Conversion of static diagnostic procedure to dynamic test plan method and apparatus

• US 20080005628A1
• Filed: 06/30/2006
• Published: 01/03/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Original Assignee: SPX Corporation
• Inventors: Wittliff, William W., Underdal, Olav M., Portyanko, Oleksiy, Mayes, Randy L., Gilbert, Harry M., Fountain, Gregory J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,958,407 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 714/57
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/01 Dynamic search techniques; Heuristics; Dynamic trees; Branch-and-bound
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation

Abstract

A diagnostic information converter reads an existing static diagnostic procedure in the form of a tree graph and generates a diagnostic Failure Modes and Effects Analysis that can be used in the generation of a dynamic diagnostic test plan. The converter identifies the end nodes of the graph and associates a specific failure mode with each of the end nodes. In addition, the converter traces a unique path from each end node along successive branches through one or more intermediate nodes to the root node, and from each of the paths derives an initial failure mode test including the test steps corresponding to the root node, the intermediate nodes and the end node. The converter further identifies and annotates precondition nodes that correspond to a vehicle state or condition, rather than to an actual diagnostic test step and allows a user to edit the initial failure mode tests.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of converting a tree-graph representation of a diagnostic procedure into a dynamic decision sequencing representation based on a plurality of elementary diagnostic tests for use with a diagnostic plan generator, the method comprising:

reading a tree-graph that represents the diagnostic procedure;

identifying an end node of the tree graph;

associating the end node with a failure mode; and

tracing a path through one or more intermediate nodes to a root node.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising identifying at least one of the intermediate nodes as a first precondition node.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, further comprising employing at least one matching method selected from a pattern matching method and a reference matching method to identify the first precondition node based on at least one corresponding node having been previously identified as a second precondition node.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the end node and the one or more intermediate nodes and the root node are sequentially connected by a plurality of branches.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising generating an initial failure mode test corresponding to the failure mode based on the path.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5, further comprising:

receiving a user input; and

modifying the initial failure mode test based on the user input.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the user input is received through direct manipulation of displayed graphical representations of objects and symbols by way of an input device.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the step of modifying comprises at least one selected from the following:

annotating one of the intermediate nodes that corresponds to a first precondition, annotating one of the intermediate nodes that corresponds to a first test step, deleting one of the intermediate nodes that corresponds to a second precondition, and deleting one of the intermediate nodes that corresponds to a second test step.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

identifying all of one or more additional end nodes of the tree graph;

associating each of the additional end nodes with an additional failure mode; and

tracing a unique path through one or more additional intermediate nodes from each of the one or more additional end nodes to the root node.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 9, wherein each of the additional end nodes and the one or more additional intermediate nodes and the root node are sequentially connected by a plurality of branches.

11. A computer program product for converting a tree-graph representation of a diagnostic procedure into a dynamic decision sequencing representation based on a plurality of elementary diagnostic tests for use with a diagnostic plan generator, including a computer-readable medium encoded with instructions configured to be executed by a processor in order to perform predetermined operations comprising:

reading a tree-graph that represents the diagnostic procedure;

identifying an end node of the tree graph;

associating the end node with a failure mode;

tracing a path through one or more intermediate nodes to a root node; and

generating an initial failure mode test corresponding to the failure mode based on the path.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the predetermined operations further comprise identifying at least one of the intermediate nodes as a first precondition node by way of at least one matching method selected from a pattern matching method and a reference matching method based on at least one corresponding node having been previously identified as a second precondition node.

13. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the predetermined operations further comprise:

receiving a user input; and

modifying the initial failure mode test based on the user input.

14. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the predetermined operations further comprise:

identifying all of one or more additional end nodes of the tree graph;

associating each of the additional end nodes with an additional failure mode; and

tracing a unique path through one or more additional intermediate nodes from each of the one or more additional end nodes to the root node.

15. A translator for converting a tree-graph representation of a diagnostic procedure into a dynamic decision sequencing representation based on a plurality of elementary diagnostic tests for use with a diagnostic plan generator, comprising:

a tree-graph reader configured to read a tree-graph that represents the diagnostic procedure;

an end node identifier configured to identify an end node of the tree graph;

an associator configured to associate the end node with a failure mode;

a path tracer configured to trace a path through one or more intermediate nodes to a root node; and

a failure mode test generator configured to generate an initial failure mode test corresponding to the failure mode based on the path.

16. The translator of claim 15, further comprising a precondition identifier configured to identify at least one of the intermediate nodes as a first precondition node by way of at least one matching method selected from a pattern matching method and a reference matching method based on at least one corresponding node having been previously identified as a second precondition node.

17. The translator of claim 15, further comprising:

a receiver configured to receive a user input; and

a failure mode test modifier configured to modify the initial failure mode test based on the user input.

18. The translator of claim 15, wherein the end node identifier is further configured to identify all of one or more additional end nodes of the tree graph, the associator is further configured to associate each of the additional end nodes with an additional failure mode, and the path tracer is further configured to trace a unique path through one or more additional intermediate nodes from each of the one or more additional end nodes to the root node.

19. A translator for converting a tree-graph representation of a diagnostic procedure into a dynamic decision sequencing representation based on a plurality of elementary diagnostic tests for use with a diagnostic plan generator, comprising:

means for reading a tree-graph that represents the diagnostic procedure;

means for identifying an end node of the tree graph;

means for associating the end node with a failure mode;

means for tracing a path through one or more intermediate nodes to a root node; and

means for generating an initial failure mode test corresponding to the failure mode based on the path.

20. The translator of claim 19, further comprising means for identifying at least one of the intermediate nodes as a first precondition node by way of at least one matching method selected from a pattern matching method and a reference matching method based on at least one corresponding node having been previously identified as a second precondition node.

21. The translator of claim 19, further comprising:

means for receiving a user input; and

means for modifying the initial failure mode test based on the user input.

22. The translator of claim 19, further comprising:

means for identifying all of one or more additional end nodes of the tree graph;

means for associating each of the additional end nodes with an additional failure mode; and

means for tracing a unique path through one or more additional intermediate nodes from each of the one or more additional end nodes to the root node.