Method and system for reducing development time of complex systems utilizing correlation matrices

• US 5,745,390 A
• Filed: 02/21/1997
• Issued: 04/28/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Michigan (University of Michigan)
• Inventors: Daneshgari, Parviz
• Primary Examiner(s): Trammell, James P.
• Application Number:
  US08/804,393
• Time in Patent Office: 431 Days
• Field of Search: 364/550, 364/551.01, 364/551.2, 364/552, 364/554, 364/580, 364/468.02, 364/468.03, 364/468.09, 364/468.1, 364/468.12-468.17, 705/7
• US Class Current: 702/119
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 23/0251 Abstraction hierarchy, e.g. "complex systems", i.e. system is divided in subsystems, subsystems are monitored and results are combined to decide on status of whole system

Abstract

A method and system for reducing development time of a complex system such as an automobile engine utilizing correlation matrices are provided. First, second and tertiary level correlation matrices are preferably created and stored on a computer system in a LAN. The correlation matrices are provided to identify the minimum necessary tests and components that are required to parallel test the subsystems of a selected major engine system without the use of the entire engine. In a matrix development stage, test procedures are researched and various engineers are consulted to subjectively rank the matrices to obtain subjective matrices. These rankings allow one to determine which components are required to validate an engine subsystem test. In addition, an objective matrix is developed in a matrix validation procedure based on actual test results of a fully functional engine. This allows the user to compare the objective matrix with a corresponding subjective matrix to determine a level of confidence. Use of this method and system would enable engineers to predict the behavior of subsystems within their natural environment with a high level of confidence.

Claims

1. A method for reducing development time of a complex system utilizing correlation matrices, the complex system having major systems, each major system having subsystems and each subsystem having components, the method comprising the steps of:

creating and storing on a computer system correlation matrices for correlating the major systems to the subsystems and the subsystems to the components;

selecting subsystems to be tested and components required for each subsystem test from the stored correlation matrices; and

testing the selected subsystems in parallel separate from the complex system to obtain a first set of test results for each of the tested subsystems.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of ranking the correlation matrices to determine interactions between the subsystems and the components and between the major systems and the subsystems.

3. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the correlation matrices has a structure including a body and a roof wherein each body shows correlations and each roof shows interactions.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1 wherein each of the correlation matrices has an x-axis and a y-axis and wherein one correlation matrix has the major systems listed on its y-axis and the subsystems listed on its x-axis and wherein another correlation matrix has the subsystems listed on its y-axis and the components listed on its x-axis.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of validating predictability of each of the correlation matrices.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5 wherein the step of validating includes the step of testing the selected subsystems within the complex system to obtain a second set of test results for each of the selected subsystems and comparing the first and second sets of test results for each selected subsystem to obtain a confidence level for each of the selected subsystems.

7. The method as claimed in claim 6 further comprising the step of re-ranking the correlation matrices based on the confidence levels.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the complex system is an automobile engine.

16. The system of claim 8 wherein the complex system is an automobile engine.

9. A system for reducing development time of a complex system utilizing correlation matrices, the complex system having major systems, each major system having subsystems and each subsystem having components, the system comprising:

a computer system programmed for creation and storage of correlation matrices for correlating the major systems to the subsystems and the subsystems to the components;

the computer system also being programmed for selection of subsystems and components required for each subsystem test from the stored correlation matrices; and

means for testing the selected subsystems in parallel separate from the complex system to obtain a first set of test results for each of the tested subsystems.

10. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein the computer system is further programmed for ranking the correlation matrices to determine interactions between the subsystems and the components and between the major systems and the subsystems.

11. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein each of the correlation matrices has a structure including a body and a roof wherein each body shows correlations and each roof shows interactions.

12. The system as claimed in claim 9 wherein each of the correlation matrices has an x-axis and a y-axis and wherein one correlation matrix has the major systems listed on its y-axis and the subsystems listed on its x-axis and wherein another correlation matrix has the subsystems listed on its y-axis and the components listed on its x-axis.

