[comp.ai] Heuristics ffor terminal selection in deep diagnosis

ameen@techunix.BITNET (Ameen Abu_Hanna) (04/12/88)

    In model based troubleshooting, probing  into  the  diagnosed
system  to  examine  some  terminal's  output,  is  _one  way_ to
discriminate between suspect components (competing hypothesis).

    Clearly, *choosing* a "good" terminal/port for examination is
vital  for  efficiency.  I  need  suggestions  for  heuristics to
estimate  how  "good"  is  a  terminal  examination   (i.e.   how
discriminatory   power  it  might  yield  in  case  such  a  test
succeeds/fails).

    The diagnosed system  in  my  case  is  concerned  about  the
electrical/digital   domain   and  modeled  (structurally)  by  a
hierarchical representation where a component might be  either  a
primitive or a module consisting of other (sub)components.

     Aspects like number of pins a  chip  has  (more  pins  of  a
suspected  component  raise probability of it's "failure belief",
hence an affected terminal  by  such  component  might  be  worth
considering),  price of "observability" of the expected output at
some terminal, number of possible contributor suspect  components
to the terminal, terminal accessibility etc. are some criteria to
be considered. Any suggestions  ?  (partial/conceptual  ones  are
welcomed).

              Thanks,
              Ameen Abu-Hanna,

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