence.

S 20 SUMMARY OF INVENTION .99.

The present invention provides a system for managing fee* information required for the support of materiel, comprising a computer system including storage means storing a plurality of items of task data, each task data 25 item including information data providing information on the handling of an associated configuration item of materiel for a particular support process, each task data item also including link means linking to another task data item, the associated configuration item of which may be affected by a support process of the configuration item associated with the task data item, and enquiry means for accessing the storage means to extract information required for a support process affecting at least one 43209 23 configuration item, the enquiry means utilising the link means to extract information of task data items associated with configuration items which may be affected by the support process affecting the at least one configuration item, whereby information may be provided giving instructions on the handling of all configuration items affected by a particular support process.

Information may preferably, therefore, be provided to an operative which enables the operative to fully carry out a support process affecting a particular configuration item eg in the transmission of a vehicle, as information is provided from the links on the handling of all other configuration items affected by the support process, e.g.

on the configuration items which may be affected in the 15 engine of the vehicle.

Links may be automated, for example, in the form of "hyperlinks". Alternatively, the link means may include a pointer to another task data item or items, requiring, for example, manual action, such as pressing of the key on a 20 computer keyboard to locate and obtain the link task data oB ei item. In some cases, the link may link to an external task data item, which is external of the computer system, eg stored in hard copy, and the link provides pointer 2 information which enables the operative to locate the hard 25 copy. Preferably, metadata may be associated with the S' task data items as one method of linking the task data items eg. using an index of the metadata to look up the task data items which may be associated for a particular support process.

Note that configuration items are usually defined by official standards for particular materiel types, and the system of the present invention preferably utilises these 43209 24 definitions. Where these are not available, definitions may be made for the system.

The task data items are preferably separated into different types of tasks, and a plurality of task data items may be associated with each configuration item. The types of task data item may preferably include: an "inspection" task data item. This provides the information required to enable inspection of a particular configuration item; a "repair" task data item. This provides information necessary to repair a particular configuration item; a "disassembly" task data item. This provides information necessary to disassemble a particular 15 configuration item; a "assembly" task data item. This provides pp..

information necessary to assemble a particular *p e p configuration item; a "maintenance" task data item. This provides information necessary to maintain a particular configuration item; a "remove" task data item, including information necessary to remove a particular configuration item; a "replace" task data item, including information 25 necessary to replace a particular configuration item.

Other task data item types may be included in the system, depending on the requirements of a particular materiel type and support processes that are required by the type. Further task data item types include calibrate; fault locate; operate; adjust; overhaul; preserve; handle; shipping; adjust; align; bleed; calibrate; clean; fault diagnose; function; test; install; lubricate; modify; operate; overhaul; preserve; purge; service; table; test; 43209 25 time; etc. so that task data items are preferably provided as discrete entities including information instructing an operative to handle a particular configuration item for any support process that may be required for that configuration item. It will be understood that the present invention is not limited to the above list of task data item types.

In operation if, for example, inspection of a particular configuration item is required then the system will access the inspection task data item for that configuration item in order to provide the required information for that task. It will also enable access to task data items linked to the inspection task data item, to provide information which may be required to operate on 15 other configuration items that may need to be operated on to enable the inspection process. For example, disassembly of configuration items which are "in the way" may be required before inspection of the configuration item can proceed. The inspection task data item will 20 therefore be linked to disassembly task data items for the ooo 1 configuration items that have to be disassembled. Also, once the inspection process has been completed it will be 6*9W** necessary to assemble the configuration items, and task a data items for assembly will also be accessed by the 25 system. The operative undertaking the inspection task ao will therefore be provided with all the information they need to carry out the task, including information on configuration items which are affected by the inspection and need to be disassembled to enable the inspection, and then assembled to complete the support process.

The information may be presented as a print out from the computer system, on a CD, may be accessed over a computer network such as the Internet, or may be presented 43209 26 in any other convenient manner. As discussed above, some task data items may be provided in hard copy.

