Abstract: A safety-analysis system for a complex system such as an aircraft includes a system modeler and model-analysis system. The system modeler is configured to receive component fault-based models of respective components of which a system is composed, such as from a library of component fault-based models in storage. The component fault-based models include transfer functions expressed as fault trees each of which describes behavior of a respective component in an event of a failure of the respective component or of an input to the component. The system modeler is also configured to assemble the component fault-based models into a system fault-based model of the system, with the system fault-based model including a transfer function expressed as an assembly of the fault trees of the component fault-based models. The model-analysis system, then, is configured to perform a safety analysis using the system fault-based model.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing redundancy in an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) is provided. Application software may be run on top of a virtual environment such as a virtual machine and/or a virtual disk environment. Should a software component fail, the virtual environment will “crash” but the ATM hardware and operating system will remain intact. If the software is fatally flawed—e.g., due to a faulty “upgrade” the older version may be “rolled back” from a previously stored virtual environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing redundancy in an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) is provided. Application software may be run on top of a virtual environment such as a virtual machine and/or a virtual disk environment. Should a software component fail, the virtual environment will “crash” but the ATM hardware and operating system will remain intact. If the software is fatally flawed—e.g., due to a faulty “upgrade” the older version may be “rolled back” from a previously stored virtual environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing redundancy in an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) is provided. Application software may be run on top of a virtual environment such as a virtual machine and/or a virtual disk environment. Should a software component fail, the virtual environment will “crash” but the ATM hardware and operating system will remain intact. If the software is fatally flawed—e.g., due to a faulty “upgrade” the older version may be “rolled back” from a previously stored virtual environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing redundancy in an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) is provided. Application software may be run on top of a virtual environment such as a virtual machine and/or a virtual disk environment. Should a software component fail, the virtual environment will “crash” but the ATM hardware and operating system will remain intact. If the software is fatally flawed—e.g., due to a faulty “upgrade” the older version may be “rolled back” from a previously stored virtual environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing redundancy in an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) is provided. Application software may be run on top of a virtual environment such as a virtual machine and/or a virtual disk environment. Should a software component fail, the virtual environment will “crash” but the ATM hardware and operating system will remain intact. If the software is fatally flawed—e.g., due to a faulty “upgrade” the older version may be “rolled back” from a previously stored virtual environment.

Abstract: A safety-analysis system for a complex system such as an aircraft includes a system modeler and model-analysis system. The system modeler is configured to receive component fault-based models of respective components of which a system is composed, such as from a library of component fault-based models in storage. The component fault-based models include transfer functions expressed as fault trees each of which describes behavior of a respective component in an event of a failure of the respective component or of an input to the component. The system modeler is also configured to assemble the component fault-based models into a system fault-based model of the system, with the system fault-based model including a transfer function expressed as an assembly of the fault trees of the component fault-based models. The model-analysis system, then, is configured to perform a safety analysis using the system fault-based model.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing redundancy in an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) is provided. Application software may be run on top of a virtual environment such as a virtual machine and/or a virtual disk environment. Should a software component fail, the virtual environment will “crash” but the ATM hardware and operating system will remain intact. If the software is fatally flawed—e.g., due to a faulty “upgrade” the older version may be “rolled back” from a previously stored virtual environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for providing redundancy in an Automatic Teller Machine (ATM) is provided. The hardware platform of the ATM is configured to tolerate removal of a portion of the hardware as well as insertion of a portion of the hardware without removing power from the ATM. The insertion and replacement of hardware to a powered device is termed a “hot swap”. A hot swap may be necessitated by the failure or the upgrade of a hardware component. The hot swap is detected by a software program running on top of the hardware platform. The software program may reintegrate the replacement hardware including the location of “drivers” for the replacement software. In addition, application software may be run on top of a virtual environment such as a virtual machine and/or a virtual disk environment. Should a software component fail, the virtual environment will “crash” but the ATM hardware and operating system will remain intact. If the software is fatally flawed—e.g.

Abstract: A method of rolling back software in an automatic teller machine is provided. The automatic teller machine includes at least one computer and at least one software program running on the at least one computer. The at least one software program includes at least one virtual environment. The method includes detecting the failure of at least on software component running on the at least one computer. The method further includes restoring a previous version of the software. Finally, the method includes activating the restored software.

