Fault Diagnostic System for Remote Troubleshooting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Remote systems, such as UAVs and ship onboard systems, face challenges in rapid and accurate troubleshooting due to the absence of experienced technicians, as these systems often require specialized knowledge and training, and there is a continuous shortage of subject matter experts at field locations.
Innovation Solution
A test control system with an electronic device and an aggregated subsystem fault locations database that provides a fault diagnostic system to interact with operators, displaying fault codes and fault locations, allowing technicians to perform troubleshooting even without extensive expertise, by mapping subsystems to potential fault codes and locations, and updating fault locations in real-time.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If experienced technicians are deployed to remote locations to perform system troubleshooting, then troubleshooting accuracy and speed improve, but the loss of experienced technicians from their original positions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a virtual copy of expert technician knowledge through a database system that stores fault codes, fault locations, and troubleshooting procedures. This digital replica allows technicians at remote locations to access expert-level troubleshooting information without requiring the actual experts to be physically present, thus maintaining troubleshooting accuracy while preserving the expertise in the original positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (the fault code database and communication network) that mediates between the expert technician and the remote troubleshooting scenario. This intermediary stores and transmits expert knowledge, enabling remote technicians to perform accurate troubleshooting without direct involvement of the expert, thereby resolving the contradiction between needing experts onsite and retaining them at their original positions.
2Productivity
If technicians with specialized training in specific subsystems are assigned to troubleshoot those subsystems, then troubleshooting efficiency improves, but the availability of specialists for other subsystems decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal troubleshooting resource that serves multiple subsystems through a single comprehensive database system. Rather than requiring separate specialists for each subsystem, the system stores fault code mappings and troubleshooting procedures for all subsystems, allowing any technician to efficiently troubleshoot any subsystem by accessing the appropriate information from the universal database, thus eliminating the trade-off between specialization and availability.
3Loss of time
If fault code databases are maintained and updated at multiple remote locations, then troubleshooting speed improves, but the complexity of maintaining and synchronizing these databases increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple distributed fault code databases into a single centralized database system that can be accessed by technicians at multiple remote locations. This consolidation eliminates the complexity of maintaining and synchronizing separate databases at each location, while still providing fast local access to troubleshooting information through the unified database structure, thus reducing both maintenance complexity and troubleshooting time.
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus and method for testing and troubleshooting systems, such as remote systems, have been developed that provide for a test control system configured to perform testing on a system under test. The test control system may include an electronic device operable to display a system fault code failure matrix visualization that may include fault codes and/or fault locations for one or more subsystems of a SUT. The test control system may also include an aggregated subsystem fault locations database that stores previously identified system or subsystem fault locations of the SUT that may lead to a source of an issue causing a particular fault code for the SUT, where the electronic device is operable to access the aggregated subsystem fault locations database to obtain the various previously identified fault locations. The previously identified system or subsystem fault locations may be based on previous testing of a system or subsystem.