The enquiry means preferably accesses the storage means by utilising addressing information based on standard assembly information defined for the particular materiel type. As discussed above, any materiel can be broken down into constituent assemblies, each of which can be broken down into constituent configuration items. The assembly information may be defined by standards (eg the US military standards applicable to Defence equipment) or the definitions may, alternatively, be devised for the system. For example, if an engineer wishes to maintain an assembly of a particular configuration of materiel, the o system is accessed by designating the materiel type (eg 15 Stinger Missile), the configuration of the type (eg mark 3 Stinger Missile), the assembly (Rocket Engine) and that maintenance information that is required. The system will then access the maintenance task data items associated with the configuration items constituting the mark 3 20 Stinger Missile rocket engine and provide the maintenance :0ee information requested together with any information from linked task data items associated with configuration items i :affected by the maintenance process. The links may be by any known means, but preferably metadata associated with 25 task data items as utilised to link task data items.

The information provided for support preferably includes a series of process steps, together with a list of consumables that will be consumed during the process and also, preferably, a list of tools that will be required, so as to provide the operative with all the information required to carry out the process.

Consumables, as discussed above, are items that are required to carry out a support process. They may include 43209 27 replacement parts, replacement tool parts and in some cases replacement tools. Generally, consumables include any item that is "consumed" during the support process (note that consumables may also include materials, such as oil, which may be consumed during a support process). For the purpose of this document, the term "consumables" may also include tools, such as special tools, which may be required to complete a task but which are not actually "consumed" during completion of the task (ie they may then be returned to the supplier or kept for a later occasion) Preferably, the system also includes consumable. locater means which is arranged to access a consumable database containing availability information on consumables, and to locate the information and determine whether the 15 consumables are available, and to indicate availability in the information provided to the operative carrying out the process. In some cases, as discussed above, a consumable i: may not be available eg it may no longer be being manufactured. In such a case, the consumable database 20 usually designates an alternative consumable. Preferably,

I

the consumable locater means includes means for flagging the task data item that a particular consumable is not available and also to provide information data on the alternative consumable, so that the alternative consumable •oo 25 may be included in the list of consumables provided by the system. Preferably, impact processing means is arranged to locate other task data items which require a consumable which is no longer available or for which a replacement has been designated, and to flag those task data items to indicate this. Preferably, this is done by way of linking consumable item data in the system, so that all the consumable items affected by the change can be located.

43209 28 In this way the system can be kept up to date, preferably automatically, maintaining the latest list of available parts, tools etc for support of a materiel type.

Preferably, the impact processing means is also arranged to locate task data items.which require the affected consumable across different materiel types. It is thus possible to establish the impact of a consumable change across different materiel types, e.g. if a pump consumable is changed out of the manufacturer supply point, this may affect a truck and a car which share the common consumable item. The impact processing means preferably flags this change.

Preferably, as the information required for a particular process is being built, the consumable locater 15 means is arranged to generate the list of consumable as a separate list "on the fly", so that the operative is S"provided with a list of process steps, information on how to carry out the process, and a separate list of parts and tools required.

Databases are maintained of parts and tools required for the maintenance and repair of materiel. These include the "Standard Defence Supply System" (SDSS)(a military supply system database) for military equipment. The system of the present configuration is able to access such 2. 25 systems, in the preferred embodiment, so that the consumable locater means can access the available information. Where such databases do not already exist they may be constructed to serve the system of the present invention.

Update of the information data stored in the storage means of the system of the present invention is preferably a substantially continuous process. Information will be input any time configurations of materiel are changed, 43209 29 from ECOs, EDPs and other information available, including information provided by skilled people such as skilled engineers. This information can be obtained from the appropriate sources, eg Defence contractors where the system is a configuration management system for Defence materiel.

The present invention further provides a system for managing information required for the support of materiel, comprising a computer system including storage means for storing task data items including information data providing information on the handling of configuration items of materiel for a support process, the information data including consumable data including information on consumables required for the handling of configuration items for a support process, and consumable locater means for accessing a consumable data base containing availability information on the availability of consumables, and to indicate the consumable availability in information provided to a user of the system accessing S 20 the system to obtain information on how to carry out a oo support process of a configuration item.

