Methods and systems for logistics health status reasoner

• US 20070050104A1
• Filed: 08/24/2005
• Published: 03/01/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Followell, David, Schmidt, Laura, Wallace, Jeremy
• Application Number:
  US11/210,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20070050104A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/29
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/14 operated upon collapse of driver deadman's devices for electrically propelled vehicles B60L3/02
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0283 Predictive maintenance, e.g. involving the monitoring of a system and, based on the monitoring results, taking decisions on the maintenance schedule of the monitored system; Estimating remaining useful life [RUL] preventive maintenance, i.e. planning maintenance according to the available resources without monitoring the system G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/006 Indicating maintenance
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/085 using electronic data carriers
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/00 Traffic control systems for aircraft , e.g. air-traffic control [ATC]
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0013 with a ground station
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 5/0021 located in the aircraft

Abstract

This application is directed to methods, computer program products, and systems for processing equipment status messages and similar information. In one embodiment, status messages originating from a plurality of pieces of equipment are input and compared to user determined thresholds, and indicators are output reflecting the comparison. The indicators may includes fuel level information, operational capability and maintenance health. A computer program product includes computer readable media for inputting a plurality of the equipment status messages, comparing the equipment status messages with user determined thresholds, and generating a plurality of indicators to display equipment status. A system for viewing the health status of aircraft includes sensors to transmit health status messages, a network arranged for transmitting the messages, a processor arranged to compare health status data with user determined thresholds, and a display to output a health status indicators.

Claims

1. A method for processing status messages from equipment, comprising:

inputting via a remote linkage a plurality of status messages concerning a plurality of pieces of equipment;

validating the status messages for proper identification;

comparing the status messages to a plurality of user-determined thresholds; and

outputting to a computer network a plurality of indicators reflecting a result of the comparing the status message to the user-determined thresholds.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the remote linkage includes a secure network of processors.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein inputting a status messages includes inputting fuel level information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein inputting the status messages includes inputting information concerning the plurality of pieces of equipments'"'"' ability to perform a plurality of user-determined operations.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein inputting the status messages includes inputting equipment health information.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein inputting equipment health information includes inputting maintenance status information.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing includes accessing a database including information concerning operational requirements of the pieces of equipment.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein outputting the indicators includes outputting information from the status message in a user-determined format accessible to a user through a graphical user interface.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein outputting the indicators includes outputting a display color.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein outputting the display color includes outputting at least one of red, green, and yellow.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein outputting the indicators includes outputting at least one of fuel level information, operational capability information, and equipment health information.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein inputting the status messages includes inputting status message concerning a plurality of aircraft.

13. The method of claim 1 further comprising subscribing to a secure network.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein outputting the indicators includes updating a real-time health status display.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein comparing includes combining fuel level information for the pieces of equipment, maintenance health information for the pieces of equipment, and operational information for the pieces of equipment to derive a readiness to perform a plurality of operational tasks.

16. A computer program product for processing equipment status information comprising:

computer readable media for inputting a plurality of equipment status messages from a plurality of pieces of equipment;

computer readable media for comparing the equipment status messages with user determined thresholds for the equipment and for a plurality of operational tasks assigned to the equipment;

computer readable media for generating a plurality of indicators to display equipment status derived by the comparing equipment status messages with user determined thresholds for the equipment; and

computer readable media for outputting the indicators for display.

17. The product of claim 16, wherein the plurality of indicators include fuel levels of the equipment, operational capabilities of the equipment, and maintenance health status of the equipment.

18. A system for viewing the health status of a plurality of aircraft comprising:

a plurality of sensors aboard the plurality of aircraft arranged to transmit a plurality of health status messages;

a secure network arranged to forward the health status messages;

a processor arranged to receive the health status messages, compare the health status messages with a plurality of user determined thresholds based upon a plurality of operational tasks assigned to the aircraft and a plurality of requirements of the aircraft to perform the operational tasks, and output a plurality of health status indicators for the aircraft; and

a display arranged to display the plurality of health status indicators.

19. The product of claim 18, wherein the health status indicators indicates one of fuel level of the aircraft, operational capability of the aircraft, and maintenance health of the aircraft.