The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Apr. 17, 2001
Filed:
Sep. 08, 1998
Michael J. Steinmetz, Kissimmee, FL (US);
Michael E. Kirst, Kissimmee, FL (US);
Other;
Abstract
The present invention is directed to an automated diagnostic tool having a soft structure architecture that can be easily and quickly used to troubleshoot systems and subsystems, i.e., assemblies, on aircraft such as the AH-64 helicopter. The tool includes a laptop computer loaded with a troubleshooting software program, which evaluates assembly status messages traveling on a 1553 digital communications bus that links the aircraft systems and subsystems together. The tool obtains the messages by listening on the 1553 bus. The program includes listings of the assemblies, a set of pass/fail tests for evaluating the status information, and a set of relationships that numerically correlate test outcomes with different assemblies. Based on the test results and the relationships, the tool indicates which assemblies are the most likely cause of equipment malfunctions indicated by the test outcomes. The assemblies, tests, and the relationships between the tests and the assemblies are independent of each other, and the relationships are reversibly traceable.