Qualitatively troubleshooting electronic circuits using fuzzy cognitive maps

Fuzzy cognitive maps are used as a qualitative modeling technique for troubleshooting electronic circuits. Because they compare states to states, a trade off exists in their use. Qualitative evaluation is substituted for complexity. The map qualitatively evaluates how changes in underlying concepts represented by its nodes cause changes in other concepts represented by other nodes. Evaluation of a set of possible causes in a map can be done in two ways. In the first, nodal changes are applied to a set of nodes and the causality propagated through to output nodes of interest. In the second a reachability matrix can be construct red to identify which nodes can in fact affect the output node. Other nodes are then eliminated from further evaluation. Fuzzy cognitive maps have several potential advantages. The system map can be constructed by piecing together submaps individually constructed. Because changes in state are compared to changes in state inferring output nodal values, a common numeric metric is not necessary when incorporating different concepts.