← Back to Patent Explorer
US5214577A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Automatic test generation for model-based real-time fault diagnostic systems

Assignee: Osaka Gas Co Ltd
•
Filing: 1990-10-24
•
Granted: 1993-05-25
•
Expires: 2010-10-24
📄 Original PDF 🌐 Google Patents 🔄 Sync Now

Abstract

Abstract In a real-time diagnostic system, an alarm sequence generator is used to test the correctness of a fault model. The fault model describes an industrial process being monitored. The alarm sequence generator reads the fault model and generates a user interface, from which specific components can be selected for failure at specified times. The alarm sequence generator assembles all alarms that are causally downstream from the selected set of faulty components and determines which alarms should be turned on based on probabilistic and temporal information in the fault model. The timed alarm sequence can be used by an expert to measure the correctness of a particular model, or can be used as input into a diagnostic system to measure the correctness of the diagnostic system.

Inventors

  • 👤 Janos Sztipanovits
  • 👤 Csaba Biegl
  • 👤 Gabor Karsai
  • 👤 Samir Padalkar
  • 👤 Nobuji Miyasaka
  • 👤 Koji Okuda

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-27 12:07
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B23/00; G05B23/02; G05B23/0205; G05B23/0259; G05B23/0262; G08; G08B; G08B29/00; G08B29/12; G08B29/14; Y; Y02; Y02P; Y02P90/00; Y02P90/02

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim 190 words
A method for testing the accuracy and completeness of a diagnostic system which analyzes the operation of a monitored process, the system being modeled as a graph model having a plurality of on-line nodes representing functions being monitored by a first group of alarms, a plurality off-line nodes representing functions being monitored by off-line alarms, a plurality of nodes representing functions of the monitored process not having alarms associated therewith, a plurality of nodes representing fault source components, and a plurality of propagation paths, wherein each said path selectively interconnects at least two said nodes for representing allowable propagation of information from one node to another, the method comprising the steps of specifying each node of the model at which data signals shall originate, specifying for each originating node a time at which the data signal shall originate, propagating said data signal through said graph model and along said propagation paths, said propagation paths being characterized by minimum and maximum propagation times, and a probability of propagation of said signals along said paths, and determining the nodes to which said data signal is propagated and the time of its arrival.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 190 words
A method for testing the accuracy and completeness of a diagnostic system which analyzes the operation of a monitored process, the system being modeled as a graph model having a plurality of on-line nodes representing functions being monitored by a first group of alarms, a plurality off-line nodes representing functions being monitored by off-line alarms, a plurality of nodes representing functions of the monitored process not having alarms associated therewith, a plurality of nodes representing fault source components, and a plurality of propagation paths, wherein each said path selectively interconnects at least two said nodes for representing allowable propagation of information from one node to another, the method comprising the steps of specifying each node of the model at which data signals shall originate, specifying for each originating node a time at which the data signal shall originate, propagating said data signal through said graph model and along said propagation paths, said propagation paths being characterized by minimum and maximum propagation times, and a probability of propagation of said signals along said paths, and determining the nodes to which said data signal is propagated and the time of its arrival.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 67 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of propagating said data signal along said propagation paths further comprises the steps of: generating a random time for each path that is not greater than said maximum propagation time and not less than said minimum propagation time for the propagation path; and propagating said data signal along each propagation path at a time specified by said random time.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 58 words
The method of claim 1 wherein said step of propagating said data signal along said propagation paths further comprises the steps of: generating a random probability value of propagation; and propagating said data signal along said propagation path only if said generated random probability value has a specified desired relationship relative to said propagation probability for a path.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 37 words
The method of claim 3 further comprising the step of: comparing a resultant data signal flow through said graph model with an expected data signal flow through said model for determining the accuracy of said graph model.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 195 words
Apparatus for testing the accuracy and completeness of a diagnostic system which analyzes the operation of a monitored process, the system being modeled as a graph model having a plurality of on-line nodes representing functions being monitored by a first group of alarms, a plurality of off-line nodes representing functions being monitored by off-line alarms, a plurality of nodes representing functions of the monitored process not having alarms associated therewith, a plurality of nodes representing fault source components, and a plurality of propagation paths, wherein each said path selectively interconnects at least two said nodes for representing allowable propagation of information from one node to another, the apparatus comprising means for specifying each node of the model at which data signals shall originate, means for specifying for each originating node a time at which the data signal shall originate, means for propagating said data signal through said graph model and along said propagation paths, said propagation paths being characterized by minimum and maximum propagation times, and a probability of propagation of said signals along said paths, and means for determining the nodes to which said data signal is propagated and the time of its arrival.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 195 words
Apparatus for testing the accuracy and completeness of a diagnostic system which analyzes the operation of a monitored process, the system being modeled as a graph model having a plurality of on-line nodes representing functions being monitored by a first group of alarms, a plurality of off-line nodes representing functions being monitored by off-line alarms, a plurality of nodes representing functions of the monitored process not having alarms associated therewith, a plurality of nodes representing fault source components, and a plurality of propagation paths, wherein each said path selectively interconnects at least two said nodes for representing allowable propagation of information from one node to another, the apparatus comprising means for specifying each node of the model at which data signals shall originate, means for specifying for each originating node a time at which the data signal shall originate, means for propagating said data signal through said graph model and along said propagation paths, said propagation paths being characterized by minimum and maximum propagation times, and a probability of propagation of said signals along said paths, and means for determining the nodes to which said data signal is propagated and the time of its arrival.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 68 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for propagating said data signal along said propagation paths further comprises means for generating a random time for each path that is not greater than said maximum propagation time and not less than said minimum propagation time for the propagation path; and means for propagating said data signal along each propagation path at a time specified by said random time.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 59 words
The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means for propagating said data signal along said propagation paths further comprises: means for generating a random probability value of propagation; and means for propagating said data signal along said propagation path only if said generated random probability value has a specific desired relationship relative to said propagation probability for a path.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 36 words
The apparatus of claim 7 further comprising: means for comparing a resultant data signal flow through said graph model with an expected data signal flow through said model for determining the accuracy of said graph model.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US4755925A Cited
US4878179A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1996-05-24 1996-11-23 1997-05-25 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2000-05-24 2000-11-23 2001-05-25 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2004-05-24 2004-11-23 2005-05-25 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

Assigned Categories & Tags

No categories assigned to this patent yet.

Assign Category Tag