Technical field

The present invention relates to a method of providing service of technical units such as machines, apparatuses or investment units, each of which is equipped with a unique code identifying a complete technical unit and usually also with sub-codes identifying individual parts of the technical units of

machine/apparatus/tool and investment unit.

Background of the invention

Technical units, by which in this text any serviceable technical facility such as machines, especially numerically controlled ones, but also apparatuses, buildings or complexes of buildings, or e.g. motorcars or agricultural machinery are understood, do not enable personified access into a knowledge database and on a current place of a manual in any language so that they could provide maintainer / service man quickly with well-arranged information in up-to-date form with a simple possibility to enter comprehensive service / warranty claim . Nowadays printed manuals are constantly generated, which manuals are outdated even in the time of their being printed, their updateability is null and a possibility to ask for an active support via videoconference in a field does not exist. It is difficult to fill in all requested information on the machine failure and simply share photos and videos with the failure details. Nowadays computer in the computer controlled machines usually logs some important data related to operation, performance, deviation from normal and arising faults and failures. The service technician has then his work made easier when servicing or repairing the machine, because the machine provides him with a part of the problem modes. That way the service technician is able to detect easier the cause of possible failure or find out that the failure is drawing near.

A solution, where a machine or an apparatus is provided with sensors that sense current state of the machine or the apparatus, is known from US 2006/0123692 Al. These sensors transmit strings of data, which are specific for the machine or the apparatus or its parts provided with the sensor, and feed it via corresponding bus to a comparator circuit that compares the string of data transmitted by the sensor with a string of data, which is for the given type of machine or apparatus or its part provided with a sensor, stored in a memory database. In case of failure of the machine or the apparatus or its part provided with a sensor the string of data transmitted f om the machine or the apparatus or its part provided with a sensor is modified, which the comparator circuit evaluates as a failure. If the failure of the machine or the apparatus or its part provided with a sensor is identified this way, the user is offered a possible diagnosis of the failure and its solution from the memory database.

One of disadvantages of this solution is that it offers methods of repair for the parts provided with sensor only. If a failure occurs on a part of machine or apparatus, which is not provided with a sensor, e.g. dent of motorcar side sill or untightness of steam valve in a distillery plant occurs, this system does not offer any solution. The more parts the user wants to include into the system, the more sensors he must built in the given machine or apparatus, which however entails significant cost increase in the given machines and apparatuses. As a rule it is necessary to call service technician in case of every failure, which results in operation delay even in cases, when machine operator could cope with it himself. It is not possible to take a look in up-to-date manual and it is not possible to share knowledge base with technical inquiries / problems already solved.

Another disadvantage of this system is that it does not offer continuous creation of an individual service log book, which would indicate possible weak points of particular machine or apparatus in the process of finding out the failure. As a matter of fact, frequently repeated failures of the same part point more likely to the problem that has its origin somewhere else and the repair of the damaged part does not solve the cause of the problem. Updated service log book will just help to trace causes of such problems.

Unless the technical unit has an integrated computer, this even limited

possibility of support is, by definition, impossible.

Summary of the invention

Above mentioned drawbacks of prior art are eliminated to a great extent by a method of providing service of technical units, wherein every technical unit is provided with a unique code for identification of the technical unit, this unique code is read and transferred into a server with a database of manuals, where it is authenticated and after the authentification all failures of the given technical unit described in the database of manuals are assigned to it. The failure, which corresponds to the respective problem, is selected from failures of the technical unit described in the manual database, after which a proposal of a repair procedure for performing the repair is chosen from the database of manuals. In an advantageous embodiment of this method the technical unit is repaired according to the procedure, the proposal of which has been chosen, and this repair is logged in the service log book of the given technical unit.

In another advantageous embodiment of this method a new procedure is chosen in case when a description of a failure corresponding to the respective problem is missing in the manual database, the technical unit is repaired and this repair is logged into the manual database and in the service log book of the given technical unit.

In another advantageous embodiment of this method, the unique code for identification of the technical unit is recoded before it being transferred in the server with the database of manuals.

