Method, system and program product for establishing a self-diagnosing and self-repairing automated system

• US 7,055,062 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2002
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Shah, Rasik P., Kelly, Michael E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US10/285,658
• Publication Number:
  US 20040088601A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,307 Days
• Field of Search: 714/15, 714/25, 714/26, 714/37, 714/39, 714/47, 714/57, 701/33, 701/35
• US Class Current: 714/15
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0224 Process history based detection method, e.g. whereby history implies the availability of large amounts of data
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0275 Fault isolation and identification, e.g. classify fault; estimate cause or root of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/004 Error avoidance G06F11/07 and subgroups take precedence

Abstract

Method, system and program product are provided for a self-diagnose and self-repair facility for an automated machine or system. The facility monitors at least one operational parameter of the automated system, and automatically detects an abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter when present. The abnormal status is automatically evaluated to isolate a possible fault in the automated system resulting in the abnormal status, and automated repair of the possible fault is undertaken. After the automated repair, the facility determines whether the abnormal status has been eliminated.

Claims

1. A self-diagnose and self-repair method for facilitating operation of an automated system, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one operational parameter of the automated system;

automatically detecting an abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter;

automatically evaluating the abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter to isolate a possible fault resulting in the abnormal status;

undertaking automated repair of the possible fault, and thereafter, automatically determining whether the abnormal status has been eliminated; and

wherein the monitoring, automatically detecting, automatically evaluating and undertaking automated repair are implemented by autonomous components, including at least one auto-detection component, an auto-fault isolation component, and an auto-fix component, each of which is selectively invoked by a supervisory component as needed for a particular self-diagnose or self-repair of the automated system, and wherein the monitoring and the automatically detecting are performed by the at least one auto-detection component upon being invoked by the supervisory component, the automatically evaluating is performed by the auto-fault isolation component upon being invoked by the supervisory component and the undertaking automated repair is performed by the auto-fix component upon being invoked by the supervisory component.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically evaluating includes determining a confidence level that the possible fault resulted in the abnormal status, and proceeding with the undertaking of the automated repair of the possible fault when the confidence level exceeds a defined threshold.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising scheduling the repair, including obtaining operator authorization to proceed with the undertaking of the automated repair of the possible fault when the automated system is in use.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the scheduling further comprises informing the operator that the abnormal status has been detected within the automated system, and providing the operator with a description of the abnormal status, the repair steps needed to correct the possible fault, and the anticipated length of the repair operation.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, subsequent to the undertaking, automatically rolling back the repair of the possible fault upon determining that the abnormal status remains.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring comprises continuously periodically monitoring the at least one operational parameter of the automated system and automatically determining whether at least one current operating value of the at least one operational parameter is outside of a normal operating range.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the monitoring, the automatically detecting, and the automatically evaluating occur in real time without operator intervention.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the automatically evaluating includes automatically determining whether the possible fault is of a type suitable for automated repair, and if so, proceeding with the undertaking of the automated repair.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising automatically communicating the abnormal status to a central remote service center for scheduling of repair when the fault type is unsuitable for automated repair or the automated repair fails to remove the abnormal status, wherein the automatic communication to the central remote service center occurs without requiring action of an operator of the automated system, and automatically recording an entry in an event log file, associated with the automated system, of the abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter.

10. A self-diagnose and self-repair method for facilitating operation of an automated system, the method comprising:

invoking from a supervisory component at least one auto-detection component for continuous, periodic monitoring of at least one operational parameter of the automated system and for periodically communicating to the supervisory component a normal status or an abnormal status condition of the at least one operational parameter;

responsive to receipt of an abnormal status condition at the supervisory component from the at least one auto-detection component, invoking by the supervisory component an auto-fault isolation component, wherein the auto-fault isolation component automatically evaluates the status of the at least one operational parameter to isolate a possible fault resulting in the abnormal status;

dependant on the possible fault resulting in the abnormal status, invoking from the supervisory component an auto-fix component to undertake automated repair of the possible fault, and thereafter, automatically determining whether the abnormal status has been eliminated; and

wherein the supervisory component selectively invokes the at least one auto-detection component, the auto-fault isolation component or the auto-fix component as needed for a particular self-diagnose or self-repair of the automated system, and wherein once invoked by the supervisory component, the at least one auto-detection component, the auto-fault isolation component and the auto-fix component execute autonomously.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the at least one auto-detection component determines whether at least one current operating value of the at least one operational parameter is outside of a normal operating range, and if so, issues the abnormal status condition to the supervisory component.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the auto-fault isolation component determines whether the possible fault is of a type suitable for automated repair, and if not, the method further comprises automatically communicating the abnormal status to a central remote service center for scheduling of repair, wherein the automatically communicating to the central remote service center occurs without requiring action of an operator of the automated system, and automatically recording an entry in an event log file corresponding to the abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the auto-fix component informs an operator of the automated system that the abnormal status has been detected, and provides the operator with a description of the abnormal status, the repair steps needed to correct the possible fault, and the anticipated length of the repair operation, and wherein the method further comprises obtaining operator authorization to proceed with the automated repair of the possible fault when the automated system is in use.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the automatically determining whether the abnormal status has been eliminated comprises the supervisory component invoking the at least one auto-detection component to verify that the at least one operational parameter has a normal status.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the supervisory component wakes up the auto-fix component to rollback the automated repair and return the automated system to its previous state if the abnormal status condition remains after the automated repair.

