WO2004107225A2

WO2004107225A2 - System for managing products and the parts thereof and associated data processing device

Info

Publication number: WO2004107225A2
Application number: PCT/EP2003/013439
Authority: WO
Inventors: Volkmar Wille
Original assignee: Mobilkom Austria Aktiengesellschaft & Co Kg
Priority date: 2003-05-26
Filing date: 2003-11-28
Publication date: 2004-12-09
Also published as: WO2004107225A3; AT500196A1; AU2003292159A1; EP1627349A2; NO20056142L; JP2006526187A; KR20060004702A

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for managing products and the part thereof, to allocated serial numbers for inspecting and controlling processes involved in the repair of devices or systems comprising said products or the elements thereof. The serial numbers and permanent associated product data are recorded in a databank. Said invention is characterised in that a first corresponding databank extract containing the serial numbers, the corresponding material master data and the warranty data for the device or system is generated for the device or system to be repaired from the databank, data of the first databank extract is used for producing a symbol or a range of symbols (images) which are displayable in an input and output device and recordable in an image data storage, one or more serial numbers of the device or system is introduced into said input and output device for data comparison, a product or the element thereof to be repaired is retrieved as repair part and a spare part and the serial number thereof are introduced and recorded by the input and output device, a modified image is formed, thereby making it possible to obtain a modified databank extract corresponding to the repaired device of system and the modified databank extract is recorded in the memory of said databank.

Description

System for managing products and product parts as well as data processing system for this

The invention relates to a system and a data processing system for managing products and product parts and / or the serial numbers assigned to the products and product parts, as well as for checking and controlling the processes during the repair of devices or systems which contain the products or product parts, the Serial numbers and associated material master data are stored in a database and the guarantee or warranty data are part of the database. If warranty dates are mentioned below, this also applies to warranty dates.

For an international company such as Telecom companies have a complete record of the delivered or delivered or installed products or product parts and their serial numbers. It makes a significant contribution to business processes such as Quality, billing, fraud, warehouse and maintenance logistics. This is a variety of different serial numbers such as those according to the standards, IMEI, SI card or company serial numbers of vouchers etc.

Spare parts and accessories for products or installed devices have different serial numbers with different structures, test rules and supplier-specific characteristics. This means that the requirements for serial number management are high flexibility and adaptability to the existing business processes and in the Definition of the material flow points at which the serial numbers must be recorded.

There is also the requirement to use external systems such as for billing or order picking computers etc. in short cycle times with serial numbers.

The requirements of the different business software modules must also be taken into account. For example, warehouse logistics with storage location management may have different requirements than maintenance logistics with technical locations and equipment.

The recording of the serial number history, i.e. the history associated with each serial number, must be guaranteed, since it provides important data for other business processes such as bonuses, commission payments and fraud research. This means that a relatively large volume of data must also be made available via web applications (Internet or intranet) within a very short time.

Such a system is described by Austrian patent application A 189/2003.

The present invention relates to problems that occur in the repair process and in the warranty process for products and product parts, in particular in installed systems.

The invention relates in particular to devices installed by telecommunications companies, without being restricted thereto. Such devices are e.g. the many radio stations that are spread over the entire area. A failure or malfunction of a radio station is usually reported to the central station itself.

According to the present invention, the system mentioned at the outset is characterized in that

that an associated first database extract is created from the database of the device or system to be repaired, the. the Contains serial numbers and associated material master data including the warranty data of the device or system; that a symbol or a series of symbols (image) are created from the data of the first database extract, which can be displayed on an input and output device and are stored in an image data memory; that one or more serial numbers of the device or the system for data comparison are entered into the input and output device; that the product or product part to be repaired is removed as a repair part and the spare part with its serial numbers is entered and saved in the input and output device; that a changed image is created and from it a changed one ^; Database extract is generated that corresponds to the repaired device or system; - And that the changed database extract is saved in the database memory.

