Patent ID: 8131505

Claim:
A method for computer-aided analysis of a reliability of a technical system with a plurality of technical components, comprising: describing the reliability of each of the plurality of technical components by a component function ƒ for each component under consideration of the plurality of technical components, wherein the component function is described by a distribution function comprising parameter t representing an operating time of the technical system, parameter t 0 representing a maintenance interval for the technical component under consideration, and parameter λ representing a parameter that describes the reliability of the component under consideration and wherein the distribution function comprises an exponential function represented as ƒ(t, t 0 )=1−e −λ(tmodt 0 ) wherein tmodt 0 represents a modulo function; determining a system reliability for the technical system in accordance with a system reliability function F comprising a mathematical combination of the reliabilities of the components; determining for each of at least some of the components a change magnitude which is a measure of the change in the system reliability as a function of the change in the maintenance interval for the component under consideration; and determining, using a computer, a factor for the effect of the component concerned on the system reliability via the change magnitude for each of at least some of the components, wherein, based on the factors determined, at least one component is identified having a greater effect on the system reliability than the other.