Patent Document ID: 6038517
Application ID: 08778930
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method of dynamically assessing the market readiness of a product under development as represented by a current confidence level, the method comprising the steps of: (a) subjecting the product to a product reliability test; (b) accumulating a runtime for the product during the product reliability test; (c) accumulating a number of failures for the product during the product reliability test; (d) storing the accumulated runtime and number of failures on a computer; (e) at any time during the product reliability test and prior to the product meeting a predetermined reliability goal, generating with the computer a current confidence level from the accumulated runtime and number of failures, wherein the current confidence level is related to a quantified risk assessment of whether the product will ultimately meet the predetermined reliability goal thereby providing a data-driven determination of whether a product should be released prior to completion of the product reliability test; and (f) halting the product reliability test and releasing the product prior to completion of the product reliability test when indicated by the current confidence level.