Patent ID: 7543192

Claim:
A method for estimating residual life of a software system under a software-based failure mechanism, comprising: constructing a prognostic database for the software-based failure mechanism based on a plurality of software systems of the same type as the software system, wherein the prognostic database includes a times-series of prognostic readings associated with the software-based failure mechanism from the plurality of software systems; and wherein a given prognostic reading at a given timestamp in the time-series of prognostic readings comprises: a symptom index computed at the given timestamp as a function of one or more variables associated with the software-based failure mechanism, wherein the one or more variables are recorded at the given timestamp; and a residual life, which is the remaining time computed from the given timestamp to a failure time under the software-based failure mechanism; obtaining a symptom index value from the software system which is being monitored; and estimating a residual life for the software system under the software-based failure mechanism by comparing the symptom index value with the prognostic readings in the prognostic database.