System and method for creating a performance tool and a performance tool yield

• US 20050022159A1
• Filed: 08/18/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Original Assignee: Sprint Communications Company LP (Deutsche Telekom AG)
• Inventors: Worley, Chris M., Van Booven, Kenneth W., Andrade, Ignacio III, Duncan, Horace W. III, Oliver, John H. III, Meeks, Peter A., Waterman, Michael S., Aldrich, Daniel J., Way, Todd D., Maynor, Mathew A., Haner, Brian D., O'Meara, Regina H., Wade, Logan, Waterman, Frank M., Langston, Christopher L., Jarrett, Lorna M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,444,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/025 Extracting rules from data

Abstract

A system and method for generating a performance tool includes a builder, a seeker, and a catalyst. The builder is used to generate the seeker. The seeker is selected for operation, thereby launching the catalyst. The catalyst runs the seeker and receives assertions, such as selected answers, in response to interrogatives, such as questions. When all assertions are provided to all interrogatives, the seeker generates a yield. However, the yield also can be generated dynamically as the seeker operates.

Claims

1. A method for determining requirements for a yield comprising:

building a seeker with a builder, the seeker comprising at least one interrogative, at least one potential assertion, and logic associated with a combination of the at least one interrogative and at least one assertion provided in response to the at least one interrogative and the at least one potential assertion;

operating the seeker with a catalyst and, based on the at least one interrogative and the at least one assertion, executing the logic to select at least one component for the yield; and

generating the yield with the seeker, the yield comprising the at least one component.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising operating with a controller at least one member of a group consisting of the builder and the catalyst.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the builder comprises builder programming language code, the controller comprises a user interface, a processor, and memory, and the method further comprises:

generating the builder programming code with the processor, the builder programming code generating an order in which the at least one interrogative and the at least one potential assertion are provided to the user interface and generating the logic associating the combination of the at least one interrogative and the at least one assertion;

receiving input data at the user interface, the input data identifying the at least one assertion;

storing the input data in the memory;

transmitting the input data to the processor; and

processing the input data and the builder programming language code to generate the seeker and to select the at least one component for the yield.

4. The method of claim 3 further comprising generating other data for manifestation at the user interface.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein receiving the input data at the user interface comprises receiving the input data at at least one member of a group consisting of a graphical user interface, a voice recognition interface, a voice activated interface, a voice generation interface, a video interface, and an audio interface.

6. The method of claim 3 further comprising receiving other data at an input/output interface from an external device and processing the other data and the builder programming language code with the processor to select the at least one component for the yield.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising:

receiving input data at a user interface;

transmitting the input data to a processor; and

processing the seeker and input data with the processor to generate the seeker and to select the at least one component for the yield.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising generating other data for manifestation at the user interface.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein receiving the input data at the user interface comprises receiving the input data at at least one member of a group consisting of a graphical user interface, a voice recognition interface, a voice activated interface, a voice generation interface, a video interface, and an audio interface.

10. The method of claim 7 further comprising receiving other data at an input/output interface from an external device and processing the other data and the seeker with the processor to select the at least one component for the yield.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing other data at a repository, the other data used by at least one member of a group consisting of the builder and the catalyst.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing objects at a repository, the objects used by the builder to build the seeker.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein storing the objects at the repository comprises storing at least one member of a group consisting of a decision node, an action node, an input node, an output node, a pipe node, a process node, a smart component node, a define object, an order object, a network element object, an email object, a database update object, a notification object, a run test object, a launch chat object, an open media object, an open link object, a get data object, and a help link object.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing objects at a repository, the objects used by the catalyst to process the seeker.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein storing the objects at the repository comprises storing at least one member of a group consisting of a decision node instance, an action node instance, an input node instance, an output node instance, a pipe node instance, a process node instance, a smart component node instance, a define object, an order object, a network element object, an email object, a database update object, a notification object, a run test object, a launch chat object, an open media object, an open link object, a get data object, and a help link object.

16. The method of claim 1 further comprising using a security system to govern access to at least one member of a group consisting of the builder and the seeker.

17. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing the builder with a super-user system and generating the seeker from the super-user system.

