Systems and methods for processing auto-ID data

• US 20070260470A1
• Filed: 05/04/2006
• Published: 11/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Bornhoevd, Christof, Cilia, Mariano, Buchmann, Alejandro, Sachs, Philipp, Guerrero, Pablo
• Granted Patent: US 8,452,663 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention improve data processing, and in particular, improve rule engines for data processing and improve processing auto-ID data. In one embodiment, the present invention includes a gateway layer between a auto-ID device layer and an auto-ID node layer for processing data. The gateway layer may incorporate a rule engine for processing data. In another embodiment, the present invention includes a rule processor where rules are activated and deactivated automatically to reduce system overhead. In another embodiment, the rule engine is composed of multiple services that can be omitted if they are not needed for the processing of a given rule set to reduce the footprint and resource consumption of the rule engine.

Claims

1. A method of processing data comprising:

receiving auto-ID data in a first system from one or more auto-ID devices;

processing the auto-ID data in the first system using a plurality of rules that specify particular processing methods in a plurality of available processing methods on the first system; and

sending at least a portion of the auto-ID data to a second system for processing by a second plurality of rules that specify particular processing methods in a second plurality of available processing methods on the second system.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the second system generates a transaction with an application based on the auto-ID data.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein a first predefined rule specifies a predefined combination of auto-ID data to be detected, and one or more methods corresponding to the first predefined rule detects the specified combination of auto-ID data.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein a first predefined rule specifies a condition expression to the auto-ID data, and one or more methods corresponding to the first predefined rule applies the specified condition expression to the auto-ID data.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the auto-ID data comprise a plurality of auto-ID events, the method further comprising:

executing one or more first methods corresponding to a first predefined rule to detect a predefined combination of received auto-ID events;

executing one or more second methods corresponding to a second predefined rule that applies a condition expression to one or more of the auto-ID events, and executing one or more third methods corresponding to the second predefined rule if the condition expression is satisfied; and

executing one or more fourth methods corresponding to a third predefined rule.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein, in accordance with a method corresponding to at least one rule, at least a portion of the auto-ID data is sent to the second system and used to retrieve associated information, and wherein the second system sends the associated information to the first system.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving a rule specification;

parsing the rule specification; and

generating, based on the rule specification, one or more rule objects for processing the auto-ID data.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the rule specification specifies one or more of an event composition part, a conditional part, or an activity part.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the auto-ID data is received in the first system from one or more RFID reader.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the auto-ID data is received in the first system from one or more sensor.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the auto-ID data is received in the first system from a first auto-ID source and used to retrieve data from a second auto-ID source.

12. A method of processing data comprising:

storing a plurality of predefined rules, wherein each predefined rule has one or more corresponding particular processing methods in a plurality of available processing methods, and wherein a first portion of the plurality of predefined rules are in an activated state and a second portion of the plurality of predefined rules are in an inactivated state;

executing one or more methods corresponding to the first portion of the plurality of predefined rules; and

activating one or more of the second portion of the plurality of predefined rules based on at least one of the executed methods.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving data, wherein a first predefined rule specifies a predefined combination of data to be detected, and one or more methods corresponding to the first predefined rule detects the specified combination of data.

14. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving data, wherein a first predefined rule part specifies a condition expression to the data, and one or more methods corresponding to the first predefined rule applies the specified condition expression to the data.

15. The method of claim 12 further comprising:

receiving a plurality of events;

executing one or more first methods corresponding to a first predefined rule to detect a predefined combination of received events;

executing one or more second methods corresponding to a second predefined rule that applies a condition expression to one or more of the events, and executing one or more third methods corresponding to the second predefined rule if the condition expression is satisfied; and

executing one or more fourth methods corresponding to a third predefined rule.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising receiving auto-ID data from a plurality of auto-ID devices, processing the auto-ID data according to one or more of the predefined rules, and sending the processed data to an auto-ID node.

17. An apparatus including an auto-ID gateway comprising:

a first input coupled to one or more auto-ID devices;

a first output coupled to at least one auto-ID node;

memory for storing information received from the one or more auto-ID devices and information received from the auto-ID node; and

a rule engine for processing the auto-ID data using a plurality of rules that specify particular processing methods in a plurality of available processing methods on said gateway.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 further comprising a parser for parsing a rule specification and generating one or more rule objects for processing the auto-ID data.

19. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the rule engine includes an event service for controlling the execution of complex event rules.

20. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the rule engine includes a condition service for controlling the execution of event conditions of a rule.

21. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the rule engine includes an action service for controlling the execution of rules actions.

22. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first input is coupled to an RFID reader.

23. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the first input is coupled to a sensor.

24. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the gateway receives first auto-ID data from a first auto-ID source, and the first auto-ID data is used to retrieve second auto-ID data from a second auto-ID source.