Progressive maintenance of credit user interface

Abstract

The invention discloses a planned maintenance credit user interface, and provides an aircraft maintenance user interface. The interface includes an alarm indicator that displays an alarm associated with the aircraft system that must be addressed for maintenance compliance of the aircraft. A compliance window indicator displays a normalized slip ratio of a percentage of elapse of a preamble time between an alarm and a maintenance compliance deadline. The remaining unit indicator displays the number of units that have been used among the total number of units that measure the allocation of the remaining preamble time.

Description

[0001] Cross Reference to Related Applications This application is related to U.S. Patent Application Serial No. 63 / 699196, titled “Scheduled Maintenance Credit Data Health Management and Tracking of Compliance Lead Time Remaining,” filed on the same day, having attorney docket number 24-0406-US-PSP, assigned to the same assignee, and incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to aircraft maintenance, and more specifically to an interface for monitoring maintenance tasks and providing notifications when maintenance must be completed. BACKGROUND

[0003] An aircraft health management (AHM) system is an integrated solution designed to monitor and manage the health and performance of an aircraft in real-time. The AHM system collects and analyzes data from various aircraft systems to detect anomalies, predict potential failures, and optimize maintenance activities. This capability is crucial for airlines to ensure operational efficiency, improve safety, and reduce maintenance costs.

[0004] ACARS (Aircraft Communication Addressing and Reporting System) is a digital data link system used to transmit messages between aircraft and ground stations. The system was introduced to replace voice communications and has since become an essential component of modern aviation communications. Airlines use ACARS to monitor the status of their aircraft, send operational instructions, and receive data about the aircraft's position, speed, altitude, and other parameters. ACARS can transmit data about the aircraft's systems and performance, allowing maintenance teams to be informed of any issues before the aircraft lands. This data can be used to plan maintenance, reducing the aircraft's downtime. SUMMARY

[0005] An illustrative embodiment provides an aircraft maintenance user interface. The interface includes a dashboard that displays alerts related to aircraft systems that must be addressed to be in compliance with the MRBR Appendix M task descriptions for an aircraft enrolled in condition-based monitoring. A compliance window indicator displays a normalized sliding scale of the percentage of elapsed lead time between the alerts and the maintenance compliance deadline. A remaining units indicator displays the number of units used out of a total number of allocated units that measure the remaining lead time.

[0006] Another embodiment provides a system for displaying an aircraft maintenance user interface. The system includes a storage device storing program instructions and one or more processors operably connected to the storage device and configured to execute the program instructions to cause the system to display: a dashboard displaying alerts related to an aircraft system that must be resolved to comply with an MRBR Appendix M task description for the aircraft; a compliance window indicator displaying a normalized sliding scale of a percentage of elapsed lead time between the alerts and a maintenance compliance deadline; and a remaining units indicator displaying a number of units used out of a total number of units allocated to measure a remaining lead time.

[0007] Another embodiment provides a computer program product for displaying an aircraft maintenance user interface. The computer program product includes a computer readable storage medium having program instructions embodied therewith to perform operations to display: a dashboard displaying alerts related to an aircraft system that must be resolved to comply with an MRBR Appendix M task description for the aircraft; a compliance window indicator displaying a normalized sliding scale of a percentage of elapsed lead time between the alerts and a maintenance compliance deadline; and a remaining units indicator displaying a number of units used out of a total number of units allocated to measure a remaining lead time.

[0008] The features and functionalities can be implemented independently in various embodiments of the present disclosure or can be combined in further other embodiments, where further details can be seen with reference to the following detailed description and drawings. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0009] The novel features described herein are set forth with particularity in the claims that follow. These descriptive embodiments are indicative of the only illustrative embodiments of the present disclosure, and are not meant to be limiting. The only limitation that the descriptive embodiments place on the scope of the present disclosure is that of the appended claims. The descriptive embodiments are not meant to be limiting in any way, but merely to illustrate the principles of the present disclosure. The best mode of practicing the principles of the present disclosure, further objects and advantages of the present disclosure, and further features of the present disclosure will be best understood from the following detailed description when read in connection with the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an illustration of a block diagram of an aircraft maintenance user interface in accordance with illustrative embodiments; Figure 2 depicts a process flow of processing and resolving alerts in accordance with illustrative embodiments; Figure 3 depicts a planned maintenance interface for new alerts in accordance with illustrative embodiments; Figure 4A depicts a threshold alert details pane in accordance with illustrative embodiments; Figure 4B depicts a workflow status drop down menu in accordance with illustrative embodiments; Figure 5Adepicts a status details pane marked as actioned, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 5B depicts an update status details pane, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 5C depicts a status details pane marked as resolved, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 5D depicts a status details pane marked as rework, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 6A depicts an actioned alerts dashboard user interface for actioned alerts, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 6B depicts an actioned alerts dashboard user interface for actioned alerts, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 7 depicts a "no report" details pane for when a report for an associated aircraft system has not been received within a specified number of flight cycles, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 8 depicts a flowchart showing required actions to be performed for various types of transmission interruptions from an aircraft; Figure 9A depicts a fleet data health display, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 9B depicts a fleet data health display, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 10A depicts an aircraft data health details pane, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 10B depicts a data interruption cause drop-down menu, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 11 depicts a specific details pane for data interruptions of ACARS MEL categories, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 12 depicts an aircraft data health details pane after entering an ACARS MEL related data interruption, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 13 depicts an update details pane for pending classification data interruptions, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 14 depicts an aircraft data health details pane after resuming data reception, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 15 depicts a resolution details pane for pending classification data interruptions, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 16 depicts a specific details pane for data interruptions of maintenance check categories, according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 17 The aircraft data health details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment after verifying maintenance check status information; Figure 18 The aircraft data health details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment, showing the updated verification of the maintenance check status according to the instructions. Figure 19 An updated details pane for pending maintenance checks according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted; Figure 20A An automatic resolution notification in a fleet data health display according to an illustrative embodiment is described; Figure 20B An automatic resolution notification in a fleet data health display according to an illustrative embodiment is described; Figure 21 A resolved status details pane depicts details of providing automatic resolution of data interruptions according to an illustrative embodiment; Figure 22 Specific detail panes depicting other categories of data interruptions according to illustrative embodiments; Figure 23 The aircraft data health details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment after an interruption in inputting other relevant data; Figure 24 The update detail pane for other classification data interruptions according to the illustrative embodiment is depicted; Figure 25 Specific detail panes depicting other categories of data interruptions according to illustrative embodiments; Figure 26 The aircraft data health details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment after an interruption of data input and non-use related data. Figure 27 An update detail pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment of a non-use classification data interruption; Figure 28 A block diagram of a data processing system described according to an illustrative embodiment is presented; Figure 29 These are illustrations of an aircraft manufacturing and servicing method according to an illustrative embodiment; and Figure 30 This is a block diagram illustration of an aircraft in which illustrative embodiments may be implemented. Detailed Implementation

