System and method for diagnosing computer faults

• US 5,983,364 A
• Filed: 05/12/1997
• Issued: 11/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation), Southwest Research Institute
• Original Assignee: Scott System Incorporated
• Inventors: Hoe-Richardson, Peter, Bortcosh, Raouf W., Kane, Edward S., Kelley, George E., Briney, Lester S., Hennessey, Timothy J., Hussong, Richard A., Hastings, Steven D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elisca, Pierre Eddy
• Application Number:
  US08/854,666
• Time in Patent Office: 911 Days
• Field of Search: 395/182.18, 395/181, 395/183.01, 395/183.02, 395/185.01, 395/185.04
• US Class Current: 714/25
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2257 using expert systems

Abstract

A system and method for diagnosing faults that occur on a computer system. An executive unit loads an appropriate file set for a given fault from a database of file sets. An expert system unit analyzes the fault and uses the file set to determine a fact request to be asked or a remedy to be applied to the computer system. The executive unit directs a script management unit to run the fact request or remedy script selected by the expert system unit from the file set. If a response is given by a user or the computer system to the fact request, the executive unit returns the response to the expert system unit. The expert system unit engages in a further analysis based on the initial fault information and response received. The expert system makes additional fact requests if needed until a diagnosis is reached or the current file set is exhausted. File sets are linked in problem domains, and the executive unit can load another file set covering the same domain to continue the diagnostic process. If no local file sets are available, a remote unit determines if an appropriate remote file set is available and then retrieves it to continue the diagnostic process. An object management unit manages the file sets, which are structured into case-structured diagnostic sets, runtime files containing scripts and other information, and auxiliary files used by the scripts.

Claims

1. An apparatus for diagnosing and remedying at least one fault associated with a computer system, said apparatus comprising:

an expert system analyzing said at least one fault;

an executive unit in electrical communication with said expert system; and

a database in electrical communication with said expert system and said executive unit,

wherein said database comprises at least one diagnostic signal and said at least one diagnostic signal comprises at least one remedy,

wherein said executive unit invokes a first said at least one diagnostic signal directed to said computer system in response to said expert system analyzing said at least one fault, and

wherein said executive unit receives at least one response from said computer system to said first said at least one diagnostic signal, and said executive unit invokes said at least one remedy directed to said computer system, in response to said expert system analyzing at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

2. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said at least one diagnostic signal comprises at least one question, said executive unit invoking said at least one question directed to said computer system, in response to said expert system analyzing at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

3. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said at least one diagnostic signal comprises at least one fact and at least one fact request, said executive unit invoking said at least one fact request directed to said computer system, in response to said expert system analyzing at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

4. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein said executive unit receives at least one response to said at least one diagnostic signal from a user of said computer system.

5. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein:

said database comprises objects; and

said executive unit comprises an object management unit.

6. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein:

said at least one diagnostic signal comprises at least two questions;

said expert system determines a selected question from said at least two questions using a cost-benefit analysis; and

said executive unit invokes said selected question directed to said computer system.

7. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein:

said database comprises a case structured knowledge base;

said at least one diagnostic signal comprises said at least one fault, at least one fact, at least one fact request, and at least one remedy; and

said expert system performs a case structured analysis, in response to at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

8. An apparatus as in claim 1 wherein:

said database comprises at least one file set,

said at least one file set comprises at least one diagnostic set comprising fault information for said at least one fault, and at least one runtime database file comprising at least one diagnostic script; and

said executive unit invokes said at least one diagnostic script directed to said computer system, in response to said expert system analyzing at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

9. An apparatus as in claim 8 wherein:

said at least one runtime database file comprises said at least one fault, at least one fact, at least one fact request script, and at least one remedy script;

said at least one diagnostic set comprises at least one fault, at least one reference to said at least one fact request script, and at least one reference to said at least one remedy script; and

said executive unit invokes said at least one fact request script or said at least one remedy script directed to said computer system, in response to said expert system analyzing at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

10. An apparatus for diagnosing at least one fault associated with a computer system, said apparatus comprising:

an expert system analyzing said at least one fault;

an executive unit in electrical communication with said expert system; and

a database in electrical communication with said expert system and said executive unit,

wherein said database comprises at least one diagnostic signal, a first file set and a second file set, said first file set comprising a first global domain coverage table comprising a first reference to a problem domain, said second file set comprising a second domain coverage table comprising a second reference to said problem domain,

wherein said executive unit invokes a first said at least one diagnostic signal directed to said computer system in response to said expert system analyzing said at least one fault, and said executive unit receives at least one response from said computer system to said first said at least one diagnostic signal, and

wherein said executive unit loads said second file set in response to said expert system failing to complete a diagnosis based on said first file set, and said expert system uses said second file set to analyze at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

11. An apparatus for diagnosing at least one fault associated with a computer system, said apparatus comprising:

an expert system analyzing said at least one fault;

an executive unit in electrical communication with said expert system;

a database in electrical communication with said expert system and said executive unit; and

a script management unit, in electrical communication with said executive unit and said database,

wherein said database comprises at least one diagnostic signal and at least one file set, said at least one file set comprising at least one diagnostic set comprising fault information for said at least one fault, and at least one runtime database file comprising at least one diagnostic script,

wherein said executive unit invokes a first said at least one diagnostic signal directed to said computer system in response to said expert system analyzing said at least one fault, said executive unit receives at least one response from said computer system to said first said at least one diagnostic signal, and said executive unit invokes said at least one diagnostic script directed to said computer system, in response to said expert system analyzing at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response, and

wherein said script management unit executes said at least one diagnostic script directed to said computer system, in response to said expert system analyzing at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

