DIAGNOSTIC METHOD AND SYSTEM

• US 20070288794A1
• Filed: 06/19/2007
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Cousin, Benoit, Neyt, Jean-Lois
• Granted Patent: US 7,584,074 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0248 Causal models, e.g. fault tree; digraphs; qualitative physics
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0278 Qualitative, e.g. if-then rules; Fuzzy logic; Lookup tables; Symptomatic search; FMEA
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2257 using expert systems

Abstract

A method and system comprising a diagnostic symptom tree system for diagnosing a failing system element causing a symptom in a system-under-test. A diagnostic symptom tree comprises symptom roots and dependent lower function nodes and sub-function nodes. Element nodes depend from the function or sub-function nodes, and a plurality of penultimate failure mode leaves depend from the element nodes. The function and sub-function nodes and the failure mode leaves comprise test information. Responsive to positive test results, the diagnostic symptom tree is configured to identify a function or sub-function or element node associated to a lowest symptom tree node or failure mode leaf for which a test is positive, or advise that no failing function or sub-function or element is found. In one aspect of the invention, nodes may include parameter values allowing successive selections of the nodes of the symptom tree for test iterations according to the parameter values.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method for diagnosing a system-under-test, comprising the steps of:

identifying a symptom;

selecting and performing each of a series of function tests associated with the symptom on the system-under-test until a positive function test result is generated or until each of the series of function tests is performed and a negative result is generated;

responsive to the generated positive function test result, selecting and performing each of a series of dependent tests associated with the positive function test result until a positive dependent test result is generated or until each of the series of dependent tests is performed and a negative result is generated;

responsive to the generated positive dependent test result, identifying a system element associated with the generated positive dependent test result as a failing element and selecting and performing each of a series of failure tests associated with the failing element until a positive failure test result is generated or until each of the series of failure tests is performed and a negative result is generated; and

identifying a failure mode associated with the generated positive failure test result or determining that no failure mode is found in response to the generated negative test results from each of the performed failure tests;

or

determining that no failing element is found in response to the generated negative test results from each of the performed function or dependent tests.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

identifying the system-under-test; and

selecting each of at least one of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests responsive to identifying the system-under-test.

23. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps of:

collecting system-under-test variables from at least one system-under-test element;

providing an automatic test defined as a logical expression of the system-under-test variables, a system-under-test context and an associated manual-confirmation; and

wherein at least one of the steps of performing the function test, the dependent test and the failure test further comprises the steps of;

performing an automatic test responsive to system-under-test variables values and by computing logical expressions;

if a computed logical expression is true, executing an associated manual-confirmation test;

if the associated manual-confirmation test generates a positive result, then performing a series of tests associated with the manual-confirmation test until a positive result is generated and reporting a positive test result;

or

reporting a negative test result.

24. The method of claim 21, further comprising the steps

selecting each of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests responsive to an association of each of the selected tests with a first parameter value;

and

in response to the step of determining that no failing element is found, ordering a second series of function tests, a second series of dependent tests and a second series of failure tests responsive to an association of each of the selected second series tests with a second parameter value.

25. The method of claim 24 wherein the first and second parameter values comprise a test cost.

26. The method of claim 24 wherein the step of selecting each of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests comprises the step of selecting a test having a low test cost value, and the step of ordering the second series of function tests, the second series of dependent tests and the second series of failure tests comprises the step of selecting a test having a higher test cost value relative to the low test cost value.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising the step of computing a frequency count of failure findings for each test at the end of a diagnostic session;

and

computing at least one of the first and second parameter values responsive to the frequency count.

28. A diagnostic system, comprising a computer processing means configured to apply logic to select and perform each of a series of function tests until a positive function test result is generated or each of the series of function tests is performed and generates a negative result;

responsive to a positive function test result, the computer means further configured to select and perform each of a series of dependent tests associated with the positive function test result until a positive dependent test result is generated or until each of the series of dependent tests is performed and generates a negative result;

responsive to a positive dependent test result, the computer means further configured to identify a system element associated with the positive dependent test result as a failing element and select and perform each of a series of failure tests associated with the failing element until a positive failure test result is generated or until each of the series of failure tests is performed and generates a negative result; and

identify a failure mode associated with the generated positive failure test result or determine that no failure mode is found in response to the generated negative failure test results;

or

determine that no failing element is identified in response to the generated negative function or dependent test results.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the computer means further configured to select each of at least one of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests in response to identifying the system-under-test.

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the computer means is further configured to collect system-under-test variables from at least one system-under-test element;

define an automatic test as a logical expression of the system-under-test variables, a system-under-test context and an associated manual-confirmation; and

perform at least one of the series of the function, the dependent and the failure tests by performing an automatic test responsive to system-under-test variables values and computing logical expressions;

execute an associated manual-confirmation test if a computed logical expression is true,

perform a next associated manual test if the associated manual-confirmation test generates a positive result and report a positive test result;

or

report a negative test result.

31. The system of claim 28, wherein the computer means further configured to select each of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests responsive to an association of each of the selected tests with a first parameter value;

and

in response to determining that no failing element is identified, ordering a second series of function tests, a second series of dependent tests and a second series of failure tests responsive to an association of each of the selected second series tests with a second parameter value.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein the first and second parameter values comprise a test cost.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the computer means is further configured to select each of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests by selecting tests having a low test cost value, and order each of the second series of function tests, the second series of dependent tests and the second series of failure tests by selecting tests having a higher test cost value relative to the low test cost value.