[0010] The illustrative embodiments recognize and take into account that airline operators must schedule regular maintenance checks for aircraft systems. These checks incur costs associated with labor and premature replacement of system components.

[0011] The illustrative embodiment provides a user interface to notify airline operators when maintenance of the aircraft is required, based on sensor readings and the flight history of the monitored systems, thereby eliminating the need for FAA-mandated periodic scheduled inspections. The illustrative embodiment also assists operators in maintaining airworthiness compliance even when no data is received from the registered aircraft by notifying operators of transmission interruptions and providing suggestions on manual actions that may be necessary for maintenance compliance until the interruption can be resolved.

[0012] This illustrative embodiment utilizes a prognostic alert engine in Aircraft Health Management (AHM). The alert engine generates alerts displayed to the operator based on real-time data received while the aircraft is in flight. This illustrative embodiment also relies on new capabilities to calculate airworthiness compliance status and risk levels.

[0013] Now for reference Figure 1 This illustration depicts a block diagram of an aircraft maintenance user interface according to an illustrative embodiment. The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 can be integrated into an aircraft health management (AHM) system.

[0014] The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 displays new alerts 116 related to aircraft systems that have reached operational thresholds and require maintenance to meet aircraft compliance requirements (see [link]). Figure 3 The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 also displays the activated alert 118 for the initiated work order (see Figure 6).

[0015] The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 displays an alarm indicator 102 that shows alarms related to the aircraft system that must be resolved for aircraft maintenance compliance. The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 also displays a compliance window indicator 104, which visually depicts the remaining opportunity window for meeting the aircraft's compliance deadline. This compliance window can be presented as a normalized sliding scale of the percentage of time elapsed between the threshold alarm and the maintenance compliance deadline. The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 also displays a remaining units indicator 106, which complements the compliance window indicator 104 and indicates the number of window units used in the total allocation. These units may include time units or operating cycles.

[0016] When viewing the Actioned Alert 118, the Aircraft Maintenance User Interface 100 also displays a Compliance Status 108, which indicates the current stage of the workflow for resolving the alert in question.

[0017] The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 provides an alarm details pane 110, which responds to a click on the alarm indicator 102 as a second-level slide-in view (see Figure 4).

[0018] An alarm is displayed in the aircraft maintenance interface 100 if the aircraft fails to send a report on the aircraft systems within a specified number of flight cycles. Clicking the alarm causes the "No Reports" details pane 114 to slide into view (see...). Figure 7 ).

[0019] The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 also provides a fleet data health display 120, which provides more detailed breakdowns of data interruptions (see...). Figure 9A and Figure 9B The aircraft are listed below the data interruption reasons in different categories 122 in the fleet data health display 120. Selecting an aircraft entry under category 124 causes the aircraft health details pane 126 to slide into view, which can provide a general or specific view based on category 124 (see Figure 10 and 124). Figure 12 ).

[0020] The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 is generated by the display system 156. The display system 156 is a physical hardware system and includes one or more display devices on which the aircraft maintenance user interface 100 can be displayed.

[0021] The display device in the display system 156 may include at least one of the following: a light-emitting diode (LED) display, a liquid crystal display (LCD), an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) display, a computer monitor, a projector, a flat panel display, a head-up display (HUD), a head-mounted display (HMD), or some other suitable device that can output information to visually present information.

[0022] The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 can be implemented using software, hardware, firmware, or a combination thereof. When using software, the operations performed by the aircraft maintenance user interface 100 can be implemented in program code configured to run on hardware, such as a processor unit. When using firmware, the operations performed by the aircraft maintenance user interface 100 can be implemented in program code and data and stored in persistent memory for execution on a processor unit. When hardware is used, the hardware may include circuitry that operates to perform the operations in the aircraft maintenance user interface 100.

[0023] In the illustrative example, the hardware may take the form of at least one of the following: a circuit system, an integrated circuit, an application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a programmable logic device, or some other suitable type of hardware configured to perform multiple operations. In the case of a programmable logic device, the device may be configured to perform multiple operations. The device may be reconfigured at a later time or may be permanently configured to perform multiple operations. Programmable logic devices include, for example, programmable logic arrays, programmable array logic, field-programmable logic arrays, field-programmable gate arrays, and other suitable hardware devices. Additionally, these processes may be implemented in organic components integrated with inorganic components and may consist entirely of organic components (excluding humans). For example, these processes may be implemented as circuits in organic semiconductors.

[0024] Computer system 150 is a physical hardware system and includes one or more data processing systems. When there is more than one data processing system in computer system 150, these data processing systems communicate with each other using a communication medium. The communication medium may be a network. The data processing system may be selected from at least one of the following: a computer, a server computer, a tablet computer, or some other suitable data processing system.

