Diagnosis using hierarchical design models

Abstract

This paper presents a new algorithm for the diagnosis of computer hardware faults. The algorithm uses a general inference procedure to compute suspect components and generate discriminatory tests from information about the design of the device being diagnosed. In the current implementation this procedure is linear-input resolution, guided by explicit meta-level control rules. The algorithm exploits the hierarchy inherent in most computer system designs to diagnose systems a level at a time. In this way the number of parts under consideration at any one time is kept small, and the cost of test generation remains manageable.