Patent Document

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]     This patent application is related to co-pending, commonly-owned U.S. patent application Ser. No. (undetermined), entitled METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR LOGISTICS HEALTH STATUS DISPLAY, filed under attorney docket no. BING-1-1170 concurrently herewith on Aug. 24, 2005, which application is hereby incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     This invention relates generally to equipment logistics systems and, more specifically, to the processing of logistics information.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Data concerning equipment or operating platforms, such as in a military environment, often generate health status messages, or have health status messages prepared by users or maintenance staff. Typically, such health status messages may address various aspects of the equipment&#39;s systems, subsystems, capabilities and status. Such messages are often specific to the equipment and operating platform, and thus may not be readily available for review and display by a supervising logistics team, especially on a real time basis. Accordingly, there is an unmet need for processing methods and systems that can accept health status messages and convert them into readily displayed information for logistics monitoring.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     Embodiments of the present invention are directed to methods, computer program products, and systems for processing equipment status messages and similar information for further use. In one embodiment, status messages originating from pieces of equipment are input and compared to user determined thresholds. Indicators are output reflecting a result of comparing the status messages to the thresholds. In other aspects of the invention, the indicators includes fuel level information, equipment operational capability information, and equipment maintenance health information. In a further aspect of the invention; a computer program product is described including 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. In accordance with other aspects of the invention, a system for viewing the health status of a plurality of aircraft may include sensors aboard the aircraft to transmit health status messages, a network arranged for transmitting the health status messages, a processor arranged to receive the health status messages and compare health status data in the health status messages with user determined thresholds, and a display to output the health status indicators. In another embodiment, the health status indicators include one of fuel level of the aircraft, operational capability of the aircraft, and maintenance health of the aircraft. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0005]     Embodiments of the present invention are described in detail below with reference to the following drawings.  
         [0006]      FIG. 1  is a component diagram of an exemplary logistics health status system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a component drawing of an alternate logistics health status system in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a screen shot of an exemplary logistics health status display in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a screen shot in accordance with a health status display of the present invention showing additional background status information;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is flowchart of an exemplary equipment health status process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a flowchart of an exemplary health status reasoner process in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart of an exemplary health status display process in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0013]     The present invention relates to systems and methods for logistics health status reasoning. Many specific details of certain embodiments of the invention are set forth in the following description of  FIGS. 1-7  to provide a thorough understanding of such embodiments. One skilled in the art, however, will understand that the present invention may have additional embodiments, or that the present invention may be practiced without one or more of the details described in the following description.  
         [0014]      FIG. 1  shows an exemplary logistics data system  5  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, an operational platform or piece of equipment  10 , in this instance an aircraft, is linked by a wireless link  20  to a relay link  30 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , the relay link  30  is a relay aircraft. The relay link  30  is coupled by a first satellite link  40  to a satellite  50 , and in turn, the satellite  50  is coupled through a second satellite link  40  to a guardian processor  60 . The guardian processor  60  validates information from the equipment  10 . The guardian processor  60  is coupled to a network  70  that further relays and permits access to the information from the equipment  10  by an array of users or processors.  
         [0015]     As further shown in  FIG. 1 , a reasoner processor  80  is coupled to the network  70 . The reasoner processor  80  processes health status messages from the equipment  10 . The health status message information, as described further below, may include fuel levels of the equipment  10 , operational capabilities of the platform  10 , and/or maintenance status of the platform  10 . The reasoner processor  80  compares the information from the platform  10  with pre-determined thresholds (e.g. user determined thresholds) related to the desired operations of the equipment  10 , and generates health status indicators that may be presented on a display  90  either linked directly to the reasonable processor  80 , or otherwise coupled to the network  70 . The health status information from the platform  10  is then displayed in a readily-utilized format for single or multiple users anywhere the network  70  may be accessed.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  shows an alternate logistics health status system  100  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a piece of equipment  110  is linked to a network of processors  170 . Also linked to the network  170  is a reasoner processor  180 . The reasoner processor  180  is linked to three databases: a platform database  183 , a mission database  185 , and a reasoner database  187 . The platform database  183  contains background information concerning the specific equipment  110 , including its capabilities, equipment subsystems, and logistics and materials needs, for comparison by the reasoner processor  180  with health status messages from the equipment  110 . The mission database  185  includes information concerning the assigned or proposed mission or task for the equipment  110 . By way of example and not limitation, if the equipment  110  is a military aircraft, the mission database  185  may include distance to the proposed target, and weapons intended to be deployed at the target. The reasoner database  187  contains instructions for processing incoming health messages from the equipment  110  and comparing them to threshold information in the platform database  183 , and in the mission database  185 . The reasoner processor  180  then generates one or more equipment health status indicators (not shown) for distribution through the network  170  (or other use).  