[0025] As depicted, computer system 150 includes a plurality of processor units 152 capable of executing program code 154 implementing the process in the illustrative example. As used herein, the processor units among the plurality of processor units 152 are hardware devices and consist of hardware circuitry (e.g., hardware circuitry on an integrated circuit that responds to and processes instructions and program code that operate the computer). When the plurality of processor units 152 execute the program code 154 for the process, the plurality of processor units 152 are one or more processor units that may be on the same computer or different computers. In other words, the process may be distributed among processor units on the same or different computers in the computer system. Furthermore, the plurality of processor units 152 may be processor units of the same type or different types. For example, the plurality of processor units may be selected from at least one of the following: a single-core processor, a dual-core processor, a multi-processor core, a general-purpose central processing unit (CPU), a graphics processing unit (GPU), a digital signal processor (DSP), or some other type of processor unit.

[0026] Figure 2 The process flow for handling and resolving threshold alarms according to an illustrative embodiment is described. The aircraft maintenance user interface 100 can be used to monitor and assist in the operation of process 200.

[0027] The AHM analyst monitors new alerts (Operation 202). When a new alert 204 is received, the AHM analyst uses the Aircraft Maintenance User Interface 100 to document the work order related to the alert (created in the airline maintenance planning system) (Operation 206).

[0028] The work order is sent to the compliance manager and the maintenance team. The maintenance team receives the work order (operation 208) and completes the work order (step 210).

[0029] The compliance manager can use the aircraft maintenance user interface 100 to monitor the actioned alerts (operation 212) and mark the work order as completed (operation 214). The compliance manager also verifies the work to ensure that the issue that generated alert 204 has actually been resolved (operation 216). If the issue has been resolved, the alert is marked as resolved and closed (operation 218) and can be reviewed in the AHM history (operation 220).

[0030] If the completed work order does not resolve the issue, a rework alert 222 is generated to restart process 200.

[0031] Figure 3 A planned maintenance interface for new alarms, according to an illustrative embodiment, is depicted. Interface 300 is an example interface for displaying new thresholds and "no report" alarms.

[0032] Interface 300 includes an alarm indicator 302 that displays a threshold or "no report" alarm related to the aircraft system, which must be resolved for aircraft maintenance compliance.

[0033] The compliance window indicator 304 displays a normalized sliding scale showing the percentage of time elapsed between the time the alert was received and the maintenance compliance deadline. In this example, the compliance window starts on the left and progresses to the deadline on the right. If the issue causing the alert is not resolved by the deadline indicated, the aircraft in question must be taken out of service, resulting in lost operating time and revenue.

[0034] The Remaining units indictor 306 displays the number of units used (e.g., elapsed hours, flight hours, or flight cycles) out of the total number of units allocated to the remaining lead time opportunity window. The remaining units indictor 306 visually displays the number of countdowns in the normalized sliding scale of the compliance window indicator 304.

[0035] The flight phase indicator 308 displays the flight phase during which a threshold alarm is generated. In this example, the flight phases are divided into OOOI (representing Out, off the gate), Off (takeoff), On (landing, "weight on wheels"), and In (arrival at the gate).

[0036] The history indicator 310 displays the operational history of the aircraft system prior to the occurrence of the issue that triggered the threshold alarm. The history indicator 310 represents the flight segment preceding the aircraft's current flight segment (leg) (flight segment 0) at the right end of the indicator. A solid black circle in the history indicator represents an alarm generated during that flight segment.

[0037] Figure 4B A threshold alarm details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment. In response to a click on the threshold alarm title displayed in the alarm indicator 302 in the interface 300, the alarm details pane 400 serves as a second-level slide-in view. The alarm details pane 400 contains the history 402 of the aircraft system prior to the threshold alarm. The current parametric value 404 of the aircraft system is displayed relative to the threshold value 406.

[0038] The compliance status 408 indicates the current status of the workflow for resolving threshold alarms. The compliance status 408 can be updated via the drop-down menu 410 to select the status to display, such as... Figure 4B As shown.

[0039] The Alert details pane 400 also contains links to documents 412 that detail the maintenance tasks required to resolve threshold alarms related to the aircraft system.

[0040] The alarm details pane 400 also includes a description 414 of threshold alarms and activities related to resolving threshold alarms.

[0041] Figure 5A - Figure 5D An example of a status details pane is depicted, which pops up in response to clicking on a workflow status to call up a drop-down menu 410. The drop-down menu 410 allows the user to select a specific version of the status to be displayed based on the stage of the workflow.

[0042] Figure 5AA status display marked as "Marked as Actioned" according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted. The "Marked as Actioned" status display 500A can be used to initiate work on a new threshold alarm. It includes a list 502 of maintenance tasks related to the aircraft system for resolving the threshold alarm, and a work order input field 504.

[0043] Figure 5B An updated status display according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted. After work begins to resolve a threshold alarm, the update status display 500B adds an input field 506 to confirm that the work order has been closed.

[0044] Figure 5C The illustration depicts a status display marked as resolved according to an illustrative embodiment. After a work order has been closed, the work must then be verified to ensure that the problem has indeed been resolved. The status display marked as resolved 500C includes an input field 508 to confirm that the condition that triggered the threshold alarm has been resolved.

[0045] Figure 5D The illustration depicts a rework status display according to an illustrative embodiment. If the completion of a work order does not correctly resolve the issue, the user can select rework status display 500D to initiate a new threshold alert to put the work back into the work queue. It should be noted that rework alerts do not reset the compliance window.

[0046] Figure 6A and Figure 6B The user interface for the Actual Alerts dashboard, according to an illustrative embodiment, is depicted. New threshold alerts are moved to interface 600 after they are marked as acted (meaning work has been initiated to resolve them). Interface 600 contains data fields similar to those used for new alerts in interface 300, but also includes a compliance status field 602 and an associated work order field 604. Status detail panes 500A-500D can also be accessed and updated via the compliance status field 602.

