Failure and performance tracking system
First Claim
1. In an electronic system which includes a plurality of field replaceable units, each of which includes at least one memory element, maintenance apparatus for providing each one of said field replaceable units with failure data comprising:
- means for generating data indicative of the unique identity of said electronic system;
means for storing said generated data in said memory element;
means for detecting the presence of a failure in said electronic system;
means for generating a failure report which contains data relevant to said detected failure, including an identification of the failure mode and all operational elements on all field replaceable units that were cooperatively operative during said detected failure, comprising;
means for maintaining a failure analysis history containing data identifying each of said field replaceable units and associated composite failure data representative of known field replaceable unit failures;
means for comparing said stored failure report with said failure analysis history; and
means for identifying at least one failed field replaceable unit based on said comparison; and
means for storing said failure report in said memory element.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The occurrence of a failure within the customer system is identified using these rules, hypotheses, collected real time data as well as historical performance and diagnostic data to isolate the source of the error in the customer system and, whenever possible, "fence" or isolate the failed field replaceable unit that has caused the error. This failure identification process is enhanced by the provision of memory on each field replaceable unit within the customer system. The memory is used to provide history data on a filed replaceable unit basis. In particular, data is written into the field replaceable unit to identify the content and repair status of the field replaceable unit. Data is also provided to indicate failed operational elements contained on the field replaceable unit as well as prior maintenance activity in which the field replaceable unit was identified as a suspected failed unit. The memory can contain varying quantities of data indicative of the performance and life history of the field replaceable unit as well as the various environments in which it was operational, including identified failures.
152 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. In an electronic system which includes a plurality of field replaceable units, each of which includes at least one memory element, maintenance apparatus for providing each one of said field replaceable units with failure data comprising:
-
means for generating data indicative of the unique identity of said electronic system; means for storing said generated data in said memory element; means for detecting the presence of a failure in said electronic system; means for generating a failure report which contains data relevant to said detected failure, including an identification of the failure mode and all operational elements on all field replaceable units that were cooperatively operative during said detected failure, comprising; means for maintaining a failure analysis history containing data identifying each of said field replaceable units and associated composite failure data representative of known field replaceable unit failures; means for comparing said stored failure report with said failure analysis history; and means for identifying at least one failed field replaceable unit based on said comparison; and means for storing said failure report in said memory element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. In an electronic system which includes a plurality of field replaceable units, each of which includes at least one memory element, a maintenance method for providing each one of said field replaceable units with failure data comprising the steps of:
-
generating data indicative of the unique identity of said electronic system; storing said generated data in said memory element; detecting the presence of a failure in said electronic system; generating a failure report which contains data relevant to said detected failure, including an identification of the failure mode and all operational elements on all field replaceable units that were cooperatively operative during said detected failure, comprising; maintaining a failure analysis history containing data identifying each of said field replaceable units and associated composite failure data representative of known field replaceable unit failures; comparing said stored failure report with said failure analysis history; and identifying at least one failed field replaceable unit based on said comparison; and storing said failure report in said memory element. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
-
15. In an electronic system which includes a plurality of field replaceable units, each of which includes at least one memory element, apparatus for providing each one of said field replaceable units with failure data comprising:
-
means for generating data indicative of the unique identity of said electronic system; means for storing said generated data in said memory element; means for detecting the presence of a failure in said electronic system; means for generating a failure report which contains data relevant to said detected failure, including an identification of the failure mode and all operational elements on all field replaceable units that were cooperatively operative during said detected failure, including; means for maintaining a failure analysis history containing data identifying each of said field replaceable units and associated composite failure data representative of known field replaceable unit failures; means for comparing said stored failure report with said failure analysis history; means for identifying at least one failed field replaceable unit based on said comparison; and means for storing said failure report in said memory element of said one identified field replaceable unit. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
-
21. In an electronic system which includes a plurality of field replaceable units, each of which includes at least one memory element, a method for providing each one of said field replaceable unit with failure data comprising the steps of:
-
generating data indicative of the unique identity of said electronic system; storing said generated data in said memory element; detecting the presence of a failure in said electronic system; generating a failure report which contains data relevant to said detected failure, including an identification of the failure mode and all operational elements on all field replaceable units that were cooperatively operative during said detected failure, including; maintaining a failure analysis history containing data identifying each of said field replaceable units and associated composite failure data representative of known field replaceable unit failures; comparing said stored failure report with said failure analysis history; identifying at least one failed field replaceable unit based on said comparison; and storing said failure report in said memory element of said one identified field replaceable unit. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
Specification