REMOTE SYSTEM DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS FRAMEWORK

• US 20170331709A1
• Filed: 05/13/2016
• Published: 11/16/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Lam, Jack, Ward, Matthew K., Stewart, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 10,057,144 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F01D 17/02 Arrangement of sensing elements
• CPC Class Codes: F16C 19/52 with devices affected by abnormal or undesired conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/4641 Virtual LANs, VLANs, e.g. virtual private networks [VPN] LAN interconnection over a bridge based backbone H04L12/462; encapsulation techniques H04L12/4633; routing of packets H04L45/00; packet switches H04L49/00; virtual private networks for security H04L63/0272
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0213 Standardised network management protocols, e.g. simple network management protocol [SNMP]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0631 using root cause analysis; using analysis of correlation between notifications, alarms or events based on decision criteria, e.g. hierarchy, tree or time analysis
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/147 for predicting network behaviour
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/149 for prediction of maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/045 for graphical visualisation of monitoring data
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0817 by checking functioning
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0823 Errors, e.g. transmission errors
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 43/0876 Network utilisation, e.g. volume of load or congestion level
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/04 Real-time or near real-time messaging, e.g. instant messaging [IM]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/025 for remote control or remote monitoring of applications
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46

Abstract

A system for data collection and analysis is provided comprising a first network having at least one system element, at least one collection device communicably coupled to the at least one system element and configured to receive data communications from the least one system element and transmit the data. The system including a data management system communicably coupled to the collection device and configured to receive and store the transmitted data. The system further including a data analysis network communicably coupled to the first network and configured to retrieve data from the first network, the data analysis network including a management server having logic configured to at least one of analyze the retrieved data and determine remaining useful life (RUL) of at least one system element, identify a failure mode associated with the at least one system element, and determine a maintenance action sufficient to remedy a system failure corresponding to the identified failure mode.

Claims

1. A system for data collection and analysis, comprising:

a first network having a first plurality of system elements and a second plurality of system elements;

a first collection device communicably coupled to the first plurality of system elements and configured to receive data communications from each of the first plurality of system elements and transmit the data by way of a first network protocol;

a second collection device communicably coupled to the second plurality of system elements and configured to receive data communications from each of the second plurality of system elements and transmit the data by way of the first network protocol;

a data management system communicably coupled to the first and second collection devices and configured to receive the data transmitted by the first and second collection devices and store the data in a download directory disposed within the data management system;

a second network communicably coupled to the first network, the second network having a support server providing secure data communications to an external network and a secure transfer system that receives data from the external network and monitors data communications transmitted from the first network to the second network and from the second network to the external network;

a communication network communicably coupled to the second network and providing a communications link between the second network and the external network, the communication network including one or more computing programs accessible by a user in the external network; and

a data analysis network communicably coupled to the second network by way of the communication network, wherein the data analysis network is the external network and is configured to retrieve data from the second network through the communication network;

wherein the data analysis network includes a management server that stores the retrieved data, the management server including logic configured to at least one of analyze the retrieved data and determine remaining useful life (RUL) of at least one system element, identify a failure mode associated with the at least one system element, and determine a maintenance action sufficient to remedy a system failure corresponding to the identified failure mode.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logic includes degradation modeling that assesses the rate at which performance of the at least one system element degrades over a pre-determined time period and determines the remaining RUL based on an assessed rate of performance degradation.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the logic further includes failure identification modeling that analyzes a plurality of data to one of predict the occurrence of a system failure and determine a maintenance action sufficient to mitigate the occurrence of the system failure, and wherein the plurality of data includes textual data associated with one of email communications and chat session communications.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second networks are system maintenance networks configured to provide data communications indicating one or more fault conditions associated with the first and second plurality of system elements, the fault conditions being used to indicate one or more failure modes.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the second network is a secured buffer network configured to filter data received by the second network and transmitted by the second network, wherein filtering the data includes removing malicious code from the data and removing code configured to cause undesired effects to the first network.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the first and second plurality of system elements each include computing servers having at least one circuit board, the at least one circuit board including fault detection logic configured to detect one or more fault conditions associated with at least one system element of the plurality of system elements, the fault conditions being used to indicate one or more failure modes.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the data management system includes logic providing one or more fault detection protocols and one or more fault isolation protocols, wherein the logic cooperates with the fault detection logic of the at least one circuit board and causes the data management system to display, via a GUI, one or more fault conditions associated with at least one circuit board.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the first protocol is a simple network management protocol (SNMP) and the data analysis network is configured to receive data from the second network through the support server, and wherein the data is received by way of a secure virtual private network (VPN) connection.

