Method and system for graphically identifying replacement parts for generally complex equipment

A computerized method for self-directed assistance of equipment service personnel identifying replacement parts for selected locomotive equipment and a selected system thereof while present at an equipment work site to perform a servicing operation for a locomotive, said method comprising:

• providing a database comprising detailed parts data about the replacement parts for each assembly of the selected locomotive equipment, with the detailed data identifying each part in a selected assembly, schematic representations of the selected assembly and its subassemblies and respective parts, wherein the detailed parts data includes graphical reproductions of the selected equipment with each reproduction being arranged into selectable segments comprising a plurality of graphical hyperlinks embedded on such graphic representations of the selected locomotive equipment, and each segment being expandable from a top-level representation to a detailed-level representation for any selected assembly for identifying replaceable parts thereof, and further wherein the database comprises detailed data for troubleshooting and determining a servicing required for a selected assembly of the selected locomotive equipment;
• and
• activating at least some of the plurality of graphical hyperlinks embedded on the respective graphical representations of the selected locomotive equipment for remotely retrieving from the database detailed parts data about a selected assembly using a level of representation sufficiently detailed to enable service personnel to perform a desired service of the selected assembly, said activating further eliciting troubleshooting instructions for performing a health assessment of a selected assembly of the selected locomotive equipment;
• providing monitored data selected from the group consisting of operational performance of the selected equipment, operational performance of the selected assembly, and fault indications detected in the equipment and assembly;
• and
• processing the monitored data to determine the nature and extent of servicing required by the selected locomotive equipment and the selected assembly.

A computerized system for self-directed assistance of equipment service personnel in graphically identifying replacement parts for selected locomotive equipment and a selected system thereof while present at an equipment work site to perform a servicing operation for a locomotive, said system comprising:

• a database comprising detailed parts data about the replacement parts for each assembly of the selected locomotive equipment, with the detailed data identifying each part in a selected assembly by providing a series of linked schematic representations of the selected assembly and any subassemblies thereof and respective parts, said database responsive to a respective locomotive identifier for uniquely identifying the selected equipment onboard said locomotive, wherein said series of linked schematic representations comprises a plurality of graphical hyperlinks embedded on respective visual representations of the selected locomotive equipment, and further wherein the database comprises detailed data for troubleshooting and determining a servicing required for a selected assembly of the selected locomotive equipment;
• a hand-held input/output device for wirelessly communicating with the database as said personnel performs the servicing operation for said locomotive;
• and
• a data management module configured to access the database to interface with the detailed parts data, said module further configured to retrieve from the database detailed data about the selected equipment using the respective identifier for the equipment, wherein activation of at least some of said graphical hyperlinks embedded on the respective visual representations of the selected locomotive equipment allows said service personnel to graphically navigate from the selected assembly to any relevant subassembly and replacement parts, wherein the activation of the graphical hyperlinks is further configured to retrieve from the database troubleshooting instructions for performing a health assessment of a selected assembly of the selected locomotive equipment;
• a module for providing monitored data selected from the group consisting of operational performance of the selected equipment, operational performance of the selected assembly, and fault indications detected in the equipment and assembly;
• and
• a module for processing the monitored data to determine the nature an extent of servicing required by the selected locomotive equipment and the selected assembly.