Preferably, where the consumable database indicates that a consumable is no longer available, the system is 2 arranged to flag this in the information provided to the 25 user. Preferably, where the consumer database indicates that an alternative consumable is available, information on the alternative is provided to the user, and, preferably impact processing means is arranged to locate consumable data in the storage means which relate to consumables which are no longer available and to flag this, and preferably provide data on any alternatives available, in order to maintain relevance of the system.

43209 30 The system of this aspect of the invention may have any or all of the features of the aspect discussed above.

The present invention further provides a method of managing information required for the support of materiel, comprising the steps of storing a plurality of items of task data in a storage means, each task data item including information data providing information on the handling of an associated configuration item of materiel through a particular support process, linking each task data item to other task data items, the associated configuration items of which may be affected by a support process of the configuration item associated with each task data item, whereby the storage means may be accessed to extract information required for a support process 15 affecting at least one configuration item, the link means being utilised to extract information of a task data item associated with configuration items which may be affected by the support process affecting the at least one configuration item, whereby to provide information giving instructions on the handling of all configuration items affected by a particular support process.

The present invention yet further provides a method of managing information required for the support of materiel, comprising the steps of storing task data items 25 including information data providing information on the o handling of configuration items of materiel for a support process, including the step of storing consumable data including information on consumables required for the handling of configuration items for a support process, and providing consumable locator means for accessing a consumable database containing availability information on the availability of consumables, whereby to enable 43209 31 indication of the consumable availability in information provided to an operative.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS.

Features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of an embodiment thereof, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention, showing links to another system; Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing part of a database structure in accordance with an example embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 is a schematic diagram, illustrating how assembly information for a particular materiel may be defined; S. Figures 4 and 5 are "print-outs" showing information a :o provided by a system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention for an example materiel process.

*too0* 20 DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT a Figure 1 schematically illustrates an example embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 1 *09 indicates a system in accordance with an embodiment of the :I present invention comprising a system database which is termed "continuous acquisition and lifetime support" (CALS Compatible Database) for materiel. Although not shown separately in the drawing, it will be appreciated that the CALS Compatible Database system will be supported by a computer hardware system which may be in the form of a central "mainframe' computer or computers with attached terminals for input 2 and output 3, or, more preferably, comprise a distributed architecture including a plurality 43209 32 of networked computing devices, preferably with one or more server computing devices, and including input means for inputs 2 and output means for outputs 3. The system 1 may be connectable to an extended computer network, such as the Internet, for both input 2 and output 3. The database may include a standard relational database engine, such as ORACLE TM.

In accordance with this embodiment of the present invention, the system 1 includes storage means (computer memory in this case storing a plurality of task data items which include information on how to carry out support of configuration items of materiel. This particular embodiment is particularly for support of 1 Defence equipment, but it will be appreciated that other 15 embodiments may support any materiel. In order to obtain from CALS Compatible Database 1 the information required for carrying out a support process, which may affect more than a single configuration item, the task data items are see linked within the database 1, so that if support of one particular configuration item requires that other configuration items be affected, then the linked task data ,Soc !items for the affected configuration items will also be :accessed and the appropriate information will be output 3 giving the operative the information required to carry out S.25 the particular support process. The engineer will be provided with the entire "story" to enable them to carry out the support process, which story will have been assembled by the system 1 from a plurality of discrete task data items linked to each other depending on the support process being queried by inputs 2.

The contents of task data items (the information provided) will be discussed in more detail later. As well as including data on "how to" (ie how to perform a 43209 33 particular process), data is included identifying "consumables" required to carry out a particular process.

