Patent ID: 8055474

Claim:
A computer-implemented diagnostic method for determining a cause of an event in a product or process according to an energy function model, the method comprising: using at least one processor to perform the steps of: receiving a signal from a first measurement system indicating the event in the product or process; displaying, on a display device, a schematic of a function model of the product or process, the function model comprising a plurality of functions describing actions designed to be performed in the operation of the product or process, the function model further identifying dependencies between the plurality of functions to describe how, why, and when respective actions are performed; converting the function model to an energy function model by performing, using the at least one processor, the steps of: (a) assigning, to each of the plurality of functions, an energy function according to an energy action describing how the particular function of the product or process uses energy during operation; (b) identifying, for a first energy function, a plurality of energy paths within the product or process; (c) displaying, on the schematic, the energy functions and a representation of the plurality of energy paths shown with respect to a displayed how direction, an opposing why direction, and a perpendicular when direction corresponding to the dependencies between the plurality of functions; and (d) associating the first energy function with a second energy function by displaying, on the schematic, a connection between at least one of the plurality of energy paths for the first energy function and the second energy function according to an energy relationship between the first energy function and the second energy function to define the energy function model so as to account for energy within the product or process during operation; selecting, from among the plurality of energy paths, a measurement energy for detecting a contrast between how the product or process is actually using energy and how the product or process is intended to use energy; generating a plurality of measurements of the selected measurement energy using a second measurement system that is different than the first measurement system that indicated the event in the product or process; displaying the plurality of measurements on the display device to identify the contrast; and conducting a progressive search on the contrast to identify a feature or property of the product or process responsible for causing the event.