Patent
1993-04-02
1996-08-20
Beausoliel, Jr., Robert W.
395 12, 395911, G06F 1134
Patent
active
055487149
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a means and a method for structuring technical information and is a development environment designed to enable construction of an intelligent, electronic document in the quickest and most efficient way for guidance, teaching in a complex technical equipment. On a computer screen is shown what previously has been in manuals: block diagrams, circuit diagrams, photographs and instructions. An experienced technician uses the invention to find information about measurement results or sources of failures. A technician without computer experience can quickly learn to develop advanced systems. In troubleshooting, an unexperienced technician is guided by the invention through the technical equipment until the fault is located.
2. Description of the Background
Expert systems have been custom-designed for specific technical objects. In contrast, the present invention provides a general method of structuring a knowledge base and of helping users without specific previous knowledge.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Thus, the present invention provides a means and a method for structuring technical information in establishing a knowledge base for handling guidance, teaching and troubleshooting of technical equipment. According to the invention the required concepts are defined to describe states in the knowledge base. Node types are defined indicating what type of information/instruction a node is to contain. Views are read containing pictures or graphic descriptions of the equipment. Nodes are inserted in the views to provide access points of various parts of the equipment, at least one of the nodes being a so-called rule node containing at least one rule having a condition part and a conclusion part. The condition part consists of conditions of the equipment and the conclusion part contains measures to be taken if the conditions are fulfilled. The knowledge base is divided into blocks, if necessary, a base block containing information common to all the blocks and information about linking of the blocks.
When troubleshooting in a knowledge base in accordance with the invention, first the starting block is chosen, whereupon a starting view is shown. Then it is possible to choose a new block, anew starting view being shown, choose a new view within the block in question and/or to choose a new node in the view in question to proceed. A rule node is chosen to obtain instructions about what measures are to be taken, the instructions being followed until a conclusion is reached. If further information is desired a new text node or picture node is chosen.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which
FIG. 1 shows the general structure of the invention with external and internal communication,
FIG. 2 shows an example of a view with nodes on a computer screen, and
FIGS. 3A and B show symbols for picture nodes and text nodes, respectively.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The invention provides an expert system structure for diagnosis, in other words a tool especially designed to build expert systems. Using the invention a person without any experience of programming or expert systems can build a diagnostic system. The system is useful for technicians performing troubleshooting in complex technical equipment. The diagnostic system collects knowledge from one or several experienced technicians. The knowledge is represented in rules guiding the troubleshooter to the source of the problem. The invention shows graphic circuit diagrams, block diagrams and photographs of the test equipment to provide the user with other relevant information.
The invention is in principle constructed like ordinary expert system structures. However, in contrast to these, considerable effort has been invested in making the user and expert interfaces user friendly. Besides these two interfaces there is a knowledge base with rules and facts. An inference machine draws conclusions based
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Proceedings of the International Test Conference, The Computer Society of the IEEE, M. Ben-Bassat, et al., pp. 78-86, "A Proposed Benchmark Unit For Evaluating Electronic Troubleshooting Expert Systems".
Proc. Autotestcon' 89, M. Ben-Bassat, et al., pp. 1-5, "On The Evaluation Of Real Life Test Expert Systems".
Underhall & Driftsakerhet, Mar. 2, 1990, pp. 144 & 145, "Fault Finder: Expertsystem For Underhallssystem" [No English translation].
Proceedings of the fourth Conference on Artificial Intelligence applications, M. Ben-Bassat, et al, pp. 2-10, "AI-Test A Real Life Expert System For Electronic Troubleshooting (A Description And A Case Study)".
Beausoliel, Jr. Robert W.
Televerket
Tu Trinh L.
LandOfFree
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