18. The method of claim 1 further comprising accessing the seeker with a user system and launching the catalyst from the user system to operate the seeker.

19. A method for building a seeker, the method comprising:

generating a plurality of interrogatives and a plurality of potential assertions with a builder;

associating each interrogative to at least one corresponding potential assertion; and

generating a plurality of command strings with the builder, at least one command string corresponding to each combination of each interrogative and the at least one corresponding potential assertion.

20. A method for determining a yield comprising:

generating a plurality of interrogatives and a plurality of potential assertions with a seeker, at least one potential assertion associated for each interrogative;

processing a plurality of command strings and a plurality of assertions with a catalyst, each command string corresponding to a combination of one of the interrogatives and the associated at least one potential assertion, each assertion corresponding to the combination of one of the interrogatives and the associated at least one potential assertion; and

selecting at least one component for the yield based on the processed plurality of command strings and plurality of assertions.

21. A method for determining a seeker comprising:

receiving an input at an input manager and generating a command string corresponding to the input;

receiving the command string from the input manager at a process manager;

passing the command string from the process manager to a builder interpreter;

executing a command method corresponding to the command string at the builder interpreter and, in response, identifying a data component for the seeker;

passing the data component from the builder interpreter to a builder collector; and

storing the data component at the builder collector.

22. The method of claim 21 further comprising creating an instance of a command object at the builder interpreter prior to executing the command, the command object instance having the command method.

23. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

creating a command factory at the builder interpreter;

passing the command string from the builder interpreter to the command factory;

creating an instance of a command object at the command factory, the command object instance having the command method; and

passing the command method to the builder interpreter for execution.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the command method comprises an execute method and the method further comprises executing the execute method at the builder interpreter.

25. The method of claim 21 wherein the input comprises a command, and the method further comprises:

receiving the command at the input manager as the input and, in response, generating a command request for additional input;

receiving the additional input; and

creating the command string using the command and the additional input.

26. The method of claim 25 further comprising:

passing the command request from the input manager to a display manager; and

rendering the command request for the additional input at the display manager.

27. The method of claim 26 wherein rendering the command request with the display manager comprises generating for display a dialogue box identifying a request for additional input.

28. The method of claim 26 wherein rendering the command request with the display manager comprises generating an audio simulated voice identifying a request for additional input.

29. The method of claim 21 further comprising rendering an interface identifying an option for the input with a display manager.

30. The method of claim 29 wherein rendering the interface identifying the option comprises rendering a display interface with at least one member of a group consisting of a text entry box, a drop down box, and a command selection.

31. The method of claim 29 wherein rendering the interface identifying the option comprises rendering an audio interface having an audio simulated voice identifying at least one member of a group consisting of a verbal entry, a verbal selection list, and a verbal command selection.

32. The method of claim 21 further comprising rendering the data component with a display manager.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein rendering the data component with the display manager comprises using at least one member of a group consisting of a display interface and an audio interface.

34. The method of claim 32 further comprising:

passing a command request for additional information from the input manager to the process manager;

retrieving the additional information from a repository using the process manager; and

transmitting the additional information to the input manager.

35. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

creating an instance of a command object with a command factory, the command object instance having the command method; and

passing the command object instance to the builder interpreter for executing the command method.

36. The method of claim 21 further comprising:

executing the command method corresponding to the command string at the builder interpreter and, in response, identifying the plurality of data components for the seeker;

passing the plurality of data components from the builder interpreter to the builder collector; and

storing the plurality of data components at the builder collector.

37. The method of claim 21 wherein the data component comprises a data object, and storing the data component comprises storing the data object using the builder collector.

38. The method of claim 21 further comprising distributing a plurality of data components for the seeker to a deployment location using a deployment manager.

39. The method of claim 21 further comprising generating an execution of the command method to an output device using a debug manager.

40. The method of claim 39 further comprising configuring the debug manager with an on mode in which a data stream identifying the command method execution is transmitted to the output device and an off mode in which the data stream identifying the command method execution is not transmitted to the output device.

41. The method of claim 21 further comprising executing at least one base node according to a type, the base node comprising at least one base method and base data for the type.

42. The method of claim 41 configuring the type as at least one member of a group consisting of a decision node, a process node, a pipe node, an output node, and a smart component node.

