INTERMITTENT FAULT DETECTION AND REASONING

• US 20100082197A1
• Filed: 09/30/2008
• Published: 04/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2008
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Magnuson, Randy, Maewal, Akhilesh, Kolbet, David, Barton, Bradley John, Shao, Qingqiu Ginger
• Application Number:
  US12/241,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20100082197A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/0428 Safety, monitoring G05B19/0423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24033 Failure, fault detection and isolation
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24047 Count certain number of errors, faults before delivering alarm, stop
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/24073 Avoid propagation of fault
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2223/04 Detection of intermittent failure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0262 Confirmation of fault detection, e.g. extra checks to confirm that a failure has indeed occurred

Abstract

A method for diagnostic reasoning of faults appearing in a vehicle health monitoring system (VHM) is provided. One of alternatively a signal mode or a failure mode state is identified based on an input. If a signal is identified, the signal is queried to determine if the signal indicts a failure mode. If the signal indicts the failure mode, an intermittent watch flag is set for the failure mode. A count representing a number of occurrences of the signal as an intermittent fault is incremented. It is determined if the count exceeds a predetermined threshold. If the count exceeds the predetermined threshold, the intermittent fault is determined to be a permanent fault.

Claims

1. A method for diagnostic reasoning of faults appearing in a vehicle health monitoring system (VHM), comprising:

identifying alternatively one of a signal or a fault state change based on an input; and

if a signal is identified, querying if the signal indicts a failure mode, wherein if the signal indicts the failure mode;

setting an intermittent watch flag for the failure mode,

incrementing a count representing a number of occurrences of the signal as an intermittent fault,

determining if the count exceeds a predetermined threshold, and

if the count exceeds the predetermined threshold, determining the intermittent fault to be a permanent fault.

2. The method of claim 1, further including sending the permanent fault to a responder.

3. The method of claim 1, further including, if the signal does not indict the failure mode, offsetting the count by a predetermined parameter.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein offsetting the count by a predetermined parameter includes offsetting the count by one of application of a predetermined tuning factor, a time-triggered Page-Hinkley algorithm, and an event-triggered Page-Hinkley algorithm.

5. The method of claim 1, further including, if a fault state change is identified, determining if the failure mode is isolated, wherein:

if the failure mode is isolated, clearing the intermittent watch flag and initializing the count, and

if the failure mode is not isolated and a dominant failure mode is identified, setting the intermittent watch flag for the failure mode.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if the count exceeds a predetermined threshold includes calculating the threshold as a function of a predetermined tuning factor.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein incrementing a count representing a number of occurrences of the signal as an intermittent fault occurs pursuant to a Page-Hinkley algorithm.

8. A system for diagnostic reasoning of faults appearing in a vehicle health monitoring system (VHM), comprising:

a diagnostic reasoner module in communication with a vehicle, wherein the diagnostic reasoner module is adapted for;

identifying alternatively one of a signal or a fault state change based on an input, and

if a signal is identified, querying if the signal indicts a failure mode, wherein if the signal indicts the failure mode;

setting an intermittent watch flag for the failure mode,

incrementing a count representing a number of occurrences of the signal as an intermittent fault,

determining if the count exceeds a predetermined threshold, and

if the count exceeds the predetermined threshold, determining the intermittent fault to be a permanent fault.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic reasoner module is further adapted for sending the permanent fault to a responder.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic reasoner module is further adapted for, if the signal does not indict the failure mode, offsetting the count by a predetermined parameter.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the diagnostic reasoner module is further adapted for offsetting the count by one of application of a predetermined tuning factor, a time-triggered Page-Hinkley algorithm, and an event-triggered Page-Hinkley algorithm.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic reasoner module is further adapted for, if a fault state change is identified, determining if the failure mode is isolated, wherein:

if the failure mode is isolated, clearing the intermittent watch flag and initializing the count, and

if the failure mode is not isolated and a dominant failure mode is identified, setting the intermittent watch flag for the failure mode.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic reasoner module is further adapted for calculating the threshold as a function of a predetermined tuning factor.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the diagnostic reasoner module is further adapted for incrementing a count representing a number of occurrences of the signal as an intermittent fault pursuant to a Page-Hinkley algorithm.

15. A computer program product for diagnostic reasoning of faults appearing in a vehicle health monitoring system (VHM), the computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion for identifying alternatively one of a signal or a fault state change based on an input; and

a second executable portion for if a signal is identified, querying if the signal indicts a failure mode, wherein if the signal indicts the failure mode;

setting an intermittent watch flag for the failure mode,

incrementing a count representing a number of occurrences of the signal as an intermittent fault,

determining if the count exceeds a predetermined threshold, and

if the count exceeds the predetermined threshold, determining the intermittent fault to be a permanent fault.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a third executable portion for sending the permanent fault to a responder.

17. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a third executable portion for, if the signal does not indict the failure mode, offsetting the count by a predetermined parameter.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein offsetting the count by a predetermined parameter includes offsetting the count by one of application of a predetermined tuning factor, a time-triggered Page-Hinkley algorithm, and an event-triggered Page-Hinkley algorithm.

19. The computer program product of claim 15, further including a third executable portion for, if a fault state change is identified, determining if the failure mode is isolated, wherein:

if the failure mode is isolated, clearing the intermittent watch flag and initializing the count, and

if the failure mode is not isolated and a dominant failure mode is identified, setting the intermittent watch flag for the failure mode.

20. The computer program product of claim 15, wherein determining if the count exceeds a predetermined threshold includes calculating the threshold as a function of a predetermined tuning factor.