         [0017]     In this embodiment, the health status indicators are posted to the network  170  for pick-up by one or more display processors  195 , also linked to the network  170 . The display processor  195  is linked to a display database  197 , which maintains current health status indicators for a plurality of pieces of equipment, such as equipment  110 . The health status indicators are then displayed on a display  190 . The display  190  may display health status indicators for a plurality of platforms or pieces of equipment such as equipment  110 . It will be appreciated that the various databases of the system  100  may be located separate from the processors  180 ,  195 , and may be combined and segregated into a variety of locations, physical equipment, memory, and/or configurations.  
         [0018]      FIG. 3  is a screen shot of a health status display  300  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The display  300  includes a plurality of health status indicators  380  for each piece of equipment monitored on the display  300 . The health status indicators  380  may appear in various colors, and may change colors depending up the health status of the particular systems being monitored. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 3 , the equipment (not shown) are aircraft and an aircraft type  310  is listed for each aircraft. A network ID number (or identifier)  315  is listed for each aircraft. For each aircraft, an operations capability indicator  320 , a fuel state indicator  330 , and a health status indicator  340  are displayed. By way of example and not limitation, in this embodiment, the operations, fuel, and health status indicators  320 ,  330 , and  340 , respectively, may be variously red, yellow, and green, depending upon the status of the aircraft. In the manner of a conventional traffic stoplight, in one specific embodiment, a green indicator may indicate the aircraft (or indicated factor or system) is ready and/or meets requirements, a yellow indicator may indicate caution or marginal capability or status, and a red may indicate not currently functional status in the reference category. In this embodiment, the operations capability  320  means the status of the aircraft  310  to perform its currently tasked or planned operations. The fuel state indicator  330  indicates the fuel status of the aircraft  310  (e.g. ability to reach and return from its currently tasked target). The health status indicator  340  includes maintenance status of the aircraft  310  and its systems. Put differently, in some embodiments, the operations capability indicator  320  may be determined by information from the equipment, crew, or reviewing staff as to whether the system is mission capable or non-mission capable for the specific mission the equipment  310  is performing. Similarly, the fuel state indicator  330  may be determined by the mission requirements, and the health status indicator  340  may display results of monitoring systems or subsystems of the equipment, such as radar warning systems, transponder systems, and weapons systems.  
         [0019]     If there is a change in the status of the operations capability, fuel state, or health status of, by way of example, an aircraft  310  on the display  300 , the appropriate indicator  380  of the status display  300  will change to the appropriate color. The displayed data may be used, for example, by decision planners and maintenance staff to make tasking or logistics support, such as maintenance or fueling, decisions for the equipment  310  and systems monitored by the display  300 .  
         [0020]      FIG. 4  is a screen shot of an alternate aircraft health status display  400  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. The health status display  400  includes a general health status display  403  for, in this display, three aircraft  410  each with a network identifier  415 . Operations capability  420 , fuel state  430 , and health status  440  indicators for each of the aircraft  410  are displayed. In one specific embodiment, the indicators are variously red, yellow, or green colors for each status indicator  420 ,  430 ,  440  for each aircraft  410 , displayed in tabular format, the indicators for each aircraft displayed along a horizontally line level with the respective aircraft name and identifier. In this example display  400 , a pointing device  445  may be movable throughout the display  400 , and may be pointed to a health status indicator  440  for one of the aircraft  410  to access additional background information, such as an indicator which is showing a red or “no go” status. More specifically, in one embodiment, using the pointer  445 , a user brings up a sub-display  405  on the display  400  with additional information regarding the health status of the selected equipment  410 , in this instance an aircraft. By way of example, in the sub-display  405 , the aircraft identifier  455  is displayed, as is the aircraft type  465 . A last update date and time  475  is posted with indicators indicating the date and time of the last health status information received from the aircraft. Detailed status information  485  for the aircraft  410  is also shown. In this embodiment, the detailed status information  485  shows that the aircraft&#39;s radar, infrared, and laser systems are non-operational.  
