An expert system for FASTBUS diagnosis

Abstract The complexity of the FASTBUS network at CDF makes access to expert assistance a necessity for efficient operation. A software Expert System has been proposed to diagnose FASTBUS errors and advise users on recovery options in the interactive DAQ environment. This paper introduces some basic features of rule-based programming and uses examples to describe how expert systems function. A prototype system, FBEXPERT, has been developed using a language called OPS5 and applied to the diagnosis of a network problem. This paper includes an example which shows how the system updates its knowledge base as it proceeds to the correct solution.