Methods and apparatus for customizing and using a reusable database framework for fault processing applications

• US 9,524,204 B2
• Filed: 10/03/2014
• Issued: 12/20/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Talafa, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Iqbal, Nadeem
• Application Number:
  US14/506,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20160098314A1
• Time in Patent Office: 809 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/34202 Reusable software, generic resource model library
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0213 Modular or universal configuration of the monitoring system, e.g. monitoring system having modules that may be combined to build monitoring program; monitoring system that can be applied to legacy systems; adaptable monitoring system; using different communication protocols
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0275 Fault isolation and identification, e.g. classify fault; estimate cause or root of failure
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0739 in a data processing system embedded in automotive or aircraft systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0751 Error or fault detection not based on redundancy power supply failures G06F1/30; network fault management H04L41/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/0787 Storage of error reports, e.g. persistent data storage, storage using memory protection
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/079 Root cause analysis, i.e. error or fault diagnosis in a hardware test environment G06F11/22; in a software test environment G06F11/36

Abstract

A method for operation of a reusable fault processing database in conjunction with a complex system is provided. The method stores a set of logical rules into one or more logic entities of the reusable fault processing database, the set comprising one or more executable instructions applicable to fault detection and fault isolation in the complex system; stores at least one defined variable for each of the received set of logical rules, the at least one defined variable being stored into one or more variable entities of the reusable fault processing database; and stores a configuration of at least one external interface of the reusable fault processing database, the configuration being stored in one or more input/output (I/O) entities of the reusable fault processing database, the external interface comprising a defined set of input to the reusable fault processing database and a defined set of output from the reusable fault processing database.

Claims

1. A method for operation of a reusable fault processing database in conjunction with a complex system, the method comprising:

storing a set of logical rules into one or more logic entities of the reusable fault processing database, the set comprising one or more executable instructions applicable to fault detection and fault isolation in the complex system;

storing at least one defined variable for each of the received set of logical rules, the at least one defined variable being stored into one or more variable entities of the reusable fault processing database, wherein the at least one defined variable comprises an input signal or an output signal of the one or more logic entities representing the set of logical rules, and wherein the at least one defined variable is used to calculate a state of each of the one or more logic entities;

storing a configuration of at least one external interface of the reusable fault processing database, the configuration comprising a communication protocol applicable to the complex system and the configuration being stored in one or more input/output (I/O) entities of the reusable fault processing database, the external interface comprising a communication connection compatible with the communication protocol, the external interface further comprising a defined set of input to the reusable fault processing database and a defined set of output from the reusable fault processing database, wherein the defined set of input comprises communication signals indicating an existence and a location of a fault in the complex system, wherein the defined set of output comprise a fault report including fault detection data and fault isolation data for the complex system, and wherein the configuration of the external interface defines;

units of a complex system from which the defined set of input is received; and

form and content of results generated by execution of the set of logical rules;

executing each of the set of logical rules, in response to a received function call, to generate the results; and

identifying the location of the fault in the complex system, based on the results.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing an order of execution for the set of logical rules into the one or more logic entities of the reusable fault processing database, the order of execution comprising a fixed execution sequence for each of the executable instructions;

wherein the received function call initiates execution of the set of logical rules according to the order of execution, utilizing the at least one variable and the external interface.

3. The method of claim 2, further comprising:

storing a second set of logical rules and a second order of execution into the one or more logic entities of the reusable fault processing database, wherein storing the second set of logical rules overwrites the set of logical rules, and wherein storing the second order of execution overwrites the order of execution;

storing a second at least one variable into the one or more variable entities of the reusable fault processing database, wherein storing the second at least one variable overwrites the at least one variable;

storing a second configuration of the at least one external interface into the one or more I/O entities of the reusable fault processing database, wherein storing the second configuration overwrites the configuration; and

executing each of the second set of logical rules according to the second order of execution, in response to the received function call, utilizing the second at least one variable and the second external interface.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein each of the received set of logical rules is selected from the group consisting of a truth table and a latch.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein storing the set of logical rules into one or more logic entities further comprises storing a subset of the set of logical rules into one or more logic sub-entities;

and

wherein one of the one or more logic entities comprises the one or more logic sub-entities.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the one of the one or more logic entities comprises a truth table;

and

wherein each of the one or more logic sub-entities comprises a truth vector.

