A control architecture for redesign and design verification

Analyzes model-based redesign in the context of case-based design of physical devices. The redesign task in the context of case-based design is characterized by small differences in the functions desired of and delivered by a known design. The domain of physical devices is characterized by knowledge of structure-behavior-function models of old devices. We then describe a control architecture for model-based redesign in the context of case-based redesign. The redesign task is decomposed into three subtasks: generation of modifications to the structure of the old design, execution of the modifications on the structure, and evaluation of the new design. The evaluation task is further decomposed into two subtasks: local evaluation of specific structure modifications that reduce a specific function difference, and global evaluation of the modified design. The generation and the local evaluation tasks are interleaved. Both the local and global evaluation tasks are performed prior to the execution task. This control of processing leads to incremental redesign of the old design to achieve a new functionality. The KRITIK system simulates and evaluates this control architecture for model-based redesign in the domain of physical devices