9. A system for data collection and analysis, comprising:

an operations maintenance network having a first plurality of system elements and a second plurality of system elements;

a data management system disposed in the operations maintenance network and communicably coupled to the first and second plurality of system elements and at least one collection device, the data management system being configured to receive data communications from each of the first plurality of system elements and each of the second plurality of system elements, wherein the data communications are received by way of the at least one collection device;

a communication network communicably coupled to the operations maintenance network and providing a communications link between the operations maintenance network and an external network, the communication network including one or more computing programs accessible by a user in the external network;

a support server disposed in the operations maintenance network and communicably coupled to the data management system, the support server providing secure data communications to the external network;

a secure transfer system disposed in the operations maintenance network and communicably coupled to the support server;

the secure transfer system being configured to receive data from the external network and to monitor data communications transmitted from the operations maintenance network to the external network; and

a data analysis network communicably coupled to the operations maintenance network by way of the communication network, wherein the data analysis network is the external network and is configured to retrieve data from the operations maintenance network through the communication network;

wherein the data analysis network includes a management server that stores the retrieved data and logic configured to at least one of analyze the retrieved data and determine remaining useful life (RUL) of at least one system element, identify a failure mode associated with the at least one system element, and determine a maintenance action sufficient to remedy a system failure corresponding to the identified failure mode.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the logic includes degradation modeling that assesses the rate at which performance of the at least one system element degrades over a pre-determined time period and determines the remaining RUL based on an assessed rate of performance degradation.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the logic further includes failure identification modeling that analyzes a plurality of data to one of predict the occurrence of a system failure and determine a maintenance action sufficient to mitigate the occurrence of the system failure, and wherein the plurality of data includes textual data associated with one of email communications and chat session communications.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the first and second plurality of system elements each include computing servers having at least one circuit board, the at least one circuit board including fault detection logic configured to detect one or more fault conditions associated with at least one system element of the plurality of system elements.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the data management system includes logic providing one or more fault detection protocols and one or more fault isolation protocols, wherein the logic cooperates with the fault detection logic of the at least one circuit board and causes the data management system to display, via a GUI, one or more fault conditions associated with at least one circuit board.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein the operations maintenance network includes a secure buffer sub-network configured to filter data received by the operations maintenance network and transmitted by the operations maintenance network, wherein filtering the data includes removing malicious code from the data and removing code configured to cause undesired effects to the operations maintenance network.

15. The system of claim 9, wherein the at least one collection device receives data from each of the first plurality of system elements and each of the second plurality of system elements and transmits the data to the data management system by way of a simple network management protocol (SNMP).

16. A method in a system for data collection and analysis, comprising:

collecting, by at least one collection device, data from at least one system element of a plurality of system elements, the collection device and the plurality of system elements each being disposed in a first network;

detecting, by a fault detection logic, one or more fault conditions associated with at least one system element of the plurality of system elements, the fault detection logic being associated with at least one computing circuit of the at least one system element;

receiving, by a data management system, the data collected by the at least one collection device, wherein the data is received by way of a first network protocol, is stored in a download directory disposed within the data management system, and indicates one or more fault conditions associated with the at least one system element;

displaying, by a graphical user interface, one or more fault conditions associated with at least one system element, the one or more fault conditions being displayed based on the application of logic associated with a computing circuit of the data management system, the logic including one or more fault detection protocols and one or more fault isolation protocols that cooperate to isolate a fault condition to a particular system element;

providing, by a communication network, a data link between the first network and a second network, the communication network including one or more computing programs accessible by a user in the external network and wherein the data link provides secure data communications between the first and second networks;

analyzing, by a management server disposed in the second network, data retrieved from the first network through the communication network, wherein the management server stores the retrieved data and applies logic to analyze the retrieved data, and wherein analyzing includes at least one of determining a remaining useful life (RUL) of at least one system element, identifying a failure mode indicated by a fault code associated with the at least one system element, and determining a maintenance action sufficient to remedy a system failure corresponding to the identified failure mode.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the logic includes degradation modeling that assesses the rate at which performance of the at least one system element degrades over a pre-determined time period and, wherein analyzing the retrieved data includes determining the remaining RUL based on an assessed rate of performance degradation.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the logic further includes failure identification modeling that analyzes a plurality of data to one of predict the occurrence of a system failure and determine a maintenance action sufficient to mitigate the occurrence of the system failure, and wherein the plurality of data includes textual data associated with one of email communications and chat session communications.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the first network includes a secure buffer sub-network configured to filter data received by the first network and transmitted by the first network, wherein filtering the data includes removing malicious code from the data and removing code configured to cause undesired effects to the first network.

20. The system of claim 16, further including, comparing, based on trend data, a first data set collected at a first time period to a second data set collected at a second time period, and determining, based on the comparing step, a real-time performance parameter associated with at least one system element, the performance parameter indicating the health of the at least one system element, the second time period being later than the first time period, and the trend data being collected by the collection device.

