Collaborative web-based airplane level failure effects analysis tool

• US 20070294594A1
• Filed: 05/18/2006
• Published: 12/20/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: King, Kevin N., Ramesh, Anapathur V., Schultz, Larry R., Sharma, Tilak C., Twigg, David W.
• Granted Patent: US 7,770,052 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/46
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/008 Reliability or availability analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/32 with visual or acoustical indication of the functioning of the machine

Abstract

Embodiments of methods, apparatuses, and articles for receiving system malfunction effects data including at least one malfunction and a plurality of direct and indirect effects associated with each of the at least one malfunction and storing the received system malfunction effects data, are described herein. The embodiments may also facilitate a user in viewing and/or modifying the system malfunction effects data, and the viewing includes presenting the data in a relational fashion, with each malfunction linked to one or more direct effects, and each direct effect linked to one or more indirect effects.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving system malfunction effects data including at least one malfunction and a plurality of direct and indirect effects associated with each of the at least one malfunction;

storing the received system malfunction effects data; and

facilitating a user in viewing and/or modifying the system malfunction effects data, and the viewing includes presenting the data in a relational fashion, with each malfunction linked to one or more direct effects, and each direct effect linked to one or more indirect effects.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system malfunction effects data comprise airplane level failure effects propagation data.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said facilitating of a user in viewing and/or modifying the system malfunction effects data further comprises facilitating a user in viewing and/or modifying only a portion of the data that the user is allowed to view and/or modify based a permission level associated with the user.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one of a malfunction, a direct effect, and an indirect effect is associated with a numerical probability.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a direct effect is associated with a combination of malfunctions, only occurring when the combination occurs, and an indirect effect is associated with a combination of direct effects.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising mapping one or more indirect effects associated with a direct effect to a new malfunction, when the direct effect is associated with the new malfunction.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising recommending a design change based at least on the system malfunction effects data.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing a report of the system malfunction effects data, for use in a certification process.

9. An apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a collaborative tool operated by the processor to

receive system malfunction effects data including at least one malfunction and a plurality of direct and indirect effects associated with each of the at least one malfunction;

store the received system malfunction effects data; and

facilitate a user in viewing and/or modifying the system malfunction effects data, and the viewing includes presenting the data in a relational fashion, with each malfunction linked to one or more direct effects, and each direct effect linked to one or more indirect effects.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the collaborative tool is further operated by the processor to receive the system malfunction effects data, and the receiving further comprises receiving at least a part of the system malfunction effects data automatically from one or more affected systems.

11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the collaborative tool is further operated by the processor to store the system malfunction effects data, and the storing comprises storing the data in a relational database.

12. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the system malfunction effects data comprise airplane level failure effects propagation data.

13. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the collaborative tool is further operated by the processor to facilitate a user in viewing and/or modifying the system malfunction effects data, and the facilitating further comprises facilitating a user in viewing and/or modifying only a portion of the data that the user is allowed to view and/or modify based a permission level associated with the user.

14. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein a direct effect is associated with a combination of malfunctions, only occurring when the combination occurs, and an indirect effect is associated with a combination of direct effects.

15. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the collaborative tool is further operated by the processor to recommend a design change based at least on the system malfunction effects data.

16. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the collaborative tool is further operated by the processor to prepare a report of the system malfunction effects data, the report capable of use in a certification process.

17. An article of manufacture comprising:

a storage medium; and

a plurality of programming instructions stored in the storage medium, the plurality of programming instructions adapted to program an apparatus to enable the apparatus to

receive system malfunction effects data including at least one malfunction and a plurality of direct and indirect effects associated with each of the at least one malfunction;

store the received system malfunction effects data; and

facilitate a user in viewing and/or modifying the system malfunction effects data, and the viewing includes presenting the data in a relational fashion, with each malfunction linked to one or more direct effects, and each direct effect linked to one or more indirect effects.

18. The article of claim 17, wherein the system malfunction effects data comprise airplane level failure effects propagation data.

19. The article of claim 17, wherein the plurality of programming instructions is further adapted to enable the apparatus to facilitate a user in viewing and/or modifying the system malfunction effects data, and the facilitating further comprises facilitating a user in viewing and/or modifying only a portion of the data that the user is allowed to view and/or modify based a permission level associated with the user.

20. The article of claim 17, wherein the plurality of programming instructions is further adapted to enable the apparatus to prepare a report of the system malfunction effects data, the report capable of use in a certification process.