System, method and software for cognitive automation

• US 20070112696A1
• Filed: 10/28/2005
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 10/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Dynamics Mission Systems Inc. (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Original Assignee: General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems Incorporated (General Dynamics Corporation)
• Inventors: Lindner, Stephen, Vane, Russ
• Granted Patent: US 7,644,048 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/10
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/043 Distributed expert systems; Blackboards

Abstract

Software code may include code to receive a first request associated with a discrete problem that is broadcast over a network of cobots. The request may be accepted based on the discrete problem to be solved. The code may also include code to determine whether a utility function associated with the plan to solve the discrete problem meets a threshold. The plan may include a plurality of steps. A report including information related to the chosen plan may be sent to the requesting cobot. Information related to the plan may include information such as the forecasted outcome of the plan. The cobot may then receive permission to implement the chosen plan. The plan may be implemented before any subplans are known or are determined to be possible. In the event that a subplan is required to carry out the plan, then a second request may be broadcast to a plurality of other cobots in the network. One or more of the plurality of other cobots may receive this request and the process may repeat at that cobot as described above. The cobots may be configured in a network of cobots to solve complex problems.

Claims

1. Processor-readable software code stored on a processor-readable medium, the code comprising code to:

receive a first request from a cobot, the request being associated with a discrete problem and being broadcast over a network of cobots;

accept the request based on the discrete problem to be solved;

determine whether a utility function associated with a plan to solve the discrete problem meets a threshold, the plan including a plurality of steps;

report to the requesting cobot the forecasted outcome of the chosen plan;

receive permission to implement the chosen plan;

implement the plan before any subplans are known or determined to be possible;

broadcast a second request to a plurality of other cobots in the network to implement any necessary subplans; and

return an indicia of success to the cobot sending the first request when an implementing cobot in a network of cobots has obtained a desired outcome for the cobot broadcasting the second request.

2. The processor-readable software code of claim 1, wherein the code to accept the request includes code to implement an applicability function for determining if the receiving cobot can solve the discrete problem.

3. The processor-readable software code of claim 1, wherein the code to determine whether a utility function associated with the plan to solve the discrete problem meets a threshold is based on a confidence score.

4. The processor-readable software code of claim 1, wherein the code to determine whether a utility function associated with the discrete problem meets a threshold includes implementing at least two of a critic function, a goal function, and an applicability function.

5. The processor-readable software code of claim 4, wherein the critic function is configured to determine a status of the plan based on a predetermined schedule uniquely associated with that plan.

6. The processor-readable software code of claim 4, wherein the critic function is configured to report to the cobot sending the first request when the implementation of the plan is ahead of a predetermined schedule uniquely associated with the plan.

7. The processor-readable software code of claim 1, further comprising code to monitor status of the implemented plan based on a schedule uniquely associated with the chosen plan.

8. The processor-readable software code of claim 1, wherein the first request is transmitted using a cobot protocol, the cobot protocol including a unique identifier associated with the cobot sending the first request and a task value string associated with the discrete problem.

9. A network of modules, the modules being stored on a processor-readable medium and being embodied as processor-readable software code the network comprising:

a first cobot module, the first cobot module being configured to;

receive input data associated with a problem to be solved;

broadcast a first request to the network of modules, the first request being based on the input data associated with the problem to be solved;

a second cobot module, the second cobot module being configured to;

receive the first request from the first cobot module;

accept the request from the first cobot module;

determine whether a utility function associated with a plan to solve the discrete problem meets a threshold, the plan including a plurality of steps;

report to the first cobot module the forecasted outcome of the chosen plan;

receive permission to implement the chosen plan; and

implement the plan before any subplans are known or determined to be possible.

10. The network of modules according to claim 9, wherein the second cobot module is configured to broadcast a second request to the network of modules, the second request being associated with a subproblem associated with the plan implemented by the second cobot.

11. The network of modules according to claim 10, further comprising:

a third cobot module, the third cobot module being configured to;

receive the second request from the second cobot module;

accept the request from the second cobot module;

determine whether a utility function associated with a subplan to solve the subproblem meets a threshold, the subplan including a plurality of steps;

report to the second cobot module the forecasted outcome of the chosen subplan;

receive permission to implement the chosen subplan; and

implement the subplan before any further subplans are known or determined to be possible.

12. The network of modules according to claim 11, wherein the second cobot module is configured to return an indicia of success to the the first cobot module when all subplans have been returned to the second cobot module.

13. The network of modules according to claim 9, wherein the first cobot module is configured to broadcast the request using a protocol, the protocol including an identifier uniquely associated with the first cobot and a task value string associated with the problem.

14. The network of modules according to claim 9, wherein the second cobot module is configured to accept the request based on an applicability function, the applicability function being configured to identify whether the second cobot module can solve the problem based on the request received from the first cobot module.

15. The network of modules according to claim 9, wherein the second cobot module is configured to report to the first cobot module based on a protocol that includes an identifier uniquely associated with the first cobot module.

16. The network of modules according to claim 9, wherein the chosen plan is a satisfactory plan.

17. The network of modules according to claim 9, wherein when the second cobot module determines whether a utility function associated with a plan to solve the discrete problem meets a threshold and the determination is made without requiring an optimal plan.

18. A method comprising:

receiving a first request from a module, the request being associated with a discrete problem and being broadcast over a network of discrete modules;

accepting the request based on the discrete problem to be solved;

determining whether a utility function associated with a plan to solve the discrete problem meets a threshold, the plan including a plurality of steps;

reporting to the requesting module a forecasted outcome of the chosen plan;

receiving permission to implement the chosen plan;

implementing the plan before any subplans are determined to be possible;

broadcasting a second request to a plurality of other discrete modules in the network to implement any necessary subplans; and

returning an indicia of success to the module sending the first request when all subplans have been returned to the module broadcasting the second request.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein accepting the request includes implementing an applicability function to determine if the receiving cobot can solve the discrete problem.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining whether the utility function associated with the plan to solve the discrete problem is performed based on a confidence score.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining whether the utility function associated with the discrete problem meets a threshold includes implementing at least two of a critic function, a goal function, and an applicability function.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the critic function is configured to determine a status of the plan based on a predetermined schedule uniquely associated with that plan.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein the critic function is configured to produce an output to be reported to the module sending the first request when the implementation of the plan is ahead of a predetermined schedule uniquely associated with the plan.

24. The method of claim 18, further comprising:

monitoring status of the implemented plan based on a schedule uniquely associated with the chosen plan.