7. A reusable fault processing system, comprising:

a fault processing module, configured to initiate execution of a set of reconfigurable logical rules associated with fault detection and fault isolation in a complex system; and

a fault detection database module, configured to provide a framework for customization and use of the reusable fault processing system, the fault detection database module comprising;

a plurality of logic entities, configured to store the set of reconfigurable logical rules;

a plurality of variable entities, configured to store definitions for a plurality of variables for use by the at least one logic entity, wherein the plurality of variables comprises an input signal or an output signal of the at least one logic entity representing the set of reconfigurable logical rules, and wherein the plurality of variables is used to calculate a state of each of the at least one logic entity; and

at least one input/output (I/O) entity, configured to store a configuration for an external interface comprising at least one communication connection within the complex system and external to the fault detection database module, wherein the configuration comprises a communication protocol applicable to the complex system wherein the external interface further comprises a defined set of input to the reusable fault processing database and a defined set of output from the reusable fault processing database, wherein the defined set of input comprises communication signals indicating an existence and a location of a fault in the complex system, wherein the defined set of output comprises a fault report including fault detection data and fault isolation data for the complex system, and wherein the configuration of the external interface defines;

units of the complex system from which the defines set of input is received; and

form and content of results generated by execution of the set of logical rules;

wherein the fault processing module is further configured to execute each of the set of reconfigurable logical rules, in response to a received function call, to generate the results, and identify the location of the fault in the complex system, based on the results.

8. The reusable database structure of claim 7, further comprising:

a developer interface, configured to receive user input for creating and modifying the set of reconfigurable logical rules, the plurality of variables, and the at least one connection;

wherein receiving the user input at the developer interface does not alter a current configuration of the complex system.

9. The reusable database structure of claim 8, wherein the developer interface is further configured to receive second user input for modifying and executing instructions associated with the fault processing module;

and

wherein receiving the second user input at the developer interface does not alter a current configuration of the fault detection database module.

10. The reusable database structure of claim 7, further comprising:

a developer interface, configured to receive user input defining the set of reconfigurable logical rules;

wherein each definition for the set of reconfigurable logical rules is selected from the group consisting of a truth table and a latch.

11. The reusable database structure of claim 7, wherein one of the plurality of logic entities comprises a plurality of logic sub-entities;

and

wherein the one of the plurality of logic entities stores a truth table, and wherein the plurality of logic sub-entities stores a plurality of truth vectors.

12. The reusable database structure of claim 7, wherein the plurality of logic entities is further configured to store an execution order;

wherein the execution order comprises a sequence for execution of each of the set of reconfigurable logical rules; and

wherein the fault processing module is further configured to execute the set of reconfigurable logical rules according to the execution order.

13. The reusable database structure of claim 7, wherein the developer interface is configured to receive user input indicating one of the definitions for the plurality of variables comprises a signal originating outside of the reusable database structure.

14. The reusable database structure of claim 7, wherein the developer interface is configured to receive user input indicating one of the definitions for the plurality of variables comprises an output of a first one of the set of logical rules and an input of a second one of the set of logical rules.

15. The reusable database structure of claim 7, wherein the definition for the at least one connection comprises a table applicable for use with a plurality of communication protocols.

16. A computer-based fault processing system comprising a non-transitory, computer-readable medium containing instructions thereon, which, when executed by a processor, perform a method comprising:

defining a reusable fault processing database structure comprising;

a first framework for a set of executable logical rules, the set of executable logical rules configured for execution by the computer-based fault processing system, the set of executable logical rules configured to detect and isolate a fault in a complex system of line-replaceable units (LRUs);

a second framework for a plurality of variables, the plurality of variables configured to;

specify one or more input values to each of the set of executable logical rules; and

specify one or more output values from each of the set of executable logical rules; and

a third framework comprising a configuration for an external interface, the external interface configured to define at least one communication connection between the reusable database structure and the complex system, wherein the configuration comprises a communication protocol applicable to the complex system, wherein the external interface further comprises a defined set of input to the reusable fault processing database structure and a defined set of output from the reusable fault processing database structure, wherein the defined set of input comprises communication signals indicating an existence and a location of a fault in the complex system, wherein the one or more output values comprises a fault report including fault detection data and fault isolation data for the complex system, and wherein the configuration of the external interface defines;

units of the complex system from the one or more input values are received; and

form and content of results generated by execution of the set of logical rules;

executing each of the set of executable logical rules, in response to a received function call, to generate the results; and

identifying the location of the fault in the complex system, based on the results.

17. The reusable database structure of claim 16, wherein the first framework further comprises an execution sequence for the set of executable logical rules.