12. An apparatus for diagnosing at least one fault associated with a computer system, said apparatus comprising:

an expert system analyzing said at least one fault;

an executive unit in electrical communication with said expert system;

a database in electrical communication with said expert system and said executive unit;

a remote database server comprising at least one remote diagnostic signal; and

a remote unit in electrical communication with said remote database server and said executive unit,

wherein said database comprises at least one diagnostic signal,

wherein said executive unit invokes a first said at least one diagnostic signal directed to said computer system in response to said expert system analyzing said at least one fault, and said executive unit receives at least one response from said computer system to said first said at least one diagnostic signal, and

wherein said remote unit retrieves said at least one remote diagnostic signal from said remote database server and said executive unit invokes said at least one remote diagnostic signal directed to said computer system in response to said expert system analyzing at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

13. An apparatus for diagnosing at least one fault associated with a computer system, said apparatus comprising:

an expert system analyzing said at least one fault;

an executive unit in electrical communication with said expert system;

a database in electrical communication with said expert system and said executive unit;

a remote database server comprising at least one remote segment comprising at least one remote diagnostic signal; and

a remote unit in electrical communication with said remote database server and said executive unit, said remote unit retrieving said at least one remote segment from said remote database server in response to said expert system failing to complete a diagnosis,

wherein said database comprises at least one diagnostic signal,

wherein said executive unit invokes a first said at least one diagnostic signal directed to said computer system in response to said expert system analyzing said at least one fault, and said executive unit receives at least one response from said computer system to said first said at least one diagnostic signal, and

wherein said executive unit invokes said at least one remote diagnostic signal directed to said computer system in response to said expert system using said at least one remote segment to analyze at least one of said at least one fault and said at least one response.

14. An apparatus as in claim 13 wherein

said database comprises at least one local segment, and

said at least one local segment and said at least one remote segment are file sets.

15. A method for diagnosing and remedying at least one fault associated with a computer system, comprising the steps of:

(a) analyzing said at least one fault by an expert system;

(b) selecting at least one first diagnostic signal by said expert system, in response to said analyzing step;

(c) invoking said at least one first diagnostic signal by said executive unit directed to said computer system, in response to said selecting step;

(d) receiving at least one response by said executive unit from said computer system;

(e) attempting to diagnose said at least one fault by said expert system in response to receiving said at least one response;

(f) completing a diagnosis of said at least one fault by said expert system;

(g) selecting at least one remedy by said expert system, in response to receiving said at least one response by said executive unit and completing said diagnosis; and

(h) invoking said at least one remedy by said executive unit directed to said computer system, in response to said selecting at least one remedy step.

16. A method as in claim 15 further comprising the steps of:

receiving at least one response by said executive unit, in response to said at least one first diagnostic signal;

selecting at least one second diagnostic signal by said expert system, in response to said at least one response; and

invoking said at least one second diagnostic signal by said executive unit directed to said computer system, in response to said selecting said at least one second diagnostic signal step.

18. A method as in claim 15, the step of completing a diagnosis of said at least one fault comprising

repeating as needed to complete said diagnosis the following substeps:

selecting at least one additional diagnostic signal by said expert system;

performing steps (c), (d) and (e) using said at least one additional diagnostic signal.

17. A method for diagnosing at least one fault associated with a computer system, comprising the steps of:

(a) analyzing said at least one fault by an expert system;

(b) selecting at least one first diagnostic signal by said expert system, in response to said analyzing step;

(c) invoking said at least one first diagnostic signal by said executive unit directed to said computer system, in response to said selecting step;

(d) receiving at least one response by said executive unit from said computer system;

(e) attempting to diagnose said at least one fault by said expert system in response to receiving said at least one response,

(f) receiving at least one response by said executive unit in response to said at least one first diagnostic signal;

(g) selecting at least one second diagnostic signal by said expert system, in response to said at least one response;

(h) retrieving said at least one second diagnostic signal from a remote database server; and

(i) invoking said at least one second diagnostic signal by said executive unit directed to said computer system, in response to said selecting said at least one second diagnostic signal step and said retrieving said at least one second diagnostic signal step.

19. A method for diagnosing at least one fault associated with a computer system, comprising the steps of:

(a) analyzing said at least one fault by an expert system;

(b) selecting at least one first diagnostic signal by said expert system, in response to said analyzing step;

(c) invoking said at least one first diagnostic signal by said executive unit directed to said computer system, in response to said selecting step;

(d) receiving at least one response by said executive unit from said computer system;

(e) attempting to diagnose said at least one fault by said expert system in response to receiving said at least one response,

(f) repeating as needed to complete a diagnosis the following substeps;

selecting at least one additional diagnostic signal by said expert system;

retrieving said at least one additional diagnostic signal from a remote database server; and

performing steps (c), (d) and (e) using said at least one additional diagnostic signal;

(g) generating at least one remedy by said expert system, in response to said repeating as needed to complete a diagnosis step; and

(h) invoking said at least one remedy by said executive unit directed to said computer system, generated in response to said generating step.