Computer-Assisted State Exploration Safety Function
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for optimizing the dynamic timing behavior of technical systems using computer assistance often fail to avoid unsafe states during exploration, which can lead to system damage or malfunction.
Innovation Solution
A method employing a safety function and backup policy to ensure that only permissible actions are taken, with the safety function determining whether actions lead to safe states and the backup policy returning the system to known states, thereby preventing unsafe explorations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If learning methods are used to optimize technical system behavior by exploring the state space, then the system can learn optimized adjustment rules, but unsafe states may be assumed during exploration leading to system damage or malfunction
Solution Approach 1:
The safety function is established before exploration begins, defining permissible actions and unsafe state criteria in advance. This preliminary safety framework prevents the system from entering dangerous states during learning exploration, resolving the contradiction between exploration efficiency and system safety
Solution Approach 2:
The safety function acts as an intermediary between the learning method and the technical system. It mediates by evaluating whether proposed actions are safe before execution, blocking potentially harmful actions while allowing beneficial explorations, thus protecting the system during the optimization process
2Loss of information
If the state space is extensively explored to create a good database for optimization, then more comprehensive system knowledge is gained, but the risk of executing impermissible actions increases
Solution Approach 1:
Safety criteria and the safety function are defined before state space exploration begins. This preliminary setup establishes clear boundaries for safe exploration, enabling comprehensive database collection without exposing the system to harmful actions
Solution Approach 2:
The safety function provides continuous feedback during exploration by evaluating each proposed action against safety criteria. This feedback mechanism guides the exploration process, allowing the system to learn from safe states while automatically preventing transitions to unsafe states, thus maintaining both database completeness and system safety
Data Source
AI summary
A method for the computer-assisted exploration of states of a technical system is provided. The states of the technical system are run by carrying out an action in a respective state of the technical system, the action leading to a new state. A safety function and a feedback rule are used to ensure that a large volume of data of states and actions is run during exploration and that at the same time no inadmissible actions occur which could lead directly or indirectly to the technical system being damaged or to a defective operating state. The method allows a large number of states and actions relating to the technical system to be collected and may be used for any technical system, especially the exploration of states in a gas turbine. The method may be used both in the real operation and during simulation of the operation of a technical system.