EXPERT SYSTEMS FOR ATE - THE ATEX APPROACH.

The role of expert systems in fault detection and diagnosis is discussed followed by an approach for integrating expert systems in an ATE environment. The core of the knowledge base is structured as a multiperspective hierarchical inference network (MUPHIN) that represents the relationships between findings and faults. A significant part of this knowledge base may be generated automatically by analyzing functional diagrams of the unit under test (UUT). The test is elicited from human experts. The inference engine consists of several modules. Embedded in the expert system is an 'understanding' of the UUT functions and behavior. This permits the inference engine to explain its reasoning for each of the above tasks. This approach is currently being implemented in the ATEX system for testing avionic equipment.