WO2006013338A1

WO2006013338A1 - Methods and apparatus for procedure authentication

Info

Publication number: WO2006013338A1
Application number: PCT/GB2005/002983
Authority: WO
Inventors: John Corry
Original assignee: Advanced Analysis And Integration Limited
Priority date: 2004-08-03
Filing date: 2005-07-29
Publication date: 2006-02-09
Also published as: GB2418266A; GB0417245D0

Abstract

A method and apparatus for authenticating a procedure, in which an effect of the procedure is automatically sensed, a report based on the sensing is automatically generated, and automatically submitted to an authenticating data processing unit (APDU), which is programmed to: a) anticipate a report; b) compare a received report with a model report; and c) output a message comprising one of: (i) anticipated report not received; (ii) satisfactory anticipated report received; (iii) unsatisfactory anticipated report received.

Description

Methods and Apparatus for Procedure Authentication

This invention relates to methods and apparatus for procedure authentication. It is often required that, when a procedure, such, for example, as the replacement of a set of points in a railway system, or taking a measurement, such as loop resistance in an aircraft wing section, has been carried out, a report of the procedure and confirmation that is has been correctly carried out must be filed for record purposes, perhaps as part of a quality assurance system or a job charging system.

It can happen, and seemingly often does, that human error creeps into either the performance of the procedure or the reporting of the procedure. This is clearly undesirable for critical procedures. The present invention provides methods and apparatus for procedure authentication that address this problem, and provide reliable reports about procedures.

The invention comprises a method for authenticating a procedure, comprising automatically sensing an effect of the procedure, automatically generating a report based on the sensing, and automatically submitting the report to an authenticating data processing unit (APDU), which is programmed to: a) anticipate a report; b) compare a received report with a model report; and c) output a message comprising one of:

(i) anticipated report not received;

(ii) satisfactory anticipated report received;

(iii) unsatisfactory anticipated report received. The procedure may be one which involves a measurement, such as of a force, a temperature, an electrical quantity, a time interval or a distance. The measurement may be effected in apparatus which effects an operation in the procedure. Such apparatus may inherently effect the measurement, or may, for the purposes of the method, be adapted to do so.

The apparatus may, for example, comprise a toque wrench, which is adapted to generate signals to the effect that it has been set to a predetermined torque limit and that it has been used to tighten a nut or bolt to that limit. The apparatus may comprise a heater with a thermometer which has been adapted to indicate that a preset temperature has been attained. The apparatus may comprise a counting device, which has been adapted to indicate that a preset count has been attained. This may be combined with another measuring device, for example a torque wrench, to indicate that, for example, where a task comprises tightening eight nuts to a predetermined torque level, all eight have been so tightened. The report may be generated by a programmed data processing unit (PDPU), to which measurements associated with the procedure are input directly. The PDPU may download the report into a secure local memory, for later or offsite interrogation, or the report may be sent via a telephone or satellite link or the Internet to the ADPU. The PDPU may have a two way link to the ADPU, so that, when a satisfactory report has been received by the ADPU, it can instruct the PDPU confirm to an operative that the task has been carried out satisfactorily, and, if an unsatisfactory report has been received, to advise the operative of the fact and request that the task, or some part if it. be repeated, or give some other instruction. The PDPU may be locatable in time and place, as by having a date and time function and/or a global positioning system (GPS) arrangement, and may have a video and/or audio input. It may be locked against unauthorised access, as by a security code arrangement. Where a set of tools or a collection of instruments is used in carrying out the procedure, each tool or instrument may input to a single PDPU via a local area network, which may be a wireless network, such as Bluetooth®.

The invention also comprises apparatus for authenticating a procedure, comprising sensing means automatically sensing an effect of the procedure, report generating means automatically generating a report based on the sensing, and report submission means automatically submitting the report to an authenticating data processing unit (APDU), which is programmed to: a) anticipate a report; b) compare a received report with a model report; and c) output a message comprising one of:

(i) anticipated report not received;

(ii) satisfactory anticipated report received; (iii) unsatisfactory anticipated report received.

