METHOD FOR TESTING THE RELIABILITY OF COMPLEX SYSTEMS
First Claim
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1. A method for testing the reliability of a system, the method comprising:
- establishing a system hierarchy of several levels by identifying components of the system;
identifying and assigning failure modes to the components;
determining test procedures for failure modes of different components to obtain estimates for an availability of the component and selecting at least one test;
identifying a level for allocating available targets to the components, establishing a hierarchical decomposition of the system;
allocating available targets to the components previously identified by qualitative methods considering experience, criticality of failures and novelty of design or material, the available targets combined resulting in an overall available target of the system, and identifying those targets which need to be analysed;
calculating a projected availability of all components, having targets which need to be analysed, which is an estimate of the most probable value of availability provided that the tests are successful;
identifying components for which available targets are not met by the projected available targets and select another test to improve projected availability or increase severity of tests already selected until the available targets are met; and
thencalculating an overall availability of the system.
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Abstract
A method for testing the reliability of complex systems, and includes the evaluation and optimisation of the availability of such systems.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method for testing the reliability of a system, the method comprising:
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establishing a system hierarchy of several levels by identifying components of the system; identifying and assigning failure modes to the components; determining test procedures for failure modes of different components to obtain estimates for an availability of the component and selecting at least one test; identifying a level for allocating available targets to the components, establishing a hierarchical decomposition of the system; allocating available targets to the components previously identified by qualitative methods considering experience, criticality of failures and novelty of design or material, the available targets combined resulting in an overall available target of the system, and identifying those targets which need to be analysed; calculating a projected availability of all components, having targets which need to be analysed, which is an estimate of the most probable value of availability provided that the tests are successful; identifying components for which available targets are not met by the projected available targets and select another test to improve projected availability or increase severity of tests already selected until the available targets are met; and
thencalculating an overall availability of the system. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method comprising:
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determining test procedures for failure modes of different components to obtain estimates for an availability of the component and selecting at least one test; establishing a hierarchical decomposition of a system by identifying a level for allocating available targets to components of the system; allocating available targets to the components by qualitative methods considering experience, criticality of failures and novelty of design or material, combining the available targets to obtain an overall available target of the system, and identifying those targets which need to be analysed; calculating a projected availability of all components, having targets which need to be analysed; identifying components for which available targets are not met by the projected available targets and select another test to improve projected availability or increase severity of previously selected tests until the available targets are met; and
thencalculating an overall availability of the system. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification