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Method and apparatus for generation of multi-branched diagnostic trees

  • US 5,272,704 A
  • Filed: 08/18/1989
  • Issued: 12/21/1993
  • Est. Priority Date: 08/18/1989
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for automated generation of a multi-branched diagnostic tree for isolation of faults in a system comprising the steps of storing a model of the system to be diagnosed in a memory, said model including terminals indicating measurement points in the system to be diagnosed, inputting into the system measurements of taken at the measurement points in the system,propagating the variables through the model for automated generation of a diagnostic tree;

  • determining an operating value for each of said terminals;

    selecting a granularity for each node of said diagnostic tree;

    establishing at least one terminal as a root node and establishing the root node as a selected node;

    generating a plurality of branches extending from said selected node, the number of branches extending from said selected node corresponding to each selected granularity, and selecting a branch value to correspond to each of said generated branches;

    selecting one of said branches of said selected node not terminating in a leaf node for analysis;

    propagating the branch value of said selected branch through said model thereby generating a propagated value for said terminals;

    identifying conflicts between propagated values at each terminal and generating conflict candidate sets;

    terminating the selected branch with a leaf node denoting no further fault isolation is possible if no conflict set exists;

    terminating the selected branch with a node denoting multiple faults if multiple, nonintersecting conflict sets exits;

    terminating the selected branch with a leaf node denoting a single fault if one conflict set having a single component exists;

    attempting to identify a next measurement to be made if at least one conflict set exists,terminating the selected branch with a leaf node denoting no further fault isolation is possible if no next measurement can be identified,terminating the selected branch with a measurement node corresponding to an identified next measurement and establishing said measurement node as the selected node and returning to the step of generating a plurality of branches if a next measurement can be identified;

    finding a branch not terminated with a node and establishing the found branch as the selected branch and returning to the step of propagating the branch value of said selected branch;

    finding a measurement node without established branches, establishing said measurement node as the selected node, and returning to the step of generating a plurality of branches if a measurement node is established; and

    stopping tree generation if all branches are terminated with leaf nodes.

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