34. The system of claim 31, wherein the computer means is further configured to compute a frequency count of failure findings for each test at the end of a diagnostic session;

and

compute at least one of the first and second parameter values responsive to the frequency count.

35. The system of claim 31, wherein at least one of the first and second parameter values is determined by the computer means in response to a result of a previous diagnostic session.

36. A method comprising:

providing computer executable program code to be deployed to and executed on a computer system;

the program code comprising instructions which, when executed on the computer system, causes the computer to;

select and perform each of a series of function tests associated with an identified symptom on a system-under-test until a positive function test result is generated or until each of the series of function tests is performed and generates a negative result;

responsive to a positive function test result, select and perform each of a series of dependent tests associated with the positive function test result until a positive dependent test result is generated or until each of the series of dependent tests is performed and generates a negative result;

responsive to a positive dependent test result, identify a system element associated with the positive dependent test result as a failing element and select and perform each of a series of failure tests associated with the failing element until a positive failure test result is generated or until each of the series of failure tests is performed and generates a negative result; and

identify a failure mode associated with a positive failure test result or determine that no failure mode is found in response to a negative test result from each of the performed failure tests;

or

determine that no failing element is found in response to a negative test result from each of the performed function or dependent tests.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the program code, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to select each of at least one of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests responsive to a identifying the system-under-test.

38. The method of claim 36, wherein the program, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to:

collect system-under-test variables from at least one system-under-test element;

provide an automatic test defined as a logical expression of the system-under-test variables, a system-under-test context and an associated manual-confirmation; and

perform at least one of the function test, the dependent test and the failure test by;

performing an automatic test responsive to system-under-test variables values and by computing logical expressions;

if a computed logical expression is true, executing an associated manual-confirmation test;

if the associated manual-confirmation test generates a positive result, then the performing a series of tests associated the manual-confirmation test until a positive result is generated and reporting a positive test result;

or

reporting a negative test result.

39. The method of claim 36, wherein the program code, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to:

select each of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests responsive to an association of each of the selected tests with a first parameter value; and

in response to determining that no failing element is found, select and order a second series of function tests, a second series of dependent tests and a second series of failure tests responsive to an association of each of the selected tests with a second parameter value.

40. The method of claim 39, wherein the first and second parameter values comprise a test cost.

41. The method of claim 39, wherein the program code, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to:

select each of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests by selecting tests having a low test cost value; and

select each of the second series of function tests, the second series of dependent tests and the second series of failure tests by selecting tests having a higher test cost value relative to the low test cost value.

42. The method of claim 41, wherein the program code, when executed on a computer, causes the computer to compute a frequency count of failure findings for each test at the end of a diagnostic session;

and

compute at least one of the first and second parameter values responsive to the frequency count.

43. A method for deploying an application for diagnosing a system-under-test, comprising providing a computer infrastructure being operable to:

select and perform each of a series of function tests associated with an identified symptom on a system-under-test until a positive function test result is generated or until each of the series of function tests is performed and generates a negative result;

responsive to a positive function test result, select and perform each of a series of dependent tests associated with the positive function test result until a positive dependent test result is generated or until each of the series of dependent tests is performed and generates a negative result;

responsive to a positive dependent test result, identify a system element associated with the positive dependent test result as a failing element and select and perform each of a series of failure tests associated with the failing element until a positive failure test result is generated or until each of the series of failure tests is performed and generates a negative result; and

identify a failure mode associated with a positive failure test result or determine that no failure mode is found in response to the negative test results from each of the performed failure tests;

or

determine that no failing element is found in response to the negative test results from each of the performed function or dependent tests.

44. The method of claim 43, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to select each of at least one of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests responsive to a identifying the system-under-test.

45. The method of claim 43, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to collect system-under-test variables from at least one system-under-test element;

provide an automatic test defined as a logical expression of the system-under-test variables, a system-under-test context and an associated manual-confirmation; and

perform at least one of the function test, the dependent test and the failure test by;

performing an automatic test responsive to system-under-test variables values and by computing logical expressions;

if a computed logical expression is true, executing an associated manual-confirmation test;

if the associated manual-confirmation test generates a positive result, then the performing a series of tests associated the manual-confirmation test until a positive result is generated and reporting a positive test result;

or

reporting a negative test result.

46. The method of claim 43, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to select each of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests responsive to an association of each of the selected tests with a first parameter value;

and

in response to determining that no failing element is found, select and order a second series of function tests, a second series of dependent tests and a second series of failure tests responsive to an association of each of the selected second series tests with a second parameter value.

47. The method of claim 46, wherein the first and second parameter values comprise a test cost.

48. The method of claim 46, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to select each of the series of function tests, the series of dependent tests and the series of failure tests by selecting tests having a low test cost value;

and

select each of the second series of function tests, the second series of dependent tests and the second series of failure tests by selecting tests having a higher test cost value relative to the low test cost value.

49. The method of claim 46, wherein the computer infrastructure is further operable to compute a frequency count of failure findings for each test at the end of a diagnostic session;

and

compute at least one of the first and second parameter values responsive to the frequency count.