Analog Circuit Fault Diagnosis via Sensitivity Computation

In this paper, we present a new recursive method to compute higher order sensitivities of node voltages, as well as those of circuit performances (gain, input and output impedances, or reflection coefficients) with respect to all circuit parameters. Using the sensitivity coefficients we formulate multivariate polynomial equations. Fault identification is obtained by solving these equations with respect to element deviations. This task can be accomplished by using a multivariable Newton–Raphson procedure (mNR) for solving nonlinear multivariable equations.