Machine failure isolation in multiple machine configurations using qualitative physics

摘要

The presence of particular faults in a machine is determined using constraint suspension and Qualitative Physics by prompting a user to perform a machine test procedure and provide results where the test procedure causes a machine configuration change. The machine configuration change can be due to prompting the user to modify machine control inputs or by prompting the user to perform an invasive test. In response to the configuration change, the processor can save predictions for variables and results of performing test procedures and can restore predictions and results of performing test procedures that correspond to a configuration entered as a result of the configuration change. An initial set of assumed machine symptoms can be used to determine the presence of particular faults in the machine and to generate diagnostic logic trees.