System, method and computer program product for real-time event identification and course of action interpretation

• US 7,668,632 B2
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Issued: 02/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Vian, John L., Clark, Gregory J., Pigg, Paul E. R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Cam Y
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chau; Dung K
• Application Number:
  US10/994,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20060112119A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,919 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers

Abstract

A system for identifying events includes a memory capable of storing a compressed event table including a number of events, the event table having been compressed by reducing the number of events in the event table without reducing the number of events represented by the event table. Each event of the event table includes a set of state parameters, and may also be associated with an output. The system also includes a processor capable of operating a fast state recognition (FSR) application. The FSR application, in turn, can receive a plurality of inputs, and identify an event of the compressed event table based upon the plurality of inputs and the state parameters of the compressed event table, event being identified in accordance with a state recognition technique.

Claims

1. A system for identifying events, the system comprising:

a memory configured to store a compressed event table including a second number of distinct events of a vehicle and, for each event, a set of state parameters representing known outputs of a plurality of modules of the vehicle, the compressed event table having been generated from an uncompressed event table including a first, greater number of distinct events than the compressed event table, the uncompressed event table also including, for each event of the uncompressed event table, a unique set of state parameters, a same first number of distinct events being identifiable from both the compressed and uncompressed event tables; and

a processor configured to operate a fast state recognition (FSR) application, wherein the FSR application configured to receive a plurality of inputs comprising data output onto a plurality of buses from modules of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle, and at least a portion of the compressed event table or a representation thereof, and in response to receiving the plurality of inputs, identify an event from the compressed event table based upon a comparison between the plurality of inputs and the state parameters of the events of the compressed event table, event being identified in accordance with a state recognition technique,

wherein the memory and processor are embodied in a monitoring controller associated with the vehicle, the monitoring controller being configured to package event data including the identified event for at least one module, and thereafter transmit the packaged event data external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link, the monitoring controller being configured to transmit the packaged event data via a data unit of the vehicle.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein the memory is configured to store a compressed event table including a number of events each further associated with an output, the compressed event table having been generated by reducing the number of events with respect to events associated with the same output.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the FSR application is further configured to determine an output based upon the identified event.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein the FSR application is configured to identify an event in accordance with a masked neural network technique.

5. A system according to claim 1, wherein the FSR application is configured to identify an event in accordance with a binary decision diagram technique.

6. A system according to claim 1, wherein the FSR application being configured to identify an event includes being configured to match the plurality of inputs with a set of state parameters of the compressed event table.

7. A system according to claim 1, wherein each event of the compressed event table is associated with a course of action, wherein the FSR application is further configured to determine a course of action based upon the identified event, and

wherein the monitoring controller is configured to package event data further including the determined course of action.

8. A system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring controller being configured to package event data includes being configured to at least one of compress event data or remove at least one extraneous data field of the event data based upon a format of the event data.

9. A system according to claim 1, wherein the monitoring controller is further configured to record the output data after receiving the output data.

10. A system according to claim 9, wherein the system comprises a plurality of monitoring controllers, each associated with a vehicle and including a memory and a processor, and wherein the system further comprises:

a user processor configured to receive at least one of the output data or the event data from each of the plurality of monitoring controllers.

11. A system according to claim 10, wherein the user processor is also configured to send, to at least one monitoring controller, at least one of the output data or the event data from at least one other monitoring controller.

12. A computer-implemented method of identifying events, the method comprising:

providing, from a memory, a compressed event table including a second number of distinct events of a vehicle and, for each event, a set of state parameters representing known outputs of a plurality of modules of the vehicle, the compressed event table having been generated from an uncompressed event table including a first, greater number of distinct events than the compressed event table, the uncompressed event table also including, for each event of the uncompressed event table, a unique set of state parameters, a same first number of distinct events being identifiable from both the compressed and uncompressed event tables;

receiving a plurality of inputs comprising data output onto a plurality of buses from the modules of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle, and at least a portion of the compressed event table or a representation thereof; and

in response to receiving the plurality of inputs, identifying an event from the compressed event table based upon a comparison between the plurality of inputs and the state parameters of the events of the compressed event table, event being identified in accordance with a state recognition technique, the event being identified by a processor configured to identify an event from the compressed event table;

packaging event data including the identified event for the at least one module; and

directing transmission of the packaged event data external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein each event of the uncompressed event table is associated with an output, the compressed event table having been generated from the uncompressed event table by reducing the number of events with respect to events associated with the same output.

14. A method according to claim 12 further comprising determining an output based upon the identified event.

15. A method according to claim 12, wherein identifying an event in accordance with a fast state recognition technique comprises identifying an event in accordance with a masked neural network technique.

16. A method according to claim 12, wherein identifying an event in accordance with a fast state recognition technique comprises identifying an event in accordance with a binary decision diagram technique.

17. A method according to claim 12, wherein identifying an event comprises matching the plurality of inputs with a set of state parameters of the compressed event table.

18. A method according to claim 12, wherein each event of the compressed event table is associated with a course of action, wherein the method further comprises:

determining a course of action based upon the identified event, and

wherein packaging event data comprises packaging event data further including the determined course of action.

19. A method according to claim 12, wherein packaging event data comprises at least one of compressing event data or removing at least one extraneous data field of the event data based upon a format of the event data.

20. A method according to claim 12 further comprising recording the output data after receiving the output data.

21. A method according to claim 20, wherein receiving data, recording the output data, identifying an event, packaging event data and directing transmission of the packaged event data occur for each of a plurality of vehicles, each including a plurality of modules, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving at least one of the output data recorded or the event data packaged for each of the plurality of vehicles.

22. A method according to claim 21 further comprising sending to at least one vehicle at least one of the output data recorded or the event data packaged for at least one other vehicle.

23. A computer program product stored in at least one computer-readable storage medium for identifying events, wherein the at least one computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion configured to provide a compressed event table including a second number of distinct events of a vehicle and, for each event, a set of state parameters representing known outputs of a plurality of modules of the vehicle, the compressed event table having been generated from an uncompressed event table including a first, greater number of distinct events than the compressed event table, the uncompressed event table also including, for each event of the uncompressed event table, a unique set of state parameters, a same first number of distinct events being identifiable from both the compressed and uncompressed event tables;

a second executable portion configured to receive a plurality of inputs comprising data output onto a plurality of buses from the modules of the vehicle during operation of the vehicle, and at least a portion of the compressed event table or a representation thereof;

a third executable portion configured to identify an event from the compressed event table based upon a comparison between the plurality of inputs and the state parameters of the events of the compressed event table, event being identified in accordance with a state recognition technique, the third executable portion being configured to identify the event in response to the second executable portion receiving the plurality of inputs;

a fourth executable portion configured to package event data including the identified event for the at least one module; and

a fifth executable portion configured to direct transmission of the packaged event data external to the vehicle at least partially over a wireless communication link.

24. A computer program product according to claim 23, wherein each event of the uncompressed event table is associated with an output, the compressed event table having been generated from the uncompressed event table by reducing the number of events with respect to events associated with the same output.

25. A computer program product according to claim 23 further comprising a sixth executable portion configured to determine an output based upon the identified event.

26. A computer program product according to claim 23, wherein the third executable portion is configured to identify an event in accordance with a masked neural network technique.

27. A computer program product according to claim 23, wherein the third executable portion is configured to identify an event in accordance with a binary decision diagram technique.

28. A computer program product according to claim 23, wherein the third executable portion being configured to identify an event includes being configured to match the plurality of inputs with a set of state parameters of the compressed event table.