Abstract: A method for generating a fault tree of a multi-component system is provided. The multicomponent system includes a logical-functional system layer and a physical system layer as different layers of abstraction The physical system layer may correspond, for example, to software and/or hardware implementing the functional aspects of the logical-functional system layer. The method first provides a logical-functional fault tree for the logical-functional system layer and a physical fault tree for the physical system layer, the latter having elements corresponding to elements in the logical-functional fault tree. Next, a mixed-layer fault tree is generated by combining aspects of both fault trees in a systematic way. The disclosed is particularly relevant for analyzing safety-critical systems. However, the present concepts are not limited to these applications and may be applied to general use cases where fault tree analysis is applicable.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and an apparatus for determining an optimal system configuration out of a plurality of candidate system configurations j is provided.

Abstract: A method for modelling technical systems having a plurality of technical components, including the step of assigning a component Markov chain to each component having a Markov chain for representing various states of the respective component, at least one input one failure mode for externally triggering a transition from one state of the Markov chain into another state of the Markov chain, and at least one output failure mode to each Markov chain for propagating failures to other components, is provided.

Abstract: Modeling a multi-component control or actuator system using a fault tree is provided, which solves the problem of ring closures included in a fault tree. To identify ring closures, failure propagation paths are back-traced and is checked if the respective failure propagation path forms a ring closure.

Abstract: Provided is an application of the described (or similar) decision-theoretic approaches to ensure the quality, output and timeliness of manufactured products for flexible and adaptable production systems, by determining and integrating suitable quality assurance measures which are integrated into the production process in an optimal manner. Thereby, a pareto-optimal sequence of production steps and quality assurance mechanisms are determined that provides an optimal trade-off between target product quality, production time and production costs. Since the approach is performed in an automated way, it can even be performed for flexible production scenarios down to a production of lot size I.

Abstract: A computer-based method for automated hazard detection for a technical system, the method includes the step of selecting an output failure mode of a component of a component fault tree of the technical system as a top level hazard. The computer-based method includes the step of generating a hazard information tree by means of a subtree of the component fault tree, wherein the subtree is selected by means of the top level hazard, wherein the subtree is modified by removing predefined nodes from the subtree and by enhancing output failure modes of the subtree with information from which component the output failure modes originate, wherein the modified subtree is saved in a memory unit as hazard information tree. The computer-based method includes the step of evaluating the hazard information tree, and providing a control signal comprising a result of the evaluation.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method and device for resolving closed loops in automatic fault tree analysis of a multi-component system is provided. Also provided is a method for resolving closed loops in automatic fault tree analysis of a multi-component system, the closed loops corresponding, for example, to closed-loop control circuitry of a multi-component device. The closed loops are first identified in a top-down approach within failure propagation paths. Next, the loops are resolved by setting each loop interconnection to Boolean TRUE, adjusting the fault tree in a specific way and finally setting each loop interconnection to Boolean FALSE. Embodiments of the invention are relevant for analyzing safety-critical systems. However, the present concepts are not limited to these applications and may be applied to general use cases where fault tree analysis is applicable. The proposed solution advantageously provides a method that features linear complexity.

Abstract: Provided is a method and system for identifying and evaluating common cause failures of system components, wherein at least one analytical artifact and machine readable system related to at least one of spatial, topological data and machine readable system related lifecycle data are processed to analyze automatically a susceptibility of system components to common cause failure based on common cause failure influencing factors.

Abstract: A method for modelling technical systems having a plurality of technical components, including the step of assigning a component Markov chain to each component having a Markov chain for representing various states of the respective component, at least one input one failure mode for externally triggering a transition from one state of the Markov chain into another state of the Markov chain, and at least one output failure mode to each Markov chain for propagating failures to other components, is provided.

Abstract: Provided is a method for determining at least one indication of at least one change, having the steps of receiving at least one input data record having the at least one change and associated data, and determining the at least one indication of the at least one change by applying a learning-based approach to the at least one received input data record. The invention is also directed to a determination unit and a computer program product.

Abstract: Provided is a system for safety analysis of failure behavior for a unit including two or more components with at least one inport for receiving failure data and one outport for transmitting failure data, wherein for the analysis of the failures data of the components and/or the unit a safety contract is used, and wherein the safety contract is generated automatically by a model-based safety analysis model comprising separate SAM modules which are related to the components of the unit.

Abstract: A computer-based method for generating a component fault tree for a technical system is provided, including loading a data model of a failure mode and effect analysis for the technical system, generating for each component of the technical system a component element for the component fault tree, wherein component output ports of the component elements are connected to input ports of the component elements, generating for each component of the data model a component fault tree element for the respective component element, wherein each component fault tree element is associated with the respective component element, generating for each failure effect of a failure mode of a component of the data model an output failure mode for the respective component fault tree elements, and generating for each failure mode of the component of the data model a basic event for the respective component fault tree elements.

Abstract: Modeling a multi-component control or actuator system using a fault tree is provided, which solves the problem of ring closures included in a fault tree. To identify ring closures, failure propagation paths are back-traced and is checked if the respective failure propagation path forms a ring closure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for generating a fault tree for a failure mode of a multi-mode system which includes a plurality of system components, the method includes the steps of providing component fault tree elements of the system components, wherein each component fault tree element includes at least one component fault tree mode element, representing a failure-relevant operation mode of the respective system component; selecting at least one component fault tree mode element representing a system state of the system; and generating the fault tree by incorporating the selected component fault tree mode elements the generated fault tree representing a failure behaviour of a system state of the system.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for providing a safe operation of a technical system including a plurality of system components. The method includes the steps of: a) providing a safety analysis model matured by knowledge about former implementations of the respective system components in different context, b) whereby system components' dependencies are modeled by connecting inports with outports of the respective system components and/or vice versa, c) whereby at least one or a plurality of such in and/or outports are associated with input failure modes and/or output failure modes, d) characterized in automatically uncovering inconsistencies caused by at least one system component to be integrated in connection with at least another system component whereby the input and/or output failure mode of the system component carries the knowledge from another implementation into the context.

Abstract: Techniques of safety assurance using fault trees for identifying dormant system failure states are provided. Both operational failure events, as well as diagnostic failure events are included in a fault tree and the operational failure events are then correlated with the diagnostic failure events, which enables an identification of the dormant system failure states. A component fault tree can be used.

Abstract: Provided is a method for analyzing and designing a physical system architecture of a safety-critical system, wherein a physical system analysis model representing the physical system architecture of the safety-critical system is modified incrementally until calculated failure rates of failure modes of the physical system analysis model are less or equal to failure rates of corresponding failure modes of a functional system analysis model representing a functional system architecture of the safety-critical system.

Abstract: A method for providing an analytical artifact used for development and/or analysis of an investigated technical system of interest comprised of components having associated machine readable functional descriptions including port definitions and component failure modes processed to generate automatically the analytical artifact in response to at least one applied system evaluation criterion.

Abstract: A method for automated qualification of a safety critical system including a plurality of components is provided. A functional safety behavior of each component is represented by an associated component fault tree element. The method includes automatically performing a failure port mapping of output failure modes to input failure modes of component fault tree elements based on a predetermined generic fault type data model stored in a database.

Abstract: Techniques of safety assurance using fault trees for identifying dormant system failure states are provided. Both operational failure events, as well as diagnostic failure events are included in a fault tree and the operational failure events are then correlated with the diagnostic failure events, which enables an identification of the dormant system failure states. A component fault tree can be used.