Configuration knowledge as an aid to case retrieval

摘要

A method and system for reducing the number of cases in a cased based reasoning system that are considered applicable to a current problem for a specific complex apparatus. In addition to a database of previously solved cases, the system has a domain database containing all components that make up a set of apparatus. The system also has a database containing configuration knowledge which defines the components from the domain that are excluded from a specific apparatus. The configuration information is used to filter any cases from consideration as potential solutions if they reference components not in the configuration of the specific apparatus for which the current problem exists. The configuration knowledge is also used to display to the user only the components that make up the specific apparatus for which the current problem exists. The configuration knowledge also includes information on default values for components within the specific apparatus. The default values being used to avoid prompting the user to answer a question for which the value is already known.