Failure analysis system

Abstract

A failure analysis system for simulating the effect of a subsystem failure in an electronic system. The failure analysis system includes a knowledge base, a user interface, and a failure analysis component. The knowledge base simulates the electronic system in a variety of operating configurations related to the status of a source selection switching mechanism and/or different system modes. The user interface receives simulation condition data that identifies an operating configuration and failure data identifying at least one subsystem failure. The failure analysis component simulates the propagation of the subsystem failure effect through the electronic system by analyzing the failure data in accordance with the knowledge base and the simulation condition data, and generates a set of subsystem failure responses that would occur in the electronic system if the failure actually occurred. The failure analysis system also performs a fault isolation analysis. The user interface receives response data identifying a failure response. The failure analysis component identifies the source of the failure response in the electronic system by backtracking the failure response data in accordance with the knowledge base and the simulation condition data. One or more possible subsystem sources of the failure response identified by the failure response data are identified.