CUSTOMIZED AUTOMATED CHECKLIST CREATION, EXECUTION AND COMMUNICATION

• US 20130138467A1
• Filed: 11/30/2011
• Published: 05/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: Gregory J. Small
• Inventors: SMALL, GREGORY J., SMALL, CHRISTOPHER R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,830,564 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7.16
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method for creating, executing and communicating customized, automated checklists may include dynamically creating a customized checklist including a plurality of checklist items. The method may also include transmitting a notification to a predetermined recipient that the customized checklist is available. The method may additionally include displaying the customized checklist on an interface device in response to the customized checklist being selected by the recipient. The method may additionally include updating a status of each checklist item in response to each checklist item being completed. The method may further include determining if a new checklist is available during execution of an existing checklist and allowing a user to switch to the new checklist during the execution of the existing checklist.

Claims

1. A method for creating, executing and communicating customized, automated checklists, comprising:

dynamically creating a customized checklist including a plurality of checklist items;

transmitting a notification to a predetermined recipient that the customized checklist is available;

displaying the customized checklist on an interface device in response to the customized checklist being selected by the recipient;

updating a status of each checklist item in response to each checklist item being completed;

determining if a new checklist is available during execution of an existing checklist; and

allowing a user to switch to the new checklist during the execution of the existing checklist.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising transmitting checklist information to at least one system other than a system to which the checklist information is related.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically creating the customized checklist comprises dynamically creating the customized checklist while another checklist is being executed.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein dynamically creating the customized checklist while another checklist is being executed comprises creating the customized checklist during normal operational conditions.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein dynamically creating the customized checklist while another checklist is being executed comprises creating the customized checklist in response to at least one fault condition.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically creating the customized checklist comprises dynamically creating the customized checklist in response to a change in a condition of a vehicle or system.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically creating the customized checklist comprises dynamically creating the customized checklist from one or more standard checklists for the vehicle or system.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein dynamically creating the customized checklist comprises optimizing the customized checklist in response to the current condition of the vehicle or system.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a notification to the predetermined recipient that the customized checklist is available comprises determining an authorized user to execute the checklist.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein transmitting a notification to the predetermined recipient that the customized checklist is available comprises determining an authorized interface device where the customized checklist may be displayed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein updating a status of each checklist item in response to each checklist item being completed comprises receiving a notification from the user of the checklist on the interface device.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein updating a status of each checklist item in response to each checklist item being completed comprises receiving checklist item completion information from at least one of a plurality of onboard systems.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing the status of each checklist item; and

storing parameters associated with the vehicle or system that are relevant to the customized checklist.

14. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the checklist information to other systems comprises transmitting the checklist information to other systems onboard the vehicle.

15. The method of claim 2, wherein transmitting the checklist information to other systems comprises transmitting the checklist information and parameters associated with the aircraft condition to back-office business systems for further processing.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein transmitting checklist information to back-office business systems for further processing comprises transmitting the checklist information in real-time.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein determining if a new checklist is available during execution of an existing checklist comprises:

dynamically creating a new customized checklist in response to a change in the condition of the vehicle or system while a previous checklist is being executed by the recipient;

notifying the recipient that the new customized checklist is available; and

presenting an option for the recipient to select one of;

to continue execution of the current checklist or to switch to executing the new customized checklist.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing information of checklist completion activity for an aircraft while the aircraft is at a gate at an airport, in a hanger, or during all phases of flight.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising providing the information of checklist completion activity and the set of parameters associated with the aircraft to a back-office airline business system.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising polling onboard systems for parameter values.

21. A system for creating, executing and communicating customized, automated checklists, comprising:

an automated checklist system communicatively coupled to at least one system on a vehicle or system, the automated checklist system being adapted to dynamically create a customized checklist including a plurality of checklist items, transmit a notification to a predetermined recipient that the customized checklist is available, and indicate checklist items as completed based on changes to parameters including manual input; and

an interface device for displaying the customized checklist in response to the customized checklist being selected by the recipient, wherein a status of each checklist item is updated by the automated checklist system or by any manual input and is displayed on the interface device in response to each checklist item being completed, and wherein the recipient is notified during execution of an existing checklist when a new checklist is available for use, an option being presentable to the recipient to continue with the existing checklist or to switch to the new checklist.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the automated checklist system comprises:

a module to dynamically create a new customized checklist in response to a change in a condition of the vehicle or system while a previous checklist is being completed by the recipient; and

a module to notify the recipient that the new customized checklist is available and to present the option for the recipient to select one of;

to continue completion of the previous checklist or to switch to the new customized checklist.

23. The system of claim 21, wherein the customized checklist is optimized by removing any checklist items that cannot be performed to reduce a workload of the recipient.

24. The system of claim 21, further comprising a communications device to transmit information of checklist item completion activity for the aircraft while the aircraft is at a gate at an airport, at a hanger, or during each phase of flight and to transmit a set of parameters associated with the aircraft.

25. The system of claim 21, further comprising at least one storage device to store a status of each checklist item and parameters associated with the vehicle or system that are relevant to the customized checklist.

26. A computer program product for creating, executing and communicating customized, automated checklists, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to dynamically create a customized checklist including a plurality of checklist items;

computer readable program code configured to transmit a notification to a predetermined recipient that the customized checklist is available;

computer readable program code configured to display the customized checklist on an interface device in response to the customized checklist being selected by the recipient;

computer readable program code configured to update a status of each checklist item in response to each checklist item being completed;

computer readable program code configured to determine if a new checklist is available during execution of an existing checklist; and

computer readable program code configured to allow a user to switch to the new checklist during the execution of the existing checklist.

27. The computer program product of claim 26, further comprising:

computer readable program code configured to dynamically create a new customized checklist in response to a change in a condition of a vehicle or system while a previous checklist is being executed by the recipient;

computer readable program code configured to notify the recipient that the new customized checklist is available; and

computer readable program code configured to present an option for the recipient to select one of to continue with the previous checklist and to switch to the new customized checklist.