In still another advantageous embodiment of this method at least an identity of the user of the manual database, alternatively his password and phone number, from which the demand on access to the manual database were sent off, are verified in the process of authentication.

In a further advantageous embodiment of this method GPS coordinates of the technical unit are verified in the process of authentication.

Finally in still another advantageous embodiment of this method the procedure of the repair and the repair itself are logged in the service log book alternatively in the database in terms of text and/or in terms of pictures and/or as a voiceprint and/or as a video recording. Brief description of the drawings

Present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the

accompanying drawings, wherein

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the process of performing technical units service according to this invention;

Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of exemplary linking of the system; and

Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of operation of the communication unit from the exemplary linking of the system according to the invention.

Detailed description of preferred embodiments

Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram of the process of performing service of the technical units 1 (see Fig. 2) according to this invention. The term "technical units" is understood as a machine or an apparatus or a part of a machine or an apparatus or a building or a complex of buildings or any object, maintenance and repair of which are necessary to be looked after in the long term.

The first step 31 is a reading of the unique code 2, which every technical unit 1 is provided with. The unique code 2 is individual code of the technical unit 1 and identifies, which particular technical unit 1 is concerned. Every individual technical unit 1 is provided with its code and thus no e.g. two, even identical, technical units 1 with the same code exist. Alphanumerical codes, e.g. QR codes, bar codes etc, can be used as the unique code 2. In this case it is

identification by optical way with electronic translation for further use.

Alternatively a radio frequency contactless identification by means of e.g. RFID chips can be used. It is true that every technical unit 1 has assigned unique code 2 for the purpose of this system, and vice versa every individual unique code 2 is assigned to the only technical unit 1.

Thus the identification of the technical unit 1 by means of reading the unique code 2 by the communication unit 12 is the basis. It is possible to use any communication unit 12, which enables optical or radio frequency identification and has an interface for two way communication, which means for receiving as well as for transmitting data, and a display interface with a possibility of active entering of information, such as smartphone, computer, tablet or notebook, etc. The communication unit 12 enables to identify technical unit by means of visual or radio frequency identification, enables two way active communication with the database - reading and logging, multilateral active communication with other communication units 12 and simultaneous displaying of data from multiple sources.

The active two way communication of the database 5 of manuals of technical units 1 with the communication unit 12 enables communication with the server containing the database 5 of manuals of technical units 1 both in text and voice form. It enables not only reading information from the database and displaying it on the communication unit 12, but also entering information into the database by means of the communication unit 12, namely in the form of text, numbers, photo/video and voice.

The communication unit 12 enables active two way communication with any number of further communication units 12. This communication enables to use and mutually share as a source of solution both manuals and knowledge database of problems, but even external sources, scilicet both in text and in visual and voice form. Furthermore it is possible to share visual identification online. Each of participating persons can display and describe necessary information on a display device to the other persons. All participants can define visually required parts and ask for specification e.g. in voice, text or audiovisual form or by means of electronic pen.

The second step 32 represents recoding of the unique code 2 by the

communication unit 12 to a string of data that is subsequently sent by means of any wired or wireless net, e.g. LAN, WI-FI, WLAN Bluetooth etc., in the server 13 with the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals.

In the third step 33 the server 13 with the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals checks a rightfulness of the demand minimally in two-stage manner. The database 5 of the manuals for technical units has a multilevel structure that enables not only creating of unique manual for every unique appliance, but also one identical manual for n-tuple number of identical technical units 1 even regardless unique identification codes 2. The database 5 of the manuals enables to have any number of manuals for any number of technical units, whereas it has any number of safety levels. Operator, instructed operator or e.g. service technician must not start maintenance or repair without having read necessary parts of the manual and this way untrained operator is kept from an intervention into forbidden parts.

The active communication interface enables entering or correction of the manuals directly into the technical unit 1, scilicet photo or video documentation included. It is possible to have multiple manuals linked to one technical unit at the same time. Not only final drawing documentation but also complete piece list of spare parts form integral part of the manuals. Spare parts database enables to make an inquiry or to order this part or technical unit at the supplier

immediately with the button "inquire" or "order".

