System and method to troubleshoot a defect in operation of a machine

• US 9,003,514 B1
• Filed: 08/29/2013
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Nuthi, Sridhar
• Primary Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P
• Assistant Examiner(s): BEHESHTI SHIRAZI, SAYED ARESH
• Application Number:
  US14/013,667
• Time in Patent Office: 586 Days
• Field of Search: 726/15, 726/17, 705/51, 725/39, 380/270
• US Class Current: 726/17
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/35 communicating wirelessly
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2111 Location-sensitive, e.g. geographical location, GPS

Abstract

A system and method to troubleshoot a defect in at least one machine is provided. The system includes a portable device having a tracking system to detect when within a threshold proximity of a machine, and a controller to perform the steps of: authenticating the user to operate the portable device and communicating a first signal including the unique identifier of the portable device in response to detecting when within threshold proximity of the at least one machine. The system can further include an agent located at the machine to receive the first signal from the portable device, and in response to automatically verify authorization of the portable device to access the machine; and automatically trigger transmission of an operational data of the least one machine to the portable device over a secure channel.

Claims

1. A diagnostic system for operation by a user to troubleshoot a defect in at least one medical system, the system comprising:

a portable device having;

a tracking system configured to detect when within a threshold proximity of the at least one medical system and a controller having a device memory with program instructions for execution by a device processor to perform the steps of;

authenticating the user to operate the portable device and communicating a first signal including the unique identifier of the portable device in response to detecting when within threshold proximity of the at least one medical system;

an agent located at the at least one medical system configured to receive the first signal from the portable device, the agent including program instructions stored in the agent memory for execution by an agent processor in a manner capable of;

automatically verifying authorization of the portable device to access the one medical system based on application of the unique identifier to a license configured as program instructions stored in the agent memory;

automatically triggering transmission of a second signal from the agent at the one medical system in response to verifying authorization of the portable device, the second signal including program instructions to establish a secure communication channel with the portable device; and

communicating an operational data of the least one medical system to the portable device in response to detecting the secure communication with the portable device; and

a cloud server in communication via a network with the portable device;

a display at the portable device;

where the portable device further includes program instructions for execution by the processor in a manner capable of;

automatically communicating a third signal from the portable device via the network to the cloud server, the third signal including a request to identify at least one of a service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software programs associated with the operational data of the at least one medical system,

detecting receipt of a fourth signal including the at one of a service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software program for storage at the portable device from the cloud server,

automatically executing the at one of a service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software program by the controller of the portable device to identify the defect in operation of the at least one medical system, and

creating a graphic illustration indicative of the defect at the display of the portable device for visualization by the user,

wherein the controller of the portable device further includes program instructions for execution by the device processor to perform the steps of;

limiting communication of the agent of the at least one medical system to solely one of the cloud server and the portable device in response to an instruction received via the portable device from the user.

2. The diagnostic system of claim 1, where the portable device includes program instructions for execution by the device processor in a manner capable of:

detecting receipt of the second signal,

identifying one of a plurality of service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software as stored as at least one programming instruction in the memory of the controller upon associating with the operational data in the second signal, and executing the one of the plurality of service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software in a manner configured to identify the defect in operation of the at least one medical system, and

generating a graphic illustration indicative of the defect at the display for visualization by the user of the portable device.

3. The diagnostic system of claim 1, the portable device further including program instructions stored in the device memory for execution by the device processor in a manner capable of:

automatically detecting at least one of an unauthorized replacement part on the at least one medical system, an authorized protocol performed on the at least one medical system, and an unauthorized access to the at least one medical system.

4. The diagnostic system of claim 1, the agent further including program instructions stored in the agent memory for execution by the agent processor in a manner capable of:

removing any data from the agent associated with communication with the portable device upon the tracking system detecting the portable device beyond the threshold proximity of the at least one medical system.

5. The diagnostic system of claim 1, the portable device further including program instructions stored in the device memory for execution by the device processor in a manner capable of:

removing any data from the portable device associated with communication with the medical system upon detecting an interruption of the secure communication channel with the agent.

6. The system of claim 1, the portable device further including program instructions stored in the device memory for execution by the device processor in a manner capable of:

limiting access of the user of the portable device to less than all of the at one of a service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software program stored on the portable device dependent on a unique identifier of the user.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein the portable device is capable to automatically perform dynamic analysis in general real-time when within the threshold proximity of but yet not physically connected to the at least one medical system, in a manner configured to identify and illustrate the defect in operation of the at least one medical system.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the portable device is capable of automatically detecting and generating an illustration of a rating of the operation of the at least one medical system.

9. A method to troubleshoot a defect in at least one medical system, the method comprising the steps of:

automatically detecting when a portable device is within a threshold proximity of the at least one medical system;

authenticating a user to operate the portable device;

communicating a first signal including a unique identifier of the portable device in response to detecting when within the threshold proximity of the at least one medical system;

receiving the first signal from the portable device;

automatically verifying an authorization of the portable device to access the at least one medical system based on application of the unique identifier to a license configured as program instructions stored in an agent at the at least one medical system;

automatically triggering transmission of a second signal from the agent at the at least one medical system in response to verifying authorization of the portable device, the second signal including program instructions to establish a secure communication channel with the portable device;

communicating an operational data of the least one medical system to the portable device in response to detecting the secure communication with the portable device;

automatically communicating a third signal from the portable device via a network to a cloud server, the third signal including a request to identify a service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software associated with the operational data of the at least one medical system,

detecting receipt of a fourth signal including the service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software for storage at the portable device from the cloud server;

automatically executing the service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software by the controller of the portable device to identify the defect in operation of the at least one medical system;

creating a graphic illustration indicative of the defect at the display of the portable device for visualization by the user; and

limiting communication of the agent of the at least one medical system with solely one of the cloud server and the portable device automatically in response to an instruction received via the portable device from the user.

10. The method of claim 9, further including the steps of:

detecting receipt of the second signal;

identifying one of a plurality of service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software as stored as at least one programming instruction in the memory of the controller upon associating with the operational data in the second signal, and executing the at least service diagnostic and a troubleshooting software in a manner configured to identify the defect in operation of the at least one medical system; and

generating a graphic illustration indicative of the defect at the display for visualization by the user of the portable device.

11. The method of claim 9, the method further including the steps of:

automatically detecting at least one of an unauthorized replacement part on the at least one medical system, an authorized protocol performed on the at least one medical system, and an unauthorized access to the at least one medical system; and

generating an illustration of the at least one of the unauthorized replacement part, the unauthorized protocol performed and the unauthorized access at the display for visualization by the user.

12. The method of claim 9, further including the step of:

removing any data from the agent associated with communication with the portable device upon the tracking system detecting the portable device beyond the threshold proximity of the at least one medical system.

13. The method of claim 9, further including the step of:

removing any data from the portable device associated with communication with the at least one medical system upon detecting an interruption of the secure communication channel with the agent.

14. The method of claim 9, further including the portable device further including program instructions stored in the device memory for execution by the device processor in a manner capable to:

identify a defect in the operation of the at least one medical system connected via the secure communication channel with the portable device based on stored information at the portable device of defects in operation of other medical systems at the same address or threshold location.

15. The method of claim 9, further including the step of:

automatically performing dynamic analysis in general real-time when within the threshold proximity of but yet not physically connected to the at least one medical system, in a manner configured to identify and illustrate the defect in operation of the at least one medical system.

16. The method of claim 15, further including the step of:

automatically detecting a rating of the operation of the at least one medical system dependent on the operational data received via the agent from the at least medical system; and

generating an illustration of the rating of the operation of the at least one medical system for visualization by the user of the portable device.