                                                                    [readme]
                Knowledge Verification System: KNOV

    - Knowledge Verification System with Assumption-based Reasoning -


1.Introduction

     Knowledge acquisition and verification is a critical bottleneck
     of expert systems. In particular, it is difficult to confirm
     and maintain the consistency of a large-scale knowledge base.
     Knowledge verification is the process that makes  problem
     solving knowledge complete and consistent. 

     KNOV (Knowledge Verification System) has been developed for
     diagnostic applications. KNOV is a meta-system which regards
     the diagnostic knowledge as an assumption and verifies it by
     assumption-based reasoning using ATMS. An architecture with the
     following features is proposed for knowledge verification:

           1)assumption-based reasoning with dynamic testing 
           2)meta-knowledge definition for verification
           3)knowledge consistency using ATMS

     The validity and effectiveness of the ideas for knowledge
     verification were confirmed by applying KNOV to the diagnosis
     system of Electric Power Systems and Computer-Center Fault
     Recovery Systems used in the field. In the manual those 
     verification example using KNOV are explained with complete
     verification meta-knowledge.


2.Environment

     Machine:    PSI-II
     Environment:SIMPOS(Version 5.1)
     Language:   ESP
     Source code:3.0 MB


3.File name list

3.1 Source program file

               <<  KNOV >>                   <<  Apricot/0 >>     

                 aman.esp                        ana.esp   
                 ass_m.esp                       atms.esp  
                 assum_n.esp                     con.esp   
                 db_m.esp                        env.esp   
                 db_mm.esp                       in.esp    
                 dmce.esp                        int.esp   
                 fman.esp                        net.esp   
                 good_db.esp                     node.esp  
                 good_val.esp                    ratms.esp 
                 inf.esp                         renv.esp   
                 inode_get.esp                   rin.esp    
                 kb_m.esp                        runion.esp 
                 kco.esp                         sol.esp    
                 kvs.esp                         union.esp  
                 kvs_win.esp                                
                 kvs_menu.esp                               
                 p_atms.esp                                 
                 r_atms.esp                                 
                 ram.esp                                    
                 rctl.esp                                 
                 rman.esp                                  
                 rule_net.esp                              
                 rule_node.esp                             
                 var_node.esp                              
                 vinf.esp                                  


3.2 User file

     KNOV user must be prepare the following files, which define the rule
     to be verified, and the meta-knowledge for verification.

          Knowledge Information
               1.rule module information
               2.diagnostic rule frame
               3.conflict detection rule frame
          Diagnostic Knowledge
               4.diagnostic rule
               5.rule primitive
               6.database
          Verification Knowledge
               7.test case
               8.conflict detection rule
               9.assumption generation rule
              10.assumption generation constraint

     About the details of this knowledge and information, please refer to
     the "Operation Manual"(in Japanese). Complete examples are included
     in the source program file.


4.Install

     1)catalog the source program file described in 3.1.
     2)save all the generated class and object.
     3)add the class name "#knov" at the menu item in the
       "login.com" file, in the user directory.
     4)activate KNOV from system menu. 


5.Transportability

     KNOV is implemented by ESP, so it may be easily transported to
     Prolog.


6.References

[K.Ishikawa 92]K.Ishikawa,T.Tanaka,M.Yamao,"Knowledge Verification System 
             with Assumption-based Reasoning" (in Japanese), Journal of
             Japanese Society for Artificial Intelligence, Vol.17 No.1,
             pp.105-116(1992).
[T.Tanaka 91]T.Tanaka,K.Ishikawa,M.Yamao,"An ATMS-based Knowledge
             Verification System for Diagnostic Applications",Proc. of the
             World Congress on Expert Systems, Orlando,Florida, pp.997-1004
             (1991). 
[Y.Oota 89]Y.Oota,K.Inoue,"Assumption-Based Reasoning System APRICOT/0
             Users Manual" (in Japanese), ICOT Technical Memorandum TM-0676
             (1989).
[de Kleer 87]J.de Kleer,B.C.Williams,"Diagnosing Multiple Faults",
             Artificial Intelligence,Vol.32,pp.97-130(1987).
[de Kleer 86]J.de Kleer,"An assumption-based TMS",Artificial Intelligence,
             Vol.28,pp.127-162(1986).


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