A method for executing computer-assisted physical fault diagnosis by means of an expert system

摘要

There is described a machine (20) assisted physical fault diagnosis method for a physical fault object. First a number (one or more) of physical fault(70)systems are collected. These link forward to physical fault syndromes(72) and these again to physical fault hypotheses (74). The links are automatically exploited in forward direction to generate a hypothesis ranking. Recurrently, starting from an actually preferred hypothesis, backward chaining to collection of uncollected physical fault symptoms and/or to associated fault attribute information and after this in the absence of a hypothesis prioritization change, backward chaining on a hypothesis goal, for thereby validating or, alternatively refuting the actually preferred hypothesis (76). After possible prioritization change, the process proceeds with the new preferred hypothesis, without necessarily excluding the demoted hypothesis from future consideration. After possible refutation, the process proceeds with a new preferential hypothesis, having excluded the refuted hypothesis from subsequent consideration. The process continues until either a hypothesis is validated or the set of hypotheses related to at least a part of the actual symptom and symptom attribute information, is exhausted.