Network-based method and system for analyzing and displaying reliability data

• US 6,816,798 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2000
• Issued: 11/09/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hill, Theodore D. III, Arvidson, Alan Luis, Pena-Nieves, Julio A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Barlow, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): LE, JOHN H
• Application Number:
  US09/748,577
• Publication Number:
  US 20020113792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,418 Days
• Field of Search: 702/22, 702/81, 702/83, 702/84, 702/85, 702/186, 700/29, 700/108, 700/109, 700/110, 701/29, 703/24, 342/93
• US Class Current: 702/84
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A network-based method and system for analyzing and displaying reliability data from a user is provided. The method includes recording reliability data, obtaining unreliability plots, obtaining Weibull distribution parameters, creating control charts for those parameters over time, and obtaining hypothesis tests to ensure reliability has not changed due to process variation.

Claims

1. A method for analyzing and displaying reliability data through use of a network-based system including a server and at least one device connected to the server via a network, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving reliability information from a user via the device, wherein said receiving reliability information includes obtaining reliability information regarding a product;

performing statistical tests on the received reliability information;

generating a report relating to the statistical tests;

displaying information related to the report;

receiving a confidence level of a parameter of the product; and

predicting a life of the product based, at least in part, on the confidence level.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of generating a report relating to the statistical tests further comprises the step of generating a plot of a Weibull cumulative probability function.

3. A method according to claim 2 wherein said step of generating a report relating to the statistical tests further comprises the step of generating a plot of the Weibull cumulative probability function of unreliability as a function of cycles.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of generating a report relating to the statistical tests further comprises the step of generating a Pareto histogram.

5. A method according to claim 4 wherein said step of generating a Pareto histogram further comprises the step of generating a Pareto histogram of failure mode.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said step of generating a report relating to the statistical tests further comprises the step of generating a control chart.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein the reliability information is received from the user via a graphical user interface.

8. A system for analyzing and displaying reliability data, said system comprising:

a device; and

a server connected to said device and configured to receive reliability information from a user via said device, wherein the reliability information includes information regarding a product, said server further configured to;

perform statistical tests on the received reliability information;

generate a report relating to the statistical tests;

display information related to the report;

receive a confidence level of a parameter of the product; and

predict a life of the product based, at least in part, on the confidence level.

9. A system according to claim 8 wherein said server further configured to download to the user the information related to the report.

10. A system according to claim 8 wherein said server further configured to generate a plot of a Weibull cumulative probability function.

11. A system according to claim 8 wherein said server further configured to generate a plot of a Weibull cumulative probability function of unreliability as a function of cycles.

12. A system according to claim 8 wherein said server further configured to generate a Pareto histogram.

13. A system according to claim 8 wherein said server further configured to generate a Pareto histogram of failure mode.

14. A system according to claim 8 wherein said server further configured to generate a control chart.

15. A system according to claim 8 wherein said server further configured to receive the reliability information from the user via a graphical user interface.

16. A system according to claim 8 wherein said device configured to be a server for a network of customer devices.

17. A system according to claim 8 wherein said server and said device are connected via a network.

18. A system according to claim 17 wherein said network is one of a wide area network, a local area network and the Internet.