Systems and methods for hazards analysis

• US 8,015,550 B2
• Filed: 11/28/2006
• Issued: 09/06/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Siemens AG
• Original Assignee: Siemens Corp. (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Berenbach, Brian, Kornek, Marcus
• Primary Examiner(s): Dao, Thuy
• Assistant Examiner(s): CHOWDHURY, ZIAUL A.
• Application Number:
  US11/563,967
• Publication Number:
  US 20070150772A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,743 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/124
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/2257 using expert systems

Abstract

A system for hazards analysis includes: a memory device for storing a program; a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to: access the memory device to obtain information specifying a system to be analyzed; build functional block diagrams using the information specifying the system to be analyzed; receive user-input hazards analysis elements; and use the functional block diagrams, the user-input hazards analysis elements and tree fault analysis for hazards analysis.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of hazards analysis, comprising:

displaying menus enabling user selection of a plurality of hazards analysis elements;

receiving a plurality of hazards analysis elements and properties of the hazards analysis elements;

displaying the hazards analysis elements and relationships therebetween using a hazard-cause-mitigation tree;

building a functional block diagram representation of a system on which hazard analysis is to be performed using a Unified Modeling Language system specification, the hazards analysis elements and the properties of the hazards analysis elements;

using the functional block diagrams, the hazard-cause-mitigation tree, and fault tree analysis to determine causes of hazards.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the hazards analysis elements comprise hazards, causes and mitigations.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein fault tree analysis is used to evaluate the probability of a hazards event using analytical or statistical methods.

4. A system comprising a program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a non-transitory program of instructions executable by the computer to perform the method steps for performing a hazards analysis, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a Unified Modeling Language (UML) specification of a system to be analyzed for hazards, said UML specification including a hazard link for providing hazard analysis;

building functional block diagrams using the UML specification of the system to be analyzed;

receiving user-input hazards analysis elements and building a hazard-cause-mitigation tree from the hazards analysis elements; and

using the functional block diagrams, the hazard-cause-mitigation tree and fault tree analysis for hazards analysis.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the user-input hazards analysis elements comprise hazards, causes and mitigations.

6. The system of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises generating a graphical user interface that allows a user to input the hazards analysis elements.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the graphical user interface includes

a first dialog box that allows the user to input hazard information,

a second dialog box that allows the user to input cause information, and

a third dialog box that allows the user to input mitigation information.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein the graphical user interface comprises a first viewer for graphically displaying hazards analysis elements and relationships therebetween.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a first graphical editor for building functional block diagrams using a plurality of user interface components.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a second graphical editor for building a fault tree for use in fault tree analysis.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the graphical user interface further comprises a third graphical editor for editing Unified Modeling Language (UML) use case diagrams for the inclusion of hazards to link hazards to system requirements.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the user interface components comprise at least one of a display terminal, a keyboard, or a pointing device.

13. The system of claim 4, wherein the method further comprises generating reports based on results of hazards analysis.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the reports include a spreadsheet that lists hazard information, cause information and mitigation information.

15. A system comprising a program storage device readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the computer to implement a system for providing a graphical user interface for implementing hazards analysis, the graphical user interface comprising:

a plurality of user interface components for entering hazards analysis elements;

a first viewer for graphically displaying hazards analysis elements and relationships therebetween;

a first graphical editor for building functional block diagrams using the interface components;

a second graphical editor for building a fault tree for use in fault tree analysis; and

a third graphical editor for editing Unified Modeling Language (UML) use case diagrams for the inclusion of hazards to link hazards to system requirements.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the user interface components comprise at least one of a display terminal, a keyboard, or a pointing device.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein the hazards analysis elements comprise hazards, causes and mitigations.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein fault analysis is used to evaluate the probability of a hazards event using analytical or statistical methods.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising a report generator for generating reports based on results of hazards analysis.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the report generator generates a spreadsheet that lists hazard information, cause information and mitigation information.