43. The method of claim 41 wherein the type comprises a decision node and executing the at least one base node comprises executing the base method and the base data to generate an interrogative for which at least one assertion is receivable.

44. The method of claim 41 wherein the type comprises a process node and executing the at least one base node comprises executing the base method and the base data to generate text.

45. The method of claim 41 wherein the type comprises a process node and executing the at least one base node comprises executing the base method and the base data to generate a process.

46. The method of claim 41 wherein the type comprises a pipe node and executing the at least one base node comprises executing the base method and the base data to connect at least two objects.

47. The method of claim 41 wherein the type comprises an output node and executing the at least one base node comprises executing the base method and the base data to identify an output type and an output location for a yield of the seeker.

48. The method of claim 41 wherein the type comprises a smart component node and executing the at least one base node comprises executing the base method and data to execute an automated process.

49. The method of claim 41 further comprising configuring the base node with:

a node property comprising at least one property and an argument for the type; and

a node position comprising positioning information identifying a position for an output at which the base node is located.

50. The method of claim 41 wherein the base node comprises a smart component comprising at least one smart method, and the method further comprises executing the smart method to result in at least one member of a group consisting of automating a process and rendering a data component.

51. A method for determining a seeker comprising:

receiving an input at an input manager and, in response thereto, generating a command string corresponding to the input;

passing the command string to a process manager and, in response thereto, creating an interpreter;

passing the command string to the interpreter and, in response thereto, creating a command factory;

passing the command string from the interpreter to the command factory and, in response thereto, creating an instance of a command object with the command factory, the command object comprising an execute method having a command;

passing the command object instance from the command factory to the interpreter;

executing the execute method of the command object instance at the interpreter, and thereafter, identifying a data component for the seeker;

passing the data component from the interpreter to the process manager; and

storing the data component in a collector by the process manager.

52. A method for processing a seeker comprising:

generating at least one interrogative and at least one potential assertion from a flow manager;

receiving at least one assertion at the flow manager in response to the at least one interrogative and the at least one potential assertion;

processing logic for the at least one interrogative and the at least one assertion at the flow manager and, in response, selecting at least one component having at least one variable for a yield; and

storing the at least one component having the at least one variable for the yield at a yield manger.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the logic comprises at least one command string set and the method comprises processing the at least one command string set at the flow manager to select the at least one component having the at least one variable for the yield.

54. The method of claim 52 further comprising rendering the at least one interrogative and the at least one potential assertion at a user interface.

55. The method of claim 52 further comprising rendering the at least one interrogative and the at least one potential assertion at at least one user interface selected from a group consisting of a graphical user interface, a voice simulated interface, a voice response interface, and a voice activated interface.

56. The method of claim 52 further comprising receiving the at least one assertion as an input at a user interface.

57. The method of claim 52 further comprising receiving the at least one assertion as an input at at least one user interface selected from a group consisting of a graphical user interface, a voice simulated interface, a voice response interface, and a voice activated interface.

58. The method of claim 52 further comprising:

generating a plurality of interrogatives and a plurality of potential assertions at the flow manager;

receiving and processing a plurality of assertions at the flow manager, at least one assertion corresponding to each interrogative, and, thereafter, selecting a plurality of components at the flow manager for the yield, each component having at least one variable; and

storing the plurality of components, each having at least one variable, for the yield at the yield manager.

59. The method of claim 58 further comprising rendering the interrogatives and the potential assertions with a user interface.

60. The method of claim 58 further comprising rendering the interrogatives and the potential assertions with at least one user interface selected from a group consisting of a graphical user interface, a voice simulated interface, a voice response interface, and a voice activated interface.

61. The method of claim 58 further comprising receiving the assertions as inputs at a user interface.

62. The method of claim 58 further comprising receiving the assertions as inputs at at least one user interface selected from a group consisting of a graphical user interface, a voice simulated interface, a voice response interface, and a voice activated interface.