16. The method of claim 10, further comprising automatically informing an operator of the automated system that the abnormal status has been detected and corrected, or that a central remote service center has been contacted for repair of the automated system.

17. A self-diagnose and self-repair system for facilitating operation of an automated system, the system comprising:

monitor means for monitoring at least one operational parameter of the automated system for automatically detecting an abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter;

fault isolation means for automatically evaluating the abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter to isolate a possible fault resulting in the abnormal status;

repair means for undertaking automated repair of the possible fault, and thereafter, for automatically determining whether the abnormal status has been eliminated; and

wherein the monitor means, fault isolation means and repair means are implemented as autonomous components, including at least one auto-detection component, an auto-fault isolation component, and an auto-fix component, each of which is selectively invoked by a supervisory component as need for a particular self-diagnose or self-repair of the automated system, and wherein the at least one auto-detection component comprises the monitor means and performs the monitoring and the automatically detecting upon being invoked by the supervisory component, the auto-fault isolation component comprises the fault isolation means and performs the automatically evaluating upon being invoked by the supervisory component, and the auto-fix component comprises the repair means and performs undertaking of the automated repair upon being invoked by the supervisory component.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the fault isolation means includes means for determining a confidence level that the possible fault resulted in the abnormal status, and wherein the repair means proceeds with the undertaking of the automated repair of the possible fault when the confidence level exceeds a defined threshold.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the repair means further comprises means for scheduling the repair, including obtaining operator authorization to proceed with the undertaking of the automated repair of the possible fault when the automated system is in use.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the means for scheduling further comprises means for informing the operator that the abnormal status has been detected within the automated system, and for providing the operator with a description of the abnormal status, the repair steps needed to correct the possible fault, and the anticipated length of the repair operation.

21. The system of claim 17, further comprising, subsequent to the undertaking, means for automatically rolling back the repair of the possible fault upon determining that the abnormal status remains.

22. The system of claim 17, wherein the monitor means comprises means for continuously periodically monitoring the at least one operational parameter of the automated system and for automatically determining whether at least one current operating value of the at least one operational parameter is outside of a normal operating range.

23. The system of claim 17, wherein the monitor means and fault isolation means perform in real time without operator intervention.

24. The system of claim 17, wherein the fault isolation means includes means for automatically determining whether the possible fault is of a type suitable for automated repair, and if so, for proceeding with the undertaking of the automated repair.

25. The system of claim 24, further comprising communication means for automatically communicating the abnormal status to a central remote service center for scheduling of repair when the fault type is unsuitable for automated repair or the automated repair fails to remove the abnormal status, wherein the automatic communication to the central remote service center occurs without requiring action of an operator of the automated system, and for automatically recording an entry in an event log file, associated with the automated system, of the abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter.

26. A self-diagnose and self-repair system for facilitating operation of an automated system, the system comprising:

a supervisory component supervising the self-diagnosis and self-repair of the automated system;

an auto-detection component, invoked by the supervisory component, for continuous, periodic monitoring at least one operational parameter of the automated system and for periodically communicating to the supervisory component a normal status or an abnormal status condition of the at least one operational parameter;

an auto-fault isolation component, invoked by the supervisory component responsive to the supervisory component receiving an abnormal status condition from the at least one auto-detection component, the auto-fault isolation component evaluating the status of the at least one operational parameter to isolate a possible fault resulting in the abnormal status;

an auto-fix component, invoked by the supervisory component dependent on the possible fault resulting in the abnormal status, to undertake automated repair of the possible fault; and

wherein the supervisory component selectively invokes the auto-detection component, the auto-fault isolation component or the auto-fix component as need for a particular self-diagnose or self-repair of the automated system, and wherein once invoked by the supervisory component, the auto-detection component, the auto-fault isolation component and the auto-fix component execute autonomously, and wherein the supervisory component further automatically determines whether the abnormal status has been eliminated subsequent to undertaking of the automated repair.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the at least one auto-detection component determines whether at least one current operating value of the at least one operational parameter is outside of a normal operating range, and if so, issues the abnormal status condition to the supervisory component.

28. The system of claim 26, wherein the auto-fault isolation component determines whether the possible fault is of a type suitable for automated repair, and if not, the supervisory component automatically communicates the abnormal status to a central remote service center for scheduling of repair, wherein the automatically communicating to the central remote service center occurs without requiring action of an operator of the automated system, and the supervisory component automatically records an entry in an event log file corresponding to the abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter.

