System and method for optimally managing aircraft assets
First Claim
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1. A method, comprising:
- displaying a first screen on a graphical user interface, wherein the first screen comprises;
a first box via which a first file is identified, wherein the first file contains first data relating to a required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset within a plurality of aircraft assets;
wherein the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset is to occur within a planning period that comprises a plurality of time periods;
a second box via which a second file is identified, wherein the second file contains second data relating to an aircraft asset maintenance cost associated with the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset; and
a third box that is configured to receive a first model parameter within a plurality of model parameters;
receiving or accessing, using a computer system, aircraft data associated with the plurality of aircraft assets, wherein the aircraft data comprises the first data and the second data;
wherein receiving or accessing, using the computer system, the aircraft data comprises;
receiving or accessing, using the computer system and the first box, the first data relating to the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset within the plurality of aircraft assets; and
receiving or accessing, using the computer system and the second box, the second data relating to the aircraft asset maintenance cost associated with the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset;
generating, using the computer system and the aircraft data, an aircraft asset optimization network, wherein generating the aircraft asset optimization network comprises;
generating a sub-network for each aircraft asset in the plurality of aircraft assets, comprising;
generating a plurality of nodes including a first type of node, a second type of node, and a third type of node, the nodes corresponding to respective states of the each aircraft asset during respective time periods within the plurality of time periods;
generating a plurality of directional relationship identifiers, wherein each relationship identifier defines a relationship from one node from the plurality of nodes extending to another node from the plurality of nodes and represents a change, from one state to another state, of the each aircraft asset;
wherein the first type of node is a node that has one or more relationship identifiers extending from the node but has no relationship identifier extending to the node;
wherein the second type of node is a node that has one or more relationship identifiers extending to the node but has no relationship identifier extending from the node;
wherein the third type of node is a node that has one or more relationship identifiers extending to the node and one or more relationship identifiers extending from the node;
wherein a plurality of potential single-aircraft solutions for the each aircraft asset is formed by connecting, using the relationship identifiers, different pluralities of the nodes; and
generating, using rules that define a value of a relationship identifier as a function of the change in state of the each aircraft asset and its associated aircraft asset maintenance costs, a value for each relationship identifier from the plurality of relationship identifiers;
wherein generating the aircraft asset optimization network results in each time period being associated with one or more relationship identifiers, which are associated with one or more of the sub-networks;
receiving, using the computer system and via the third box, the first model parameter within the plurality of model parameters;
wherein the first model parameter is an aircraft asset budget amount associated with a respective time period within the plurality of time periods;
generating an aircraft asset optimization model for the planning period using;
the aircraft asset optimization network;
the plurality of model parameters;
one or more predetermined rules; and
a mixed-integer formulation that minimizes the costs associated with the plurality of aircraft assets while ensuring that a total aircraft asset maintenance cost per time period is less than or equal to the aircraft asset budget amount;
wherein the one or more predetermined rules comprises a rule preventing an invalid single-aircraft potential solution from being included in the mixed-integer formulation; and
wherein an invalid potential single-aircraft solution is a potential single-aircraft solution from the plurality of potential single-aircraft solutions that comprises one or more nodes of the third type that has a number of relationship identifiers extending from the node that is not equal to the number of relationship identifiers extending to the node;
executing, using the computer system, the aircraft asset optimization model to generate an aircraft asset combination that comprises an aircraft asset maintenance schedule and an aircraft asset cost summary, wherein executing the aircraft asset optimization model to generate the aircraft asset combination comprises;
omitting, in accordance with the rule, one or more invalid potential single-aircraft solutions from the mixed-integer formulation; and
minimizing, using the mixed-integer formulation and the respective pluralities of potential single-aircraft solutions for each of the aircraft assets, the sum of the respective values of the one or more relationship identifiers associated with each time period to simultaneously generate a single-aircraft asset maintenance schedule and a single-aircraft asset cost summary for each of the aircraft assets;
wherein the aircraft asset maintenance schedule assigns a time period within the plurality of time periods to complete the required maintenance activity for each of the aircraft assets;
wherein the aircraft asset cost summary provides a total aircraft asset maintenance cost per time period for each time period within the plurality of time periods that is a sum of the aircraft asset maintenance costs within a time period;
wherein the total aircraft asset maintenance cost per time period is less than or equal to the aircraft asset budget amount;
andwherein the aircraft asset combination comprises each single-aircraft asset maintenance schedule and each single-aircraft cost summary;
displaying a second screen on the graphical user interface, wherein the second screen comprises at least a portion of the aircraft asset combination;
andchanging the respective states of one or more aircraft assets in accordance with their respective single-aircraft asset maintenance schedules.