Abstract: The invention discloses differing embodiments of finite element modeling methods utilizing mass distribution to model an object. In one embodiment, the finite element model of the object may be partitioned into sub-models. A determination may be made as to which elements in the finite element model are structural and as to which elements in the finite element model are non-structural. Mass properties for both the structural and non-structural elements in each sub-model may be determined. The significant non-structural masses within each sub-model may be selected and added to the finite element model. The remaining insignificant, non-structural masses may be incorporated onto the structural masses by scaling densities of the structural masses. The scaled structural masses may then be added to the finite element model. In other embodiments, objects are provided which were modeled utilizing finite element models under the invention.

Abstract: Analyzing system malfunction data and associated direct and indirect effects in a collaborative tool to determine relationships between the effects and the system malfunction information. System malfunction cases and other data are received and stored. A user may view and/or modify the system malfunction data. The data may be presented in a relational structure. Each system malfunction case is linked to one or more direct effects, and each direct effect is linked to one or more indirect effects.

Abstract: Techniques for creating an acoustic model from a finite element mode include strategically partitioning elements of the finite element model into sets, forming composite centroids from the partitioned elements and then calculating the spatial distances between the composite centroids so that an acoustic model can be created using a tiny portion of the computational power otherwise required. By further constraining the composite model to conform to an M-by-N array, object-oriented code can be used.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for analyzing durability of electronic components. A finite element model for the chassis is created. A set of finite element models for a set of printed wiring assemblies are created, wherein the printed wiring assemblies are for use with chassis and include the electronic components. The finite element model for the chassis is combined with the set of finite element models to form a combined finite element model. A finite element analysis of the combined finite element model is performed to form results. The combined model results are transferred to the printed wiring board models. Using the transferred results, stresses and strains are calculated for individual solder joints/leads. A fatigue analysis is performed for the electronic components in the set of printed wiring assemblies based on these stresses and strains, using the results to identify the durability of the electronic components.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for analyzing durability of electronic components. A finite element model for the chassis is created. A set of finite element models for a set of printed wiring assemblies are created, wherein the printed wiring assemblies are for use with chassis and include the electronic components. The finite element model for the chassis is combined with the set of finite element models to form a combined finite element model. A finite element analysis of the combined finite element model is performed to form results. The combined model results are transferred to the printed wiring board models. Using the transferred results, stresses and strains are calculated for individual solder joints/leads. A fatigue analysis is performed for the electronic components in the set of printed wiring assemblies based on these stresses and strains, using the results to identify the durability of the electronic components.

Abstract: Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and articles for receiving system malfunction effects data including at least one malfunction and a plurality of direct and indirect effects associated with each of the at least one malfunction and storing the received system malfunction effects data, are described herein. The embodiments may also facilitate a user in viewing and/or modifying the system malfunction effects data, and the viewing includes presenting the data in a relational fashion, with each malfunction linked to one or more direct effects, and each direct effect linked to one or more indirect effects.

Abstract: The invention discloses differing embodiments of finite element modeling methods utilizing mass distribution to model an object. In one embodiment, the finite element model of the object may be partitioned into sub-models. A determination may be made as to which elements in the finite element model are structural and as to which elements in the finite element model are non-structural. Mass properties for both the structural and non-structural elements in each sub-model may be determined. The significant non-structural masses within each sub-model may be selected and added to the finite element model. The remaining insignificant, non-structural masses may be incorporated onto the structural masses by scaling densities of the structural masses. The scaled structural masses may then be added to the finite element model. In other embodiments, objects are provided which were modeled utilizing finite element models under the invention.

Abstract: A system for evaluating time requirements for performing maintenance on a maintenance object. One or more processors and memory are operable to provide a form on which a user describes a maintenance task. The described task is made available for maintenance time analysis as at least one of the following: a main task, a subtask of another main task, and an elementary operation. The user is allowed to combine a plurality of described tasks into one or more hierarchies designated by the user. This system provides flexibility to evaluate maintenance task times regardless of whether a level of detail and/or design maturity is minimal or complete.