29. The system of claim 26, wherein the auto-fix component informs an operator of the automated system that the abnormal status has been detected, and provides the operator with a description of the abnormal status, the repair steps needed to correct the possible fault, and the anticipated length of the repair operation, and wherein the auto-fix component obtains operator authorization to proceed with the automated repair of the possible fault when the automated system is in use.

30. The system of claim 26, wherein the automatically determining whether the abnormal status has been eliminated comprises the supervisory component invoking the at least one auto-detection component to verify that the at least one operational parameter has a normal status.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the supervisory component wakes up the auto-fix component to rollback the automated repair and return the automated system to its previous state if the abnormal status condition remains after the automated repair.

32. The system of claim 26, wherein the supervisory component further comprises automatically informing an operator of the automated system that the abnormal status has been detected and corrected, or that a central remote service center has been contacted for repair of the automated system.

33. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a self-diagnose and self-repair method of facilitating operation of an automated system, the method comprising:

monitoring at least one operational parameter of the automated system;

automatically detecting an abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter;

automatically evaluating the abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter to isolate a possible fault resulting in the abnormal status;

undertaking automated repair of the possible fault, and thereafter, automatically determining whether the abnormal status has been eliminated; and

wherein the monitoring, automatically detecting, automatically evaluating and undertaking automated repair are implemented by autonomous components, including at least one auto-detection component, an auto-fault isolation component, and an auto-fix component, each of which is selectively invoked by a supervisory component as needed for a particular self-diagnose or self-repair of the automated system, and wherein the monitoring and the automatically detecting are performed by the at least one auto-detection component upon being invoked by the supervisory component, the automatically evaluating is performed by the auto-fault isolation component upon being invoked by the supervisory component and the undertaking automated repair is performed by the auto-fix component upon being invoked by the supervisory component.

34. The at least one program storage device of claim 33, further comprising scheduling the automated repair, including obtaining operator authorization to proceed with the undertaking of the automated repair of the possible fault when the automated system is in use.

35. The at least one program storage device of claim 34, wherein the scheduling further comprises informing the operator that the abnormal status has been detected within the automated system, and providing the operator with a description of the abnormal status, the repair steps needed to correct the possible fault, and the anticipated length of the repair operation.

36. The at least one program storage device of claim 33, further comprising, subsequent to the undertaking, automatically rolling back the repair of the possible fault upon determining that the abnormal status remains.

37. The at least one program storage device of claim 33, wherein the monitoring comprises continuously periodically monitoring the at least one operational parameter of the automated system and automatically determining whether at least one current operating value of the at least one operational parameter is outside of a normal operating range.

38. The at least one program storage device of claim 33, wherein the monitoring, the automatically detecting, and the automatically evaluating occur in real time without operator intervention.

39. The at least one program storage device of claim 33, further comprising automatically communicating the abnormal status to a central remote service center for scheduling of repair when the fault type is unsuitable for automated repair or the automated repair fails to remove the abnormal status, wherein the automatic communication to the central remote service center occurs without requiring action of an operator of the automated system, and automatically recording an entry in an event log file, associated with the automated system, of the abnormal status of the at least one operational parameter.

40. At least one program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying at least one program of instructions executable by the machine to perform a self-diagnose and self-repair method for facilitating operation of an automated system, the method comprising:

invoking from a supervisory component at least one auto-detection component for continuous, periodic monitoring of at least one operational parameter of the automated system and for periodically communicating to the supervisory component a normal status or an abnormal status condition of the at least one operational parameter;

responsive to receipt of an abnormal status condition at the supervisory component from the at least one auto-detection component, invoking by the supervisory component an auto-fault isolation component, wherein the auto-fault isolation component automatically evaluates the status of the at least one operational parameter to isolate a possible fault resulting in the abnormal status;

dependant on the possible fault resulting in the abnormal status, invoking from the supervisory component an auto-fix component to undertake automated repair of the possible fault, and thereafter, automatically determining whether the abnormal status has been; and

wherein the supervisory component selectively invokes the at least one auto-detection component, the auto-fault isolation component or the auto-fix component as needed for a particular self-diagnose or self-repair of the automated system, and wherein once invoked by the supervisory component, the at least one auto-detection component, the auto-fault isolation component and the auto-fix component execute autonomously.

41. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein the at least one at least one auto-detection component determines whether at least one current operating value of the at least one operational parameter is outside of a normal operating range, and if so, issues the abnormal status condition to the supervisory component.

42. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein the auto-fix component informs an operator of the automated system that the abnormal status has been detected, and provides the operator with a description of the abnormal status, the repair steps needed to correct the possible fault, and the anticipated length of the repair operation, and wherein the method further comprises obtaining operator authorization to proceed with the automated repair of the possible fault when the automated system is in use.

43. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, wherein the supervisory component wakes up the auto-fix component to rollback the automated repair and return the automated system to its previous state if the abnormal status condition remains after the automated repair.

44. The at least one program storage device of claim 40, further comprising automatically informing an operator of the automated system that the abnormal status has been detected and corrected, or that a central remote service center has been contacted for repair of the automated system.