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Abstract
A system and method for optimally managing aircraft assets according to which a maintenance activity, costs, and aircraft asset deposition are addressed. In one embodiment, the aircraft assets are aircraft and/or engines.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A method, comprising:
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displaying a first screen on a graphical user interface, wherein the first screen comprises; a first box via which a first file is identified, wherein the first file contains first data relating to a required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset within a plurality of aircraft assets; wherein the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset is to occur within a planning period that comprises a plurality of time periods; a second box via which a second file is identified, wherein the second file contains second data relating to an aircraft asset maintenance cost associated with the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset; and a third box that is configured to receive a first model parameter within a plurality of model parameters; receiving or accessing, using a computer system, aircraft data associated with the plurality of aircraft assets, wherein the aircraft data comprises the first data and the second data; wherein receiving or accessing, using the computer system, the aircraft data comprises; receiving or accessing, using the computer system and the first box, the first data relating to the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset within the plurality of aircraft assets; and receiving or accessing, using the computer system and the second box, the second data relating to the aircraft asset maintenance cost associated with the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset; generating, using the computer system and the aircraft data, an aircraft asset optimization network, wherein generating the aircraft asset optimization network comprises; generating a sub-network for each aircraft asset in the plurality of aircraft assets, comprising; generating a plurality of nodes including a first type of node, a second type of node, and a third type of node, the nodes corresponding to respective states of the each aircraft asset during respective time periods within the plurality of time periods; generating a plurality of directional relationship identifiers, wherein each relationship identifier defines a relationship from one node from the plurality of nodes extending to another node from the plurality of nodes and represents a change, from one state to another state, of the each aircraft asset; wherein the first type of node is a node that has one or more relationship identifiers extending from the node but has no relationship identifier extending to the node; wherein the second type of node is a node that has one or more relationship identifiers extending to the node but has no relationship identifier extending from the node; wherein the third type of node is a node that has one or more relationship identifiers extending to the node and one or more relationship identifiers extending from the node; wherein a plurality of potential single-aircraft solutions for the each aircraft asset is formed by connecting, using the relationship identifiers, different pluralities of the nodes; and generating, using rules that define a value of a relationship identifier as a function of the change in state of the each aircraft asset and its associated aircraft asset maintenance costs, a value for each relationship identifier from the plurality of relationship identifiers; wherein generating the aircraft asset optimization network results in each time period being associated with one or more relationship identifiers, which are associated with one or more of the sub-networks; receiving, using the computer system and via the third box, the first model parameter within the plurality of model parameters;
wherein the first model parameter is an aircraft asset budget amount associated with a respective time period within the plurality of time periods;generating an aircraft asset optimization model for the planning period using;
the aircraft asset optimization network;
the plurality of model parameters;
one or more predetermined rules; and
a mixed-integer formulation that minimizes the costs associated with the plurality of aircraft assets while ensuring that a total aircraft asset maintenance cost per time period is less than or equal to the aircraft asset budget amount;wherein the one or more predetermined rules comprises a rule preventing an invalid single-aircraft potential solution from being included in the mixed-integer formulation; and wherein an invalid potential single-aircraft solution is a potential single-aircraft solution from the plurality of potential single-aircraft solutions that comprises one or more nodes of the third type that has a number of relationship identifiers extending from the node that is not equal to the number of relationship identifiers extending to the node; executing, using the computer system, the aircraft asset optimization model to generate an aircraft asset combination that comprises an aircraft asset maintenance schedule and an aircraft asset cost summary, wherein executing the aircraft asset optimization model to generate the aircraft asset combination comprises; omitting, in accordance with the rule, one or more invalid potential single-aircraft solutions from the mixed-integer formulation; and minimizing, using the mixed-integer formulation and the respective pluralities of potential single-aircraft solutions for each of the aircraft assets, the sum of the respective values of the one or more relationship identifiers associated with each time period to simultaneously generate a single-aircraft asset maintenance schedule and a single-aircraft asset cost summary for each of the aircraft assets; wherein the aircraft asset maintenance schedule assigns a time period within the plurality of time periods to complete the required maintenance activity for each of the aircraft assets; wherein the aircraft asset cost summary provides a total aircraft asset maintenance cost per time period for each time period within the plurality of time periods that is a sum of the aircraft asset maintenance costs within a time period; wherein the total aircraft asset maintenance cost per time period is less than or equal to the aircraft asset budget amount; and wherein the aircraft asset combination comprises each single-aircraft asset maintenance schedule and each single-aircraft cost summary; displaying a second screen on the graphical user interface, wherein the second screen comprises at least a portion of the aircraft asset combination; and changing the respective states of one or more aircraft assets in accordance with their respective single-aircraft asset maintenance schedules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus comprising:
