Dynamic Procedure Synthesis, Execution, and Failure Recovery

Abstract

A knowledge based planning system for dynamic synthesis of procedures for operational problems in engineering systems is presented. The proposed design provides a framework for integrating event-oriented procedure selection approach by using in conjunction a function-directed approach for procedure synthesis, monitoring and execution of the procedures, and action failure recovery. The plan synthesizer is implemented as an organization of planning specialists interacting as cooperative distributed problem solvers. This paper describes the knowledge representation scheme for actions, procedures, and planning knowledge; the organization of planning knowledge as a society of specialists; the reasoning process; a framework for developing systems using this approach; and an application of the approach to the task of assuring the safety of nuclear power plants.