[0047] In addition to generating alarms when an aircraft system exceeds its operational threshold, an alarm is also generated when the aircraft fails to send reports from its systems within a specified number of flight cycles. For example, during a flight cycle, reports from all aircraft systems except for those from Brake Servicing can be received.

[0048] Figure 7 A “No Report” details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment when no report is received from the associated aircraft system within a specified number of flight cycles. The report interruption details pane 700 is similar to the alarm details pane 400, but is specific to missing reports.

[0049] In response to a “No Report” alert displayed in the clicked alert indicator 302, a “No Report” details pane 700 slides in as a second-level view. The “No Report” details pane 700 contains links 702 for receiving corresponding reports for each flight cycle of the aircraft system in question within a specified number of flight cycles.

[0050] The "No Report" details pane 700 also contains link 704, which points to a document that details the manual procedures and compliance tasks required to resolve interruptions related to the aircraft system for maintaining compliance.

[0051] The compliance status 708 provides details about the current status of the "No Report" alert.

[0052] Figure 8 A flowchart illustrating the process for resolving a complete transmission interruption is depicted, where no data is received from the aircraft for a specified amount of time (assuming 24 hours in this example, but other time periods could be used). If the aircraft is not transmitting, the mitigation of this lack of transmission depends on whether the aircraft was in flight at the time of the data interruption.

[0053] If the aircraft is in use, data interruption can impact compliance. The aircraft may be in normal use, but the ACARS system may be under MEL (Minimum Equipment List) delay. Therefore, the AHM is not receiving data from the ACARS channel. In this situation, the operator must schedule manual maintenance tasks and verify the aircraft status in the AHM every 24 hours. ACARS MEL situations typically last one to three days.

[0054] Alternatively, the aircraft may be in normal use, but there is another reason why the AHM is not receiving data from the aircraft. The operator must identify and investigate the data interruption, plan manual maintenance tasks to ensure compliance, and verify the aircraft status with the AHM every 24 hours.

[0055] If the aircraft is not in use, there is no impact on compliance. An aircraft may be out of service due to unplanned issues such as system malfunctions (e.g., the air conditioning system not working). If the aircraft is out of service, the operator must verify its status every 24 hours and ensure that it is transmitting data correctly when it is brought back into service. This unplanned outage typically lasts 24-72 hours.

[0056] Alternatively, the aircraft may be undergoing extended routine maintenance checks. In this case, the operator must periodically verify the expected completion date and ensure that the aircraft is transmitting data correctly when it returns to service. Extended maintenance checks typically last three to four months.

[0057] Figure 9A and Figure 9B A fleet data health display according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted. (As shown) Figure 9A and Figure 9B As shown, fleet data health display 900 includes different categories of data transmission interruptions as described above. According to... Figure 8 The flowchart in the document includes categories such as Reason Unknown, ACARS MEL, Other, Out of Service, and In Maintenance Check. The Fleet Data Health Display 900 may also include categories for recently repaired aircraft that have resumed data transmission.

[0058] Figure 10A An aircraft data health details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment. Clicking on an entry 902 under a category in the fleet data health display 900 causes the aircraft data health details pane 1000A to slide in as a second-level view. The aircraft data health details pane 1000A includes a status summary 1002A and contains a history 1004 of data interruptions to the aircraft.

[0059] The aircraft data health details pane 1000A also includes a list 1006 of manual maintenance tasks that may be required due to data interruption.

[0060] The Data Outage Reason drop-down menu in the Aircraft Data Health Details pane 1000A (1008) Figure 10B (As shown) Allows you to select and change the category of data interruption. In response to selecting a data interruption category from the drop-down menu, a dedicated details pane pops up. The dedicated details pane contains data input fields specific to the selected data interruption category.

[0061] In this example, the fleet data health of aircraft 902 selected for the aircraft entry is currently listed as having an unknown cause for data interruption.

[0062] Figure 11 A specific detail pane for a data interruption in the ACARS MEL category according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted. Detail pane 1100 is conceptually similar to the “no report” detail pane 700, but has extended functionality and is used for situations where no data is received from the aircraft systems.

[0063] In response to selecting ACARS MEL from drop-down menu 1008, Details pane 1100 pops up. Details pane 1100 includes a reason field 1102 and a MEL Log Page input field 1104, the reason field 1102 listing the reason for the data interruption selection. Details pane 1100 provides a work order input field 1106 and lists the manual maintenance tasks 1108 required due to ACARS MEL data interruption. Details pane 1100 also includes a status notification 1110, which indicates how frequently the status must be verified during ACARS MEL data interruption.

[0064] Figure 12 The illustration depicts an aircraft data health details pane following the input of ACARS MEL-related data interruption, according to an illustrative embodiment. In response to selecting ACARS MEL as the reason for the data interruption and storing the data entered in the required fields of details pane 1100, the updated aircraft data health details pane 1000B includes an expanded status summary 1002B, which includes the MEL log page and MEL reference, as well as the identity of the person making the input.

[0065] Selecting ACARS MEL will also move the corresponding aircraft entry from the Reason Unknown column in the fleet data health display 900 to the ACARS MEL column.

[0066] Status notification 1204 provides information about the next verification time specific to the ACARS MEL situation. A list 1206 of procedures for the required maintenance tasks is presented in an expandable menu. Each registered system may require a different set of manual maintenance tasks.

[0067] The Activity description (1208) indicates the current status of the workflow for resolving data interruptions and the people who enter and update information related to the workflow.

[0068] Drop-down menu 1210 allows users to invoke a details pane to update or resolve the status of data interruptions.

[0069] Figure 13 An updated details pane for a pending classification data interruption is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment. The details pane 1300 is invoked via a drop-down menu 1210 and is used to provide verification updates based on the requests listed in status notification 1204.

[0070] Input field 1302 allows users to verify that the status of the ACARS MEL status is ongoing, which can be supplemented by comments in the Additional Comments input field 1304. Verification resets the verification period, as described in status notification 1306.