Consumables include fluids required to be consumed during a service process (eg oils), replacement parts that may be required (eg bolts of specially hardened materiel), replacement tool parts required, any special tools that may be required, and generally anything that will need to be "consumed" to carry out the support process. A communications link 4, which may be any type of communications link, eg dedicated line, computer network, Internet, is provided from GALS Compatible Database 1 to the Standard Defence Supply System (A standard supply system database) 5. This database provides information on the availability and identification of consumables (each 15 consumable included in this database has an identification token, such as a reference number, associated with it), so on.a :that an operative has all the information required to be able to requisition and obtain the consumables. CALS Compatible Database 1 includes a consumable locater means S 20 which is arranged to query the SDSS 5 for information on consumables required to carry out a particular support °.!process, via communications link 4, so that the "story" provided as an output 3 includes the appropriate consumable information to enable the operative to be able to requisition the consumables required for the process.

The consumable locater means includes a suitable software engine to drive the SDSS 5 query process.

During the LOT of a particular materiel, consumables may cease to be available eg they may go out of production. The SDSS 5 is kept up to date as much as possible with the availability of consumables and, if particular consumablesare no longer available, includes information on consumables that may be utilised as 43209 34 replacements. Where the consumable locater means identifies that a particular consumable is no longer available, an impact processing means of the system 1 is arranged to scan CALS Compatible Database to locate all task data items the associated tasks of which require the use of that particular consumable, and to flag the task data items so that when they are accessed the output 3 will advise that the consumable is no longer available.

Where a replacement consumable is identified the impact processing means is arranged to provide information data on the replacement and include it in the task data. The impact processing means includes a suitable software engineto carry out this process.

Figure 2 illustrates an example of how CALS 15 Compatible Database 1 is organised for an example materiel, in this case being a tank assembly. Referring to Figure 3, the US military standard for configuration S. S management of Defence equipment sets down standards for the "breakdown" of materiel into "assemblies". A 20 hierarchical structure is provided for each materiel type i covered by the standard. In this example the materiel is a type of tank (note that the type of tank is not specifiedthe Figure 3 example is a mere schematic to illustrate the structure of the US mil standard, and is not an actual o: 25 example of an actual materiel). At the top of the hierarchy is the tank assembly 10. This is the assembly of all the components of the tank. Step down in the hierarchy from the tank assembly 10 are the major assemblies that make up the tank assembly 10, including, for example, the power plant assembly 11, chassis assembly 12 and gun assembly 13. Other assemblies will exist here for a tank, but are not shown, for purposes of clarity.

Ghost lines 14, 15 indicate the existence of further 43209 35 assemblies. Further down in the hierarchy from these major assemblies are further assemblies (termed in Figure 3 as sub-assemblies 16, but they are considered assemblies in their own right). These may include such assemblies as the engine 17 and turbocharger 18. Yet further down the hierarchy (and there may be any number of steps) are the configuration items 19, which sit at the bottom of the hierarchy. Ghost lines 20, 21 indicate the existence of further steps in the hierarchy.

Each assembly in the hierarchy has associated with it an identifier, which may be a token such as a reference number, so that each assembly can be separately designated. The CALS Compatible Database system 1 is 0 organised and addressable utilising the US mil system.

Referring to Figure 2, there is illustrated a schematic "snapshot" of the CALS Compatible Database 1 database, organised in accordance with the US mil system. The SOi S snapshot is for the tank assembly 30 example. In the left hand column, identifiers 31 are illustrated. It can be 20 seen that the identifier's 31 are logically structured in accordance with the assembly hierarchy from identifier "1" (the tank assembly) through for major assemblies, through I.X.Y for assemblies stepped down from these O 4 assemblies, etc. The final configuration items (being at 0000 25 the bottom of the assembly hierarchy) eg turbocharger 32 each have task data items 33 associated with them and stored in memory accessible via an addressing system based on the logical structure of the hierarchy. A plurality of task data items 33 may be associated with each configuration item, such as, for example, a repair task data item 34, a maintain task data item 35, a disassemble task data item 36 and an inspection task data item 37.

Each task data item includes data providing information on 43209 36 how to carry out support processes on the associated configuration item, as will be discussed in more detail later.

