Method, apparatus and computer program product for constructing a diagnostic network model

An apparatus for constructing a diagnostic network model comprising:

• a processor for automatically reviewing a structured electronic representation of each of a plurality of different types of documents including automatically identifying at least one symptom, a plurality of components and causal relationships between a failure of respective components and occurrence of the at least one symptom by mapping the failure of a respective component to at least one symptom to establish a respective causal relationship, wherein said processor also associates respective probabilities with the causal relationships between the at least one symptom and the plurality of components whose failure contributes to the at least one symptom, wherein the processor is configured to obtain respective probabilities from an individual participating in construction of the network model by eliciting the probability associated with the causal relationship between at least one symptom and the failure of a respective component and receiving input from the individual of the elicited probability, wherein said processor automatically constructs the network model of the at least one symptom, the plurality of components, the causal relationships therebetween and the probabilities of the respective causal relationships, and wherein the processor is configured to display a representation of at least a portion of the network model.

A computer program product comprising a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, when executed, cause a processor to perform respective functions, the computer-readable program portions comprising:

• a first processor-executable portion capable of reviewing a structured electronic representation of each of a plurality of different types of documents and of automatically identifying at least one symptom, a plurality of components and causal relationships between a failure of the respective components and the occurrence of the at least one symptom by mapping the failure of a respective component to at least one symptom to establish a respective causal relationship;
• a second processor-executable portion capable of receiving respective probabilities associated with the causal relationships between the at least one symptom and the plurality of components whose failure contributes to the at least one symptom, wherein the second executable portion is configured to receive respective probabilities from an individual participating in construction of the network model, and wherein the second executable portion is further configured to obtain respective probabilities from an individual by eliciting the probability associated with the causal relationship between at least one symptom and the failure of a respective component and receiving input from the individual of the elicited probability;
• a third processor-executable portion capable of constructing a diagnostic network model of the at least one symptom, the plurality of components, the causal relationships therebetween and the probabilities of the respective causal relationships;
• and
• a fourth processor-executable portion configured to display a representation of at least a portion of the network model.

A method comprising:

• accessing, with a processor, at least a portion of a diagnostic network model that associates a plurality of components and symptoms based upon causal relationships therebetween, wherein the causal relationships associate a failure of respective components and occurrence of the at least one symptom;
• associating, with the processor, a probability with the causal relationship between a symptom and a respective component whose failure contributes to the symptom, wherein associating a probability comprises providing the probability which was obtained from an individual participating in construction of the diagnostic network model;
• displaying, with the processor, a representation of the plurality of components and symptoms including a plurality of parent nodes representative of the components, a plurality of child nodes representative of the symptoms and a plurality of influence arcs extending between respective parent and child nodes and associated with respective probabilities;
• receiving a selection, with the processor, of at least one of the plurality of components and symptoms from among the plurality of components and symptoms that are displayed;
• and
• in response to the selection and with the processor, obtaining and displaying additional information related to the at least one of the components and symptoms that is selected.

A computer program product comprising a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein that, when executed, cause a processor to perform respective functions, the computer-readable program portions comprising:

• a first processor-executable portion capable of accessing at least a portion of a diagnostic network model that associates a plurality of components and symptoms based upon causal relationships there between, wherein the causal relationships associate a failure of respective components and occurrence of the at least one symptom, and wherein the diagnostic model also associates a probability obtained from an individual participating in construction of the diagnostic network model with the causal relationship between a symptom and a respective component whose failure contributes to the symptom;
• a second processor-executable portion capable of displaying a representation of the plurality of components and symptoms including a plurality of parent nodes representative of the components, a plurality of child nodes representative of the symptoms and a plurality of influence arcs extending between respective parent and child nodes and associated with respective probabilities;
• a third processor-executable portion capable of receiving a selection of at least one of the plurality of components and symptoms from among the plurality of components and symptoms that are displayed;
• and a fourth processor-executable portion, responsive to the selection, capable of obtaining and displaying additional information related to the at least one of the components and symptoms that is selected.