1. A method of identifying fault conditions for complex systems based on historical non-coded data, the method including the steps of:
grouping the historical non-coded data into a plurality of observations and a plurality of repairs;
assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations, said plurality of Standard Observations including a description of each of said plurality of Standard Observations and said plurality of Standard Repairs including a description of each of said plurality of Standard Repairs, said description of each of said plurality of Standard Observations and said description of each of said plurality of Standard Repairs comprising a phrase, said step of assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations comprising assigning one or more weights to each of said descriptions of said plurality of Standard Observations and each of said descriptions of said plurality of Standard Repairs and resolving the historical non-coded data into one of said plurality of Standard Observations and said plurality of said Standard Repairs, each of said one or more weights indicating a phrase importance and corresponding to a relative importance in said resolving said historical data into one of said plurality of Standard Observations and said plurality of said Standard Repairs;
analyzing said plurality of repairs to determine associated observation signatures, each of said observation signatures based on one or more of said plurality of observations;
assigning a fault code to each observation signature, said fault code identifying a fault condition; and communicating the fault code to a user interface.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations further includes assigning one of said plurality of Standard Observations to similar discrepancies derived from the historical non-coded data and assigning one of said plurality of Standard Repairs to similar corrective actions derived from the historical non-coded data and maintaining a first reference to the historical non-coded data with each said similar discrepancies and a second reference to the historical non-coded data with each said similar corrective actions.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein said step of analyzing said plurality of repairs further includes a step of discovering relationships between one or more of said Standard Observations and said Standard Repairs when said first reference to the historical non-coded data and said second reference to the historical non-coded data are common between said one or more Standard Observations and said one or more Standard Repairs.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein said step of analyzing said plurality of repairs to determine associated observation signatures includes grouping each of said Standard Observation with an associated one of said Standard Repairs when said relationship is discovered.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein said step of assigning said fault code results in each observation signature being assigned a unique fault code and each Standard Repair with the same observation signature being linked to the same fault code.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of analyzing said plurality of repairs further includes a step of creating relationships between said plurality of observations and said plurality of repairs utilizing the historical non-coded data that is common between an observation and a repair.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of analyzing said plurality of repairs to determine associated observation signatures includes grouping each of said plurality of observations with an associated one of said plurality of repairs.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of assigning said fault code results in each observation signature being assigned a unique fault code and each repair with the same observation signature being linked to the same fault code.
9. The method of claim 1 Wherein said step of assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations further includes a step of processing the historical non-coded data including discrepancies and corrective actions to provide a total weight for each of said Standard Observations and said Standard Repairs, said total weight corresponding to a sum of said weights that correspond to a degree of match between one of said discrepancies and said corrective actions and descriptions of one of said Standard Observations and said Standard Repairs.
10. A computer-readable medium comprising a software program comprising software instructions arranged to run on a processor to process information derived from historical non-coded data in order to identify fault conditions for complex systems based on the historical non-coded data, the software program when installed and operating on a processor resulting in the processor:
grouping the historical non-coded data into a plurality of observations and a plurality of repairs;
assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations, said plurality of Standard Observations including a description of each of said plurality of Standard Observations and said plurality of Standard Repairs including a description of each of said plurality of Standard Repairs, said description of each of said plurality of Standard Observations and said description of each of said plurality of Standard Repairs comprising a phrase, said step of assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations comprising assigning one or more weights to each of said descriptions of said plurality of Standard Observations and each of said descriptions of said plurality of Standard Repairs and resolving said historical non-coded data into one of said plurality of Standard Observations and said plurality of said Standard Repairs, each of said one or more weights indicating a phrase importance and corresponding to a relative importance in said resolving said historical non-coded data into one of said plurality of Standard Observations and said plurality of said Standard Repairs;
analyzing said plurality of repairs to determine associated observation signatures, each of said observation signatures based on one or more of said plurality of observations; assigning a fault code to each observation signature, said fault code identifying a fault condition; and communicating the fault code to a user interface.
11. The software program of claim 10 wherein said step of assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations further includes assigning one of said plurality of Standard Observations to similar discrepancies derived from the historical non-coded data and assigning one of said plurality of Standard Repairs to similar corrective actions derived from the historical non-code data and maintaining a first reference to the historical non-coded data with each said similar discrepancies and a second reference to the historical non-coded data with each said similar corrective actions.
12. The software program of claim 11 wherein said analyzing said plurality of repairs further includes discovering relationships between one or more of said Standard Observations and said Standard Repairs when said first reference to the historical non-coded data and said second reference to the historical non-coded data are common between said one or more Standard Observations and said one or more Standard Repairs.
13. The software program of claim 12 wherein said step of analyzing said plurality of repairs to determine associated observation signatures includes grouping each of said Standard Observations with an associated one of said Standard Repairs when said relationship is discovered.
14. The software program of claim 13 wherein said assigning said fault code results in each observation signature being assigned a unique fault code and each Standard Repair with the same observation signature being linked to the same fault code.
15. The software program of claim 10 wherein said analyzing said plurality of repairs further includes a step of creating relationships between said plurality of observations and said plurality of repairs utilizing the historical non-coded data that is common between an observation and a repair.
16. The software program of claim 11 wherein said analyzing said plurality of repairs to determine associated observation signatures includes grouping each of said plurality of observations with an associated one of said plurality of repairs.
17. The software program of claim 10 wherein said assigning said fault code results in each observation signature being assigned a unique fault code and each repair with the same observation signature being linked to the same fault code.
18. The software program of claim 10 wherein said step of assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations further includes a step of processing the historical non-coded data including discrepancies and corrective actions to provide a total weight for each of said Standard Observations and said Standard Repairs, said total weight corresponding to a sum of said weights that correspond tot degree of match between one of said discrepancies and said corrective actions and descriptions of one of said Standard Observations and said Standard Repairs.
