AUTOMATED REPAIR ANALYSIS USING A BUNDLED RULE-BASED SYSTEM

• US 20070294090A1
• Filed: 06/20/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Xerox Corporation (Xerox Holdings Corp.)
• Inventors: Thieret, Tracy Eugene, Rockwell, Ronald Moore
• Application Number:
  US11/425,277
• Publication Number:
  US 20070294090A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/305
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0248 Causal models, e.g. fault tree; digraphs; qualitative physics
• 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: G06F 11/2294 by remote test
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/20 Administration of product repair or maintenance

Abstract

A method for diagnosing a device malfunction includes receiving a request for repair from an electromechanical device, wherein the request includes identification of the malfunctioning device, data related to the configuration and state of the device, information on the level of access to the device, and a description of the device malfunction. A repair analysis procedure may be automatically selected based on the information received, and at least one automated test may be executed. The repair analysis procedure may be represented by a diagnostics tree having a plurality of nodes, where each node may include different numbers of tests. The tests may include the download of software to the device. Results from the test or tests may be used to move through the diagnostics tree and modify or update the repair analysis procedure. An instruction to resolve the malfunction may then be deployed to the device.

Claims

1. A method of diagnosing a device malfunction, comprising:

receiving a request for electromechanical device repair assistance, wherein the request includes an identification of a malfunctioning device and a description of a device malfunction;

automatically selecting a repair analysis procedure based on the identification and the reason;

selecting from the repair analysis procedure at least one automated test that can be performed on the device via a communications port without human intervention;

communicating, to the device, an instruction to perform the automated test;

receiving a result from the automated test;

modifying the repair analysis procedure based on the result; and

deploying an instruction to resolve the malfunction.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

accessing a database of device data to obtain malfunction or repair data for other devices that are similar to the malfunctioning device; and

at some point after the automatically selecting and before the deploying, updating the repair analysis procedure based on the accessed malfunction or repair data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the automated test comprises a noninvasive test that does not require shutdown of the device, and wherein the method also comprises before the deploying:

selecting from the repair analysis procedure at least one automated diagnostic test that can be performed on the device via a communications port and which requires shutdown of the device;

communicating an instruction to perform the automated diagnostic test to the device;

receiving a result from the automated diagnostic test; and

modifying the repair analysis procedure based on the result from the automated diagnostic test.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the method also comprises, before the deploying:

selecting from the repair analysis procedure at least one potentially hazardous automated test that can be performed on the device via a communications port and which requires removing the device from service;

communicating an instruction to perform the automated diagnostic test to the device when the device has been removed from service;

receiving a result from the automated diagnostic test; and

modifying the repair analysis procedure based on the result from the automated diagnostic test.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the method also comprises, before the deploying

selecting from the repair analysis procedure at least one human-implemented test to be performed on the device by human action;

communicating an instruction to perform the human-implemented test;

receiving a result from the human-implemented test; and

modifying the repair analysis procedure based on the result from the human-implemented test.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one of the acts of communicating an instruction comprises transmitting diagnostic software to the device.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the diagnostic software contains instructions to gather data over a period of time and restart a diagnostic session when a malfunction event is detected.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein:

the repair analysis procedure may be represented by a diagnostic tree having a plurality of nodes;

the selecting comprises selecting one of the nodes; and

the selecting, communicating and receiving are performed a plurality of times.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the modifying comprises removing nodes that are not necessary based on results from the automated tests.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising upgrading the selected repair analysis procedure based on a history, usage pattern, or environmental condition of the device.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising saving the upgraded repair analysis procedure to a memory.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the request also includes data relating to a configuration and state of the device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the automatically selecting a repair analysis procedure is also based on the configuration or state data of the device.

17. The method of claim 5I wherein at least one of the acts of communicating an instruction comprises transmitting diagnostic software to the device.

14. A method of diagnosing a device malfunction, comprising:

receiving a request for electromechanical device repair assistance, wherein the request includes an identification of a malfunctioning device and a description of a device malfunction;

accessing a database of device data to obtain malfunction or repair data for other devices that are similar to the malfunctioning device;

automatically selecting a repair analysis procedure based on the identification and the reason;

updating the repair analysis procedure based on the accessed malfunction or repair data;

selecting from the repair analysis procedure at least one non-invasive automated test that can be performed on the device via a communications port without human intervention and that does not require shutdown of the device;

communicating, to the device, an instruction to perform the automated test;

receiving a result from the automated test;

modifying the repair analysis procedure based on the result; and

deploying an instruction to resolve the malfunction.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the method also comprises, before the deploying:

selecting from the repair analysis procedure at least one potentially hazardous automated test that can be performed on the device via a communications port and which requires removing the device from service;

communicating an instruction to perform the automated diagnostic test to the device when the device has been removed from service;

receiving a result from the automated diagnostic test; and

modifying the repair analysis procedure based on the result from the automated diagnostic test.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the method also comprises, before the deploying:

selecting from the repair analysis procedure at least one human-implemented test to be performed on the device by human action;

communicating an instruction to perform the human-implemented test;

receiving a result from the human-implemented test; and

modifying the repair analysis procedure based on the result from the human-implemented test.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the diagnostic software contains instructions to gather data over a period of time and restart a diagnostic session when a malfunction event is detected.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein:

the repair analysis procedure may be represented by a diagnostic tree having a plurality of nodes;

the selecting comprises selecting one of the nodes; and

the selecting, communicating and receiving are performed a plurality of times.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the modifying comprises removing nodes that are not necessary based on results from the automated tests.