Visualization and diagnostic analysis of interested elements of a complex system

• US 10,191,997 B2
• Filed: 08/21/2014
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Floyd, Joseph F., Hadley, Brent L., Eames, Patrick J., Macer, Darren B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tseng, Charles
• Application Number:
  US14/464,909
• Publication Number:
  US 20160055260A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,622 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9024 Graphs; Linked lists G06F16/9027 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/20 Design optimisation, verification or simulation optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 19/20 Editing of 3D images, e.g. changing shapes or colours, aligning objects or positioning parts
• CPC Class Codes: G06T 2219/2012 Colour editing, changing, or manipulating; Use of colour codes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 10/82 Elements for improving aerodynamics

Abstract

An apparatus is provided for implementation of a system for visualization and diagnostic analysis of a complex system such as an aircraft composed of a plurality of elements. The apparatus may receive and process data for a physical instance of the complex system to identify a maintenance message for the complex system. A diagnostic procedure defined for and associated with the maintenance message, may involve or implicate one or more interested elements of the plurality of elements. The apparatus may generate a visual presentation of at least a portion of the complex system. The visual presentation may be digital media and depict the interested element(s) and one or more other elements of the plurality of elements. And the apparatus may apply a visual effect to the interested element(s) depicted by the visual presentation to distinguish the interested element(s) from the other element(s) depicted by the visual presentation.

Claims

1. An apparatus for implementation of a system for visualization and analysis of interested elements of a complex system, the apparatus comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to at least:

receive and process data for a physical instance of the complex system composed of a plurality of elements, the data being received and processed to;

(a) identify a plurality of maintenance messages that are predefined for the complex system and identify a respective plurality of element-level failures in the complex system, the respective plurality of element-level failures being cascading in that an effect of an element-level failure of the respective plurality of element-level failures is manifest as another of the respective plurality of element-level failures, and

(b) identify a plurality of diagnostic procedures from the plurality of maintenance messages, each of the plurality of diagnostic procedures being defined for and associated with a respective one of the plurality of maintenance messages, involved elements in the plurality of diagnostic procedures including any failed elements and elements that are checked or interacted with to identify the failed elements, and implicated elements in the plurality of diagnostic procedures including elements that interconnect the involved elements, a plurality of interested elements of the plurality of elements including the involved elements and the implicated elements;

generate a visual presentation of at least a portion of a digital three-dimensional (3D) model of the complex system, the visual presentation being digital media and depicting 3D objects that correspond to the plurality of interested elements and one or more other elements of the plurality of elements; and

apply a visual effect to the 3D objects of the 3D model that correspond to the plurality of interested elements depicted by the visual presentation to distinguish the plurality of interested elements from the one or more other elements depicted by the visual presentation, the plurality of interested elements and thereby the 3D objects that correspond to the plurality of interested elements including respectively at least one interested element and 3D object for each of the plurality of diagnostic procedures and correspondingly each of the plurality of maintenance messages for and with which the plurality of diagnostic procedures are defined and associated.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of interested elements includes a first one or more interested elements involved or implicated by a first of the plurality of diagnostic procedures, and a second one or more interested elements involved in or implicated by a second of the plurality of diagnostic procedures, and

wherein the apparatus being caused to apply the visual effect includes being caused to vary a property of the visual effect applied between the first one or more interested elements and second one or more interested elements to distinguish the first one or more interested elements and second one or more interested elements from one another.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the memory stores further executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to further:

analyze the plurality of interested elements to identify a key interested element from the plurality of interested elements,

wherein the apparatus being caused to apply the visual effect includes being caused to vary a property of the visual effect applied to the key interested element, or apply a second visual effect to the key interested element, to further distinguish the key interested element from other interested elements of the plurality of interested elements.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the apparatus being caused to analyze the plurality of interested elements includes being caused to at least:

generate a graph including a plurality of vertices connected by edges, the plurality of vertices corresponding to respective elements of the plurality of interested elements, and the edges representing respective connections between the plurality of interested elements; and

analyze the graph to identify a key vertex from the plurality of vertices, the key vertex corresponding to the key interested element of the plurality of interested elements.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus being caused to generate the graph includes being caused to generate the graph in which the edges represent the respective connections that are physical, electrical, hydraulic, airflow, data communication or fluid connections between the plurality of interested elements.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the apparatus being caused to analyze the graph includes being caused to analyze the graph to identify the key vertex that among the plurality of vertices has a greatest number of the edges connected thereto.

