Empirical Bayes Estimates of Reliability

Abstract

In many problems frequently encountered in practice, a scientific designer possesses information on the reliability of technical devices appearing to be prototypes or analogs of the contemplated system. These analogs may be put into operation during a long period of time so that the information about characteristics of their reliability is certain. As prototypes with respect to contemplating technical device, the devices having analogous functional assignment and structure but differing from the original device by some new elements or parameters may be used (in this case, the device of interest appears to be a modification of a previous one); devices of the same type but made with the help of another technology or produced by another firm; the device which is being operated under the conditions slightly different from those applied to the original device.