63. The method of claim 52 wherein the logic comprises interpretive logic and the method further comprises:

configuring a component store with a component list having a component identification for each of a plurality of components, each component identification having a corresponding type;

generating at least one interrogative object from the at least one interrogative, the at least one interrogative object having interrogative data and the at least one potential assertion;

generating at least one assertion object from the at least one assertion in response to the at least one interrogative object;

passing the at least one interrogative object and the at least one assertion object to the interpretive logic;

selecting at least one command string set in response to receiving the at least one interrogative object and the at least one assertion object at the interpretive logic;

passing the command string set from the interpretive logic to an interpreter; and

executing at least one command method corresponding to the at least one command string set at the interpreter and, in response, selecting at least one component from the component list for the yield.

64. The method of claim 63 further comprising configuring the at least one interrogative as at least one member of a group consisting of a question interrogative, a listener interrogative, and a component execution interrogative.

65. The method of claim 63 further comprising:

selecting the at least one assertion object in response to the at least one interrogative; and

configuring the at least one assertion object with a reference to a next interrogative.

66. The method of claim 63 further comprising setting at least one variable for the at least one component for the yield at the interpreter.

67. The method of claim 63 further comprising:

passing the at least one command string set from the interpreter to a command factory;

creating at least one command object at the command factory, the at least one command object having the at least one command method and corresponding to the at least one command string set; and

passing the at least one command object to the interpreter.

68. The method of claim 63 further comprising:

creating a command factory at the interpreter;

passing the at least one command string set from the interpreter to the command factory;

creating a plurality of command objects at the command factory corresponding to the at least one command string set, each command object having a corresponding command method;

passing the command objects from the command factory to the interpreter; and

executing the corresponding command methods of the command objects and, in response, performing at least one member of a group consisting of selecting a plurality of components from the component store for the yield, selecting the at least one component and setting at least one variable for the at least one component, and setting a plurality of other variables for a plurality of other components.

69. The method of claim 63 further comprising:

creating a command factory at the interpreter;

passing the command string set from the interpreter to the command factory;

creating at least one command object at the command factory, the at least one command object having the command method and corresponding to the command string set; and

passing the at least one command object from the command factory to the interpreter.

70. The method of claim 63 further comprising modifying the at least one component with native code when the at least one component is added to the yield.

71. The method of claim 52 further comprising:

storing anti-logic corresponding to the processed logic in a reversal block;

storing the at least one assertion received in response to the at least one interrogative in response history;

storing the at least one variable for the at least one component in a yield variable; and

storing the at least one component in a yield collector.

72. The method of claim 52 wherein:

storing the at least one component having the at least one variable for the yield at the yield manger comprises;

storing anti-logic corresponding to the processed logic in a reversal block;

storing the at least one assertion received in response to the at least one interrogative in a response history;

storing the at least one variable for the at least one component in a yield variables; and

storing the at least one component in a yield collector; and

the method further comprises;

configuring a component store with a component list having a component identification for the at least one component and a plurality of other components, each component identification having a corresponding type;

generating at least one interrogative object from the at least one interrogative, the at least one interrogative object having interrogative data and the at least one potential assertion;

generating at least one assertion object from the at least one assertion in response to the at least one interrogative object;

passing the at least one interrogative object and the at least one assertion object to the response history;

passing the at least one interrogative object and the at least one assertion object to the interpretive logic;

selecting at least one command string set in response to receiving the at least one interrogative object and the at least one assertion object at the interpretive logic;

passing the at least one command string set from the interpretive logic to an interpreter;

executing at least one command method corresponding to the at least one command string set at the interpreter and, in response, selecting the at least one component from the component list for the yield;

setting the at least one variable in the yield variables; and

creating the anti-logic opposing the executed at least one command method.

73. A method for determining requirements for a seeker comprising:

connecting a super-user to a server via a connection;

accessing a repository from the server to create an instance of a builder;

transmitting the builder instance from the server to the super-user; and

operating the builder instance at the super-user and generating the seeker configured with a plurality of interrogatives, a plurality of potential assertions, and a plurality of command strings, at least one potential assertion corresponding to each interrogative, and at least one command string associated to each combination of the at least one potential assertion and the corresponding interrogative.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein connecting the super-user to the server via the connection comprises connecting the super-user to the server via an internet protocol connection.

