# US 8,751,504 B2 · Providing procedures

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- Number: US 8,751,504 B2
- Document ID: US8751504B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/653,187
- Filed: 2012-10-16
- Published: 2014-04-17
- Granted: 2014-06-10
- Earliest claimed: 2012-10-16
- Assignees: ESC Apps, LLC
- Applicants: ESC Services, Inc.
- Inventors: Jimi Michalscheck
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8751504B2

## CPC

- H04W 64/00: Locating users or terminals {or network equipment} for network management purposes, e.g. mobility management
- G06F 16/2443: {Stored procedures}
- H04W: WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS (broadcast communication H04H; communication systems using wireless links for non-selective communication, e.g. wireless extensions H04M1/72)
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)

## Abstract

For providing procedures, a synchronize module stores a plurality of procedures in a procedure database. Each procedure is indexed to a reference code. The synchronize module synchronizes the plurality of procedures to a mobile device. A retrieval module receives a first reference code at the mobile device and retrieves a first procedure indexed to the first reference code.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for providing procedures comprising:
storing, by use of a processor, a plurality of procedures in a procedure database, wherein each procedure is indexed to a reference code and comprises two or more of a lockout/tag out procedure, a startup procedure, a service procedure, and an adjustment procedure for a target machine, wherein each procedure comprises the reference code, procedure instructions, a change history and a machine identifier stored as segments in one or more tables;
synchronizing the plurality of procedures to a mobile device;
receiving a first reference code at the mobile device, wherein the first reference code is affixed to the target machine and is encoded as one of a Quick Response (QR) code and a barcode;
retrieving a first procedure indexed to the first reference code;
recording if a user follows the first procedure to an audit report; and
recording if the user employs safety equipment specified by the first procedure to the audit report.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising:
recording audit issues for the first procedure to the audit report;
recording an attestation from an auditor to the audit report;
recording an audit result to the audit report; and
synchronizing the audit report to a user database with the audit report linked to the user and to the procedure database with the audit report linked to the first procedure.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, the audit report comprising the auditor, the user, an audit time, the audit status, and the reference code.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The method of claim 2, further comprising displaying the audit status for the plurality of processes and audit status for the user.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each procedure is a lock out/tag out procedure for a machine.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the first reference code is further encoded as an identification code of a Radio Frequency Identifier (RFID).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprising:
recording an update request for the first procedure; and
receiving an update to the first procedure in response to the update request.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

The method of claim 7, wherein the updated first procedure is synchronized to the mobile device in response to receiving the update to the first procedure.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein each procedure further comprises a machine identifier.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising maintaining a site list of reference codes for a specified site and synchronizing only procedures with reference codes that match at least one reference code of the site list.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising displaying a procedure list of the plurality of procedures and a procedure status for each procedure selected from reference code unassigned, audit incomplete, and audit complete.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, further comprising synchronizing a plurality of tutorials to the mobile device.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1, wherein the target machine is one of electrical equipment, chemical equipment, manufacturing equipment, climate control equipment, process control equipment, and safety equipment.

### Claim 14

An apparatus comprising:
a computer readable storage medium storing program code executable by a processor, the program code comprising:
a synchronize module storing a plurality of procedures in a procedure database, wherein each procedure is indexed to a reference code and comprises two or more of a lockout/tag out procedure, a startup procedure, a service procedure, and an adjustment procedure for a target machine, wherein each procedure comprises the reference code, procedure instructions, a change history and a machine identifier stored as segments in one or more tables, and synchronizing the plurality of procedures to a mobile device; and
a retrieval module receiving a first reference code at the mobile device, wherein the first reference code is affixed to the target machine and is encoded as one of a Quick Response (QR) code and a barcode, retrieving a first procedure indexed to the first reference code, recording if a user follows the first procedure to an audit report, and recording if the user employs safety equipment specified by the first procedure to the audit report.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising:
the retrieval module recording audit issues for the first procedure to the audit report, recording an attestation from an auditor to the audit report, recording an audit result to the audit report; and
the synchronize module synchronizing the audit report to a user database with the audit report linked to the user and to the procedure database with the audit report linked to the first procedure.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the target machine is one of electrical equipment, chemical equipment, manufacturing equipment, climate control equipment, process control equipment, and safety equipment.

### Claim 17

A computer program product for providing procedures, the computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having program code embodied therein, the program code readable/executable by a processor to:
store a plurality of procedures in a procedure database, wherein each procedure is indexed to a reference code and comprises two or more of a lockout/tag out procedure, a startup procedure, a service procedure, and an adjustment procedure for a target machine, wherein each procedure comprises the reference code, procedure instructions, a change history and a machine identifier stored as segments in one or more tables;
synchronize the plurality of procedures to a mobile device;
receive a first reference code at the mobile device, wherein the first reference code is affixed to the target machine and is encoded as one of a Quick Response (QR) code and a barcode;
retrieve a first procedure indexed to the first reference code;
recording if a user follows the first procedure to an audit report; and
recording if the user employs safety equipment specified by the first procedure to the audit report.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The computer program product of claim 17, the program code further:
recording an update request for the first procedure; and
receiving an update to the first procedure in response to the update request.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the target machine is one of electrical equipment, chemical equipment, manufacturing equipment, climate control equipment, process control equipment, and safety equipment.