초록 ▼

The presence of particular faults in a machine is determined using constraint suspension and Qualitative Physics by prompting a user to perform a machine test procedure and provide results where the test procedure causes a machine configuration change. The machine configuration change can be due to

The presence of particular faults in a machine is determined using constraint suspension and Qualitative Physics by prompting a user to perform a machine test procedure and provide results where the test procedure causes a machine configuration change. The machine configuration change can be due to prompting the user to modify machine control inputs or by prompting the user to perform an invasive test. In response to the configuration change, the processor can save predictions for variables and results of performing test procedures and can restore predictions and results of performing test procedures that correspond to a configuration entered as a result of the configuration change. An initial set of assumed machine symptoms can be used to determine the presence of particular faults in the machine and to generate diagnostic logic trees.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of using a processor to determine the presence of particular faults in a machine, comprising the steps of: the processor repeatedly prompting a user to perform one of a plurality of machine test procedures and provide results thereof to the processor; the processor prompting the user to cau

A method of using a processor to determine the presence of particular faults in a machine, comprising the steps of: the processor repeatedly prompting a user to perform one of a plurality of machine test procedures and provide results thereof to the processor; the processor prompting the user to cause a machine configuration change that renders invalid at least one of said results; the processor generating a plurality of pending hypotheses having associated therewith a set of confluences using variables and equations to describe operation of components of the machine which are assumed not to have failed, each hypothesis being based on a model of the machine that assumes failure of a unique subset of machine components; the processor propagating values indicative of said test results through said confluences to produce a set of predictions for values of confluence variables; the processor discarding hypotheses which produce an inconsistent set of predictions; the processor saving hypotheses which produce a consistent set of predictions in which no variable is determined to equal two or more conflicting values; and the processor indicating the presence of one or more particular machine faults in response to there remaining a single hypothesis corresponding to failure of one or more particular machine components.