According to the invention, an extract is created from the database, which shows the device-specific situation of the system to be repaired, e.g. reproduces an antenna system. That that the technician is on a suitable device, e.g. his laptop contains or receives the data necessary for the respective broadcasting station. With this database extract (image snap shot), the technician has early knowledge of the structure of the system to be repaired.

On site, the technician takes the obviously defective part and carries the corresponding data, e.g. via the serial number of the part locally on his laptop. Checking the serial number alone can show whether it is actually the right transmitter or not.

When entering the serial number of the new replaced part, a check is made as to whether this part may or should actually be installed at the point. All this is done on the basis of the assignment data of the serial numbers to the material master data contained in the database. The original data in the database are compared with the changed data of the technician using a synchronization algorithm. The business bookings can run in the background and the warranty question can also be checked and processed, namely if the part to be replaced is still under warranty.

Equipment DB is a large database with the data of all radio stations. From this, the data of the respective station is read and this original database extract represents a so-called image. This image can also be represented symbolically for easier readability. The technician changes the image on the input device, for example by scanning the serial number of the installation location (RACK) and then scanning the serial number of the new part, which results in a new image with the associated, partly new serial numbers. Below is the _. Synchronization takes place by editing the difference between the original image and the image. The new image is saved in the database as a new valid original, taking into account the current changes.

The difference between the images also results in the determination of whether there is a guarantee case by comparing the material master data, e.g. Time of purchase, length of guarantee, etc. The further processing then goes the usual business way.

The particular business advantage is that the technician is relieved of on-site activities that are economically necessary but prone to errors and are not particularly popular with the technician, e.g. Fill out forms, etc. Data is collected without delay. Of course, the further advantage lies in the subsequent automatic further processing of this data.

Further advantages are that the data entered can be immediately ^■ checked online and, if necessary, corrected.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. Figures 1 to 7 are schematic flow diagrams. Fig. 8 shows a list for Illustration of the serial number history. FIGS. 9 and 10 are schematic representations, FIG. 10 being a flowchart with regard to the memory contents of the database.

Fig. 1 shows schematically the structure of the system with technical installations, namely a satellite antenna 1 and _. a transmission tower 2 as a functional location. Data is exchanged between the telephone system 3 and the functional locations, for example via radio. For example, the transmission tower 2 reports the malfunction of a part to the telephone system 3. A database extract 4 corresponding to the transmission tower 2 is created from the equipment master data stored in a database, and the equipment warranty database. Workstation 5 Submit where the warranty data of the defective part is processed further.

FIG. 2 shows a flowchart of the overall view of the management system used here for the serial numbers and material master data assigned to the products or product parts, including the guarantee data. •

The diagram shows the flow of products through the company and the serial numbers associated with them. The goods go from the supplier via the goods receipt to the goods receipt module SNEGR module (Serial-No. Entry-Goods-Receive-Module). The goods receipt can be accompanied by a serial number datafile (SN datafile) that the supplier delivers.

The present invention practically begins with the receipt of goods. The serial numbers are initially recorded in the SNEGR module. This module allows the corresponding serial numbers to be assigned to the goods received and stored in a database. The data entered is checked as soon as it is entered and assigned. The serial numbers are usually specified by the supplier. New serial numbers only need to be created in special cases.

For example, it is checked: whether the serial number already exists - plausibility check Correctness of numbers or number-letter combination

Check whether the type and number of serial numbers e.g. with the

Order match and all other testing options in this area

In most cases, the product is passed on to the warehouse (MM stock).

There is a peculiarity in the telecommunications industry, but also in other areas, that sometimes the devices are assembled from different supplied parts and also disassembled again. The two modules SNE-Assembling Module and SNE-Deassembling Module are provided for these steps.

In the SNE assembling module, the recorded serial numbers of the product parts (in the SNEGR module) are linked to a serial number of the product as the leading serial number and saved in a database. In principle, each of the serial numbers used can be provided as the leading serial number. Usually you take the externally visible and therefore controllable serial number e.g. the number of the mobile phone.

