SYSTEM, METHOD, AND COMPUTER SOFTWARE CODE FOR DETERMINING WHETHER A CHANGE IN A SUBSYSTEM IS COMPATIBLE WITH A SYSTEM

• US 20090106749A1
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/23/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hershey, John Erik, Daum, Wolfgang, Otsubo, Tom
• Application Number:
  US12/022,379
• Publication Number:
  US 20090106749A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/168
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/65 Updates security arrangements therefor G06F21/57

Abstract

A method for determining whether a change in a complex system is compatible with the complex system, the method including determining whether at least one of a module change and a software change has occurred, determining whether the at least one of module change and software change results in a change in the operation of the complex system, and modifying a current operational state of the complex system to accommodate the at least one of module change and software change. A system and a computer software code are also disclosed for determining whether a change in a complex system is compatible with the complex system.

Claims

1. A method for determining whether a change in a complex system is compatible with the complex system, the method comprising:

determining whether at least one of a module change and a software change has occurred;

determining whether the at least one of module change and software change results in a change in the operation of the complex system; and

modifying a current operational state of the complex system to accommodate the at least one of module change and software change.

2. The method according to claim 1 further comprising chronicling that at least on of the module change and the software change has occurred.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprises communicating information about at least one of the module change and the software change to at least one of a remote monitoring station, a user using the system, and a database.

4. The method according to claim 1 further comprises determining whether the at least one of module change and software change is compatible with the complex system.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein changing operations further comprises operating the complex system in a degraded operation state to avoid damage to the complex system when the at least one of module change and software change is not compatible with the complex system.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the at least one of module change and the software change is executed based on at least one of an upgrade, an operational change of the system, and a change in the location of the system.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the change in the location of the complex system is determined by a remote location detection system.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the complex system comprises at least one of a railway transportation system including a locomotive, a marine vessel, an off-highway vehicle, and a stationary power generating station.

9. A system for determining whether a change in a complex system is compatible with the complex system, the system comprising:

a first detection device configured to determine whether at least one of a module change and a software change has occurred in the complex system;

a second detection device configured to determine whether the at least one of module change and software change results in a change in the operation of the complex system; and

a monitoring device configured to modify a current operational state of the complex system to accommodate the at least one of module change and software change.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the complex system comprises at least one of a railway transportation system, a marine vessel, an off-highway vehicle, and a stationary power generating station.

11. The system according to claim 9 further comprises a recording device configured to chronicle that at least on of the module change and the software change has occurred.

12. The system according to claim 9 further comprises a communication device configured to communicate information about at least one of the module change and the software change to at least one of a remote monitoring station, a user using the system, and a database.

13. The system according to claim 12 wherein the communication device facilitates at least one of wired and wireless communication.

14. The system according to claim 9 further comprises a third detection device configured to determine whether the at least one of module change and software change is compatible with the complex system.

15. The system according to claim 9 further comprises a controller configured to operate the complex system in a degraded operation state to avoid damage to the complex system when the at least one of module change and software change is not compatible with the complex system.

16. The system according to claim 9 wherein the at least one of module change and the software change is executed based on at least one of an upgrade, an operational change of the complex system, and a change in the location of the complex system.

17. The system according to claim 15 further comprises a remote location detection system configured to determine the change in the location of the complex system.

18. A computer software code operating within a processor and storable on a computer readable media for determining whether a change in a complex system is compatible with the complex system, the computer software code comprising:

a computer software module for determining whether at least one of a module change and a software change has occurred;

a computer software module for determining whether the at least one of module change and software change results in a change in the operation of the complex system; and

a computer software module for modifying a current operational state of the complex system to accommodate the at least one of module change and software change.

19. The computer software code according to claim 18 further comprising a computer software module for chronicling that at least on of the module change and the software change has occurred.

20. The computer software code according to claim 18 further comprises a computer software module for communicating information about at least one of the module change and the software change to at least one of a remote monitoring station, a user using the system, and a database.

21. The computer software code according to claim 18 further comprises a computer software module for determining whether the at least one of module change and software change is compatible with the complex system.

22. The method according to claim 18 further comprises a computer software module for operating the complex system in a degraded operation state to avoid damage to the complex system when the at least one of module change and software change is not compatible with the complex system.