US5922079A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Automated analysis of a model based diagnostic system
Assignee: Agilent Technologies Inc
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Filing: 1997-10-16
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Granted: 1999-07-13
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Expires: 2017-10-16
Abstract
Abstract An automated analysis system that identifies detectability problems, diagnosability problems, and possible ways to change rank order of diagnoses in a diagnostic system and makes the problems and possible improvements visible to test programmers to aid in test improvement. Components that have no coverage and components that have inadequate coverage (according to a heuristic criteria) are identified as potential detectability problems. Components that are exercised by identical operations in all tests are identified as diagnosability problems. If an incorrect diagnosis is made, the automated analysis system identifies failing tests that have no coverage of any component in the true failure cause. In addition, if an incorrect diagnosis is made, the automated analysis system identifies ways of changing the rank order of diagnoses, including coverages that can be reduced and identification of operation violations that can be eliminated or deliberately added. If no historical data are available, a "diagnosability index" may be computed by randomly sampling from the set of possible failure syndromes and observing the frequencies with which ties occur among the weights of the top-ranked candidate diagnoses. After historical data becomes available, a diagnosability index may be computed from the frequency with which two candidate diagnoses are assigned identical weights by the model-based diagnostic system over a set of representative failures.
Inventors
- 👤 George L. Booth
- 👤 John M. Heumann
- 👤 Douglas R. Manley
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 02:53
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01R; G01R31/00; G01R31/28; G01R31/317; G01R31/3181; G01R31/3183; G01R31/318342; G01R31/31835; G06; G06F; G06F11/00; G06F11/22; G06F11/26; G06F11/263
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 31
Claim 1
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of identifying improvements to a model-based test system, the model-based test system including a test suite and a model, the method comprising the following steps: (a) automatically identifying improvements to the test suite; (b) automatically identifying improvements to the model; and (c) outputting the improvements identified in steps (a) and (b).
Claim 2
Independent Claim
53 words
A method of identifying improvements to a model-based test system, the model-based test system including a test suite and a model, the method comprising the following steps: (a) automatically identifying improvements to the test suite; (b) automatically identifying improvements to the model; and (c) outputting the improvements identified in steps (a) and (b).
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 1, step (a) further comprising: identifying components in which failures are not likely detectable.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
18 words
The method of claim 2, step (a) further comprising: identifying components that are not exercised by any test.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 2, step (a) further comprising: identifying components that are inadequately exercised according to a predetermined criteria.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
23 words
The method of claim 1, step (a) further comprising: identifying pairs of components for which one component cannot be distinguished from the other.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
22 words
The method of claim 5, step (a) further comprising: identifying sets of components that are exercised by identical operations in all tests.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
25 words
The method of claim 1, step (a) further comprising: identifying pairs of components for which one component is unlikely to be distinguished from the other.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 1, wherein the model-based diagnostic system has misidentified a particular set of components as the cause of a set of failing tests instead of identifying the true failure cause components as the cause of the set of failing tests, step (b) further comprising: identifying probable modeling errors causing the misidentification.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 8, step (b) further comprising: identifying components of the true failure cause that are not exercised by the set of failing tests.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8, step (b) further comprising: performing utilization sensitivity analysis on the particular set of components.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 8, step (c) further comprising: identifying ways of changing the misidentification by modifying operation violations.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of identifying improvements to a test suite, the test suite based on a model of a system, the mode not including a description of connection of components in the system, the method comprising the following steps: (a) automatically identifying components, the failure of which has a probability of detectability by the test suite that is low but greater than zero; and (b) outputting identities of components identified in step (a).
Claim 14
Independent Claim
72 words
A method of identifying improvements to a test suite, the test suite based on a model of a system, the mode not including a description of connection of components in the system, the method comprising the following steps: (a) automatically identifying components, the failure of which has a probability of detectability by the test suite that is low but greater than zero; and (b) outputting identities of components identified in step (a).
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12, further comprising the steps of: identifying components that are not exercised by any test.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
20 words
The method of claim 12, step (a) further comprising: identifying components that are inadequately exercised according to a predetermined criteria.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
63 words
A method of identifying improvements to a test suite, the test suite based on a model of a system, the model not including a description of connection of components in the system the method comprising the following steps: (a) automatically identifying sets of components that are exercised by identical operations in all tests; and (b) outputting identities of components identified in step (a).