Basic checking consists in checking the name and/or the password and in identification of the communication interface of the communication unit 12, e.g. by checking the number of the calling phone. Only on the basis of the positive identification, the server 13 with the database 5 of manuals of the technical units 1 sends a relevant answer in the forth step 34. If it is positive, then from that time the linking of the communication unit 12 both with respective service log book 3 and with the database 5 of the manuals of the technical units 1 is established, and both the display of information and possibly also information entering is enabled. The service log books 3 are saved in the server 13 of the database 4 of the service log books 3.

Complete list of information on access to the technical unit and demands on support, service, change of conditions of the technical unit 1 function, etc, which is here referred to as the service log book 3, comes into existence automatically for every unique code 2. Among others the system archives operation

parameters and their modifications. Every modification, correction and/or repair is logged in the database with identification of who, when and where this information entered and/or accessed (e.g. by reading the manual). While manuals and knowledge of the problem solutions etc, may be linked to multiple technical units, the service log book 3 is always unique for every unique identification code 2. Service log book 3 is a bearer of guarantee of state of technology and provability of ownership. By means of visual documentation of the state of technology and the process of repairs, it is possible to guarantee technical state of the technical unit 1 with complete checking of regular service, failures and solutions of them, etc. The visual entering (photo/video) directly from the communication unit 12, serving as a proof for later provability of execution, is the greatest advantage in this area.

Unless the authentication takes place, i.e. the answer is negative, the server 13 with the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals does not send the answer and the communication is disconnected. Also entering the GPS coordinates of physical location of the technical unit is a part of the authentication. In the fifth step 35 the user chooses problem to be solved, e.g. a repair of carburettor, if the technical unit 1 is a motorcar, or maintenance of heat exchanger, if the technical unit 1 is a heat exchanger.

In the sixth step 36 the user sends the chosen problem in the server 13 with the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals to be compared with problems, the solution of which has already been saved in respective manual from the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals, or in the seventh step 37 enters the

modification of the technical unit 1 state in respective service log book 3, or in the eighth step 38 enters the information on the technical unit 1 in respective service log book 3 or in respective manual. Manuals in the manuals database 5 include both problems description and also solutions of them. Generating of the problems description entry is possible from any certified communication facility and the solution procedure as well.

It is possible to use text description, or "card entering" for immediate

translation, and visual identification of the problem (photo/video) in the description. The problem that is solved is linked to a manual, either the complete one or the respective chapter of it, and that is why solved problems are also displayed in the process of searching a help in the manual. Solved problems are linked to technical units 1 via service log books 3 and automatically to the same technical units 1. With the aid of the description it is possible to link the solution even to similar technical units 1. If the problem is linked to a part of a technical unit 1 , the solution is automatically linked to all technical units 1 with the same part. On the basis of description / cards / visual identification, the complete database 5 of manuals is searched. With every solution of the problem, cards with maximum information value are entered and thereby ability of scanning the manual database 5 is increased. Text description is possible and able to be scanned. Cards for description of states, modifications and problems simplify both the situation description, because it is not necessary to write long

description, and also its translation to another language automatically, and simplify searching of the relevant results. The cards are able to be user-defined and can be arbitrarily combined.

If in the sixth step 36 the user sent the chosen problem to the server 13 with the database 5 of the technical unit 1 manuals, he can receive proposals of solution from the respective manual in the ninth step 39.

If in the ninth step 39 the user received the proposals of solution from the respective manual, he performs the repair of given technical unit 1 in the tenth step 40.

After that in the eleventh step 41 the user saves log on the repair of the technical unit 1 and also the intervention result in the service log book 3.

If at the twelfth step 42 the user receives information that solution of his problem does not exist yet in the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals, he proposes his own solution in the thirteenth step 43.

In such a case in the fourteenth step 44, the user performs the repair according to the solution proposed by him.

In the fifteenth step 45 he composes his own description of the problem and its solution.

In the sixteenth step 46 this solution is automatically entered both in the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals and in the respective service log book of the repaired technical unit 1. A supervisor, that checks and if need be also modifies new entries in the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals, is linked to the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals.