[0071] Figure 14 The image depicts the aircraft data health details pane after data reception has been restored, according to an illustrative embodiment. Once the problem that caused the data interruption is resolved, the aircraft will resume data transmission, which is received by the AHM.

[0072] This recovery of data transmission is indicated by Status Notification 1402 in the Aircraft Data Health Details pane 1000C. Users now need to ensure that any planned manual work orders for compliance during the data outage have been cancelled, as condition-based monitoring will be conducted for aircraft recovery.

[0073] Furthermore, drop-down menu 1210 allows users to invoke the details pane to resolve data interruption statuses.

[0074] Figure 15 A resolution details pane for an unresolved classification data interruption, according to an illustrative embodiment, is depicted. The resolution details pane 1500 pops up in response to selecting "Resolve" from the drop-down menu 1210.

[0075] Input field 1502 allows users to verify that the MEL delay has been resolved. Input field 1504 allows users to verify that all work orders associated with the MEL situation have been completed or cancelled (if no longer needed). These verifications can be supplemented with comments in the Additional Comments input field 1506.

[0076] Each type of data disruption requires a different detail pane to account for the differences in the corresponding timeline and workflow.

[0077] Figure 16 A specific detail pane depicting a data interruption according to the maintenance check category of the illustrative embodiment is shown. Referring back to Figure 10, the detail pane 1600 is invoked by selecting Maintenance Check from the drop-down menu 1008.

[0078] The details pane 1600 includes a reason field 1602 and an estimated exit date input field 1604. The reason field 1602 lists the reasons for the selected data interruption, and the estimated exit date input field 1604 is used to specify the expected end of the maintenance check.

[0079] The details pane 1600 also includes a status notification 1606, which indicates the frequency at which the status must be verified during maintenance checks.

[0080] Unlike ACARS MEL data outages, there are no work orders to specify related to maintenance checks, as this poses no threat to compliance. Maintenance work during maintenance checks is pre-defined and standardized.

[0081] Figure 17 An aircraft data health details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment after verifying maintenance check status information. In response to selecting a maintenance check as the cause of data interruption and storing the data entered in the required fields of the details pane 1600, the updated aircraft data health details pane 1000D includes an expanded status summary 1002C, which includes the identity of the person making the input.

[0082] Selecting maintenance check will also move the corresponding aircraft entry from the Reason Unknown column in the fleet data health display 900 to the In Maintenance Check column.

[0083] Status notification 1704 provides information about the next verification time specific to the maintenance check. A list of enrolled maintenance tasks 1706 is presented in the expandable menu.

[0084] Activity description 1708 instructs on the current status of maintenance checks and the person responsible for entering and updating information related to the workflow.

[0085] Figure 18 An aircraft data health details pane, according to an illustrative embodiment, is depicted to indicate the updated verification of maintenance check status. If the maintenance check is not verified within the required 30 days, a notification is displayed in the status notification 1804 of the aircraft data health details pane 1000E. Again, a drop-down menu 1210 can be used to bring up a dedicated details pane to provide updates or resolve the situation.

[0086] Figure 19 An updated details pane for a pending maintenance check according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted. The updated details pane 1900 is invoked from a drop-down menu 1210 and is used to provide verification of the ongoing maintenance check. The updated details pane 1900 is similar to details pane 1600 and provides an input field 1902 for updating the verification status to confirm that the maintenance check is still in progress.

[0087] Figure 20A and Figure 20B An automatic resolution notification in the fleet data health display according to an illustrative embodiment is depicted. When an aircraft comes out of service or when data is interrupted during a maintenance check and data retransmission begins, an automatic resolution notification 2000 appears in the fleet data health display 900, and the aircraft entry is automatically moved to the Recently Restored column.

[0088] The "view" button in the automatic resolution notification 2000 can be used to call functions such as... Figure 21 The details pane for the resolved status is shown.

[0089] Figure 21 A resolved status details pane is depicted, illustrating the details of the automatic resolution of data interruptions according to an illustrative embodiment. The resolved status details pane 2100 provides details of the automatically resolved data interruptions.

[0090] Figure 22Specific detail panes for other categories of data interruptions according to the illustrative embodiment are depicted. Detail pane 2200 pops up in response to selecting "Other" from drop-down menu 1008. Detail pane 2200 includes a reason field 2202 that lists the selected reasons for the data interruption. Detail pane 2200 provides a work order input menu 2204 and an additional comments input field 2206 to provide an explanation of why the data interruption does not fall into one of the other categories. Detail pane 2200 also includes a status notification 2208 that indicates the frequency (e.g., every 24 hours) at which the status must be verified during a data interruption.

[0091] Figure 23 An aircraft data health details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment after an interruption in inputting other relevant data. In response to selecting "Other" as the reason for the data interruption and storing the data entered in the required fields in details pane 2200, the updated aircraft data health details pane 1000F includes an expanded status summary 1002D, which includes the identity of the person who made the input.

[0092] Selecting "Other" will also move the corresponding aircraft entry from the "Reason Unknown" column in the fleet data health display 900 to the "Other" column.

[0093] Status notification 2304 provides information about the next verification time, which may vary depending on other circumstances. A list 2306 of work orders requiring maintenance tasks is presented in expandable menus. Each work order may require a different set of maintenance tasks.

[0094] Activity Description 2308 indicates the current status of the workflow for resolving transmission interruptions and the person who enters and updates information related to the workflow.

[0095] Drop-down menu 1210 again allows users to invoke the details pane to update or resolve the status of data interruptions.

[0096] Figure 24 An update details pane for other categorized data interruptions is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment. Details pane 2400 is invoked via drop-down menu 1210 in the aircraft data health details pane 1000F and is used to provide verification updates according to the requirements listed in status notification 2304.

[0097] Input field 2402 allows users to verify that the status of other data interruptions is ongoing, which can be supplemented by comments in the Additional Comments input field 2404.

