Method and apparatus for improving fault classifications

A software program comprising software instructions arranged to run on a processor to improve fault classification for failure modes in a complex system, the software program when installed and operating on a processor resulting in the processor:

• capturing an observation that is consistent with a discrepancy of the complex system;
• identifying a set of failure modes of the complex system that are consistent with said observation;
• ranking, when said set includes more than one failure mode, said failure modes according to a degree of support said observation provides for each failure mode, said degree of support including a historical component;
• determining additional possible observations that are consistent with any failure mode included in said set;
• and
• ranking said possible observations according to how rapidly they reduce a number of failure modes included in said set.

An aircraft maintenance and operations diagnostic system for improved assistance with fault classification for a fault condition within an aircraft based on a fault model for the aircraft, 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 to facilitate the fault classification for the fault condition according to a fault model, the software program resulting in the computer:
• capturing a standard observation from an observation list that is part of the fault model and that is consistent with the fault condition;
• identifying a set of fault codes for the aircraft that are consistent with said standard observation;
• ranking, when said set includes more than one fault code, said fault codes according to a degree of support said standard observation provides for each fault code, said degree of support including a historical component;
• determining additional possible standard observations that are consistent with any fault code included in said set;
• and
• ranking said possible standard observations according to how rapidly they reduce a number of fault codes included in said set.