Decision support method and system

• US 20060235707A1
• Filed: 04/19/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Busch, Darryl G., Goldstein, David B.
• Application Number:
  US11/108,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20060235707A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/182
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 15/00 Self-propelled projectiles or missiles, e.g. rockets; Guided missiles F42B10/00, F42B12/00, F42B14/00 take precedence; for practice or training F42B8/12; rocket torpedoes F42B17/00; marine torpedoes F42B19/00; cosmonautic vehicles B64G; jet-propulsion plants F02K
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 35/00 Testing or checking of ammunition apparatus for measuring the energy of projectiles G01L5/14
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0278 Product appraisal

Abstract

In accordance with the invention, there is a decision support method comprising collecting data about a set of components of an asset, wherein the data comprises information about the status of each component in the set of components. The method also comprises comparing the data to a set of requirements for a use of the asset and estimating a remaining life for each of the components in the set of components based on the status of each of the components and the set of requirements for an intended use of the asset.

Claims

1. A decision support method comprising:

collecting data about a set of components of an asset, wherein the data comprises information about the status of each component in the set of components;

comparing the data to a set of requirements for a use of the asset; and

estimating a remaining life for each of the components in the set of components based on the status of each of the components and the set of requirements for an intended use of the asset.

2. The decision support method according to claim 1 further comprising:

monitoring the set of components during the intended use of the asset so as to update the status of the components; and

estimating the remaining life for the components based on the updated status of the components.

3. The decision support method according to claim 1 further comprising:

outputting to a user information about the remaining life of the components, wherein the information includes more than a Go/No-Go recommendation.

4. The decision support method according to claim 1, wherein the estimate of remaining life of the components is determined using a vector comprising information about the intended use of the asset, and wherein the intended use of the asset includes a current use of the asset and a future use of the asset.

5. The decision support method according to claim 1, wherein the estimate is determined using an algorithm comprising at least one of a normal statistical distribution, an exponential statistical distribution, a Weibull statistical distribution, a regression analysis, and a correlation analysis.

6. The decision support method according to claim 5, wherein the estimate is determined using an algorithm further comprises using a Poisson impulse function to model a discrete event in the use of the asset.

7. The decision support method according to claim 1, wherein the estimate provides an indication of the probability of failure of at least one component in the set of components during the intended use of the asset.

8. A decision support system comprising:

a sensor attached to a component of an asset;

a computer processor electrically connected to the sensor, wherein the computer processor controls the sensor, receives data about the component, the data comprising information about the status the component, and predicts an estimated remaining life of the component based on the data received from the sensor; and

a graphical user interface that displays information about the remaining life of the components, wherein the information includes an indication of progress of the components towards failure.

9. The decision support system according to claim 8, wherein the recommendation is based on a comparison of the data received from the sensor to a set of requirements of an intended use of the asset.

10. The decision support system according to claim 8, wherein the computer processor uses an algorithm comprising at least one of a normal statistical distribution, an exponential statistical distribution, a Weibull statistical distribution, a regression analysis, and a correlation analysis to predict the remaining life of the component.

11. A computer readable medium containing program code that configures a processor to perform a method for decision support, the computer readable medium comprising:

program code for receiving data about a set of components of an asset, wherein the data comprises information about the status of each component in the set of components;

program code for comparing the data to a set of requirements for a use of the asset; and

program code for estimating a remaining life for each of the components in the set of components based on the status of each of the components and the set of requirements for an intended use of the asset.

12. The computer readable medium containing program code according to claim 11 further comprising:

program code for monitoring the set of components during the intended use of the asset so as to update the status of the components; and

program code for estimating the remaining life for the components based on the updated status of the components.

13. The computer readable medium containing program code according to claim 11 further comprising:

program code for outputting to a user information about the remaining life of the components, wherein the information includes more than a Go/No-Go recommendation.

14. The computer readable medium containing program code according to claim 11, wherein the estimate of remaining life of the components is determined using a vector comprising information about the intended use of the asset, and wherein the intended use of the asset includes a current use of the asset and a future use of the asset.

15. The computer readable medium containing program code according to claim 11, wherein the estimate is determined using an algorithm comprising at least one of a normal statistical distribution, an exponential statistical distribution, a Weibull statistical distribution, a regression analysis, and a correlation analysis.

16. The computer readable medium containing program code according to claim 11, wherein the estimate is determined using an algorithm further comprises using a Poisson impulse function to model a discrete event in the use of the asset.