75. A method for determining requirements for a seeker comprising:

accessing a repository from a server, the repository comprising a builder;

creating an instance of the builder and making the builder instance operational from the server;

connecting a super-user to the server via a connection; and

operating the builder instance from the server and generating a seeker configured with a plurality of interrogatives, a plurality of potential assertions, and a plurality of command strings, at least one potential assertion corresponding to each interrogative, and at least one command string associated to each combination of the at least one potential assertion and the corresponding interrogative.

76. A method for determining requirements for a yield comprising:

accessing a repository from a server, the repository comprising a seeker and a catalyst;

creating an instance of the catalyst and an instance of the seeker;

connecting a user system to the server via a connection;

transmitting the catalyst instance and the seeker instance to the user system from the server;

launching the catalyst instance with the seeker instance from the user system; and

operating the seeker instance from the user system to generate the yield.

77. The method of claim 76 wherein connecting the user system to the server via the connection comprises connecting the user system to the server via an internet protocol connection.

78. A method for determining requirements for a yield comprising:

accessing a repository from a server, the repository comprising a seeker and a catalyst;

creating an instance of the catalyst and an instance of the seeker;

making the seeker instance operational with the catalyst instance from the server;

connecting a user system to the server via a connection;

launching the catalyst instance with the seeker instance from the server; and

operating the seeker from the server to generate the yield.

79. A method for generating a performance tool comprising:

configuring a process object panel with a plurality of process objects;

configuring a repository object panel with a plurality of repository objects;

configuring a graphic seeker representation panel to receive a plurality of seeker objects represented three dimensionally, each seeker object connected to at least one other seeker object; and

identifying a three dimensional seeker process with the graphic representation panel with the plurality of seeker objects represented three dimensionally, the plurality of seeker objects comprising at least one member of a group consisting of at least one of the plurality of process objects and at least one of the plurality of repository objects.

80. The method of claim 79 further comprising generating at least one command for at least one command button for at least one of the seeker objects added to the graphic seeker representation panel.

81. The method of claim 80 further comprising enabling entry of an argument with the at least one command button after the at least one command is generated.

82. The method of claim 80 wherein generating the at least one command for the at least one command button comprises generating the at least one command from at least one member of a group consisting of create decision, create pipe, create process, create output, create smart component, enable, disable, if, endif, then, launch, link, unlink, load, new, remove, save, and, set, set response, and equals.

83. The method of claim 79 further comprising configuring the process object panel for at least one process of a group consisting of:

generating from a decision element at least one interrogative with at least one corresponding potential assertion from which at least one assertion may be selected as a decision;

identifying from an action element an action to be taken in response to a selected assertion or in response to a selected output;

identifying from an input at least some input data needed for the action or the decision; and

identifying from an output element an outcome of the action or the decision.

84. The method of claim 79 further comprising configuring the repository object panel with at least one member of a group consisting of a define object, an order object, a network element object, an email object, a database update object, a notification object, a run test object, a launch chat object, an open media object, an open link object, a get data object, and a help link object.

85. A method for generating a performance tool comprising:

configuring a plurality of components each having a component identification and a type;

configuring at least one interrogative with interrogative data;

configuring at least one potential assertion with assertion data selectable in response to the at least one interrogative; and

configuring at least one command string set corresponding to a combination of the at least one interrogative and a selected at least one potential assertion that, when processed for execution and executed, is configured to cause selection of at least one of the components for a yield.

86. A method for determining requirements for a yield comprising:

configuring a builder to build a seeker;

configuring the seeker with a plurality of interrogatives and a plurality of potential assertions, a selected one of the plurality of potential assertions corresponding to each interrogative;

configuring a catalyst to operate the seeker;

generating the interrogatives and the potential assertions from the seeker and, in response thereto, receiving selected assertions; and

generating the yield with the seeker as a solution based on the interrogatives and the selected assertions.

87. A method for determining a yield comprising:

configuring a seeker with a plurality of interrogatives and a plurality of potential assertions, a selected one of the plurality of assertions corresponding to each interrogative;

configuring a catalyst to operate the seeker;

generating the interrogatives and the potential assertions from the seeker and, in response thereto, receiving selected assertions; and

generating the yield from the seeker as a solution based on the interrogatives and the selected assertions.