Failure Analysis Validation And Visualization

• US 20130339795A1
• Filed: 06/15/2012
• Published: 12/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/15/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Petri, Tyler Junichi, Fogarty, Daniel J., Jones, David Harding, Moran, Allison, King, Kevin Nicholas
• Granted Patent: US 10,539,955 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/37
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0262 Confirmation of fault detection, e.g. extra checks to confirm that a failure has indeed occurred

Abstract

A system is provided for integrating failure data for different failure analysis layouts. The system includes a data validator and layout engine. The data validator is configured to validate failure analysis data for a complex system including a plurality of systems. The failure analysis data includes failure data identifying failed systems, and design data describing the complex system and possible failures of at least some of its systems. In this regard, the data validator is configured to perform one or more consistency checks between the failure data and design data to thereby integrate the failure data for a plurality of different failure analysis layouts. The layout engine is in turn configured to selectively generate and communicate any one or more of the plurality of different layouts of the failure analysis data, with at least some of the failure analysis data being shared between at least some of the different layouts.

Claims

1. A system for integrating failure data for different failure analysis layouts, the system comprising:

a data validator configured to receive and validate failure analysis data for a complex system including a plurality of systems,

wherein the failure analysis data includes failure data and design data, the failure data identifying one or more failed systems of the plurality of systems, and the design data describing the complex system and possible failures of at least some of its systems, and

wherein the data validator being configured to validate the failure analysis data includes being configured to perform one or more consistency checks between the failure data and design data to thereby integrate the failure data for a plurality of different failure analysis layouts; and

a layout engine coupled to the data validator and configured to selectively generate any one or more of the plurality of different layouts of the failure analysis data, at least some of the validated failure analysis data being shared between at least some of the different layouts.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the failed systems include a failed system directly affected by an originating failure, and any lower-ordered failed systems indirectly affected by the originating failure,

wherein the design data includes logical interface information describing logical relationships between the systems of the complex system, and

wherein the data validator being configured to perform one or more consistency checks includes being configured to perform a logical-interface consistency check using the failure data and logical interface information, the logical-interface consistency check including a check that the failed system is logically related to the lower-ordered failed systems, or that the systems logically related to the failed system are the lower-ordered failed systems.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the failure data includes one or more alert messages generated in response to respective failures of the failed systems, and the design data includes a collection of alert messages associated with various systems of the complex system, and

wherein the data validator being configured to perform one or more consistency checks includes being configured to perform an alert consistency check using the generated alert messages and collection of alert messages, the alert consistency check including a check that the one or more alert messages generated for the failed systems correlate to alert messages associated with the respective failed systems in the collection of alert messages.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the design data includes one or more schematic diagrams describing physical relationships between the complex system and its systems, the complex system being dividable into a plurality of physically-distinct zones, and

wherein the data validator being configured to perform one or more consistency checks includes being configured to perform a location consistency check using the failure data and one or more schematic diagrams, the location consistency check including a check that the failed systems are physically located in the same zone of the complex system.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the failure data includes hazard levels for respective failures of the failed systems, and the design data includes a collection of hazard levels associated with various systems of the complex system, and

wherein the data validator being configured to perform one or more consistency checks includes being configured to perform a hazard-assessment consistency check using the hazard levels for respective failures of the failed systems and collection of alert messages, the hazard-assessment consistency check including a check that the hazard levels for respective failures of the failed systems correlate to hazard levels associated with the respective failed systems in the collection of hazard levels.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the systems of the complex system include one or more electrical systems, the failed systems include one or more failed electrical systems, and the failure data identifies power states of the one or more failed electrical systems,

wherein the design data includes electrical load data describing the power states of one or more of the electrical systems for various operational states of the complex system, and

wherein the data validator being configured to perform one or more consistency checks includes being configured to perform an electrical-load consistency check using the failure data and electrical load data, the electrical-load consistency check including a check that the power states of the one or more failed electrical systems correlate to the electrical load data.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the failure data includes a list of one or more complex-system-level functions impacted by the failed systems,

wherein the design data includes a list of one or more complex-system-level functions and systems of the complex system that implement the respective functions, and

wherein the data validator being configured to perform one or more consistency checks includes being configured to perform a functional impact consistency check including a check that the failure data including the complex-system-level functions impacted by the failed systems correlate to the design data including the complex-system-level functions implemented by the respective failed systems.

8. A method of integrating failure data for different failure analysis layouts, the method comprising:

receiving failure analysis data for a complex system including a plurality of systems, the failure analysis data including failure data identifying one or more failed systems of the plurality of systems;

validating the failure analysis data to thereby integrate the failure data for a plurality of different failure analysis layouts; and

selectively generating any one or more of the plurality of different layouts of the failure analysis data, at least some of the validated failure analysis data being shared between at least some of the different layouts.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the failure analysis data further includes design data describing the complex system and possible failures of at least some of its systems, and

wherein validating the failure analysis data includes performing one or more consistency checks between the failure data and design data.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the failed systems include a failed system directly affected by an originating failure, and any lower-ordered failed systems indirectly affected by the originating failure,

wherein the design data includes logical interface information describing logical relationships between the systems of the complex system, and

wherein performing the one or more consistency checks includes performing a logical-interface consistency check using the failure data and logical interface information, the logical-interface consistency check including a check that the failed system is logically related to the lower-ordered failed systems, or that the systems logically related to the failed system are the lower-ordered failed systems.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the failure data includes one or more alert messages generated in response to respective failures of the failed systems, and the design data includes a collection of alert messages associated with various systems of the complex system, and

wherein performing the one or more consistency checks includes performing an alert consistency check using the generated alert messages and collection of alert messages, the alert consistency check including a check that the one or more alert messages generated for the failed systems correlate to alert messages associated with the respective failed systems in the collection of alert messages.