[0098] Figure 25 Specific detail panes for other categories of data interruptions according to the illustrative embodiment are depicted. Detail pane 2500 pops up in response to selecting "Other" from drop-down menu 1008. Detail pane 2500 includes a reason field 2502 that lists the selected reason for the data interruption. Detail pane 2200 provides an additional comments input field 2504. Detail pane 2500 also includes a status notification 2506 that indicates how frequently the status must be verified during a data interruption (e.g., every 24 hours).

[0099] Figure 26 An aircraft data health details pane is depicted according to an illustrative embodiment after an out-of-service data interruption. In response to selecting out-of-service as the reason for the data interruption and storing the data entered in the required fields of details pane 2500, the updated aircraft data health details pane 1000G includes an extended status summary 1002E, which includes the identity of the person making the input.

[0100] Selecting "Out of Service" will also move the corresponding aircraft entry from the "Reason Unknown" column in the fleet data health display 900 to the "Out of Service" column.

[0101] Status notification 2604 provides information about the next verification time specific to the in-use status. An expandable menu 2606 presents a list of programs requiring manual maintenance tasks. Each program may require a different set of maintenance tasks.

[0102] Activity Description 2608 indicates the current status of the workflow for resolving transmission interruptions and the person who enters and updates information related to the workflow.

[0103] Furthermore, drop-down menu 1210 allows users to invoke the details pane to update or resolve the status of data interruptions.

[0104] Figure 27 An update details pane for non-interrupted classification data in use, according to an illustrative embodiment, is depicted. The details pane 2700 is invoked via a drop-down menu 1210 in the aircraft data health details pane 1000G and is used to provide verification updates according to the requirements listed in status notification 2604.

[0105] Input field 2702 allows users to update the verification time when the aircraft is not in use, which can be supplemented by comments in the Additional Comments input field 2704.

[0106] Now go to Figure 28 This illustration depicts a block diagram of a data processing system according to an illustrative embodiment. The data processing system 2800 can be used for implementation. Figure 1 The computer system 150 is shown. In this illustrative example, the data processing system 2800 includes a communication framework 2802 that provides communication between a processor unit 2804, a memory 2806, a persistent storage device 2808, a communication unit 2810, an input / output (I / O) unit 2812, and a display 2814. In this example, the communication framework 2802 takes the form of a bus system.

[0107] Processor unit 2804 is used to execute instructions for software that can be loaded into memory 2806. Depending on the specific implementation, processor unit 2804 may be multiple processors, a multiprocessor core, or some other type of processor. In one embodiment, processor unit 2804 includes one or more conventional general-purpose central processing units (CPUs). In an alternative embodiment, processor unit 2804 includes one or more graphics processing units (GPUs).

[0108] Memory 2806 and persistent storage device 2808 are examples of storage device 2816. A storage device is any hardware capable of temporarily, permanently, or both temporarily and permanently storing information (such as, for example, but not limited to, data, program code in functional form, or at least one of other suitable information). In these illustrative examples, storage device 2816 may also be referred to as a computer-readable storage device. In these examples, memory 2806 may be, for example, random access memory or any other suitable volatile or non-volatile storage device. Persistent storage device 2808 may take various forms depending on the specific implementation.

[0109] For example, persistent storage device 2808 may include one or more components or devices. For example, persistent storage device 2808 may be a hard disk drive, flash memory, rewritable optical disk, rewritable magnetic tape, or some combination thereof. The media used in persistent storage device 2808 may also be removable. For example, a removable hard disk drive may be used in persistent storage device 2808. In these illustrative examples, communication unit 2810 provides communication with other data processing systems or devices. In these illustrative examples, communication unit 2810 is a network interface card.

[0110] The input / output unit 2812 allows data input and output using other devices that can be connected to the data processing system 2800. For example, the input / output unit 2812 can provide a connection for user input via at least one of a keyboard, mouse, or some other suitable input device. Furthermore, the input / output unit 2812 can send output to a printer. The display 2814 provides a mechanism for displaying information to the user.

[0111] Instructions for at least one of the operating system, application, or program may reside in storage device 2816, which communicates with processor unit 2804 via communication frame 2802. Processes in different embodiments may be executed by processor unit 2804 using computer-implemented instructions, which may reside in memory (e.g., memory 2806).

[0112] These instructions are referred to as program code, computer-usable program code, or computer-readable program code, which can be read and executed by the processor in processor unit 2804. The program code in different embodiments may be embodied on different physical or computer-readable storage media (e.g., memory 2806 or persistent storage device 2808).

[0113] Program code 2818 is functionally located on a computer-readable medium 2820, which is selectively removable and can be loaded or transferred to a data processing system 2800 for execution by a processor unit 2804. In these illustrative examples, program code 2818 and computer-readable medium 2820 form a computer program product 2822. In one example, computer-readable medium 2820 may be a computer-readable storage medium 2824 or a computer-readable signal medium 2826.

[0114] In these illustrative examples, computer-readable storage medium 2824 is a physical or tangible storage device for storing program code 2818, and not a medium for propagating or transmitting program code 2818. Computer-readable storage medium 2824 as used herein should not be construed as a transient signal, such as radio waves or other freely propagating electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic waves propagating through waveguides or other transmission media (e.g., light pulses through fiber optic cables), or electrical signals transmitted through wires as used herein.

[0115] Alternatively, program code 2818 may be transmitted to data processing system 2800 using computer-readable signal medium 2826. Computer-readable signal medium 2826 may be, for example, a propagated data signal containing program code 2818. For example, computer-readable signal medium 2826 may be at least one of electromagnetic signals, optical signals, or any other suitable type of signal. These signals may be transmitted via at least one communication link, such as a wireless communication link, fiber optic cable, coaxial cable, electrical wire, or any other suitable type of communication link.

