Technical System Validation Using Component Discrepancy Bounds
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Solution Overview
Problem
Complex technical systems with intricately linked components are challenging to validate or verify due to their stochastic and complex nature, making it difficult to predict and guarantee desired behavior, especially in safety-critical systems where extensive real-world data collection is often infeasible.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented method that determines the probability of a technical system fulfilling a desired criterion by obtaining models for components, propagating discrepancies through these models, and using validation measurements to establish upper or lower bounds on system outputs, allowing for statistical validation without the need for extensive real-world data collection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If extensive real-world data collection is performed to validate complex technical systems, then validation accuracy improves, but time consumption and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by performing validation measurements and obtaining validation data before the actual validation process. The method obtains models for system components, performs validation measurements on these models, and determines discrepancy measures in advance. This preliminary validation using models and simulations allows the system to be validated without requiring extensive real-world data collection during the actual validation phase, thereby reducing time consumption while maintaining validation accuracy.
2Measurement precision
If extensive real-world data collection is performed to validate complex technical systems, then validation accuracy improves, but the complexity of the validation process increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the validation process into distinct components and stages. The system is broken down into individual components with separate models, each undergoing validation measurements. The overall validation is segmented into: obtaining component models, performing validation measurements on each model, determining discrepancy measures for each component, and finally aggregating these to determine system-level validation. This segmentation reduces the complexity of validating the entire system at once while maintaining comprehensive validation accuracy.
3Measurement precision
If component-level validation is performed to understand system behavior, then validation precision improves, but the complexity of managing multiple component models increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining individual component models into an integrated system model. After performing validation measurements on each component model and determining discrepancy measures for each component, the method merges these individual validations by propagating the discrepancy measures through the system model to determine an overall system discrepancy measure. This merging approach allows component-level validation precision to be achieved while managing the complexity through systematic integration rather than handling each component separately throughout the entire validation process.
Data Source
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AI summary
Computer-implemented method for verifying and/or validating whether a technical system (40) fulfills a desired criterion with a predefined probability, wherein the technical system (40) emits output signals based on input signals supplied to the technical system (40), wherein the method comprises the steps of: • Obtaining models (M1, M2, MC) for components (S1, S2, SC) comprised by the technical system (40) and obtaining connections between the models (M1, M2, MC) for the components (S1, S2, SC), wherein a connection characterizes which model (M1, M2, MC) passes which output as input to another model (M1, M2, MC); • Obtaining a plurality of validation measurements, wherein a validation measurement comprises a measurement input and a measurement output, wherein the measurement output is obtained from a component (S1,S2,SC) of the technical system (40) for the measurement input if the measurement input is provided to the component (S1,S2, SC); • Obtaining test outputs for the models (M1, M2, MC) based on test inputs of the models (M1, M2, MC) and the connections between the models (M1, M2, MC); • Determining an upper bound of an output of the technical system (40) or a lower bound of the output by propagating upper or lower bounds (B1, B2, BC-1, BC) of discrepancies (D) of the models (M1, M2, MC) through the models (M1, M2, MC), wherein a discrepancy (D) of a model (M1, M2, MC) characterizes a discrepancy (D) between a distribution of measurement outputs (p1,p2,pC-1,pC) for a component (S1, S2, SC) and a distribution of test outputs (q1, q2, qC-1, qC) obtained for the model (M1, M2, MC) of the component (S1, S2, SC); • Verifying and/or validating whether the technical system (40) fulfills the criterion with the predefined probability based on the determined upper bound of the output or verifying and/or validating whether the technical system (40) fulfills the criterion with the predefined probability based on the determined lower bound of the output.