The role of expert systems in switch maintenance operations and the generation of switch analysis requirements

The use of expert systems technology to assist systems engineers in capturing, testing, and defining requirements for automation of switch fault diagnostic procedures is considered. A description is given of Bellcore-RTES (real-time expert systems), a prototype system that collects switch output messages, analyzes these messages for fault conditions using heuristic reasoning, and provides recommended corrective actions to maintenance operations personnel. The prototype has three functional modules that run concurrently and asynchronously. The switch interface module, which runs in real time, receives output messages from a digital switch. The user interface module, also running in real time, provides the operations technician with an interface to the system and the digital switch. The analysis module performs the expert analysis function: it reasons about messages and provides recommended actions to an operations technician. In the design and implementation of this module, one of the primary considerations was to achieve near-real-time performance