Methods, systems and computer program products for determining systems re-tasking
Methods, systems and computer program products to measure system re-taskability are disclosed. The methods, systems and computer program products may be used in the design of a new or redesign of an existing System of Systems (SoS). Systems re-tasking (aka substitutability or stand-in redundancy) is the process of using different systems to substitute for non-operational systems to meet required functionality, or using multi-function systems to fulfill higher-priority tasks. This ability can increase the overall operational availability of the SoS; it can also increase the adaptability and resilience of the SoS to unknown or changing conditions. The disclosed methods, systems and computer products include simulating an SoS over time, replacing systems that become non-operational (or damaged) with systems that can fulfill the same capability in order to maximize the SoS availability.
1. A method for determining effective system re-taskability of a system and assembling the system, comprising:
a) a user defining a problem having a design, functions, and a scenario;
b) the user defining possible re-tasking for each function;
c) evaluating performance of the system under re-tasking using system of system availability;
d) the user redefining the design based on the evaluated performance;
e) repeat steps a through d to create one or more designs;
f) the user comparing the designs;
g) the user selecting a best design wherein the design is a design that meets system of system availability;
wherein the system is selected from a group consisting of a military deployment, an electrical grid, a package delivery company, and a supply chain; and
wherein system of system availability is determined by the following formula:
A
SoS
=
1
t
tot
∑
i
=
1
N
times
Δ
t
i
max
j
=
possible
“
success
-
path
”
combinations
[
min
k
=
SP
requirements
(
N
operating
❘
operable
k
,
j
,
i
N
required
k
,
j
,
i
)
]
.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the evaluation is determined by possible success paths for inoperability, evaluating system of system availability for each design, and incorporating a success path based on improving system of system availability.
3. A system comprising:
a computer; and
a non-transitory computer readable storage medium encoded with programming for interactively analyzing system re-taskability, the non-transitory computer readable medium with programming configured, when executed by the computer, to:
a) receive an input that defines a problem having a design, functions, and a scenario;
b) receive an input that defines possible re-tasking for each function;
c) execute a program to evaluate performance of a system under re-tasking using system of system availability;
d) receive an input that redefines the design;
e) repeat steps a through d to create one or more designs;
f) compare the designs;
g) wherein a user selects a final system design from the one or more designs based on evaluation of effective system availability;
wherein the final system design is selected from a group consisting of a military deployment, an electrical grid, a package delivery company, and a supply chain; and
wherein system of system availability is determined by the following formula:
A
SoS
=
1
t
tot
∑
i
=
1
N
times
Δ
t
i
max
j
=
possible
“
success
-
path
”
combinations
[
min
k
=
SP
requirements
(
N
operating
❘
operable
k
,
j
,
i
N
required
k
,
j
,
i
)
]
.
4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the evaluation is determined by possible success paths for inoperability, evaluating system of system availability for each design, and incorporating a best success path based on improving system of system availability.
5. A computer program product stored on a non-transitory computer readable medium, wherein executed by a process on a computer, the computer program product configured to:
a) receive an input that defines a problem having a system design, functions, and a scenario;
b) receive an input that defines possible re-tasking for each function;
c) execute a program to evaluate performance of a system under re-tasking using system of system availability;
d) receive an input that redefines the system design;
e) repeat steps a through d to create one or more system designs;
f) compare the system designs; and
g) wherein a user selects a final system design from the one or more system designs based on evaluation of effective system availability;
wherein the system is selected from a group consisting of a military deployment, an electrical grid, a package delivery company, and a supply chain; and
wherein system of system availability is determined by the following formula:
A
SoS
=
1
t
tot
∑
i
=
1
N
times
Δ
t
i
max
j
=
possible
“
success
-
path
”
combinations
[
min
k
=
SP
requirements
(
N
operating
❘
operable
k
,
j
,
i
N
required
k
,
j
,
i
)
]
.
6. The computer program product of claim 5 , wherein the evaluation is determined by possible success paths for inoperability, evaluating system of system availability for each design, and incorporating a best success path based on improving system of system availability.