[0116] The different components shown for data processing system 2800 do not imply an architectural limitation on how different embodiments can be implemented. Different illustrative embodiments may be implemented in a data processing system that includes components other than those shown for data processing system 2800 or components that replace those shown for data processing system 2800. Figure 28 Other components shown may differ from the illustrative example illustrated. Different embodiments may be implemented using any hardware device or system capable of running program code 2818.

[0117] The illustrative embodiments of this disclosure can be implemented as follows: Figure 29 The aircraft manufacturing and service methods shown in 2900 and such Figure 30 The description is presented against the background of the shown aircraft 3000. First, let's turn to... Figure 29 The illustration depicts an aircraft manufacturing and servicing method according to an illustrative embodiment. During pre-production, the aircraft manufacturing and servicing method 2900 may include... Figure 30 Specifications and design of the 3000 aircraft 2902 and material procurement 2904.

[0118] During production, Figure 30 The manufacturing of components and sub-assemblies for the 3000 aircraft is 2906, and system integration is 2908. Afterwards, Figure 30 The 3000 aircraft can be certified and delivered as 2910 for deployment as 2912. When 2912 is deployed by the customer, Figure 30 The aircraft 3000 is scheduled for routine maintenance and servicing 2914, which may include modification, reconfiguration, refurbishment and other maintenance or servicing.

[0119] Each process in the Aircraft Manufacturing and Service Method 2900 can be performed or implemented by a systems integrator, a third party, an operator, or a combination thereof. In these examples, the operator may be the customer. For the purposes of this description, a systems integrator may include, but is not limited to, any number of aircraft manufacturers and major systems subcontractors; a third party may include, but is not limited to, any number of suppliers, subcontractors, and vendors; and an operator may be an airline, leasing company, military entity, service organization, etc.

[0120] Now for reference Figure 30 The illustration depicts an aircraft in which illustrative embodiments can be implemented. In this example, the aircraft 3000 is... Figure 29 The aircraft manufactured and serviced by method 2900 may include a fuselage 3002 having multiple systems 3004 and an interior 3006. Examples of systems 3004 include one or more of a propulsion system 3008, an electrical system 3010, a hydraulic system 3012, and an environmental system 3014. Any number of other systems may be included. While an aerospace example is shown, different illustrative embodiments may be applied to other industries (e.g., the automotive industry).

[0121] The apparatus and method described in this article can be used in... Figure 29 This is employed during at least one stage of the aircraft manufacturing and service method 2900. In an illustrative example, Figure 29 The parts and subassemblies manufactured in 2906 can be produced in a manner similar to Figure 29 The aircraft 3000 in the text is fabricated or manufactured using parts or sub-assemblies produced in 2912. As yet another example, during the production phase (e.g.) Figure 29 During the manufacturing of components and sub-assemblies (2906) and system integration (2908), one or more device embodiments, method embodiments, or combinations thereof may be utilized. When the aircraft 3000 is in use (2912), in... Figure 29 During maintenance and service 2914, or both, one or more apparatus embodiments, method embodiments, or combinations thereof may be utilized. Using multiple different illustrative embodiments can significantly accelerate the assembly of the aircraft 3000, reduce the cost of the aircraft 3000, or both accelerate the assembly of the aircraft 3000 and reduce the cost of the aircraft 3000.

[0122] As used in this article, when used with a list of items, the phrase "at least one of..." means that different combinations of one or more of the listed items can be used, and it is possible that only one of each item in the list is needed. In other words, "at least one of..." means that any combination of items and the number of items from the list can be used, but not all items in the list are required. Items can be specific objects, things, or categories.

[0123] For example, but not limited to, "at least one of project A, project B, or project C" can include project A, project A and project B, or project B. The example could also include project A, project B, and project C, or project B and project C. Of course, any combination of these projects can exist. In some illustrative examples, "at least one of..." can be, for example, but not limited to, two of project A; one of project B; and ten of project C; four of project B and seven of project C; or other suitable combinations.

[0124] As used in this article, when referring to a project, "multiple / various" means one or more projects. For example, "multiple different types of networks" means one or more different types of networks. In illustrative examples, "a set," as used with a project, means one or more projects. For example, a set of metrics means one or more metrics.

[0125] The descriptions of various illustrative embodiments have been presented for purposes of illustration and description and are not intended to be exhaustive or limited to the embodiments of the disclosed forms. The various illustrative examples describe components that perform actions or operations. In the illustrative embodiments, a component may be configured to perform the described actions or operations. For example, the component may have a configuration or design for a structure that provides the component with the ability to perform the actions or operations described in the illustrative examples as being performed by the component. Furthermore, within the scope of the terms “includes,” “including,” “has,” “contains,” and variations thereof used herein, these terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprises” as an open transition word, without excluding any additional or other elements.

[0126] Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Furthermore, different illustrative embodiments may provide different features compared to other desired embodiments. The selection and description of one or more embodiments are intended to best explain the principles of the embodiments, their practical application, and to enable those skilled in the art to understand the disclosure of various embodiments with various modifications as suited to the intended particular purpose.

[0127] In addition, this application includes the following examples.

[0128] Example 1. An aircraft maintenance user interface 300, the interface comprising: Alarm indicator 302 displays alarms related to the aircraft system, which must be resolved for aircraft maintenance compliance; The compliance window indicator 304 displays a normalized sliding scale representing the percentage of elapsed lead time between the alert and the maintenance compliance deadline; and The remaining units indicator 306 displays the number of units used out of the total number of units allocated to measure the remaining lead time.

[0129] Example 2. According to the interface described in Example 1, the unit includes: Hours elapsed; Flight hours; or Flight cycle.

[0130] Example 3. According to the interface described in Example 1, a history indicator 310 is also included, which displays the operational history of the aircraft system prior to the alarm.

