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Method for automatically determining probabilities associated with a Boolean function

  • US 5,737,242 A
  • Filed: 11/01/1996
  • Issued: 04/07/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/30/1992
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A method for fault analysis in an electronic system, said method determining a probability (P(f)) of occurrence of a reference event in the system, said reference event corresponding to a Boolean function (f) of atomic events (x1, x2, x3, . . . xk . . . ) each having a predetermined probability of occurrence (P(x1),P(x2),P(x3), . . . ,P(xk) . . . ), said method comprising:

  • constructing a binary decision diagram from said Boolean function, said binary decision diagram having a root event (x1) made of one of said atomic events having the predetermined probability of occurrence P(x1), said root event being connected to a low part (L) and a high part (H) of said binary decision diagram each including others of said atomic events;

    storing, in memory means of a data processing machine, data representative of said binary decision diagram and respective predetermined probabilities of said atomic events;

    recursively traversing the binary decision diagram from the stored data and predetermined probabilities of the atomic events in each of said low and high parts of said binary decision diagram to obtain a low part probability (P(L)) and a high part probability (P(H));

    storing said low part probability and said high part probability in said memory means;

    determining, from said stored predetermined probabilities of said root event, said low part probability and said high part probability, the probability of occurrence P(f) of the reference event by applying the formula;

    P(f)=(1-P(x1))·

    P(L)+P(x1

    P(H), andusing said probability of occurrence P(f) to perform fault analysis on said electronic system.

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