7. A method comprising:

receiving and processing data for a physical instance of the complex system composed of a plurality of elements, the data being received and processed to;

(a) identify a plurality of maintenance messages that are predefined for the complex system and identify a respective plurality of element-level failures in the complex system, the respective plurality of element-level failures being cascading in that an effect of an element-level failure of the respective plurality of element-level failures is manifest as another of the respective plurality of element-level failures, and

(b) identify a plurality of diagnostic procedures from the plurality of maintenance messages, each of the plurality of diagnostic procedures being defined for and associated with a respective one of the plurality of maintenance messages, involved elements in the plurality of diagnostic procedures including any failed elements and elements that are checked or interacted with to identify the failed elements, and implicated elements in the plurality of diagnostic procedures including elements that interconnect the involved elements, a plurality of interested elements of the plurality of elements including the involved elements and the implicated elements;

generating a visual presentation of at least a portion of a digital three-dimensional (3D) model of the complex system, the visual presentation being digital media and depicting 3D objects that correspond to the plurality of interested elements and one or more other elements of the plurality of elements; and

applying a visual effect to the 3D objects of the 3D model that correspond to the plurality of interested elements depicted by the visual presentation to distinguish the plurality of interested elements from the one or more other elements depicted by the visual presentation, the plurality of interested elements and thereby the 3D objects that correspond to the plurality of interested elements including respectively at least one interested element and 3D object for each of the plurality of diagnostic procedures and correspondingly each of the plurality of maintenance messages for and with which the plurality of diagnostic procedures are defined and associated.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the plurality of interested elements includes a first one or more interested elements involved or implicated by a first of the plurality of diagnostic procedures, and a second one or more interested elements involved in or implicated by a second of the plurality of diagnostic procedures, and

wherein applying the visual effect includes varying a property of the visual effect applied between the first one or more interested elements and second one or more interested elements to distinguish the first one or more interested elements and second one or more interested elements from one another.

9. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

analyzing the plurality of interested elements to identify a key interested element from the plurality of interested elements,

wherein applying the visual effect includes varying a property of the visual effect applied to the key interested element, or applying a second visual effect to the key interested element, to further distinguish the key interested element from other interested elements of the plurality of interested elements.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein analyzing the plurality of interested elements comprises:

generating a graph including a plurality of vertices connected by edges, the plurality of vertices corresponding to respective elements of the plurality of interested elements, and the edges representing respective connections between the plurality of interested elements; and

analyzing the graph to identify a key vertex from the plurality of vertices, the key vertex corresponding to the key interested element of the plurality of interested elements.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein generating the graph includes generating the graph in which the edges represent the respective connections that are physical, electrical, hydraulic, airflow, data communication or fluid connections between the plurality of interested elements.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein analyzing the graph includes analyzing the graph to identify the key vertex that among the plurality of vertices has a greatest number of the edges connected thereto.

13. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by a processor, cause an apparatus to at least:

receive and process data for a physical instance of the complex system composed of a plurality of elements, the data being received and processed to;

(a) identify a plurality of maintenance messages that are predefined for the complex system and identify a respective plurality of element-level failures in the complex system, the respective plurality of element-level failures being cascading in that an effect of an element-level failure of the respective plurality of element-level failures is manifest as another of the respective plurality of element-level failures, and

(b) identify a plurality of diagnostic procedures from the plurality of maintenance messages, each of the plurality of diagnostic procedures being defined for and associated with a respective one of the plurality of maintenance messages, involved elements in the plurality of diagnostic procedures including any failed elements and elements that are checked or interacted with to identify the failed elements, and implicated elements in the plurality of diagnostic procedures including elements that interconnect the involved elements, a plurality of interested elements of the plurality of elements including the involved elements and the implicated elements;

generate a visual presentation of at least a portion of a digital three-dimensional (3D) model of the complex system, the visual presentation being digital media and depicting 3D objects that correspond to the plurality of interested elements and one or more other elements of the plurality of elements; and

apply a visual effect to the 3D objects of the 3D model that correspond to the plurality of interested elements depicted by the visual presentation to distinguish the plurality of interested elements from the one or more other elements depicted by the visual presentation, the plurality of interested elements and thereby the 3D objects that correspond to the plurality of interested elements including respectively at least one interested element and 3D object for each of the plurality of diagnostic procedures and correspondingly each of the plurality of maintenance messages for and with which the plurality of diagnostic procedures are defined and associated.

14. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13, wherein the plurality of interested elements includes a first one or more interested elements involved or implicated by a first of the plurality of diagnostic procedures, and a second one or more interested elements involved in or implicated by a second of the plurality of diagnostic procedures, and

wherein the apparatus being caused to apply the visual effect includes being caused to vary a property of the visual effect applied between the first one or more interested elements and second one or more interested elements to distinguish the first one or more interested elements and second one or more interested elements from one another.

15. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 13 having further readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by the processor, cause the apparatus to further at least:

analyze the plurality of interested elements to identify a key interested element from the plurality of interested elements,

wherein the apparatus being caused to apply the visual effect includes being caused to vary a property of the visual effect applied to the key interested element, or apply a second visual effect to the key interested element, to further distinguish the key interested element from other interested elements of the plurality of interested elements.

16. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 15, wherein the apparatus being caused to analyze the plurality of interested elements includes being caused to at least:

generate a graph including a plurality of vertices connected by edges, the plurality of vertices corresponding to respective elements of the plurality of interested elements, and the edges representing respective connections between the plurality of interested elements; and

analyze the graph to identify a key vertex from the plurality of vertices, the key vertex corresponding to the key interested element of the plurality of interested elements.

17. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the apparatus being caused to generate the graph includes being caused to generate the graph in which the edges represent the respective connections that are physical, electrical, hydraulic, airflow, data communication or fluid connections between the plurality of interested elements.

18. The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the apparatus being caused to analyze the graph includes being caused to analyze the graph to identify the key vertex that among the plurality of vertices has a greatest number of the edges connected thereto.