21. A system for data collection and analysis, comprising:

a first network having a first plurality of system elements and a second plurality of system elements;

a first collection device communicably coupled to the first plurality of system elements and configured to receive data communications from each of the first plurality of system elements and transmit the data by way of a first network protocol;

a second collection device communicably coupled to the second plurality of system elements and configured to receive data communications from each of the second plurality of system elements and transmit the data by way of a second network protocol;

a data management system communicably coupled to the first and second collection devices and configured to receive the data transmitted by the first and second collection devices and store the data in a download directory disposed within the data management system;

a second network communicably coupled to the first network, the second network having a support server providing secure data communications to an external network and a secure transfer system that receives data from the external network and monitors data communications transmitted from the first network to the second network and from the second network to the external network;

a communication network communicably coupled to the second network and providing a communications link between the second network and the external network, the communication network including one or more computing programs accessible by a user in the external network; and

wherein the support server stores the retrieved data and includes logic configured to at least one of;

analyze the retrieved data, determine remaining useful life (RUL), determine a performance degradation pattern of at least one system element, identify a failure mode associated with the at least one system element, evaluate a plurality of impacts of the failure mode to a plurality of objectives of the first plurality of system elements and second plurality of system elements, and determine a maintenance action sufficient to remedy a system failure corresponding to the identified failure mode; and

a data analysis network communicably coupled to the second network by way of the communication network, wherein the data analysis network is the external network and is configured to retrieve data from the second network through the communication network;

wherein the data analysis network includes a management server having logic configured to at least one of;

store data generated from the first network, the second network, and the communication network, and to service a data portal for a plurality of users to enable at least one user of the plurality of users to gain access to the data generated from the first network, the second network, and the communication network;

the data analysis network further including an integrated data environment having logic configured to at least one of;

load a plurality of data generated from the first, second, and communication networks into a database used to manage a plurality of structured data sets and a plurality of unstructured data sets, retrieve a plurality of external data from a plurality of external data sources, analyze the retrieved data, determine remaining useful life (RUL) and performance degradation pattern of at least one system element, identify a failure mode associated with the at least one system element, evaluate a plurality of impacts of the failure mode to a plurality of objectives of the first plurality of system elements and the second plurality of system elements, determine a maintenance action sufficient to remedy a system failure corresponding to the identified failure mode, correlate the plurality of data generated from the first, second, and communication network, process a plurality of text-based data using natural language processing, and generate machine readable instructions to modify an operational state of a plurality of systems disposed within the first network and the second network.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the logic includes degradation modeling that assesses the rate at which performance of the at least one system element degrades over a pre-determined time period and determines the remaining RUL based on an assessed rate of performance degradation.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the logic further includes failure identification modeling that analyzes a plurality of data to one of predict the occurrence of a system failure and evaluate a plurality of impacts of the failure mode to a plurality of objectives of the first plurality of system elements and the second plurality of system elements.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the logic of the management server is further configured to determine a maintenance action sufficient to mitigate the occurrence of a system failure and mitigate the plurality of impacts of the system failure to the plurality of objectives of the first plurality of system elements and second plurality of system elements, and wherein the plurality of data includes textual data associated with one of email communications and chat session communications.

25. The system of claim 21, wherein the first and second networks are system maintenance networks configured to provide data communications indicating one or more fault conditions associated with the first and second plurality of system elements, the fault conditions being used to indicate one or more failure modes.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the second network is a secured buffer network configured to filter data received by the second network and transmitted by the second network, wherein filtering the data includes removing malicious code from the data and removing code configured to cause undesired effects to the first network.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the second network is further configured to alert the management server and the data analysis network using the information regarding RUL and health status of the plurality of objectives of the first plurality of system elements and second plurality of system elements.

28. The system of claim 27, wherein the second network is further configured to at least one of compress and reduce a data size of data in the download directory and data generated by a machine readable instruction that calculates RUL and modeling trend and anomaly for the first plurality of system elements and the second plurality of system elements before providing data to the data analysis network.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the first and second plurality of system elements each include computing servers having at least one circuit board, the at least one circuit board including fault detection logic configured to detect one or more fault conditions associated with at least one system element of the plurality of system elements, the fault conditions being used to indicate one or more failure modes.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the data management system includes logic providing one or more fault detection protocols and one or more fault isolation protocols, wherein the logic cooperates with the fault detection logic of the at least one circuit board and causes the data management system to display, via a GUI, one or more fault conditions associated with at least one circuit board.

31. The system of claim 21, wherein the first protocol and the second protocol is at least one of a simple network management protocol (SNMP), an IEEE 802.15.4 communication protocol, an IEEE 802.11 communication protocol, a Bluetooth communication protocol, a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP), a Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP), and a Secure Hyper Text Transfer Protocol (HTTPS).

32. The system of claim 28, wherein the communication network is coupled to a plurality of auxiliary equipment that support operation of the first plurality of system elements and the second plurality of system elements and that send data communications regarding an operational status of the plurality of auxiliary equipment to the second network by way of the communication network and to the support server to supplement information including power and cooling into the machine readable instructions that calculate RUL and modeling trend and anomaly for the first plurality of system elements and second plurality of system elements.

33. The system of claim 32, wherein the communication network is configured to extract information from the support server in the second network to generate a requisition request to replace at least one component of a plurality of components disposed within the first plurality of system elements and the second plurality of system elements that are predicted to fail in accordance to RUL and to generate a plurality of task orders to schedule maintenance actions to mitigate the failure of the first plurality of system elements and the second plurality of system elements.

34. The system of claim 21, wherein the data analysis network is configured to connect to a plurality of external data sources to correlate data received from the management server.