[0131] Example 4. According to the interface described in Example 1, an alarm details pane 400 is also included, which serves as a second-level slide-in view in response to clicking on the alarm displayed in the alarm indicator, wherein the alarm details pane contains the history 402 of the aircraft system prior to the alarm, the current parameter values ​​404 of the aircraft system relative to a threshold, and the compliance status 408.

[0132] Example 5. According to the interface described in Example 4, the alarm details pane further includes a link 412 that points to a document detailing the maintenance tasks required to resolve the alarm in relation to the aircraft system.

[0133] Example 6. According to the interface described in Example 4, the alarm details pane further includes the alarm and a description 414 of activities related to resolving the alarm.

[0134] Example 7. The interface described in Example 4 further includes a second details pane 500 that pops up in response to clicking the compliance status, wherein the second details pane contains maintenance tasks 502 required to resolve the alarm related to the aircraft system and an input field 504 for entering a work order.

[0135] Example 8. According to the interface described in Example 7, the second details pane further includes an input field 506 to confirm that the work order has been closed.

[0136] Example 9. According to the interface described in Example 7, the second details pane further includes an input field 508 to confirm that the condition that caused the alarm has been resolved.

[0137] Example 10. The interface according to Example 1 also includes a no-report details pane 700, which, in response to clicking a no-report alarm displayed in the alarm indicator, serves as a second-level slide-in view, wherein the no-report details pane provides links 702 that point to corresponding reports received for a specified number of flight cycles regarding the aircraft system.

[0138] Example 11. According to the interface described in Example 10, the no-report details pane further includes a link 704 that points to a document detailing the manual procedures and compliance tasks required to maintain compliance in relation to the aircraft system.

[0139] Example 12. The interface described in Example 1 also includes a fleet data health display 900, which includes different categories of data interruptions that are automatically and periodically reported about the aircraft system.

[0140] Example 13. According to the interface described in Example 12, said category includes at least one of the following: The cause is unknown; ACARS MEL; other; Not in use; or During maintenance and inspection.

[0141] Example 14. According to the interface described in Example 12, it also includes the category of recently repaired aircraft that has resumed transmission reports.

[0142] Example 15. The interface according to Example 12 also includes an aircraft data health details pane 1000, which, in response to clicking an entry under one of the categories, serves as a second-level slide-in view, wherein the aircraft data health details pane contains a history 1004 of data interruptions of the aircraft and a drop-down menu 1008 for selecting and changing the category of data interruption.

[0143] Example 16. According to the interface described in Example 15, the aircraft data health details pane further includes a list 1006 of manual maintenance tasks required due to the data interruption.

[0144] Example 17. The interface according to Example 15 also includes a dedicated details pane 1100 that pops up in response to selecting a category of data interruption from the drop-down menu in the aircraft data health details pane, wherein the dedicated details pane contains data input fields specific to the selected category of data interruption.

[0145] Example 18. According to the interface described in Example 12, wherein after the aircraft resumes transmission of the periodic report, a resolution notification 2000 automatically pops up in the fleet data health display.

[0146] Example 19. A system for displaying a user interface for aircraft maintenance, the system comprising: Storage devices, which store program instructions; One or more processors, operatively connected to the storage device and configured to execute the program instructions to cause the system to display: Alarm indicator 302 displays alarms related to the aircraft system, which must be resolved for aircraft maintenance compliance; The compliance window indicator 304 displays a normalized sliding scale representing the percentage of elapsed lead time between the alert and the maintenance compliance deadline; and The remaining units indicator 306 displays the number of units used out of the total number of units allocated to measure the remaining lead time.

[0147] Example 20. A computer program product for displaying a user interface for aircraft maintenance, the computer program product comprising: A computer-readable storage medium having program instructions embodied thereon to perform operations that display the following: Alarm indicator 302 displays alarms related to the aircraft system, which must be resolved for aircraft maintenance compliance; The compliance window indicator 304 displays a normalized sliding scale representing the percentage of elapsed lead time between the alert and the maintenance compliance deadline; and The remaining units indicator 306 displays the number of units used out of the total number of units allocated to measure the remaining lead time.

Claims

1. An aircraft maintenance user interface (300), the interface comprising: an alert indicator (302) that displays an alert related to an aircraft system that must be resolved for maintenance compliance of the aircraft; a compliance window indicator (304) that displays a normalized sliding scale of the percentage of elapsed lead time between the alert and a maintenance compliance deadline; and a remaining unit indicator (306) that displays the number of units already used out of a total number of units allocated to measure the remaining lead time.

2. The interface of claim 1, wherein the units include: elapsed hours; flight hours; or flight cycles.

3. The interface of claim 1, further comprising a history indicator (310) that displays an operational history of the aircraft system prior to the alert.

4. The interface of claim 1, further comprising an alert details pane (400) that slides into view as a second layer in response to clicking the alert displayed in the alert indicator, wherein the alert details pane contains a history (402) of the aircraft system prior to the alert, current parameter values (404) of the aircraft system relative to thresholds, and a compliance status (408).

5. The interface of claim 4, wherein the alert details pane further contains a link (412) that points to a document detailing a maintenance task required to resolve the alert related to the aircraft system.

6. The interface of claim 4, wherein the alert details pane further includes a description (414) of the alert and activities related to resolving the alert.

7. The interface of claim 4, further comprising a second details pane (500) that pops up in response to clicking the compliance status, wherein the second details pane contains a maintenance task (502) required to resolve the alert related to the aircraft system and an input field (504) for entering a work order.

8. The interface of claim 7, wherein the second details pane further includes an input field (506) to acknowledge that a work order was closed.

9. The interface of claim 7, wherein the second details pane further includes an input field (508) to acknowledge that a condition that was the cause of the alert was resolved.

10. The interface of claim 1, further comprising a no-report report details pane (700) that slides into view as a second layer in response to clicking a no-report alert displayed in the alert indicator, wherein the no-report report details pane provides a link (702) that points to respective reports received for flight cycles on the aircraft system for a specified number of flight cycles. ​

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