If in the twelfth step 42 the user receives information that solution of his problem does not exist yet in the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals and he himself is not able to propose the new solution, in the seventeenth step 47 he sends a demand for projecting instructions for solution of his problem.

In the eighth step 48, the one, who projected the solution of the given problem, enters description of the problem and the description of its solution as well, both in the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals and in the respective service log book of the technical unit 1 that is being repaired.

Afterwards in the ninth step 49 the user receives the proposal of the solution from a service technician or from someone, who has more experience and knowledge than he has.

After that in the twentieth step 50 the user performs repair according to this proposal of the solution.

Referring to Fig. 2, an exemplary linking of the system, in which the procedure according to the present invention is in progress, is depicted. Any number of communication units 12i to 12 _N and any number of technical units 11 to 1 _N are connected into the system. Every communication unit 12 _n is linkable to every technical unit 1 and all the communication units 12i to 12 _N are linkable to the server 13 with the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals and with the database 4 of the service log books 3i to 3 _N . Every technical unit l _n has its own unique code 2 _n , which the unique code 2n in the service log book 3 _n of this very technical unit l _n corresponds to.

Referring to Fig. 3, functioning of the communication unit 12 is depicted.

Unless the user knows what to do with the technical unit 1, he can communicate with other users by means of linking up their communication units 12χ to 12 _n . He will grant these users the right to access to the service log book 3 of the technical unit 1, which he is looking at. After that these by him addressed users can communicate both directly with him and also with the database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals and with respective service log book of the technical unit 1 that is being repaired. That way teleconferences and meetings can take place if the problem solved by the primary user requires that.

The database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals is linked to a computer translator 11 for translating the manuals to various languages. The database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals includes also the database of the technical units 1 failures solutions. The database 5 of the technical units 1 manuals and the service log books 3 of individual serviced technical units 1 are provided with a security access code to prevent an unauthorised access so that only he, who is authorized to use these technical procedures, may get to individual proposed procedures.

The server 13 offers translation of both manuals and cards and entries. A specific branch database of translations including technical expressions and slang formulation is created in the background. It is an advantage of this arrangement, when compared to standard solution, that translators, who participate in the database formation, support automatically technical entries, i.e. linking of manual translations with minutes, problems descriptions and their solutions, etc. This unique link is not known. In a normal state the manuals are translated partly automatically although separately from technical praxis, and this translation database is impossible to use in common daily technical praxis. It is impossible to synchronise language of manuals and everyday language of technicians.

Standard translation software, e.g. Google Translator, is able to translate only. It is not able to offer already translated sentences much less the technical ones. Our system goes forward and offers already translated sentences for minutes in primary language, the problem description, the solution description, etc. This way the cooperation in international conditions is considerably accelerated and technical terminology is unified.

As soon as an entry (text entry) arises, the system offers automatically similar sequences in the language, in which the entry arises, and simultaneously translates all available languages in the background, and saves them for further use in a native language. At the same time the same variant is selected

automatically.

In the process of the manual formation, the system offers existing sentences in the language, in which the manual arises, and identical manuals in different languages arise in the background. Thanks to such a link of translation and manuals it is then possible, after a manual text is rectified, to automatically rectify all language versions of this manual, such as a language correction and/or a technical correction, both in old and new manuals.

The method according to the present invention differs from the known methods especially in that it always uses unique identifier for every technical unit 1 and so in the whole system not a single one technical unit 1 has its identifier identical to an identifier of another technical unit 1. The method according to the present invention is not in need of any state sensors and computer unit in the examined technical unit 1 for its realisation and so it is able to compass by far more extended spectrum of the technical units 1, and it combines advantageous of usage of the database of possible failures for the given type of technical unit 1 with a possibility of consulting updated service log books 3 of individual serviced technical units 1 and with continuous updating of both service log books 3 of individual serviced technical units 1 and manuals of the serviced technical units 1. It supports automatic translations and unification of

technological terms in conditions of international cooperation.

Industrial applicability

The present invention can be used for service networks formation for various kinds of technical units 1, such as machines, apparatuses and industrial units, especially digitally controlled machines and apparatuses, tools, but also e.g. for service of motorcars or industrial facilities.