The sensing means may comprise measuring means, such as force, temperature, electrical quantity, time or distance measuring means, and/or counting means, and may be comprised in a tool or instrument associated with the procedure. The report generating means may comprise a PDPU to which measurements are input directly from the sensing means. The PDPU may have or be connected to a secure local memory into which reports may be downloaded, and may have a telephone or satellite or Internet link to the ADPU. The link may be two way, and the PDPU may have an audio or video output from which messages from the ADPU may be seen or heard.

The PDPU may have or be associated with a clock and/or a position identifying means, such as a GPS arrangement, and may have a video and/or audio input connected to a camera or microphone. It may be locked against unauthorised access, as by a security code arrangement.

A local area network arrangement may connect a set of tools or instruments to the PDPU.

Methods and apparatus for authenticating a procedure according to the invention will now be described wit reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of a procedure for coupling two railway rails; Figure 2 is a flow chart showing the sequence of operations associated with the procedure of Figure 1 ; and

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of a procedure for measuring loop resistance in a metal structure such as an aircraft wing.

The drawings illustrate methods and apparatus for authenticating procedures.

The methods comprise automatically sensing an effect of a procedure, automatically generating a report based on the sensing, and automatically submitting the report to an authenticating data processing unit ADPU. At the ADPU, the received report is compared with a model report, and a message output that the received report is satisfactory, or unsatisfactory. If the report is not received when it should be received, the ADPU outputs a message that an anticipated report has not been received. Figures 1 and 2 illustrate a procedure for coupling two railway rails, 11, 12 using a fishplate 13 which is secured by tightening, with a torque wrench 14, four bolts 15(1), 15(2), 15(3) and 15(4).

The torque wrench 14 can be set, as is usual, to permit a maximum torque level to be used on the bolts 15, by a twist handle 14a. The specified procedure is to set the torque level appropriately for the bolds in question, then to use the wrench to tighten them to the specified torque level. The report will comprise an indication that the wrench has been set to the prescribed torque, and that it has been used to tighten the four bolts to the specified torque level. The wrench 14 is modified standard torque wrench. An optical encoder 16 measures the angular displacement from a zero torque position of the handle 14a and inputs that displacement to a memory unit 17 attached to or built into the wrench 14. The unit 17 might, for example, comprise a Radio Frequency Identification (RPID) tag, which is labelled with a machine-readable number unique to the particular torque wrench 14.

The wrench 14 is also modified with an added torque sensor. This may be no more than a click sensor, tuned to sense the click made by a torque wrench as it reaches the maximum permitted torque, or it may be a suitably configured and arrange force transducer which gives an actual torque output. In any event, the fact that the preset torque has been attained, or a particular torque has been attained, is input to the unit 17.

The unit 17 also includes a resettable counter, which can be initially set to zero and incremented by one every time a torque measurement is recorded.

A programmable control and reporting unit 18, shown separately from the wrench 14, but which may also, with suitable miniaturisation, be incorporated into the wrench 14, can contain 'job card' data relating to the jobs required or the torque wrench 14 on a particular assignment. In regard to the job in question, this may include information about the particular fishplate and bolts and the appropriate setting for the wrench 14. The unit 18 may have a display that identifies the job in question and states the required torque setting and the number of bolts. This information will also be stored on a database in the ADPU to which the unit 18 reports, as a model report, i.e., a report that, if received, would be satisfactory. The database may also have data concerning the time the job in question has to be done.

The unit 18 may include a GPS sensor which will fix the location of the joint, and which can, of course, also fix the time at which information is downloaded from the memory unit 17. It may also give an indication, when the unit 18 is in a particular location, that a particular job needs to be done at that location involving use of the torque wrench, and, when that job is done, an indication of the next location at which the wrench 14 is required to be wielded.

As each job is completed, or it might be after a batch of jobs has been completed, the reporting unit 18 reports back all the data it has collected to the ADPU, which compares the data to its own data, to confirm or deny that any particular job has been done. If no report has been received by a cut-off time about any particular job, that fact will be output.

This is illustrated in the flowchart of Figure 2. At step (1) the operation is initialised by downloading details about the job about to be undertaken. These details will include the location of the job, the setting of the torque wrench and the number of bolts to be tightened. A counter is set to n = 0, and at step (2) the location is checked against a GPS location report. At decision step (3) the location is tested to see if it is correct. If not, the location is adjusted at step (4) and steps 2 and 3 repeated until the location is correct. At step (5), the torque required wrench setting is displayed and at step (6) the wrench is adjusted manually. At step (7), the setting is checked. If it is incorrect, step (6) is repeated, if correct the wrench is used to tighten the first bolt at step (8). Confirmation of correct use of the wrench is stored at step (9) and n incremented by 1. At step (10) the size of n is tested. If n < 4, steps 8 and 9 are repeated. If n = 4, the report is compiled and submitted at step (11) and the procedure terminated at step (12).

Figure 3 illustrates making a measurement of loop resistance in an electrical circuit 31, for example, in an aircraft wing structure, by means of a loop resistance tester 32, which injects a current into the loop 31 by means of an inductive clamp 33 and detects the current by a sensor clamp 34. As before, a programmable control and reporting unit 36, in this case part of the tester 32, controls the procedure and compiles and submits a report to the ADPU.

This is also illustrated in the flowchart of Figure 2. At step (1) the operation is initialised by downloading details about the job about to be undertaken. These details will include the location of the job, the setting of the resistance value for a pass or fail, and the number and details of measurements to be taken. A counter is set to n = 0, and at step (2) the location is checked for example against a set of co-ordinates on the aircraft wing. At decision step (3) the location is tested to see if it is correct. If not, the location is adjusted at step (4) and steps 2 and 3 repeated until the location is correct. At step (5), the pass/fail level is displayed and at step (6) the instrument is adjusted manually to that level. At step (7), the setting is checked. If it is incorrect, step (6) is repeated, if correct the wrench is used to tighten the first bolt at step (8). Information as to pass or fail is stored at step (9) and n incremented by 1. At step (10) the size of n is tested. If n < 4, steps 8 and 9 are repeated. If n = 4, the report is compiled and submitted at step (11) and the procedure terminated at step (12). Any procedure that requires to be reported can be arranged to be carried out in this fashion using appropriate methods of identifying the location of the procedure and of carrying out any measurement of check at the location.

Instead of, or in addition to, a location in space, a location in time may be specified and checked. Components of systems may be identified as by RFID tags which may not only identify the component but also carry information as to test criteria and may themselves program an interrogating PDPU, and may also be written to with the time and result of a test or measurement procedure.

Thus each and every critical procedure may be carried out and reported automatically without the possibility of human error in carrying out and/or reporting the procedure and its result. The record in the database of the ADPU will contain a complete audit trail of procedures, giving complete confidence that procedures have been carried out as prescribed, for quality assurance and/or accounting purposes. Instead of a force, as applied by a torque wrench or other force effector, or an electrical quantity, such as loop resistance, any other quantity may be measured, such as a distance, a time, a temperature, a pressure, a speed or acceleration, a mass or weight, that is an effect involved in a procedure required to be verified, by using an appropriate measuring instrument and an appropriate procedure. The flow diagram of Figure 2 will be typical of authentication procedures, but may be adapted for particular requirements. For example, a sub-routine may be added limiting the number of times a wrench may be adjusted without setting the correct torque limit, to cater for a broken or wrongly specified wrench, terminating the entire procedure after, say, four attempts.

The PDPU may be made 'smart', by displaying results and diagnoses for wrong results, facilitating adjustment and re-testing, and this may be done within the PDPU or by two- way communication with the ADPU. It will clearly be preferable if a team installing railway rails knows that the result of their operation in not up to specification, so that they may take on-the-spot corrective action. But it will also be important, perhaps, that the fact that the action failed first time, and had to be repeated, is on the record in the ADPU database.

