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Intergrated qualitative/quantitative reasoning with enhanced core predictions and extended test procedures for machine failure isolation using qualitative physics

  • US 5,522,014 A
  • Filed: 04/26/1994
  • Issued: 05/28/1996
  • Est. Priority Date: 04/26/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A method of using a processor to determine the presence of particular faults in a machine, comprising the steps of:

  • the processor estimating a time for performance for each of a plurality of machine test procedures by providing a summation, for each test procedure, of estimated times for performing portions of each of said test procedures, wherein portions of said machine test procedures which are unnecessary due to a present test configuration of the machine are not included in said summation;

    the processor choosing a particular test procedure from said group of machine test procedures by selecting the one of said machine test procedures having a highest test score, said test score being inversely proportional to said summation;

    the processor prompting a user to perform said particular test procedure and provide results thereof to the processor;

    the processor generating a plurality of pending hypotheses wherein each hypothesis has 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;

    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; 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.

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