Machine failure isolation using qualitative physics

摘要

The presence of particular faults in a machine is determined (58) using constraint suspension and a Qualitative Physics model of the machine. Received machine signals can be propagated (69) through the model and the implicants of values assigned to variables can be determined and other variables can be restricted (187) according to the union of the implicants. The user can be prompted to perform a machine test procedure (72) that causes a machine configuration change. Test performance time can be a factor in choosing (286) the optimum test for the user to perform. The Qualitative Physics model (310) of the machine can be constructed using graphical user interface (302) allowing selection and interconnection of machine components (306) for the model such that the user can define a landmark domain to provide definitions of qualitative value spaces of variables of the model. Generic test templates can also be used in developing the model.