Methods and systems for dynamic alerting during missions

• US 8,963,741 B1
• Filed: 11/04/2010
• Issued: 02/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Righi, Luigi P., Talbot, Mark A., Wellbrook, Gregory M., Wickham, Timothy S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hung T.
• Application Number:
  US12/939,231
• Time in Patent Office: 1,573 Days
• Field of Search: 340/540, 340/945, 340/963, 340/964, 701/3, 701/30, 701/35, 701/36, 455/344, 455/345, 455/431, 455/445
• US Class Current: 340/945
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0216 Human interface functionality, e.g. monitoring system providing help to the user in the selection of tests or in its configuration
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3027 where the computing system component is a bus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3072 where the reporting involves data filtering, e.g. pattern matching, time or event triggered, adaptive or policy-based reporting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring

Abstract

A method for alerting a user of a sequence of events that has occurred, based on data contained within messages occurring on one or more communications buses is described. The method includes entering, via a user interface, data defining a sequence of events for which an alert is desired, monitoring, with a unit coupled to the user interface, the messages occurring on the one or more communications buses for data indicative of an occurrence of the defined sequence of events, and providing an indication to the user that the sequence of events has occurred.

Claims

1. A method for alerting a user of a sequence of events that has occurred, based on data contained within messages occurring on one or more communications buses, said method comprising:

receiving, via a display including a user interface, user selection of data defining a sequence of events for which an alert is desired;

monitoring, with a unit coupled to the user interface, the messages occurring on the one or more communications buses for data indicative of an occurrence of the defined sequence of events; and

providing an indication to the user that the sequence of events has occurred.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein monitoring the messages occurring on the one or more communications buses comprises monitoring messages transmitted between line replaceable units on an aircraft.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein monitoring the messages occurring on the one or more communications buses comprises parsing the messages for data therein indicative of the sequence of events.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein monitoring the messages occurring on the one or more communications buses comprises communicatively coupling the unit to the one or more communications buses.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein monitoring the messages occurring on the one or more communications buses comprises monitoring communications buses incorporating a plurality of communications protocols.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the sequence of events is defined based on one or more of the time occurring between events and the order of events in the sequence.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein providing an indication to the user comprises providing at least one of an audio and a visual indication to the user interface.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein monitoring the messages occurring on the one or more communications buses for data indicative of an occurrence of the defined sequence of events comprises determining when a remote terminal on the one or more communications buses does not respond or is slow in responding to a message intended to trigger a response message from the remote terminal.

9. A monitoring unit for detecting parameter conditions on one or more disparate data buses, said monitoring unit comprising:

a display including a user interface for receiving user selection of parameter conditions, the parameter conditions including a pattern of data signals associated with messages occurring on the one or more disparate buses;

a communications interface for communicatively coupling said unit to the one or more disparate buses;

a processing device programmed to parse a plurality of messages occurring on the one or more disparate buses for one or more data that correspond to a detection of the selected parameter conditions; and

an output device responsive to a detection of the selected parameter conditions by said processing device.

10. A monitoring unit according to claim 9 wherein said communications interface is configured to interface with a plurality of communications protocols utilized by the one or more disparate data buses.

11. A monitoring unit according to claim 9 wherein said communications interface comprises an interface to one or more communications buses providing communication between line replaceable units within an aircraft.

12. A monitoring unit according to claim 9 wherein the user selection of parameter conditions comprises data on the communications buses that occurs in response to a sequence of events.

13. A monitoring unit according to claim 9 wherein said processing device is programmed to parse messages transmitted between line replaceable units deployed on an aircraft, the line replaceable units sharing a communications bus protocol.

14. A monitoring unit according to claim 9 wherein said display comprises an electronic flight bag.

15. A monitoring unit according to claim 9 wherein the one or more disparate data buses comprise communications buses on an aircraft upon which individual line replaceable units communicate.

16. A method for monitoring one or more communications buses for data within messages that describes a sequence of events, said method comprising:

receiving, via a display including a user interface, user selection of a combination of parameters to be monitored, the parameters occurring as data within one or more of the messages that occurs;

monitoring the one or more messages to determine when the entered parameters occur as data within the one or more of the messages that occur on the one or more communications buses; and

providing an indication that the entered parameters have occurred.

17. The method according to claim 16 wherein the combination of parameters to be monitored includes a lack of one or messages occurring on the one or more communications buses when conditions indicate that such one or more messages should have occurred.

18. The method according to claim 16 wherein receiving, via a display including a user interface, user selection of a combination of parameters to be monitored comprises receiving the parameters in an electronic flight bag communicatively coupled to a monitoring unit coupled to the one or more communications buses.

19. The method according to claim 16 wherein the sequence of events is defined based on one or more of the time occurring between events and the order of events in the sequence.