         [0021]      FIG. 5  is a flowchart of the process  500  of a health status system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. At a block  510 , a health status reasoner and a health status display are subscribed to a network channel. At a block  520 , the health status reasoner listens for published health status messages. At a block  530 , a health status message is published to the network. This may occur autonomously by a platform or piece of equipment, or by the input of a user, such as a maintenance technician or other supervising personnel. At a block  540 , the health status reasoner retrieves the published status message. At a block  550 , the health status reasoner checks for valid platform identification to confirm secure identification for the platform. At a decision block  560 , an inquiry is made as to whether the identification is valid. If the posted identification is not valid, the sequence ends at a block  570 . If the identification for the health status message is valid, at a block  580 , the reasoner gathers the platform status from the status message. At a block  590 , the reasoner converts the health status message into one or more indicators, including, for example, fuel, operational capability, and health status indicators, as described with reference to  FIG. 2  above. The reasoner may convert the health status message into one or more indicators by consulting a platform database with information concerning the equipment, and a mission database information concerning the mission tasked to the equipment. The health status reasoner publishes the derived platform status indicators to the network at a block  600 . At a block  610 , the health status display picks up the platform status indicators and updates the health status display to include the health status indicators just received from the network. At a block  620 , the sequence ends, until further updates are received, processed, and updated on the health status display.  
         [0022]      FIG. 6  is a detailed flowchart of an exemplary health status reasoner process  700  in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention. At a block  705 , platform status messages are input by the reasoner. At a block  710 , fuel state information from the platform status message is compared with mission and platform data. Mission data is derived from a mission database  715 , and platform data is derived from a platform database  720 . As a result of comparing the fuel state with the mission and platform data, a decision is made at a decision block  725  as to whether to change the fuel status display for the platform or piece of equipment under review. If there is a change in fuel status, the fuel status indicator is updated at a block  730 , with additional background data concerning the fuel status information from the platform status message made available for access by a user utilizing the health status display, such as described further with reference to  FIG. 7  below.  
         [0023]     If the fuel status information does not need to be changed, or after update of the fuel status indicator at a block  730 , the health status reasoner at a block  740  compares the platform systems with mission and platform data, again consulting the mission database  715  and the platform database  720 . At a decision block  745 , the reasoner determines whether it is necessary to change displayed system health status indicator. If the system status for the platform needs to be changed, at a block  747  the health status indicator is updated and background information relating to the system health for the platform are made available to users.  
         [0024]     As further shown in  FIG. 6 , the reasoner then compares the fuel status and the system status to mission requirements at a block  750 , again consulting the mission database  715  and the platform database  720 , evaluating whether the platform or piece of equipment is capable for the operation tasked to the equipment. At a decision block  755 , the reasoner determines whether the operations capability of the platform is to be changed. If the operations capability of the platform is to be changed at a block  760 , the system updates the operations status indicators, and posts operations background information from the platform status messages to users utilizing a health status display. When fuel status background information (block  730 ), health status background information (block  747 ), and operations status background information (block  760 ), are made available to users of a health status display, by way of example, but not limitation, that information may stored to a display indicator and background information database  735 . The display/background information database  735  may be accessed by a health status display at a block  765 , such as described further with reference to  FIG. 7  below.  
         [0025]     If at the block  755 , the operations capability display does not need to be changed, the system reasoner returns to awaiting platform status messages inputs at the block  705 . When the reasoner updates the fuel status display indicators at a block  730 , the health status indicators at a block  755 , and the operations status indicators at a block  760 , those indicators are transmitted to a health status display  765 , as well as being stored in the display indicator and background information database  735 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 7  is a flowchart of an exemplary health status display process  800  in accordance with still another embodiment of the present invention. At a block  805 , health status indicators are input, such as from a network. As noted above, the health status indicators are compiled indicators reflecting compiled health status values for equipment, such as those generated by the health status reasoner. At block  805 , the health status indicators and any desired linked background information may be saved in a background database  815  for local access by the health status display. Alternately, the health status indicators and related background information for the equipment being monitored may be stored elsewhere on a network, or at a database situated near a health status reasoner receiving health status messages from the equipment.  
         [0027]     At a block  810 , the health status indicators are displayed. If there is an inquiry for background information at a block  820 , such as triggered by a user pointing device as described above with reference to  FIG. 4 , the health status display at a block  825  obtains the background information in the category requested. In this example, the display pulls the requested background or detailed health status information from the background database  815 . The desired background information is then displayed at a block  830 . The process then returns to block  805  to await revised health status indicators as they are received, such as when they are published to a network linked to the health status display.  
         [0028]     While preferred and alternate embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, as noted above, many changes can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is not limited by the disclosure of these preferred and alternate embodiments. Instead, the invention should be determined entirely by reference to the claims that follow.

Technology Category: 3