US5884315A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
System and method for handling technical hardware related information
Assignee: US Philips Corp
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Filing: 1996-12-26
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Granted: 1999-03-16
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Expires: 2016-12-26
Abstract
Abstract A system and method for handling technical data organizes and links information in a computer format that is readily accessible and easily useable. The system includes and provides a mechanism to arrange and store technical information from many different sources, regarding many different subjects, in one data set. The data set preferably includes a plurality of diagrams that each contain a plurality of components, identifying information that identifies each component and descriptive information that describes the components. The information is linked together so that the various distinct aspects thereof are readily accessed, as selected, by a user.
Inventors
- 👤 Chester F. Dunn
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 01:50
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F40/00; G06F40/10; G06F40/12; G06F40/131; G06F16/00; G06F16/30; G06F16/34; G06F30/00; G06F30/30; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S707/00; Y10S707/99941; Y10S707/99943; Y10S707/99944; Y10S707/99945
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
178 words
A system for accessing and using technical hardware related data such as hardware service data, comprising: a data set containing the technical data including identifying information identifying each of a plurality of hardware items, descriptive information describing each of said plurality of hardware items, a plurality of hardware diagrams each containing selected ones of said plurality of hardware items, each said item on each said hardware diagram having a specified diagram location, and linking information linking said identifying information, said descriptive information and said diagram location for each of said hardware items; a control module for controlling access to said data set; and an interface device for interfacing with said control module to locate a selected one of said hardware items in said data set on one of said hardware diagrams or through one of said identifying information or said descriptive information and wherein said control module automatically accesses the other of said identifying or descriptive information and any of said hardware diagrams containing said selected hardware item through said linking information in response to said interface device.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
178 words
A system for accessing and using technical hardware related data such as hardware service data, comprising: a data set containing the technical data including identifying information identifying each of a plurality of hardware items, descriptive information describing each of said plurality of hardware items, a plurality of hardware diagrams each containing selected ones of said plurality of hardware items, each said item on each said hardware diagram having a specified diagram location, and linking information linking said identifying information, said descriptive information and said diagram location for each of said hardware items; a control module for controlling access to said data set; and an interface device for interfacing with said control module to locate a selected one of said hardware items in said data set on one of said hardware diagrams or through one of said identifying information or said descriptive information and wherein said control module automatically accesses the other of said identifying or descriptive information and any of said hardware diagrams containing said selected hardware item through said linking information in response to said interface device.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said data set and said control module are stored in a computer memory.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
34 words
The system of claim 2, wherein said interface device is external to said computer memory and generates signals that are interpreted by said control module to manipulate and control access to said data set.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
59 words
The system of claim 1, wherein some of said items are repeated on more than one of said diagrams and wherein said linking information further links any of said diagrams that contain said repeated items and wherein said control module automatically accesses said diagram locations for each said item on said linked diagrams in response to said interface device.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
56 words
The system of claim 4, wherein the technical data describes electronic products, said items are electronic component parts of said products, and said diagrams include schematic diagrams and printed circuit board diagrams illustrating an arrangement of said component parts and wherein said linking information links schematic diagrams with printed circuit diagrams containing the same component parts.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
63 words
The system of claim 4, wherein said data set and said control module are stored on a computer memory and wherein said plurality of diagrams are stored within a diagram database within said data set and wherein each diagram is placed in a stack within said diagram database and has a stack identifier, said stack identifiers being a portion of said linking information.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
78 words
The system of claim 1, wherein said technical data describes electronic products, said items are electronic component parts of said products and said data set further comprises instructional information describing how to remedy known fault conditions for a preselected product and pertinent component parts of the product and wherein said linking information further links said instructional information to said diagram locations for said pertinent component parts and to said descriptive and identifying information for said pertinent component parts.
Claim 9
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of arranging a computer memory to contain technical hardware-related data such as hardware service data including diagrams having a plurality of hardware items on each diagram, comprising the steps of: (A) identifying each of the hardware items on each hardware diagram and assigning a unique identifier to each hardware item; (B) describing each of the hardware items identified in step (A) with descriptive information; (C) locating each hardware item on the hardware diagrams and determining a hardware diagram location for each hardware item on each hardware diagram; and (D) linking the hardware diagram locations from step (C) to the identifiers from step (A) and the descriptive information from step (B) for each hardware item, whereby the technical data pertaining to each hardware item is accessible by one of the identifier, the descriptive information or the hardware diagram location and wherein access to the other two are automatically available.
Claim 10
Independent Claim
150 words
A method of arranging a computer memory to contain technical hardware-related data such as hardware service data including diagrams having a plurality of hardware items on each diagram, comprising the steps of: (A) identifying each of the hardware items on each hardware diagram and assigning a unique identifier to each hardware item; (B) describing each of the hardware items identified in step (A) with descriptive information; (C) locating each hardware item on the hardware diagrams and determining a hardware diagram location for each hardware item on each hardware diagram; and (D) linking the hardware diagram locations from step (C) to the identifiers from step (A) and the descriptive information from step (B) for each hardware item, whereby the technical data pertaining to each hardware item is accessible by one of the identifier, the descriptive information or the hardware diagram location and wherein access to the other two are automatically available.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 8, wherein some of the items are on more than one of the diagrams and wherein step (C) is performed by locating each item on each diagram and determining a diagram location for each item such that said some of the items each have more than one diagram location.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 9, wherein step (D) is performed by lining each diagram location for each item.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of storing the diagrams within a database by placing each diagram in a stack within the database and linking the diagrams in the stack that contain the same item according to the position of the diagram in the stack and the item identifier.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 8, wherein the technical data describes an electronic product and wherein the items are electronic component parts of the product and the method further comprises determining a condition regarding the product; determining a procedure for handling the condition including identifying which of the items are involved in the procedure; describing the procedure; and linking the procedure description to the diagram locations for the items involved in the procedure.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 8 wherein step (C) is performed by visually displaying the diagrams on a visual display associated with the computer memory and manipulating the display to locate each item and storing the diagram location for each item.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 13, further comprising arranging a default display view of each item on each diagram and storing the default display in the computer memory such that the item is automatically displayed in the default display view on the visual display each time the diagram location is accessed.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-03-15 | 2002-09-14 | 2003-03-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-03-15 | 2006-09-14 | 2007-03-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-03-15 | 2010-09-14 | 2011-03-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |