Patent ID: 7089153
Filing Date: 2006-08-08
Classification: G05B

Abstract:
1. In a system having 1) variable system configurations, 2) replaceable components, and 3) a replaceable component life tracking process, a method of identifying a correct set of replaceable components for said life tracking process, said method comprising the steps of: defining a complete set of all said replaceable components; identifying each said system configuration with a system configuration parameter; for each said system configuration, defining a configuration specific replaceable component set; providing a user interface for inputting and saving system modification data whenever said system is modified, thereby resulting in a change to at least one of said system configurations; inputting and saving, via said user interface, manually input replaceable component data; providing a plurality of sensors, each said sensor sensing the presence of at least one of said replaceable components and providing sensed replaceable component data; and combining, said configuration specific replaceable component data based on said system configuration parameter, said sensed replaceable component data, said modification data, and said manually input replaceable component data, to identify, from said complete set of all said replaceable components, said correct set of replaceable components for said life tracking process.