As well, within the data structure, each task data item 34, 35, 36 and 37 may include one or more links 38, linking to other task data items associated with configuration items which will be affected by a particular support process on the configuration item. Links may be effected utilising metadata associated with the task data items, in a known manner. For example, in order to carry out a repair task 34 on the turbocharger 32 it may be necessaryto access other components of the engine to disassemble them, for example, before the turbocharger 32 o can be accessed. If an engineer requests information to enable repair 34 of the turbocharger for example, the system 1 accesses the repair task data item 34 for the a0, turbocharger and also accesses task data items linked 38 s to the repair task data item 34, to extract all the data required to enable the process.

20 In operation, therefore, an operative may require all the information necessary to service the engine of the V 0 9 tank assembly 30. The system 1 accesses all the maintain p q task data items for the configuration items of the engine and all the task data items linked to those task data items, to return all the information necessary to carry out this support process. In addition, by way of the consumable locater means, all consumables required for the process are identified and a separate consumables list is generated listing the consumables required for the process, together with the information required for their requisition.

The information provided by a task data item may include the following: 43209 37 "How to" information, giving process instructions on how to carry out a particular task (eg in the form of series of steps for the engineer to perform): images eg engineering diagrams enabling analysis of materiel structures; labour cost information. Eg to give an idea of the likely cost of carrying out a particular task; MTTR (mean time to repair) information, giving an estimate of the likely time that may be required to carry out the task; staff required, e.g. what skills are required to carry out the particular task eg what type of engineer is required; consumable information (information on the oD 0 15 consumables required for a particular task); 0 D ~tools required (some of these may be included in 4oo 0 00, consumables, eg. where special tools are required which will need to be obtained from, for example, the SDSS); 0) link data to other task data items requiring action 20 in order to carry out this particular task (note that this oDoooo too*%link data may be termed "associations"). The link data ,D0: may be in the form of metadata associated with the link 0)0°0 data items.

6 3 DD0 00: 25 of a task that may require particular processing eg 0 30 emphasising particular characteristics of components, such that the component gets very hot so that due care must be exercised when handling the component.

Task data may include other information and is not limited to the above list.

Note that link means may also link to "external" task data items. Some task data items may not be stored in the CALS compatible database, but may in fact be stored 43209 38 manually, eg in a library (which in effect can be considered as an extension of the CALS compatible database). In this case, the link means includes pointers or references in the task data item leading the operative to the external task data item.

The link means may operate to link task data items in any known manner. For example, within the CALS compatible database, the link means may include "hyperlinks" providing a jump to the stored data for the linked task data item. Alternatively, manual operation of the computer keyboard may be required to locate the linked task data item from a pointer provided in the task data item. Alternatively, the process may be completely automated and a software engine tracks links and provides 15 the total "story" including all the task data items, as an output. Further, as discussed above, the link means may i:: include pointers to external task data items.

Alternatively, as discussed above, link means may utilise metadata.

Referring to Figures 4 and 5, an example print-out is :shown for a "crank pin bearings remove" process and "crank pin bearings replace" process for a hypothetical vehicle.

The information provided includes a list of instructions 50, 51 showing "how to" carry out the processes; links 53 54, 55, 56, 57 and 58; the list of consumables required 59, 60 (which include "special tools" and "parts"), and "equipment condition" information 61, 62.

The links 53 through 58 are in this case hyperlinks and when an operative "clicks" on these links, then the associated task data items are located and output.

The consumables required are identified by "Part Number", the "NSN" serial number which shows that the 43209 39 parts are available (from access to the SDSS database), a "Description" and "Quantity" The system 1 produces an entire story from the task data extracted from CALS Compatible Database 1 for any particular process, together with a separate list of consumables.

To maintain the system i, particularly to ensure that the correct data is added to the system 1 for materiel with a long lifetime and in different configurations, constant acquisition of the appropriate information to input 2 to the system 1 is generally required. The input information may include information from EDPs, ECOs, legacy information from publications relating to materiel, the skill and knowledge of engineers who are aware of how 15 to carry out particular tasks, etc. Input such as this for Defence materiel may be made available from Defence contractors.