The method and apparatus of the invention are capable of application, clearly, over a very wide range of procedures in a far-reaching range of industries and services.

Claims

Claims:

1 A method for authenticating a procedure, comprising automatically sensing an effect of the procedure, automatically generating a report based on the sensing, and automatically submitting the report to an authenticating data processing unit (APDU), which is programmed to: a) anticipate a report; b) compare a received report with a model report; and c) output a message comprising one of:

(i) anticipated report not received;

(ii) satisfactory anticipated report received;

(iii) unsatisfactory anticipated report received.

2 A method according to claim 1, in which the procedure is one which involves a measurement.

3 A method according to claim 2, in which the measurement is of a force.

4 A method according to claim 1 or claim 2, in which the measurement is of a temperature.

5 A method according to any one of claims 2 to 4, in which the measurement is of an electrical quantity.

6 A method according to any one of claims 2 to 5, in which the measurement is of a distance.

7 A method according to any one of claims 2 to 6, in which the measurement is of a time interval. 8 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, in which the measurement is effected in operation-effecting apparatus which effects an operation in the procedure.

9 A method according to claim 8, in which the operation effecting apparatus inherently effects the measurement.

10 A method according to claim 8, in which the operation-effecting apparatus is adapted to effect the measurement. 11 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the operation-effecting apparatus comprises a torque wrench which is adapted to generate signals to the effect that it has been set to a predetermined torque limit and that it has been used to tighten a nut or bolt to that limit. 12 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, in which the operation effecting apparatus comprises a heater with a thermometer which has been adapted to indicate that a preset temperature has been attained.

13 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 12, in which a counting device indicates that a preset number has been counted. 14 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 13, in which a report is generated by a PDPU to which measurements associated with the procedure are input directly.

15 A method according to claim 14, in which the PDPU downloads the report into a secure local memory for later or offsite interrogation.

16 A method according to claim 14, in which the report is sent via a telephone or satellite link or the Internet to the ADPU.

17 A method according to any one of claim 1 to 16, in which the PDPU has a two- way link to the APDU.

18 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, in which the PDPU is locatable in time and/or place. 19 A method according to claim 18, in which the PDPU has a date and time function.

20 A method according to claim 18 or claim 19, in which the PDPU has a GPS arrangement.

21 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, in which the PDPU has a video and/or audio input. 22 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 21, in which the PDPU is locked a against access, as by a security code arrangement.

23 A method according to any one of claims 1 to 22, in which a set of tools and/or instruments is used, each tool and/or instrument inputting to a single PDPU via a local area network

24 Apparatus for authenticating a procedure, comprising sensing means automatically sensing an effect of the procedure, report generating means automatically generating a report based on the sensing, and report submission means automatically submitting the report to an authenticating data processing unit (APDU), which is programmed to: a) anticipate a report; b) compare a received report with a model report; and c) output a message comprising one of:

(i) anticipated report not received; (ii) satisfactory anticipated report received;

(iii) unsatisfactory anticipated report received.

25 Apparatus according to claim 24, in which the sensing means comprise measuring means, such as force, temperature, electrical quantity, time or distance measuring means and/or counting means.

26 Apparatus according to claim 24 or claim 25, in which the sensing means are comprised in a tool or instrument associated with the procedure.

27 Apparatus according to any one of claims 24 to 26, in which the report generating means comprise a PDPU to which measurements are input.

28 Apparatus according to claim 27, in which the PDPU has or is connected to a secure local memory into which reports may be downloaded.

29 Apparatus according to claim 27 or claim 28, in which the PDPU has a link to the ADPU.

30 Apparatus according to any one of claims 24 to 29, in which the PDPU has or is associated with a clock and/or a position identifying means such as a GPS arrangement.

31 Apparatus according to Any one of claims 24 to 30, in which the PDPU may be locked against unauthorised access, as by a security code arrangement.

32 Apparatus according to any one of claims 24 to 31 , comprising a local area network connecting a set or tools or instruments to the PDPU.