Cost-optimized model-based extension of system life

1. A method comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of sensors via a host machine in communication with a system having a plurality n of components, a current performance signature for the plurality n of components, wherein the plurality n includes a first and a second component, and wherein the host machine includes a processor and memory on which is recorded an aging model and a system function model;

recording, via the host machine, a calibrated baseline performance signature for the first and the second components;

processing the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures through the aging model to determine a future performance signature for each of the first and second components, including comparing the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures to a recorded trace of past performance values for additional first and second components in a prior-fielded system over time;

processing the future performance signatures for the first and second components through the system function model to determine a numeric state of function (SOF) of the system for each of 2 n −1 possible repair cases, wherein the numeric SOF is 0 and 1 for a respective degraded and calibrated new system, such that the SOF degrades from 1 to 0 over time, and each of the 2 n −1 possible repair cases describes a possible repair combination of the plurality of n components; and

executing a control action when any of the numeric SOFs of the system is 0, including:

calculating a repair cost and remaining useful life (RUL) for each of the 2 n −1 possible repair cases via the host machine;

calculating a ratio of the calculated repair cost and the calculated RUL for each of the 2 n −1 possible repair cases via the host machine;

calculating a cost-optimal repair case as the lowest of the calculated ratios from among the 2 n −1 possible repair cases via the host machine; and

performing the calculated cost-optimal repair case by replacing or repairing at least one of the plurality n of components.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising recording a desired system life for the system, wherein calculating a cost-optimal repair case as the lowest of the calculated ratios from among the 2 n −1 possible repair cases includes calculating a repair which is cost-optimal over the desired system life.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

recording the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures via a data recorder; and

processing the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures via a host machine in remote communication with the data recorder.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the system is a starter system of a vehicle, the first component is a starter motor, the second component is a battery, and the SOF is the cranking function of the starter system which includes the starter motor and the battery.

5. A method comprising:

receiving, from a plurality of sensors via a host machine in communication with a vehicle cranking system having a plurality n of components, including a starter motor and a battery a current performance signature for the plurality n of components, wherein the host machine includes a processor and memory on which is recorded an aging model and a system function model;

recording, via the host machine, a calibrated baseline performance signature for the starter motor and the battery;

processing the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures through the aging model of a host machine to determine a future performance signature for each of the components;

processing the future performance signatures for the starter motor and the battery through the system function model of the host machine to determine a numeric state of function (SOF) of the vehicle cranking system for each of 2 n −1 possible repair cases, wherein the numeric SOF is 0 and 1 for a respective degraded and calibrated new system, such that the numeric SOF degrades to 0 over time, and wherein each of the possible 2 n −1 repair cases describes a possible repair combination of the n components; and

executing a control action when any of the numeric SOFs is 0, including:

recording a desired system life for the vehicle cranking system;

calculating, via the host machine, a repair cost and remaining useful life (RUL) for each of the 2 n −1 possible repair cases;

calculating, via the host machine, a ratio of the calculated repair cost and the calculated RUL for each of the 2 n −1 possible repair cases;

calculating, via the host machine, a cost-optimal repair case as the lowest of the calculated ratios from among the 2 n −1 possible repair cases, including calculating, via the host machine, the cost-optimal repair case by calculating a repair which is cost-optimal over the recorded desired system life; and

performing the calculated cost-optimal repair case by replacing or repairing at least one of the plurality n of components.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

recording the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures via a data recorder positioned aboard the vehicle;

transmitting the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures to the host machine; and

processing the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures via a host machine in remote communication with the data recorder.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein processing the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures through an aging model includes comparing the current and calibrated baseline performance signatures to a recorded trace of past performance values for a prior-fielded starter motor and battery.