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a non-transitory computer readable medium; and a plurality of instructions stored on the non-transitory computer readable medium and executable by one or more processors, the plurality of instructions comprising; instructions that cause the one or more processors to display a first screen on a graphical user interface, wherein the first screen comprises; a first box via which a first file is identified, wherein the first file contains first data relating to a required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset within a plurality of aircraft assets; wherein the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset is to occur within a planning period that comprises a plurality of time periods; a second box via which a second file is identified, wherein the second file contains second data relating to an aircraft asset maintenance cost associated with the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset; and a third box that is configured to receive a first model parameter within a plurality of model parameters; instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive or access aircraft data associated with the plurality of aircraft assets, wherein the aircraft data comprises the first data and the second data; wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive or access aircraft data associated with the plurality of aircraft assets comprises; instructions that cause the one or more processors receive or access, using the first box, the first data relating to the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset within the plurality of aircraft assets; and instructions that cause the one or more processors receive or access, using the second box, the second data relating to the aircraft asset maintenance cost associated with the required maintenance activity for each aircraft asset; instructions that cause the one or more processors to generate, using the aircraft data, an aircraft asset optimization network, wherein instructions that cause the one or more processors to generate the aircraft asset optimization network using the aircraft data comprises; instructions that cause the one or more processors to generate, a sub-network for each aircraft asset in the plurality of aircraft assets, comprising; instructions that cause the one or more processors to generate a plurality of nodes including a first type of node, a second type of node, and a third type of node, the nodes corresponding to respective states of the each aircraft asset during respective time periods within the plurality of time periods; instructions that cause the one or more processors to generate a plurality of directional relationship identifiers, wherein each relationship identifier defines a relationship from one node from the plurality of nodes extending to another node from the plurality of nodes and represents a change, from one state to another state, of the each aircraft asset; wherein the first type of node is a node that has one or more relationship identifiers extending from the node but has no relationship identifier extending to the node; wherein the second type of node is a node that has one or more relationship identifiers extending to the node but has no relationship identifier extending from the node; wherein the third type of node is a node that has one or more relationship identifiers extending to the node and one or more relationship identifiers extending from the node; wherein a plurality of potential single-aircraft solutions for the each aircraft asset is formed by connecting, using the relationship identifiers, different pluralities of the nodes; and instructions that cause one or more processors to generate, using rules that define a value of a relationship identifier as a function of the change in state of the each aircraft asset and its associated aircraft asset maintenance costs, a value for each relationship identifier from the plurality of relationship identifiers; wherein generating the aircraft asset optimization network results in each time period being associated with one or more relationship identifiers, which are associated with one or more of the sub-networks; instructions that cause the one or more processors to receive via the third box, the first model parameter from the plurality of model parameters;
wherein the first model parameter is an aircraft asset budget amount associated with a respective time period within the plurality of time periods;instructions that cause the one or more processors to generate an aircraft asset optimization model for the planning period using;
the aircraft asset optimization network;
the plurality of model parameters;
one or more predetermined rules; and
a mixed-integer formulation that minimizes the costs associated with the plurality of aircraft assets while ensuring that a total aircraft asset maintenance cost per time period is less than or equal to the aircraft asset budget amount;wherein the one or more predetermined rules comprises a rule preventing an invalid single-aircraft potential solution from being included in the mixed-integer formulation; and wherein an invalid potential single-aircraft solution is a potential single-aircraft solution from the plurality of potential single-aircraft solutions that comprises one or more nodes of the third type that has a number of relationship identifiers extending from the node that is not equal to the number of relationship identifiers extending to the node; instructions that cause the one or more processors to execute the aircraft asset optimization model to generate an aircraft asset combination that comprises an aircraft asset maintenance schedule and an aircraft asset cost summary, wherein the instructions that cause the one or more processors to execute the aircraft asset optimization model to generate the aircraft asset combination comprises; omitting, in accordance with the rule, the one or more invalid potential single-aircraft solutions from the mixed-integer formulation; and minimizing, using the mixed-integer formulation and the respective pluralities of potential single-aircraft solutions for each of the aircraft assets, the sum of the respective values of the one or more relationship identifiers associated with each time period to simultaneously generate a single-aircraft asset maintenance schedule and a single-aircraft asset cost summary for each of the aircraft assets; wherein the aircraft asset maintenance schedule assigns a time period within the plurality of time periods to complete the required maintenance activity for each of the aircraft assets; wherein the aircraft asset cost summary provides a total aircraft asset maintenance cost per time period for each time period within the plurality of time periods that is a sum of the aircraft asset maintenance costs within a time period; wherein the total aircraft asset maintenance cost per time period is less than or equal to the aircraft asset budget amount; and wherein the aircraft asset combination comprises each single-aircraft asset maintenance schedule and each single-aircraft cost summary; instructions that cause the one or more processors to display a second screen on the graphical user interface, wherein the second screen comprises at least a portion of the aircraft asset combination; and instructions that cause the one or more processors to change the respective states of one or more aircraft assets in accordance with their respective single-aircraft asset maintenance schedules. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22)
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Specification