Interactive graphics-based analysis tool for visualizing reliability of a system and performing reliability analysis thereon

• US 20030034995A1
• Filed: 07/03/2001
• Published: 02/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Neagu, Radu Eugen, Krupar, Alissa Beth, Edgar, Melvin Craig Jr., Hershey, John Erik, Gardner, Donald Lee, Osborn, Brock Estel, Hansen, Carl Harold, Dockendorff, James Ernest, Illouz, Kati
• Application Number:
  US09/897,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20030034995A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/713
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance

Abstract

An interactive graphics-based analysis tool for performing reliability analysis of a system formed from a variety of subsystems and components within each subsystem. The tool uses a hierarchical representation component to organize the system, subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation. An interactive selection component provides different options for analyzing the hierarchical representation. A reliability analysis component, responsive to the hierarchical representation component and the interactive selection component, allows a user to perform a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation.

Claims

1. An interactive graphics-based tool for performing a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

a hierarchical representation component that organizes the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

an interactive selection component that provides a plurality of options for analyzing the hierarchical representation; and

a reliability analysis component, responsive to the hierarchical representation component and the interactive selection component, that performs a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation.

2. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the hierarchical representation generated by the hierarchical representation component takes the form of a tree structure wherein the system and plurality of subsystems and components are represented in the tree structure by a node.

3. The tool according to claim 2, wherein the plurality of options provided by the interactive selection component comprises at least one of moving about the hierarchical representation, selecting a node and defining a group of nodes.

4. The tool according to claim 1, wherein the reliability analysis component performs at least one of a statistical analysis, reliability prediction, life cycle cost analysis, maintenance projections, and inventory forecasting.

5. The tool according to claim 1, further comprising a visualization component that provides a visualization of the reliability analysis.

6. The tool according to claim 5, wherein the visualization component comprises a movie mode display.

7. An interactive graphics-based tool for performing a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

a hierarchical representation component that organizes the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

an interactive selection component that provides a plurality of options for analyzing the hierarchical representation;

a reliability analysis component, responsive to the hierarchical representation component and the interactive selection component, that performs a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation; and

a visualization component that provides a visualization of the reliability analysis in a graphical framework.

8. The tool according to claim 7, wherein the hierarchical representation generated by the hierarchical representation component takes the form of a tree structure wherein the system and plurality of subsystems and components are represented in the tree structure by a node.

9. The tool according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of options provided by the interactive selection component comprises at least one of moving about the hierarchical representation, selecting a node and defining a group of nodes.

10. The tool according to claim 7, wherein the reliability analysis component performs at least one of a statistical analysis, reliability prediction, life cycle cost analysis, maintenance projections, and inventory forecasting.

11. The tool according to claim 7, wherein the visualization component comprises a movie mode display.

12. A graphics-based tool for performing a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

means for organizing the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

means for providing a plurality of options for analyzing the hierarchical representation;

means, responsive to the organizing means and the providing means, for performing a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation; and

means for generating a visualization of the reliability analysis in a graphical framework.

13. The tool according to claim 12, wherein the hierarchical representation generated by the organizing means takes the form of a tree structure wherein the system and plurality of subsystems and components are represented in the tree structure by a node.

14. The tool according to claim 13, wherein the plurality of options provided by the providing means comprises at least one of moving about the hierarchical representation, selecting a node and defining a group of nodes.

15. The tool according to claim 12, wherein the reliability analysis means performs at least one of a statistical analysis, reliability prediction, life cycle cost analysis, maintenance projections, and inventory forecasting.

16. A system for performing a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

a data repository containing a plurality of service data for the system;

an interactive data preprocessor that preprocesses the plurality of service data in accordance with a user specified reliability analysis selection; and

an interactive graphics-based tool for performing the user specified reliability analysis on the system in accordance with the plurality of service data, the interactive graphics-based tool comprising a hierarchical representation component that organizes the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

an interactive selection component that provides a plurality of options for analyzing the hierarchical representation;

a statistical analysis component, responsive to the hierarchical representation component and the interactive selection component, that performs a statistical analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation; and

a visualization component that provides a visualization of the statistical analysis in a graphical framework.

17. The system according to claim 16, further comprising an expert system that assists the interactive graphics-based tool in performing the reliability analysis.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the data preprocessor performs at least one of determining censoring times, filtering data and segmenting data.

19. A system for performing a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

a data repository containing a plurality of service data for the system;

an interactive graphics-based tool for performing a statistical analysis on the system in accordance with the plurality of service data, the interactive graphics-based tool comprising a hierarchical representation component that organizes the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

an interactive selection component that provides a plurality of options for analyzing the hierarchical representation;

a statistical analysis component, responsive to the hierarchical representation component and the interactive selection component, that performs a statistical analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation; and

a visualization component that provides a visualization of the statistical analysis in a graphical framework; and

a first computing unit configured to serve the data repository and the interactive graphics-based tool.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein the data repository stores historical failure data for the system.

21. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a simulator that simulates the reliability of the plurality of service data in accordance with the statistical model.

22. The system according to claim 19, further comprising an expert system that assists the interactive graphics-based tool in performing the statistical analysis.

23. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a data preprocessor that preprocesses the plurality of service data.

24. The system according to claim 19, further comprising a second computing unit configured to interact with the data repository and the interactive graphics-based tool served from the first computing unit over a network.

25. A method for performing a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

organizing the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

providing a plurality of options for analyzing the hierarchical representation; and

performing a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the hierarchical representation takes the form of a tree structure wherein the system and plurality of subsystems and components are represented in the tree structure by a node.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the plurality of options comprises at least one of moving about the hierarchical representation, selecting a node and defining a group of nodes.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein the performing a reliability analysis comprises performing at least one of a statistical analysis, reliability prediction, life cycle cost analysis, maintenance projections, and inventory forecasting.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein the performing a reliability analysis comprises visualizing the reliability analysis.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the visualizing a reliability analysis comprises generating a movie mode display.

31. A method for performing a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

organizing the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

providing a plurality of options for analyzing the hierarchical representation;

performing a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation; and

visualizing the reliability analysis in a graphical framework.

32. The method according to claim 31, wherein the hierarchical representation takes the form of a tree structure wherein the system and plurality of subsystems and components are represented in the tree structure by a node.

33. The method according to claim 32, wherein the plurality of options comprises at least one of moving about the hierarchical representation, selecting a node and defining a group of nodes.

34. The method according to claim 31, wherein the performing of the reliability analysis comprises performing at least one of a statistical analysis, reliability prediction, life cycle cost analysis, maintenance projections, and inventory forecasting.

35. The method according to claim 31, wherein the visualizing a reliability analysis comprises generating a movie mode display.

38. The method according to claim 35, wherein the simulating predicts life cycle events and costs associated with each event.

36. A method for performing a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

storing a plurality of service data for the system;

preprocessing the plurality of service data in accordance with a user specified reliability analysis selection; and

providing an interactive graphics-based tool for performing the user specified reliability analysis on the system in accordance with the plurality of service data.

37. The method according to claim 36, wherein the preprocessing comprises performing at least one of determining censoring times, filtering data and segmenting data.

39. A method for enabling a user to perform a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

prompting the user to organize the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

prompting the user to select from a plurality of analyzing options;

in response to the user selection, performing a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation; and

providing a visualization of the reliability analysis to the user in a graphical framework.

40. The method according to claim 39, wherein the hierarchical representation takes the form of a tree structure wherein the system and plurality of subsystems and components are represented in the tree structure by a node.

41. The method according to claim 40, wherein the plurality of options comprises at least one of moving about the hierarchical representation, selecting a node and defining a group of nodes.

42. The method according to claim 39, wherein the performing of the reliability analysis comprises performing at least one of a statistical analysis, reliability prediction, life cycle cost analysis, maintenance projections, and inventory forecasting.

43. A method for enabling a user to perform a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, comprising:

storing a plurality of service data for the system;

prompting the user to specify a reliability analysis selection;

preprocessing the plurality of service data in accordance with the user specified reliability analysis selection; and

performing the user specified reliability analysis.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the performing of the user specified reliability analysis comprises prompting the user to organize the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation.

45. The method according to claim 44, wherein the performing of the user specified reliability analysis comprises prompting the user to select from a plurality of analyzing options.

46. The method according to claim 45, wherein the performing of the user specified reliability analysis comprises performing a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation in response to the user selection.

47. The method according to claim 46, wherein the performing of the user specified reliability analysis comprises providing a visualization of the reliability analysis to the user.

48. The method according to claim 43, further comprising performing a simulation.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein the simulating predicts life cycle events and costs associated with each event.

50. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for instructing a computer system to perform a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, the computer instructions comprising:

organizing the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

providing a plurality of options for analyzing the hierarchical representation;

performing a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation; and

visualizing the reliability analysis in a graphical framework.

51. The computer-readable medium according to claim 50, wherein the hierarchical representation takes the form of a tree structure wherein the system and plurality of subsystems and components are represented in the tree structure by a node.

52. The computer-readable medium according to claim 51, wherein the plurality of options comprises at least one of moving about the hierarchical representation, selecting a node and defining a group of nodes.

53. The computer-readable medium according to claim 50, wherein the performing of the reliability analysis comprises instructions for performing at least one of a statistical analysis, reliability prediction, life cycle cost analysis, maintenance projections, and inventory forecasting.

54. The computer-readable medium according to claim 50, wherein the visualizing a reliability analysis comprises generating a movie mode display.

55. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for instructing a computer system to enable a user to perform a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, the computer instructions comprising:

prompting the user to organize the system and the plurality of subsystems and components into a hierarchical representation;

prompting the user to select from a plurality of analyzing options;

in response to the user selection, performing a reliability analysis at any level of the hierarchical representation; and

providing a visualization of the reliability analysis to the user.

56. A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for instructing a computer system to enable a user to perform a reliability analysis on a system having a plurality of subsystems and a plurality of components within each subsystem, the computer instructions comprising:

storing a plurality of service data for the system;

prompting the user to specify a reliability analysis selection;

preprocessing the plurality of service data in accordance with the user specified reliability analysis selection; and

performing the user specified reliability analysis.

57. The computer-readable medium according to claim 56, further comprising instructions for performing a simulation.