Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for generating a maintainer troubleshooting tree from the content of a digitally stored fault model of a complex system in real time. The method comprises retrieving all failure modes from a fault model of the complex system for a specific corrective action. The method then receives symptoms from sensors monitoring the complex system in real time and generates a symptom pattern and an associated symptom hash from the received symptoms. The method creates san ambiguity group from the retrieved failure modes. The method further retrieves all repair procedures and test procedures related to the ambiguity group of failure modes, creates a troubleshooting tree for the ambiguity group by ranking each repair procedure and test procedure, and retrieves all technical references encountered while creating the trouble shooting tree. The method then compiles and renders the troubleshooting tree and the references into a user perceivable document.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method for determining multiple simultaneous fault conditions on complex systems. The method comprises receiving symptoms of a complex system from monitors. When some of the symptoms suggest the existence of multiple simultaneous fault conditions, then the method creates a symptom signature, creates one or more failure mode signatures, and creates an error code for each failure mode signature in regard to the symptom signature. Each failure mode signature is associated with only one failure mode. A Hamming distance is determined for each failure mode indicated as possibly causing the original fault condition. Each failure mode with the minimum Hamming distance and same Hamming Code are grouped together as being one of the multiple simultaneous fault conditions. All remaining failure modes with other Hamming distances are then assigned into one of the simultaneous fault conditions.

Abstract: A method for mapping an element of an engineering schematic into a schematic element database is provided. The method electronically scans a schematic to recognize a plurality of elements visually represented in the schematic, wherein each of the plurality of elements is associated with predefined schematic element visual attributes; and maps each of the plurality of recognized elements to any one of a plurality of saved database elements, based on common visual attributes.

Abstract: A method for accumulating fault condition data from a hierarchical system is presented comprising monitoring an operation of a component with a computing node that includes a processor and a memory. The memory contains a configuration file comprising failure modes (FM), symptoms, tests that identify the symptoms and a corrective action for the symptom. The method further comprises populating at least one of the processor and the memory of the computing node with one or more standardized executable application modules (SEAM) and a workflow service. The one or more SEAMS is configured to create a fault condition record by collecting all FMs that manifest the symptom. For all FMs collected, a list of unique symptoms is produced. Further all tests that can identify the listed unique symptoms and all of the corrective actions associated with the FMs that manifest the symptom are determined from the memory device.

Abstract: A method of automatically generating a fault model from a network diagram comprising parsing a network diagram to identify schematic components and schematic interfaces, mapping each schematic component to a respective standard component, and mapping each schematic interface to a respective standard interface, generating component failure information for each schematic component based on the respective standard component, wherein component failure information includes standard failure modes of the respective standard component, generating interface failure information for each schematic interface based on the respective standard interface, wherein interface failure information includes standard failure modes of the respective standard interface, and constructing a fault model specific to the network diagram based on component failure information and interface failure information.

Abstract: The present application relates to a method for determining multiple simultaneous fault conditions on complex systems. The method comprises receiving symptoms of a complex system from monitors. When some of the symptoms suggest the existence of multiple simultaneous fault conditions, then the method creates a symptom signature, creates one or more failure mode signatures, and creates an error code for each failure mode signature in regard to the symptom signature. Each failure mode signature is associated with only one failure mode. A Hamming distance is determined for each failure mode indicated as possibly causing the original fault condition. Each failure mode with the minimum Hamming distance and same Hamming Code are grouped together as being one of the multiple simultaneous fault conditions. All remaining failure modes with other Hamming distances are then assigned into one of the simultaneous fault conditions.

Abstract: Methods and reconfigurable systems are provided for monitoring the health of a complex system. The system may include, but is not limited to a computing node including a memory and a processor. The processor can be configured to receive a plurality of standardized executable application modules, each standardized executable application module containing instructions to perform one of a plurality of different standardized functions, receive a binary file comprising instructions, which when loaded into memory by the processor, configure the standardized executable application modules and configure the memory by creating at least one data structure in the memory used by at least one of the plurality of standardized executable application modules.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for populating a database with data associated with a specific task. The method comprises creating a work package specification for a work package associated with the specific task, creating a task specification within the work package specification, creating a view specification within the task specification, and creating a task network comprising tasks that when performed in a desired sequence populates the database with the data associated with the specific task.

Abstract: A method for creating and using a fault model comprising one or more fault model components is provided. The method comprises creating a reusable fault model component and incorporating the reusable fault model component into the fault model.

Abstract: Methods, apparatus and computer readable media are provided for reverse editing a knowledge base from a cross tab display. A cross tab editor includes a knowledge base resident in a memory device, the knowledge base comprising attribute values and a knowledge base management system, wherein the knowledge base management system is configured to create a first list of sub-entities for a first entity, create a second list of sub-entities for a second entity, and create a relationship table listing all of the combinations of each pair of sub-entities from the first list and the second list and their attribute values. The knowledgebase management system is further configured to populate the relationship table with an attribute value for each combination. The knowledge base management system is further configured to receive a manual change in a cross tab display and to update the underlying attribute data in response to the change.

Abstract: Methods are provided for creating a complex user interface using a generic computer readable database software application to manage only a specific data subset domain of the database in accordance with a work package. The method comprises creating metadata defining a data subset domain, the metadata including a task specification, a report specification and a view specification and defining attribute metadata, entity metadata and relationship metadata for the data subset domain. The method also comprises data package specification for the data subset domain, specifying a data package hierarchy within the data subset domain, specifying user groups for the data subset domain, specifying view specifications for the user groups. Further the view specification is associated with the task specification and the report specification after which the generic software application is released to a user.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for customizing workflow in a condition based health maintenance (“CBM”) system computing node. The computerized method comprises identifying a first standardized executable application module (“SEAM”), wherein the first SEAM is configured to generate a first event associated with particular data being processed by the first SEAM and identifying a second SEAM, wherein the second SEAM is configured to generate a subsequent event associated with the particular data processed by the first SEAM. The computerized method further comprises creating a quasi-state machine associating a unique responses to the first event and associating a unique responses to the subsequent event, and installing the quasi-state machine into the SDS of the computing node from which the workflow service state machine retrieves the one or more unique responses from the quasi-state machine to the first event for processing by the second SEAM to produce the subsequent second event.

Abstract: Systems, methods are provided for augmenting functions of a computing device by a controlling computing device. The method comprises receiving a command and a data matrix from the controlling computing device. The data matrix contains data that when installed enables the subordinate computing device to accomplish additional functions. The method further comprises calling a first SEAM by the computing device to receive the command and the data matrix, calling a second SEAM by the computing device to create a SDS extension in its volatile memory, and populating the one or more volatile extensions with the data from the data matrix.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for optimizing parameters of a plurality of selected diagnostic and/or prognostic algorithms in a tunable diagnostic algorithm library. A plurality of sensed data sets having an actual diagnostic label associated therewith is supplied to each of the diagnostic algorithms. A value for each parameter of each of the algorithms that are to be optimized is supplied. A computed diagnostic label is generated for each of the sensed data sets using each of the selected algorithms, a fault model, and the values for each parameter, each of the computed diagnostic labels and each of the actual diagnostic labels are supplied to a generic objective function, to thereby calculate an objective function value, and the value of one or more of the parameters is varied using an optimization routine that repeats certain of these steps until the objective function value is minimized.

Abstract: Methods and reconfigurable systems are provided for monitoring the health of a complex system. The reconfigurable system comprises a plurality of standardized executable application modules containing instructions to perform one of a plurality of different standardized functions. The system further comprises a plurality of computing nodes arranged in a hierarchical structure comprising one or more layers of computing nodes. Each computing node of the plurality runs a host application and a workflow service module, each computing node thereby being configured by a configuration file that directs the execution of any of the standardized executable application modules in a cooperative fashion by the host application via the workflow service module.

Abstract: A method for distributed diagnostic reasoning is provided. The method includes establishing a computing node monitoring the operation of a component of a complex system and populating at least one of a processor and the memory of the computing node with one or more standardized executable application modules (SEAMs) and a workflow service. The method further includes creating a configuration file in combination with several SEAMS to create a distributed diagnostic reasoner (DDR) associated with the component. The method also comprises installing the configuration file in the computing node for execution by the processor; and initializing the one or more SEAMS, the configuration file and the workflow service, wherein the workflow service facilitates data flow between the one or more SEAMS and the static data associated with a fault condition resident in the configuration file.

Abstract: A method for accumulating fault condition data from a hierarchical system is presented comprising monitoring an operation of a component with a computing node that includes a processor and a memory. The memory contains a configuration file comprising failure modes (FM), symptoms, tests that identify the symptoms and a corrective action for the symptom. The method further comprises populating at least one of the processor and the memory of the computing node with one or more standardized executable application modules (SEAM) and a workflow service. The one or more SEAMS is configured to create a fault condition record by collecting all FMs that manifest the symptom. For all FMs collected, a list of unique symptoms is produced. Further all tests that can identify the listed unique symptoms and all of the corrective actions associated with the FMs that manifest the symptom are determined from the memory device.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for customizing workflow in a condition based health maintenance (“CBM”) system computing node. The computerized method comprises identifying a first standardized executable application module (“SEAM”), wherein the first SEAM is configured to generate a first event associated with particular data being processed by the first SEAM and identifying a second SEAM, wherein the second SEAM is configured to generate a subsequent event associated with the particular data processed by the first SEAM. The computerized method further comprises creating a quasi-state machine associating a unique responses to the first event and associating a unique responses to the subsequent event, and installing the quasi-state machine into the SDS of the computing node from which the workflow service state machine retrieves the one or more unique responses from the quasi-state machine to the first event for processing by the second SEAM to produce the subsequent second event.

Abstract: Systems and Methods are provided for coordinating computing functions to accomplish a task. The system includes a plurality of standardized executable application modules (SEAMs), each of which is configured to execute on a processor to provide a unique function and to generate an event associated with its unique function. The system includes a configuration file that comprises a dynamic data store (DDS) and a static data store (SDS). The DDS includes an event queue and one or more response queues. The SDS includes a persistent software object that is configured to map a specific event from the event queue to a predefined response record and to indicate a response queue into which the predefined response record is to be placed. The system further includes a workflow service module, the work flow service module being configured to direct communication between the SDS, the DDS and each of the plurality of SEAMs.

Abstract: Systems, methods are provided for augmenting functions of a computing device by a controlling computing device. The method comprises receiving a command and a data matrix from the controlling computing device. The data matrix contains data that when installed enables the subordinate computing device to accomplish additional functions. The method further comprises calling a first SEAM by the computing device to receive the command and the data matrix, calling a second SEAM by the computing device to create a SDS extension in its volatile memory, and populating the one or more volatile extensions with the data from the data matrix.