Autonomously configuring information systems to support mission objectives

• US 7,949,900 B2
• Filed: 09/19/2008
• Issued: 05/24/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Narayanaswami, Chandrasekhar, Harrington, Nathan J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Bonzo; Bryce P
• Application Number:
  US12/234,094
• Publication Number:
  US 20100077263A1
• Time in Patent Office: 977 Days
• Field of Search: 714/26, 714/27, 701 29- 35
• US Class Current: 714/27
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 15/02 electric
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2017 where memory access, memory control or I/O control functionality is redundant redundant communication control functionality G06F11/2005; redundant storage control functionality G06F11/2089
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/85 Active fault masking without idle spares

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, system, and computer program product for automatically configuring information systems to support mission objectives. A Mission SoulPad is connected to an information system via a communication bus, such as a USB bus connection. The Mission SoulPad may autonomously detect and configure components of the information system (e.g., displays, sensors, emitters, transceivers) to support the defined objectives of the Mission SoulPad. The Mission SoulPad may also identify malfunctioning components of the information system needing repair or replacement. Typical operations of malfunctioning components may be dynamically re-routed to functional components. Entire sensor and information display suites may be transitioned simply by moving the Mission SoulPad between available information systems. This ensures that mission critical information is consistently available regardless of the type of system the Mission SoulPad is connected to.

Claims

1. A method for automatically configuring information systems, the system comprising:

connecting a device to a first information system;

dynamically identifying, using the device, a plurality of components of the first information system, wherein the components comprise sensor components and display components; and

autonomously reconfiguring, using the device, the sensor components and the display components of the first information system based on a plurality of predefined mission objectives stored on the device, wherein the predefined mission objectives define what is to be displayed on the display components and monitoring levels for the sensor components.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying a malfunctioning component included in the plurality of components; and

notifying an operator of the device of the malfunctioning component.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

in response to identifying the malfunctioning component, identifying, using the device, a similar component, included in the plurality of components, that is capable of performing a function normally performed by the malfunctioning component;

reconfiguring using the device, the similar component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

automatically rerouting operations of the malfunctioning component, using the device, to the similar component.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

in response to determining that the malfunctioning component has been replaced with a replacement component, reconfiguring, using the device, the replacement component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

restoring, using the device, an original functionality to the similar component.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising, in response to determining that the connection to the first information system has been severed and that a connection has been established to a second information system:

identifying, using the device, a plurality of components of the second information system; and

autonomously reconfiguring the device, the second information system.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the second information system is configured based on a last configuration profile of the first information system prior to the connection being severed.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the second information system is reconfigured based on the plurality of predefined mission objectives.

8. A device comprising:

a memory;

a communications bus interface;

a processor coupled to the memory and the communications bus interface, wherein the processor is configured for;

interfacing the device to a first information system;

dynamically identifying a plurality of components of the first information system, wherein the components comprise sensor components and display, components; and

autonomously reconfiguring the sensor components and the display components of the first information system based on a plurality of predefined mission objectives stored on the device, wherein the predefined mission objectives define what is to be displayed on the display components and monitoring levels for the sensor components.

9. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured for:

identifying a malfunctioning component included in the plurality of components; and

notifying an operator of the device of the malfunctioning component.

10. The device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured for:

in response to identifying the malfunctioning component, identifying a similar component, included in the plurality of components, that is capable of performing a function normally performed by the malfunctioning component;

reconfiguring the similar component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

automatically rerouting operations of the malfunctioning component to the similar component.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein the processor is further configured for:

in response to determining that the malfunctioning component has been replaced with a replacement component, reconfiguring the replacement component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

restoring an original functionality to the similar component.

12. The device of claim 8, wherein the processor is further configured for, in response to determining that the connection to the first information system has been severed and that a connection has been established to a second information system:

identifying a plurality of components of the second information system; and

autonomously reconfiguring the second information system.

13. The device of claim 12, wherein the second information system is configured based on a last configuration profile of the first information system prior to the connection being severed.

14. The device of claim 12, wherein the second information system is reconfigured based on the plurality of predefined mission objectives.

15. A computer-readable medium having a plurality of instructions embodied therein, wherein the plurality of instructions, when executed by a processor, allows a machine to:

connect to a first information system;

dynamically identify a plurality of components of the first information system, wherein the components comprise sensor components and display components; and

autonomously reconfigure the sensor components and the display components of the first information system based on a plurality of predefined mission objectives stored on the machine, wherein the predefined mission objectives define what is to be displayed on the display components and monitoring levels for the sensor components, and wherein the computer-readable medium is a computer-readable storage medium.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for enabling the machine to:

identify a malfunctioning component included in the plurality of components;

notify an operator of the machine of the malfunctioning component;

in response to identifying the malfunctioning component, identify a similar component included in the plurality of components, that is capable of performing a function normally performed by the malfunctioning component;

reconfigure the similar component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component;

automatically reroute operations of the malfunctioning component to the similar component;

in response to determining that the malfunctioning component has been replaced with a replacement component, reconfigure the replacement component to perform the function of the malfunctioning component; and

restore an original functionality to the similar component.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, the plurality of instructions further comprising instructions for enabling the machine to, in response to determining that the connection to the first information system has been severed and that a connection has been established to a second information system:

identify a plurality of components of the second information system; and

autonomously reconfigure the second information system.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the second information system is configured based on a last configuration profile of the first information system prior to the connection being severed.