The SNE-Deassembling module is particularly interesting for the field of repairs and installation. From assembled devices, the individual parts are recorded and stored with their serial numbers, which may also require disassembly of the product.

In the goods issue module, the leading serial numbers are removed from the database when the product is delivered or marked as completed. At the same time, the associated serial numbers of the other components are also carried out.

The parts recorded are in the warehouse (stock) or the closer hierarchical assignments via the serial numbers are stored in the database.

In the Equipment Creation sub-branch, the individual parts can be divided into a specific one Hierarchy can be set to each other. Here it can be checked, for example, that in a technical equipment of a company with five slots, six pieces of equipment are not assigned to another company as insertable.

In the goods issue follow-up module, the assembled device is either installed, i.e. arranged as intended (left branch Gl from stock) or removed from the warehouse according to the right branch and installed at the installation point (e.g. in a radio transmission tower).

FIG. 3 shows examples for checking the serial number types (SN type). The exams usually go in two directions. On the one hand, the number itself is checked whether it corresponds to the number type, whether it can be correct, etc. There are test samples for this. The handling of this number is also checked, e.g. double assignment of the same number etc.

The first line shows the check whether the serial number consists of four digits. The symbol on the second line stands for any character. The logic after line 3 checks whether the serial number is a 6-digit number that begins with the digits 876. The abbreviation SIMPRUEFZ is a command for checking the number according to a check logic for SIM card numbers. The last line checks for five alphanumeric characters beginning with NO.

FIG. 4 shows the second part of the number check, namely the handling of the numbers. Here it is checked whether and how the serial number fits into the environment.

The double entry check shows, for example, whether a number was incorrectly scanned twice. The SN status shows, for example, whether the part with this number has already been delivered to a dealer, so that a new receipt of this part may not be correct. Furthermore, it can be checked whether the part is already installed in a transmitter station, which is equivalent to a status check (in the module installed in a functional location FL). Another example is the check whether the part already exists in the database (EQ exists). Figure 5 shows an overview of the possibilities of electronic transmission of serial numbers. EDI XML means Electronic Data Interchange. This can be, for example, a file transfer via the Internet or another electronic data exchange based on the XML standard. According to the state of the art, input via barcode scanning is carried out using handheld devices or scanner machines. SN-Range means that not every serial number is entered individually, but that a delivery is given a range of serial numbers, whereby the specific serial number is then assigned to each part within the present system. The right-hand part of FIG. 5 shows that the transferred data are checked in the SN check module, using the SN master data check pattems as listed, for example, in FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows schematically the warranty processing according to the invention, warranty handling.

In the Initial Goods Receipt module, the guarantee data is also entered in the database when the goods are received and the goods are in stock. For the installation (consumption) of a part from the warehouse, this part is installed in the system (site). In the case of repairs (repairs case), the warranty data is checked to determine whether the repair is a warranty case or not. In any case, the part is returned to the supplier (vendor). This returns the repair part (returns from repairs), whereby the new guarantee data is entered in the database in the Second Goods Receipt module as a goods receipt module and the part is put back in stock. A serial number check can be performed in each of these operations to ensure that the correct parts are handled.

The SN check can always be associated with the usual plausibility checks, such as those listed in Fig. 3.

7 shows the management of the life cycle of spare parts.

The technician takes one from the FL warehouse Spare part and bring it as a new part (new part) to the system to be repaired (site). The defective part is removed there and replaced with the new part. The defective part is sent to the supplier via a repair order in order to be repaired there (repairs at vendor). The repaired part is returned to the FL warehouse by the supplier either as such repaired part or as a new part. All of these steps are checked and saved in the serial number database. As with all other movements of parts, the check is carried out via the serial numbers and the history of each part is also updated.

