An Adaptive Approach to Qualitative Modeling in Design

一个自适应的方法来定性建模的物理设备将进行研究。在这种方法中，物理设备的行为是通过修改和结合已知设备的结构行为模型和通用域机制的行为模型来获得的。特定设备的结构-行为模型明确规定了其结构、功能以及显示其结构如何实现其功能的内部因果行为。通用领域机制的行为模型指定其功能，已知设备的模型通过模型修订计划进行修订，其中每个计划都包含新设备与已知设备之间特定类型的结构或功能差异。模型修正的过程集中在已知设备内部因果行为的知识上。本研究将评估用于解决设计验证任务的自适应定性建模方法。设计验证任务是预测所提出的设计是否能够实现所期望的功能。本研究将通过提供定性建模、模型记忆和模型学习的统一视图，为定性建模做出贡献。

An adaptive approach to qualitative modeling of physical devices will be investigated. The behaviors of a physical device, in this approach, are acquired by modifying and combining structure behavior models of known devices and behavioral models of generic domain mechanisms. The structure-behavior model of a specific device explicitly specifies its structure, its functions, and the internal causal behaviors that show how its structure achieves its functions. The behavioral model of a generic domain mechanism specifies its function and model of a known device is revised by model-revision plans, where each plan accommodates a specific type of structural or functional difference between the new and the known devices. The process of model revision is focused by knowledge of the internal causal behaviors of the known device. The research will evaluate the adaptive approach to qualitative modeling for solving the task of design verification. The design- verification task is to predict whether a proposed design will deliver the functions desired of it. This research will contribute to qualitative modeling by providing a unified view of qualitative modeling, model memory, and model learning.