13. The system as claimed in claim 9 further comprising means for validating predictability of each of the correlation matrices.

14. The system as claimed in claim 13 wherein the means for validating includes means for testing the selected subsystems within the complex system to obtain a second set of test results for each of the selected subsystems and means for comparing the first and second sets of test results for each selected subsystem to obtain a confidence level for each of the selected subsystems.

15. The system as claimed in claim 14 wherein the computer system is further programmed for re-ranking the correlation matrices based on the confidence levels.

17. A method for reducing development time of a complex system utilizing correlation matrices, the complex system having major systems, each major system having subsystems and each subsystem having components, the method comprising the steps of:

creating and storing on a computer system correlation matrices correlating the major systems to the subsystems, the subsystems to the components and the components to component tests;

selecting subsystems to be tested, components required for each subsystem test and component tests required to test the subsystems from the stored correlation matrices; and

testing the selected subsystems in parallel separate from the complex system to obtain a first set of test results for each of the tested subsystems.

18. The method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising the step of ranking the correlation matrices to determine interactions between the subsystems and the components, between the major systems and the subsystems and between the components and the component tests.

19. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein each of the correlation matrices has a structure including a body and a roof wherein each body shows correlation and each roof shows interactions.

20. The method as claimed in claim 17 wherein each of the correlation matrices has an x-axis and a y-axis and wherein one correlation matrix has the major systems listed on its y-axis and the subsystems listed on its x-axis, and wherein another correlation matrix has the subsystems listed on its y-axis and the components listed on its x-axis and having yet another correlation matrix having the components listed on its y-axis and the component tests on its x-axis.

21. The method as claimed in claim 17 further comprising the step of validating predictability of each of the correlation matrices.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21 wherein the step of validating includes the step of testing the selected subsystems within the complex system to obtain a second set of test results for each of the selected subsystems and comparing the first and second test results for each selected subsystem to obtain a confidence level for each of the selected subsystems.

23. The method as claimed in claim 22 further comprising the step of re-ranking the correlation matrices based on the confidence levels.

24. The method of claim 17 wherein the complex system is an automobile engine.

25. A system for reducing development time of a complex system utilizing correlation matrices, the complex system having major systems, each major system having subsystems and each subsystem having components, the system comprising:

a computer system programmed for creation and storage of correlation matrices for correlating major systems to the subsystems, the subsystems to the components, and the components to component tests; and

programmed for selection of subsystems to be tested, components required for each subsystem test and component tests required to test the subsystems from the stored correlation matrices; and

means for testing the selected subsystems in parallel separate from the complex system to obtain a first set of test results for each of the tested subsystems.

26. The system as claimed in claim 25 wherein the computer system is further programmed for ranking the correlation matrices to determine interactions between the subsystems and the components, between the major systems and the subsystems and between the components and the component tests.

27. The system as claimed in claim 25 wherein each of the correlation matrices has a structure including a body and a roof wherein each body shows correlations and each roof shows interactions.

28. The system as claimed in claim 25 wherein each of the correlation matrices has an x-axis and a y-axis and wherein one correlation matrix has the major systems listed on its y-axis and the subsystems listed on its x-axis;

wherein another correlation matrix has the subsystems listed on its y-axis and the components listed on its x-axis; and

wherein yet another correlation matrix has the components listed on its y-axis and the component tests listed on its x-axis.

29. The system as claimed in claim 25 further comprising means for of validating predictability of each of the correlation matrices.

30. The system as claimed in claim 29 wherein the means for validating includes means for testing the selected subsystems within the complex system to obtain a second set of test results for each of the selected subsystems and means for comparing the first and second sets of test results for each selected subsystem to obtain a confidence level for each of the selected subsystems.

31. The system as claimed in claim 30 wherein the computer system is further programmed for re-ranking the correlation matrices based on the confidence levels.

32. The system of claim 25 wherein the complex system is an automobile engine.