METHODS AND RECONFIGURABLE SYSTEMS TO INCORPORATE CUSTOMIZED EXECUTABLE CODE WITHIN A CONDITION BASED HEALTH MAINTENANCE SYSTEM WITHOUT RECOMPILING BASE CODE

• US 20130097414A1
• Filed: 10/17/2011
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/17/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Bishop, Douglas L., vanderZweep, Jeff, Hlucka, Martin
• Granted Patent: US 8,990,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 713/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44521 Dynamic linking or loading; Link editing at or after load time, e.g. Java class loading

Abstract

A system for reconfiguring a node of a complex system health monitoring system without recompiling and relinking executable code is provided. The system includes a software module containing previously compiled instructions to perform one of a plurality of different standardized functions and a computing node comprising a processor and plurality of software objects, the processor configured to execute the previously compiled instructions. The system further includes a configuration file configured to provide static and dynamic data to the software module, the configuration file comprising a dynamic data store (DDS), a static data store (SDS) and a binary code database (BCD). The BCD comprises a library of externally compiled executable algorithms that are callable by the software module. The BCD being configured with database identification and retrieval data structures associated with library of externally compiled executable algorithms.

Claims

1. A system for reconfiguring a node of a complex system health monitoring system without recompiling and relinking executable code, comprising:

a software module containing previously compiled instructions to perform one of a plurality of different standardized functions;

a computing node comprising a processor and plurality of software objects, the processor inoperable communication with the software module and configured to execute the previously compiled instructions, the plurality of software objects including utility functions and internal algorithms that facilitate the execution of the previously compiled instructions; and

a configuration file configured to provide static and dynamic data to the software module, the configuration file comprising a dynamic data store (DDS), a static data store (SDS) and an binary code database (BCD), the BCD comprising a library of externally compiled executable algorithms that are callable and executable by the software module, the BCD being configured with database identification and retrieval data structures associated with library of externally compiled executable algorithms.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of software objects includes a first software object that when called by the software module retrieves all previously compiled instructions and all externally compiled executable algorithms from the BCD and creates a merged list of function references.

3. The system of claim 2, further comprising a SDS, wherein the software object references the SDS to determine which previously compiled instructions and externally compiled executable algorithms from the merged list should be executed by the software module and in what order they should be executed.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the database identification and retrieval data structures each comprise a binary code ID (BCID) and a BCID parameter list for each externally compiled executable algorithm.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the BCID parameter list contains a dynamic identification (ID) that uniquely identifies the externally compiled executable algorithm.

6. A method for reconfiguring a node of a complex system health monitoring system without recompiling and relinking executable code, comprising:

receiving a binary code database (BCD) containing compiled algorithms and utilities, at the node;

calling a first function resident in the BCD that returns a list of all functions available in the BCD;

creating a list of functions resident in both of a standardized executable application module (SEAM) and a framework service resident within the node, together with the list of all functions available in the BCD thereby creating an amended list of available algorithms and utilities for the node; and

storing the amended list in a dynamic data store (DDS) for access by calls from the BCD and the framework service.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein returning the list of all functions available in the BCD includes returning the binary code identification (BCID) and parameter list for each of the functions available in the BCD, wherein a parameter list for a function contains all parameters necessary to execute the function and uniquely identifies the function.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising calling a second function resident in the BCD that returns a list of all built in test equipment (BITE) functions available in the BCD.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein when a SEAM is required to perform a task:

calling the BCIDs and related function parameter lists from the dynamic data store;

retrieving a list of compiled algorithms and utilities required to accomplish the task from a static data store;

retrieving parameter values required by the compiled algorithms and utilities from the dynamic data store;

running each of the compiled algorithms and utilities required to complete the task; and

returning the results of the compiled algorithms and utilities to complete the task.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the results of the compiled algorithms and utilities are returned as a pointer to a returned parameter list.

11. A computer readable storage medium containing instructions recorded thereon that when executed perform the steps of:

calling the BCIDs and related function parameter lists from the dynamic data store;

retrieving a list of compiled algorithms and utilities required to accomplish the task from a static data store;

retrieving parameter values required by the compiled algorithms and utilities from the dynamic data store;

running each of the compiled algorithms and utilities required to complete the task; and

returning the results of the compiled algorithms and utilities to complete the task.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the results of the compiled algorithms and utilities are returned as a pointer to a returned parameter list.