19. A computer based system for development of fault codes for aircraft systems based on historical non-coded data lacking assigned fault codes, the system comprising in combination:
a user interface;
a computer, coupled to the user interface, having memory, for storing software instructions and databases, and a processor for:
executing said software instructions to process information derived from historical data in order to facilitate the development of the fault codes, the software instructions resulting in the computer:
grouping the historical non-coded data into a plurality of observations and a plurality of repairs;
assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations, said plurality of Standard Observations including a description of each of said plurality of Standard Observations and said plurality of Standard Repairs including a description of each of said plurality of Standard Repairs, said description of each of said plurality of Standard Observations and said description of each of said plurality of Standard Repairs comprising a phrase, said step of assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations comprising assigning one or more weights to each of said descriptions of said plurality of Standard Observations and each of said descriptions of said plurality of Standard Repairs and resolving said historical non-coded data into one of said plurality of Standard Observations and said plurality of said Standard Repairs, each of said one or more weights indicating a phrase importance and corresponding to a relative importance in said resolving said historical non-coded data into one of said plurality of Standard Observations and said plurality of said Standard Repairs;
analyzing said plurality of repairs to determine associated observation signatures, each of said observation signatures based on one or more of said plurality of observations;
assigning a fault code to each observation signature; and communication the fault code to a user interface.
20. The computer based system of claim 19 wherein said assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations further includes assigning one of said plurality of Standard Observations to similar discrepancies derived from die historical non-coded data and assigning one of said plurality of Standard Repairs to similar corrective actions derived from the historical non-coded data and maintaining a first reference to the historical non-coded data with each said similar discrepancies and a second reference to the historical non-coded data with each said similar corrective actions.
21. The computer based system of claim 19 wherein said analyzing said plurality of repairs further includes creating relationships between said plurality of observations and said plurality of repairs utilizing the historical non-coded data that is common between an observation and a repair.
22. The computer based system of claim 19 wherein said analyzing said plurality of repairs to determine associated observation signatures includes grouping each of said plurality of observations with an associated one of said plurality of repairs.
23. The computer based system of claim 19 wherein said assigning said fault code results in each observation signature being assigned a unique fault code and each repair with the same observation signature being linked to the same fault code.
24. The computer based system of claim 19 wherein said assigning a Standard Repair of a plurality of Standard Repairs to each of said plurality of repairs and a Standard Observation of a plurality of Standard Observations to each of said plurality of observations further includes processing the historical non-coded data including discrepancies and corrective actions to provide a total weight for each of said Standard Observations and said Standard Repairs, said total weight corresponding to a sum of said weights that correspond to a degree of match between one of said discrepancies and said corrective actions and descriptions of one of said Standard Observations and said Standard Repairs.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A method of dispensing semi-solid product by extrusion from a dispensing apparatus, the method including the steps of:
a) selecting a portion size of the product;
b) making a payment to the dispensing apparatus to allow the portion size to be dispensed;
c) applying pressure to the exterior of a container of the product to cause the product to be discharged from the container; and
d) operating a valve to control the amount of product dispensed from the dispensing apparatus dependent upon the payment and the portion size selected, wherein operation of the valve is time-controlled to control the amount of product dispensed.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the container has an outlet and a temporary storage vessel is connected to said outlet.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein the temporary storage vessel is a flexible tube which is releasably connected to the container outlet and extends towards an outlet nozzle through which product is discharged.
4. The method of claim 3 wherein the flexible tube is releasably attached to the outlet nozzle.
5. The method of claim 3 wherein the container and the flexible tube are contained within a refrigerated environment, the nozzle projecting outwards from said refrigerated environment.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the payment is made using one or more of a coin or token insertion means, note insertion means, credit card insertion means or other payment card insertion means.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the payment enables several portions of different sizes to be dispensed.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the method includes selecting one of a plurality of different portion size options, each designating a predetermined portion size of the product to be dispensed.
9. A method of dispensing semi-solid product by extrusion from a dispensing apparatus, the method including the steps of pressurising a container of product to cause the product to be discharged by extrusion from the container, and controlling the flow of product for a dispensing operation;
wherein a pre-payment is made to the dispensing apparatus prior to the dispensing operation, a user selects from the apparatus a size of portion of the product to be dispensed, and wherein the flow of product from the container is controlled to express the selected size of the portion of the product dependent on the pre-payment made to the dispensing apparatus prior to the dispensing operation.
10. An apparatus for dispensing semi-solid product, comprising:
a) a container to retain the semi-solid product, the container having an outlet;
b) a pressurizing means to apply pressure to the exterior of the container to thereby extrude the semi-solid product from the container outlet;
c) an outlet nozzle through which the semi-solid product is dispensed;
d) a pre-payment means to receive a payment for dispensing product from the apparatus;
e) a selection means to select the size of portion of product to dispensed; and
f) a valve operable to control the amount of product dispensed from the apparatus dependent on the payment made to the pre-payment means and the portion size selected via the selection means.
11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein a temporary storage vessel communicates between the container outlet and the outlet nozzle.
12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the temporary storage vessel is a flexible tube releasably connected to the container outlet and the outlet nozzle, wherein the container and the flexible tube are contained within a refrigerated environment, the nozzle projecting outwards from said refrigerated environment.
13. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the pre-payment means is one or more of a coin or token insertion means, note insertion means, credit card insertion means or other payment card insertion means.
14. The method of claim 10 wherein the payment enables several portions of different sizes to be dispensed.
15. The method of claim 10 wherein the selection means includes a plurality of portion size options, each designating a predetermined portion size of the product to be dispensed.