Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery – Data processing system error or fault handling – Reliability and availability
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-01
2003-10-14
Beausoliel, Robert (Department: 2184)
Error detection/correction and fault detection/recovery
Data processing system error or fault handling
Reliability and availability
C714S026000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06634000
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to machine diagnostics, and more specifically, to methods and systems for diagnosing fault logs and continuous data for recommendation of one or more causes of or one or more repairs for a malfunctioning machine.
A machine such as a locomotive includes elaborate controls and sensors that generate fault logs regarding the operation of the locomotive. Anomalous operating conditions of the locomotive are detected by the sensors and trigger the generation of an entry in the fault log.
Typically, each entry in a fault log includes the time and date the anomalous operating condition occurred, a fault code which corresponds to the detected anomalous operating condition (e.g., inverter failure, air conditioner compressor failure), and a data pack which contains additional information on the operating status of the locomotive (e.g., locomotive notch speed, engine speed, water temperature and oil temperature) at the time the anomalous operating condition occurred. Different anomalous operating conditions often cause similar fault codes, and a plurality of anomalous operating conditions occurring at the same time often result in a plurality of fault codes.
Typically, a field engineer will look at a fault log and using his experience and skill will attempt to determine the cause of the fault, whether a repair is necessary, and if so, the specific type of repair. If the fault log is complex, it is often difficult for the field engineer to diagnosis a cause of the fault or recommend a repair.
Computer-based systems have been used to diagnose problems in a locomotive. For example, computerized diagnostic tools have been developed for analyzing the fault codes from fault logs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
There is a need for a computer-based system and computerized method for enhancing analysis of a fault log for determining a cause of and/or recommending a repair for a malfunctioning machine. The above-mentioned need is met by the present invention which provides, in one aspect, a computer-implemented method for analyzing a fault log from a malfunctioning machine in which the computer-implemented method includes, receiving, from the malfunctioning machine, at least one of at least one fault code and at least one data code, at least one fault code and at least one anomaly code, and at least one data code and at least one anomaly code, and determining at least one of a cause of and a repair for the malfunctioning machine based on the at least one of the at least one fault code and the at least one data code, the at least one fault code and the at least one anomaly code, and the at least one data code and the at least one anomaly code. Advantageously, the determining comprises using a belief network, or case-based reasoning.
The present invention, in another aspect, provides a computer-implemented method for enabling diagnosis of a fault log in which the computer-implemented method includes receiving the fault log having a plurality of fault codes and a plurality of data packs from the malfunctioning machine, parsing the plurality of data packs, and generating a plurality of data pack codes for a portion of the parsed data packs.
Systems and computer program products corresponding to the above-summarized methods are also described and claimed herein.
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Bliley Richard Gerald
Jammu Vinay Bhaskar
Roddy Nicholas Edward
Schneider William Roy
Varma Anil
Armstrong Teasdale LLP
Beausoliel Robert
Chu Gabriel L.
General Electric Company
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