Autonomously Configuring Information Systems to Support Mission Objectives

• US 20100077263A1
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Published: 03/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar, Harrington, Nathan J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,949,900 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/57
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2017 where memory access, memory control or I/O control functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005; redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/85 Active fault masking without idle spares

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, system, and computer program product for automatically configuring information systems to support mission objectives. A Mission SoulPad is connected to an information system via a communication bus, such as a USB bus connection. The Mission SoulPad may autonomously detect and configure components of the information system (e.g., displays, sensors, emitters, transceivers) to support the defined objectives of the Mission SoulPad. The Mission SoulPad may also identify malfunctioning components of the information system needing repair or replacement. Typical operations of malfunctioning components may be dynamically re-routed to functional components. Entire sensor and information display suites may be transitioned simply by moving the Mission SoulPad between available information systems. This ensures that mission critical information is consistently available regardless of the type of system the Mission SoulPad is connected to.

Claims

1. A method for automatically configuring information systems, the system comprising:

connecting to a first information system;

dynamically identifying a plurality of components of the first information system, wherein the components comprise one or more sensor, display, and emitter components; and

autonomously reconfiguring the first information system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first information system is reconfigured based on a plurality of predefined mission objectives.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a malfunctioning component from the plurality of components; and

notifying an operator of the malfunctioning component.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to identifying the malfunctioning component, identifying a similar component that is capable of performing a function normally performed by the malfunctioning component;

reconfiguring the similar component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

automatically rerouting operations of the malfunctioning component to the similar component.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

in response to determining that the malfunctioning component has been replaced with a replacement component, reconfiguring the replacement component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

restoring an original functionality to the similar component.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to determining that the connection to the first information system has been severed and that a connection has been established to a second information system:

identifying a plurality of components of the second information system; and

autonomously reconfiguring the second information system.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the second information system is configured based on a last configuration profile of the first information system prior to the connection being severed.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the second information system is reconfigured based on the plurality of predefined mission objectives.

9. A Mission SoulPad comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a communications bus interface;

processing logic for;

interfacing the Mission SoulPad to a first information system;

dynamically identifying a plurality of components of the first information system, wherein the components comprise sensor, display, and emitter components; and

autonomously reconfiguring the first information system.

10. The Mission SoulPad of claim 9, wherein the first information system is reconfigured based on a plurality of predefined mission objectives stored on the Mission SoulPad.

11. The Mission SoulPad of claim 9, further comprising processing logic for:

identifying a malfunctioning component from the plurality of components; and

notifying an operator of the malfunctioning component.

12. The Mission SoulPad of claim 11, further comprising processing logic for:

in response to identifying the malfunctioning component, identifying a similar component that is capable of performing a function normally performed by the malfunctioning component;

reconfiguring the similar component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

automatically rerouting operations of the malfunctioning component to the similar component.

13. The Mission SoulPad of claim 12, further comprising processing logic for:

in response to determining that the malfunctioning component has been replaced with a replacement component, reconfiguring the replacement component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

restoring an original functionality to the similar component.

14. The Mission SoulPad of claim 9, further comprising processing logic for, in response to determining that the connection to the first information system has been severed and that a connection has been established to a second information system:

identifying a plurality of components of the second information system; and

autonomously reconfiguring the second information system.

15. The Mission SoulPad of claim 14, wherein the second information system is configured based on a last configuration profile of the first information system prior to the connection being severed.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the second information system is reconfigured based on the plurality of predefined mission objectives.

17. A computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions embodied therein, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processing device, allows a machine to:

connect to a first information system;

dynamically identify a plurality of components of the first information system, wherein the components comprise sensor, display, and emitter components; and

autonomously reconfigure the first information system based on a plurality of predefined mission objectives.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for enabling the machine to:

identify a malfunctioning component from the plurality of components;

notify an operator of the malfunctioning component;

in response to identifying the malfunctioning component, identify a similar component that is capable of performing a function normally performed by the malfunctioning component;

reconfigure the similar component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component;

automatically reroute operations of the malfunctioning component to the similar component;

in response to determining that the malfunctioning component has been replaced with a replacement component, reconfigure the replacement component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

restore an original functionality to the similar component.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for enabling the machine to, in response to determining that the connection to the first information system has been severed and that a connection has been established to a second information system:

identify a plurality of components of the second information system; and

autonomously reconfigure the second information system.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein the second information system is configured based on a last configuration profile of the first information system prior to the connection being severed.