Claim 18
Independent Claim
63 words
A method of identifying improvements to a test suite, the test suite based on a model of a system, the model not including a description of connection of components in the system the method comprising the following steps: (a) automatically identifying sets of components that are exercised by identical operations in all tests; and (b) outputting identities of components identified in step (a).
Claim 19
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of identifying improvements to a test suite, the method comprising the following steps: (a) automatically identifying pairs of components for which one component has a probability that is low but greater than zero from being distinguished from the other; and (b) outputting identities of the components identified in step (a).
Claim 20
Independent Claim
52 words
A method of identifying improvements to a test suite, the method comprising the following steps: (a) automatically identifying pairs of components for which one component has a probability that is low but greater than zero from being distinguished from the other; and (b) outputting identities of the components identified in step (a).
Claim 21
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of identifying improvements to a model-based diagnostic system, wherein the model-based diagnostic system has misidentified a particular set of components as the cause of a set of failing tests instead of identifying the true failure cause components as the cause of the set of failing tests, the method comprising: (a) automatically identifying components of the true failure cause that are not exercised by the set of failing tests; and (b) outputting identities of components identified in step (a).
Claim 22
Independent Claim
80 words
A method of identifying improvements to a model-based diagnostic system, wherein the model-based diagnostic system has misidentified a particular set of components as the cause of a set of failing tests instead of identifying the true failure cause components as the cause of the set of failing tests, the method comprising: (a) automatically identifying components of the true failure cause that are not exercised by the set of failing tests; and (b) outputting identities of components identified in step (a).
Claim 23
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of identifying improvements to a model-based diagnostic system, wherein the model-based diagnostic system has misidentified a particular set of components as the cause of a set of failing tests instead of identifying the true failure cause components as the cause of the set of failing tests, the method comprising: (a) automatically identifying a way to increase a diagnostic weight for the true failure cause components; and (b) outputting the identity of the way of increasing a diagnostic weight identified in step (a).
Claim 24
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of identifying improvements to a model-based diagnostic system, wherein the model-based diagnostic system has misidentified a particular set of components as the cause of a set of failing tests instead of identifying the true failure cause components as the cause of the set of failing tests, the method comprising: (a) automatically identifying a way to increase a diagnostic weight for the true failure cause components; and (b) outputting the identity of the way of increasing a diagnostic weight identified in step (a).
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 18, step (a) further comprising: identifying a coverage that may be altered for a set of components within the true failure cause components, resulting in an increased diagnostic weight for the true failure cause components.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
62 words
The method of claim 18, step (a) further comprising: identifying a particular operation that may be removed from at least one test, the particular operation exercising at least one of the true failure cause components and the particular operation having an operation violation before removal from at least one test and having no operation violation after removal from at least one test.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 18, step (a) further comprising: identifying a particular operation that may be added to at least one failing test, the additional operation being one that exercises at least one of the true failure cause components and does not have an operation violation.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of identifying improvements to a model-based diagnostic system, wherein the model-based diagnostic system has misidentified a particular set of components as the cause of a set of failing tests instead of identifying the true failure cause components as the cause of the set of failing tests, the method comprising: (a) automatically identifying a way to decrease a diagnostic weight for the particular set of components; and (b) outputting the identity of the way of decreasing a diagnostic weight identified in step (a).
Claim 29
Independent Claim
84 words
A method of identifying improvements to a model-based diagnostic system, wherein the model-based diagnostic system has misidentified a particular set of components as the cause of a set of failing tests instead of identifying the true failure cause components as the cause of the set of failing tests, the method comprising: (a) automatically identifying a way to decrease a diagnostic weight for the particular set of components; and (b) outputting the identity of the way of decreasing a diagnostic weight identified in step (a).
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 22, step (a) further comprising: identifying a coverage that may be altered for the particular set of components, resulting in a decreased diagnostic weight for the particular set of components.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 22, step (a) further comprising: identifying a particular operation that may be added to at least one failing test, the particular operation being one that exercises at least one of the particular set of components and will have an operation violation when added.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2002-07-12 | 2003-01-11 | 2003-07-13 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2006-07-12 | 2007-01-11 | 2007-07-13 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2010-07-12 | 2011-01-11 | 2011-07-13 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |