Large scale offline retrieval of machine operational information

A system for acquiring and processing information stored in data files on at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium, the information being related to machine operational characteristics, the system comprising:

• one or more processors;
• one or more non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable program code executable by the one or more processors, the computer readable program code comprising:
• a first crawler program configured to:
• create a list of a plurality of data files stored on the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium and containing data derived from sensors measuring one or more operational characteristics of the machine;
• create a list of a plurality of channels of information with signals indicative of the one or more machine operational characteristics recorded in each data file;
• and
• identify and index variables recorded in each data file;
• a second crawler program configured to:
• create metadata for a plurality of data files stored on the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the metadata indicates where the variables are located within each data file;
• and
• an information retrieval module configured for receiving specified conditions related to operation of the machine and using the list of data files, the list of channels of information, the index of variables recorded in each data file and the metadata for a plurality of data files to find and return information relevant to the machine operational characteristics that meet the specified conditions.

A computer program product comprising:

• a non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing computer readable program code executable by one or more processors, the computer readable program code being configured to:
• create a list of a plurality of data files stored on at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium and containing data derived from sensors measuring one or more operational characteristics of the machine;
• create a list of a plurality of channels of information with signals indicative of the one or more machine operational characteristics recorded in each data file;
• identify and index variables recorded in each data file;
• create metadata for a plurality of data files stored on the at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium, wherein the metadata indicates where the variables are located within each data file;
• and
• receive specified conditions related to operation of the machine and use the list of data files, the list of channels of information, the index of variables recorded in each data file and the metadata for a plurality of data files to find and return information relevant to the machine operational characteristics that meet the specified conditions.