The above description is of an embodiment for use with the maintenance and repair of Defence materiel. It will be appreciated that embodiments could be built for the maintenance and repair of any materiel, e.g. domestic vehicles (automobiles) As well as the advantages discussed in the preamble .i of the specification, there is a further advantage of the present system in that it leads to an improvement in health and safety, particularly where "reference" information highlights particular aspects of a task such as, for example, that a component gets very hot.

Information is therefore provided which preferably assists with safe handling of a configuration item.

It will be appreciated.by persons skilled in the art that numerous variations and/or modifications may be made to the configuration as shown in the specific embodiments 43209 40 without departing from the spirit or scope of the configuration as broadly described. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive.

S S S S

S

S 43209

Claims

1. A system for providing component lists for materiel items, the system comprising storage means storing a plurality of items of task data, each task data item including component data identifying components required for an associated configuration item of materiel, and interface means by way of which the system is arranged to obtain from the task data item the component data for the associated configuration item.

2. A system in accordance with claim 1, the system including link means linking the task data items to one or more other task data items, the associated configuration item(s) of which may comprise a materiel assembly, the one 15 or more other task data items also including component data identifying the components of the associated :....configuration item whereby, via the link means, the system may obtain a list of components comprising a materiel assembly.

3. A system in accordance with claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the task data items also include source data, the source data providing an indication of where the components of the component data may be sourced from. S. 4. A system in accordance with claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the system is a configuration management system. A system in accordance with any of the preceding claims, the system also being arranged to produce component plans from the component data.

6. A system in accordance with claim 5, wherein the component plan is a Hardware Breakdown Structure.

7. A method of providing component lists for materiel items, comprising the steps of storing a plurality of items of task data, each task data item including 43209 42 component data identifying the components comprising an associated configuration item of materiel, and enabling access to the component data in order to obtain the component data for the associated configuration item of materiel.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7, comprising the further step of linking the task data items to one or more other task data items, the associated configuration items of which may comprise a materiel assembly, the one or more other task data items also including component data identifying the components of the associated configuration item, whereby via the link means, a list of components comprising a materiel assembly may be obtained. A method in accordance with claim 7 or claim 8, 15 comprising the further step of providing a component plan for any configuration item of materiel. A method in accordance with claims 7, 8 or 9, comprising the further step of including source data with the task data items, the source data providing an 20 indication of where components may be sourced from.

11. A computer program which, when loaded onto a computing system, is arranged to control the computing system to provide a system in accordance with any one of claims 1 to 6.

12. A computer readable medium, providing a computer program in accordance with claim 11.

13. A system for providing component plans for materiel items, the system comprising storage means storing a plurality of items of task data, each task data item including component data identifying components required for an associated configuration item of materiel, and interface means by way of which the system is arranged to obtain from the task data items the component data for the 43209 43 associated configuration item, and plan preparation means for preparing the component plan from the component data.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13, wherein the component plan is a Hardware Breakdown Structure.

15. A system in accordance with claim 13 or claim 14, the system including link means linking the task data items to one or more other task data items, the associated configuration item(s) of which may comprise a materiel assembly, the one or more other task data items also including component data identifying the components of the associated configuration item whereby, via the link means, the system may obtain component data comprising a materiel assembly. :16. A system in accordance with any one of claims 13, 14 or 15, wherein the task data items also include source S: data, the source data providing an indication of where the components of the component data may be sourced from.

17. A system in accordance with any one of claims 13 to 16, wherein the system is a configuration management S20 system. osoo

18. A computer program which, when loaded onto a computing system, is arranged to control the computing system to provide a system in accordance with any one of claims 13 to 17.

19. A computer readable medium providing a computer program in accordance with claim 18. Dated this 3rd day of October 2002 CARLYLE NAGEL By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH HACK