12. The method of claim 9, wherein the design data includes one or more schematic diagrams describing physical relationships between the complex system and its systems, the complex system being dividable into a plurality of physically-distinct zones, and

wherein performing the one or more consistency checks includes performing a location consistency check using the failure data and one or more schematic diagrams, the location consistency check including a check that the failed systems are physically located in the same zone of the complex system.

13. The method of claim 9, wherein the failure data includes hazard levels for respective failures of the failed systems, and the design data includes a collection of hazard levels associated with various systems of the complex system, and

wherein performing the one or more consistency checks includes performing a hazard-assessment consistency check using the hazard levels for respective failures of the failed systems and collection of alert messages, the hazard-assessment consistency check including a check that the hazard levels for respective failures of the failed systems correlate to hazard levels associated with the respective failed systems in the collection of hazard levels.

14. The method of claim 9, wherein the systems of the complex system include one or more electrical systems, the failed systems include one or more failed electrical systems, and the failure data identifies power states of the one or more failed electrical systems,

wherein the design data includes electrical load data describing the power states of one or more of the electrical systems for various operational states of the complex system, and

wherein performing the one or more consistency checks includes performing an electrical-load consistency check using the failure data and electrical load data, the electrical-load consistency check including a check that the power states of the one or more failed electrical systems correlate to the electrical load data.

15. The method of claim 9, wherein the failure data includes a list of one or more complex-system-level functions impacted by the failed systems,

wherein the design data includes a list of one or more complex-system-level functions and systems of the complex system that implement the respective functions, and

wherein performing the one or more consistency checks includes performing a functional impact consistency check including a check that the failure data including the complex-system-level functions impacted by the failed systems correlate to the design data including the complex-system-level functions implemented by the respective failed systems.

16. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, in response to execution by a processor, cause an apparatus to at least:

receive and validate failure analysis data for a complex system including a plurality of systems,

wherein the failure analysis data includes failure data and design data, the failure data identifying one or more failed systems of the plurality of systems, and the design data describing the complex system and possible failures of at least some of its systems, and

wherein the apparatus being caused to validate the failure analysis data includes being caused to perform one or more consistency checks between the failure data and design data to thereby integrate the failure data for a plurality of different failure analysis layouts; and

selectively generate any one or more of the plurality of different layouts of the failure analysis data, at least some of the validated failure analysis data being shared between at least some of the different layouts.

17. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the failed systems include a failed system directly affected by an originating failure, and any lower-ordered failed systems indirectly affected by the originating failure,

wherein the design data includes logical interface information describing logical relationships between the systems of the complex system, and

wherein the apparatus being caused to perform one or more consistency checks includes being caused to perform a logical-interface consistency check using the failure data and logical interface information, the logical-interface consistency check including a check that the failed system is logically related to the lower-ordered failed systems, or that the systems logically related to the failed system are the lower-ordered failed systems.

18. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the failure data includes one or more alert messages generated in response to respective failures of the failed systems, and the design data includes a collection of alert messages associated with various systems of the complex system, and

wherein the apparatus being caused to perform one or more consistency checks includes being caused to perform an alert consistency check using the generated alert messages and collection of alert messages, the alert consistency check including a check that the one or more alert messages generated for the failed systems correlate to alert messages associated with the respective failed systems in the collection of alert messages.

19. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the design data includes one or more schematic diagrams describing physical relationships between the complex system and its systems, the complex system being dividable into a plurality of physically-distinct zones, and

wherein the apparatus being caused to perform one or more consistency checks includes being caused to perform a location consistency check using the failure data and one or more schematic diagrams, the location consistency check including a check that the failed systems are physically located in the same zone of the complex system.

20. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the failure data includes hazard levels for respective failures of the failed systems, and the design data includes a collection of hazard levels associated with various systems of the complex system, and

wherein the apparatus being caused to perform one or more consistency checks includes being caused to perform a hazard-assessment consistency check using the hazard levels for respective failures of the failed systems and collection of alert messages, the hazard-assessment consistency check including a check that the hazard levels for respective failures of the failed systems correlate to hazard levels associated with the respective failed systems in the collection of hazard levels.

21. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the systems of the complex system include one or more electrical systems, the failed systems include one or more failed electrical systems, and the failure data identifies power states of the one or more failed electrical systems,

wherein the design data includes electrical load data describing the power states of one or more of the electrical systems for various operational states of the complex system, and

wherein the apparatus being caused to perform one or more consistency checks includes being caused to perform an electrical-load consistency check using the failure data and electrical load data, the electrical-load consistency check including a check that the power states of the one or more failed electrical systems correlate to the electrical load data.

22. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 16, wherein the failure data includes a list of one or more complex-system-level functions impacted by the failed systems,

wherein the design data includes a list of one or more complex-system-level functions and systems of the complex system that implement the respective functions, and

wherein the apparatus being caused to perform one or more consistency checks includes being caused to perform a functional impact consistency check including a check that the failure data including the complex-system-level functions impacted by the failed systems correlate to the design data including the complex-system-level functions implemented by the respective failed systems.