Patent ID: 8332438

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for monitoring components of a physical item during a life cycle of the physical item, the method comprising: receiving by a business entity, an XML file for the physical item from a transmitting business entity during the life cycle of the physical item, wherein: the physical item comprises a plurality of components, the XML file includes information related to the physical item and maintenance information for the physical item, and the XML file is based on a pre-defined XML schema and global data types; generating a first structure to represent the physical item based on the XML file, the first structure comprising data indicative of the components and configuration of the components; determining if the physical item is a new type of physical item; retrieving a second structure from a backend component if the physical item is not the new type of physical item, wherein the second structure comprises at least one of an existing structure previously stored for the physical item or a template structure for a type of the physical item; retrieving a template structure from the backend component if the physical item is the new type of physical item; preprocessing the first structure in accordance with a consistency check by comparing the first structure to the second structure or the template structure; and storing the first structure in the backend component.