On the multi-state signatures of ordered system lifetimes

Abstract In this paper, the signature of a multi-state coherent system with binary-state components is discussed, and then it is extended to the case of ordered system lifetimes arising from a life-test on coherent multi-state systems with the same multi-state system signature. Some properties of the multi-state system signature and the ordered multi-state system signature are also studied. The results established here are finally explained through some illustrative examples.