For example, Figure 8 is a list of history records. 9 shows an essential part of the system according to the invention, an extract being made for a part to be repaired from the database table stored in the input device and a so-called image snap shot being formed therefrom. This image snap shot is given to the technician e.g. dubbed via a satellite antenna on his laptop or palmtop. Of course, any other data transfer can also take place here. If e.g. If a telecommunication system with 5,000 transmission towers needs to repair one of these transmission towers, the technician who is on the way to this transmission tower receives the specifically assigned data about the parts installed in this transmission tower. In the event of a repair, the changes are entered on the laptop or palmtop and the corrected image snap shot is sent back to the database table, which is thus brought up to date again.

Fig. 10 shows schematically the operation of the image module. The central component is the image engine. As described above, the data records assigned to the system to be repaired are taken from the Equipment DB database. In the image engine, associated symbol images are created from the data records, the symbol images being taken from an image data store. This image data store contains various image symbols or writing symbols which are easier for the technician to understand than anonymous serial numbers can be. Before the repair of a part, the technician is transferred to the original image so that he can see the prevailing basic state of the system on his laptop. When removing the defective part, the technician can scan the serial number of the defective part or enter it into his laptop, whereby it is immediately checked whether he is actually at the correct system. When installing the spare part, the image is changed on the laptop and the difference between the original image and the processed image is evaluated in the image engine. The new image is transferred to the Equipment DB so that the new state is saved there. Of course, the corresponding entries are also made in the history file.

Claims

claims:

1. System for managing products and product parts and the assigned serial numbers as well as for checking and controlling the processes during the repair of devices or systems which contain the products or product parts, the serial numbers and associated material master data being stored in a database, characterized in that

- That the device or system to be repaired creates an associated first database extract from the database, which contains the serial numbers and associated material master data including the warranty data of the

Device or system; - That a symbol or a series of symbols (image) are created from the data of the first database extract, which are based on an input and

Output device can be displayed and are stored in an image data memory; that the input and output device has one or more serial numbers of the

Device or the system for data synchronization can be entered; - That the product or product part to be repaired is removed as a repair part and that the replacement part with its serial numbers can be removed from the

Output device is entered and saved; that a changed image is created and a changed one

Database extract is generated that corresponds to the repaired device or system; and that the changed database extract is stored in the database memory.

2. System according to claim 1, characterized in

- it is determined in the database for the repair part whether there is a guarantee case, that the repair part is sent to the supplier as a guarantee case or as a repair case without a guarantee and is returned by the supplier as a new part or repaired part, - That the repair part is returned to the warehouse via a goods receipt module and stored in the data memory, - and that the new guarantee data of the repair part are stored in the data memory.

3.Data processing system for the administration of products and product parts and the assigned serial numbers as well as for the control and control of the processes during the repair of devices or systems that contain the products or product parts, whereby the serial numbers and associated material master data are stored in a database and the warranty data is part the database are characterized by

- that the device or system to be repaired from the database provides an associated first database extract that contains the serial numbers and associated material master data of the device or system;

- That from the data of the first database extract, a symbol or a series of symbols (image) are provided, which are based on an input and

Output device can be displayed and are stored in an image data memory; that at least one input and output device is provided, to which one or more serial numbers of the device or the system for data comparison are entered;

- that the product or product part to be repaired is removed as a repair part and the spare part with its serial numbers is entered and saved in the input and output device;

- that a changed image is provided and a modified database extract is generated from it, which corresponds to the repaired device or system;

- And that the changed database extract is saved in the database memory.

4. Data processing system according to claim 3, characterized in that

- that the database for the repair part determines whether there is a warranty case, - that the repair part is sent to the supplier as a warranty case or as a repair case without a warranty and is returned by the supplier as a new or repaired part,

- That the repair part is returned to the warehouse via a goods receipt module and stored in the data memory, - and that the new guarantee data of the repair part are stored in the data memory.