Method and apparatus for system monitoring and maintenance

1. A method of intelligent monitoring and maintenance of a system by means of a plurality of software tools operating on a separate computer processor having a memory and an output device for interaction with an operator, the system comprised of functional components having an online built-in-test functions, said method comprising:

providing an archived system database residing in the memory of the separate computer processor, the archived system database containing prior data associated with expected and previous results of built-in-tests;

accessing test data relating to functional components of said system;

extracting parameter information for said functional components of said system, said step of extracting parameter information including

monitoring the results of the built-in-tests;

determining the presence of non-ambiguous faults and ambiguous faults based upon test data associated with the results of the built-in-tests;

providing an indication on the output device to the operator to replace said functional components associated with non-ambiguous faults as determined by the results of the built-in-tests;

while an ambiguous fault has not been examined, then performing the following steps:

selecting an ambiguous fault for examination;

extracting ambiguous data from test data associated with the results of built-in-tests from which an ambiguous fault is determined;

reducing ambiguity in said ambiguous data;

performing inferential processing and trend recognition of said ambiguous data using prior data, and

simulating performance of said system using models of said system and previous said prior data about said system; and

identifying new data present in said extracted parameter information;

updating the archived system database with the new data wherein the new data becomes prior data.

2. The method of intelligent monitoring and maintenance of a system as recited in claim 1 , wherein the step of extracting parameter information further comprises:

generating images on the output device including said functional components of said system and said extracted parameter information for said functional components of said system, said images having hyperlinks, drill-down capabilities, and textual descriptions.

3. The method of intelligent monitoring and maintenance of a system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

executing confirmatory checks and status reports for said system based on said extracted parameter information for said functional components of said system.

4. The method of intelligent monitoring and maintenance of a system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said step of extracting parameter information for said functional components of said system further includes

making predictions about failures of said functional components of said system, and

scheduling opportunistic maintenance sessions based on said predictions.

5. The method of intelligent monitoring and maintenance of a system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said step of extracting parameter information for said functional components of said system further includes

validating said models of said system, and

creating failure scenarios using said models of said system by collecting outcomes of said models under simulated conditions.

6. The method of intelligent monitoring and maintenance of the system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

detecting No Fault Found and Can Not Duplicate instances in said ambiguous data;

simulating performance of said system by changing states of said functional components of said system in said models of said system, and collecting outcomes of said models of said system;

matching said No Fault Found and Can Not Duplicate instances with said outcomes of said models of said system that exhibit similar functional behavior; and

identifying the functional components that caused said No Fault Found and Can Not Duplicate instances as the functional components that caused said outcomes with said similar functional behavior.

7. The method of intelligent monitoring and maintenance of a system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said step of extracting parameter information for said functional components of said system further includes

performing advanced prognostic and health management for said functional components of said system.

8. The method of intelligent monitoring and maintenance of a system as recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

using a wireless link to send said parameter information for said functional components of said system.

9. An apparatus for intelligent monitoring and maintenance of a system, said apparatus comprising:

a computer processor separate from the system being monitored, the computer processor having memory and an output device;

an archived system database containing prior data about said system, the archived system database residing in the memory of the computer processor;

a plurality of software components stored in the memory of the computer processor, the components comprising the following:

a smart interface engine for accessing data relating to functional components of said system;

a logic engine for extracting parameter information for said functional components of said system, said logic engine extracting parameter information for said functional components by

monitoring an outcome of built-in-tests associated with said functional components;

determining the presence of non-ambiguous faults and ambiguous faults;

providing an indication on the output device to replace said functional components associated with non-ambiguous faults;

while ambiguous faults are present, performing the following steps:

selecting an unresolved ambiguous fault for processing;

extracting ambiguous data relating to said system from said data containing the selected ambiguous fault;

reducing ambiguity in the ambiguous data;

performing inferential processing and trend recognition of said data using the prior data about said system that is retrieved from said archived system database, and

utilizing a performance simulator to simulate performance of said system using models of said system and the prior data about said system from said archived system database; and

presenting on the output device the results of the inferential processing, the trend recognition, and the simulation; and

a confirmatory engine for updating said archived system database with new data present in said extracted parameter information.

10. The apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a graphical user interface engine for generating images including said functional components of said system and said extracted parameter information for said functional components of said system, said images having hyperlinks, drill-down capabilities, and textual descriptions.

11. The apparatus according to claim 10 , wherein said graphical user interface engine generates visual aids that pinpoint failed functional components and provide training and maintenance help for maintenance personnel.

12. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said confirmatory engine executes confirmatory checks and creates status reports of said system based on said extracted parameter information for said functional components of said system.

13. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said logic engine makes predictions about failures of said functional components of said system, and said confirmatory engine requests opportunistic maintenance sessions based on said predictions from logic engine.

14. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said logic engine validates said models of said system and creates failure scenarios using said models of said system by collecting outcomes of said models under simulated conditions input by said performance simulator.

15. The apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a detection unit for detecting No Fault Found and Can Not Duplicate instances in said ambiguous data; and

a performance simulator of said system that changes states of said functional components of said system in said models of said system, collects outcomes of said models of said system, matches said No Fault Found and Can Not Duplicate instances with said outcomes of said models of said system that exhibit similar functional behavior, and identifies the functional components that caused said No Fault Found and Can Not Duplicate instances as the functional components that caused said outcomes with said similar functional behavior.

16. The apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein said logic engine performs advanced prognostic and health management of said functional components of said system.

17. The apparatus according to claim 9 , further comprising:

a wireless link that sends said parameter information for said functional components of said system.