Systems, Devices, & Methods for automating non-deterministic processes

• US 20060155526A1
• Filed: 01/10/2005
• Published: 07/13/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Roycraft, Theodore J., Wilson, James M., Castillo, Cecilia
• Application Number:
  US11/032,287
• Publication Number:
  US 20060155526A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/289 Phrasal analysis, e.g. finite state techniques or chunking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G10L 15/193 Formal grammars, e.g. finite state automata, context free grammars or word networks

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments comprise a method comprising: for a graphical representation of a process, the graphical representation comprising a network comprising a plurality of nodes connected by directional arcs: converting the graphical representation to a context-free grammar notation; for each of the directional arcs, defining at least one function from a plurality of functions, the function dependant on state information of the nodes connected by the arc; and for each of the functions, generating source code.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

for a graphical representation of a non-deterministic finite state process, the graphical representation comprising a network comprising a plurality of nodes connected by directional arcs;

converting the graphical representation to a context-free grammar notation;

for each of the directional arcs, defining at least one function from a plurality of functions, the function dependant on state information of the nodes connected by the arc; and

for each of the functions, generating source code in an object-oriented programming language.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining a function type corresponding to the at least one function from the plurality of functions.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning one of a plurality of labels to each of the directional arcs.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying a function type of a selected arc.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying the at least one function of a selected arc.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining state information for a node from the plurality of nodes.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

defining state information for each node from the plurality of nodes.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying state information for a node from the plurality of nodes.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modifying state information for a node from the plurality of nodes when an arc coupled to that node is traversed.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the context-free grammar notation is an augmented BNF.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of nodes comprises a plurality of non-terminal nodes.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the directional arcs corresponds to a function type.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein:

each of the functions has access to state information for all previously visited nodes.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the network is adapted to receive a sequence of tokens.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the network is adapted to be traversed if a received sequence of tokens match labels assigned to a connected series of arcs.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the plurality of directional arcs comprises a plurality of input arcs, each input arc adapted to be traversed if a token presented to a node directly upstream of that input arc matches a label of that input arc.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein:

for each arc, the corresponding function is adapted to be run if that arc is traversed.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein:

for a predetermined node from the plurality of nodes, multiple sets of state information are adapted to be maintained, each set corresponding to a visit to that predetermined node.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein:

a predetermined directional arc from the plurality of directional arcs is adapted to be traversed in a reverse direction.

20. A machine readable medium storing instructions for activities comprising:

for a graphical representation of a non-deterministic finite state process as a network comprising a plurality of nodes connected by directional arcs;

converting the graphical representation to a context-free grammar notation;

for each of the directional arcs, defining at least one function from a plurality of functions, the function depending on state information of the nodes linked by the arc; and

for each of the functions, generating executable source code in an object-oriented programming language.