HIERARCHICAL STATE MACHINE GENERATION FOR INTERACTION MANAGEMENT USING GOAL SPECIFICATIONS

• US 20070282593A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: THOMPSON, WILLIAM K., Davis, Paul C.
• Granted Patent: US 7,505,951 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 704/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/289 Phrasal analysis, e.g. finite state techniques or chunking

Abstract

A Statechart is generated automatically from a set of goals for completion of a data model. A set of states is generated corresponding to completion states of the data model, an initial pseudo-state and a final state. Transitions are generated from the initial pseudo-state to an empty state of the set of states and between each state and its subset states. Outgoing transitions are generated from any state that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals and a transition is generated from that state to the final state. The resulting Statechart may be used to manage an interactive dialog to complete a data model having a set of data fields.

Claims

1. A method for automatic Statechart generation from a set of goals, the method comprising:

generating a set of states corresponding to completion states of a data model comprising a set of data fields;

generating an initial pseudo-state and a final state;

generating a transition from the initial pseudo-state to an empty state of the set of states;

generating transitions between pairs of states of the set of states;

removing outgoing transitions from any state of the set of states that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals;

generating transitions to the final state from any state of the set of states that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals, and

storing a representation of the Statechart.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising repeating the elements:

generating an embedded Statechart for any non-atomic state in the set of states; and

adding the states of the embedded Statechart to the set of states, until Statecharts have been generated for all non-atomic states in the set of states.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1, further comprising providing the Statechart to a designer for modification.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the Statechart relates to an interactive dialog for completion of the data model.

5. A Statechart for use in managing interactive completion of a data model comprising a set of data fields, the Statechart comprising:

a set of states corresponding to completion states of the data model;

an initial pseudo-state;

a final state;

a transition from the initial pseudo-state to an empty state of the set of states;

incoming transitions to each state of the set states from any of its subset states that do not satisfy any goal of a set of goals; and

outgoing transitions to the final state from any state of the set of states that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals.

6. A Statechart in accordance with claim 5, further comprising an embedded Statechart for each non-atomic state in the Statechart.

7. A Statechart in accordance with claim 6, further comprising an embedded Statechart for each non-atomic state in the Statechart or embedded Statechart.

8. A Statechart in accordance with claim 5, wherein the set of goals relate to completion states of the data model.

9. A method for execution of a Statechart structured in accordance with claim 5 to manage interactive completion of the data model by a user, the method comprising repeating, until the final state of the Statechart is reached, the elements:

transitioning to the state of the Statechart that corresponds to a current completion state of the data model;

identifying a set of fields that produce outgoing transitions from the state that corresponds to the current completion state of the data model;

presenting at least one field of the set of fields to the user; and

filling a field of the set of fields if an input value from the user satisfies constraints on the field.

10. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the input value from the user satisfies constraints on the field if a constraint store associated with the field constrains the value of the field to a single legitimate value.

11. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the constraint store comprises a plurality of possible values.

12. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the constraint store comprises a plurality of prohibited values.

13. A method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the constraint store is updated dependent upon the values of fields already filled.

14. A computer readable medium containing a program of instructions that, when executed on a processor, generate a Statechart from a set of goals, the program instructions comprising:

a plurality of instructions for generating a set of states corresponding to completion states of a data model comprising a set of data fields;

a plurality of instructions for generating an initial pseudo-state and a final state;

a plurality of instructions for generating a transition from the initial pseudo-state to an empty state of the set of states;

a plurality of instructions for generating transitions between each state of the set states and its subset states;

a plurality of instructions for removing outgoing transitions from any state of the set of states that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals;

a plurality of instructions for generating transitions to the final state from any state of the set of states that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals, and

a plurality of instructions for storing a representation of the Statechart.

15. A computer readable medium in accordance with claim 14, wherein the program of instructions further comprises a plurality of instructions for repeating the elements:

generating an embedded Statechart for any non-atomic state in the set of states; and

adding the states of the embedded Statechart to the set of states, until Statecharts have been generated for all non-atomic states in the set of states.

16. A system for automatic Statechart generation from a set of goals, the system comprising:

a processor means for;

generating a set of states corresponding to completion states of a data model comprising a set of data fields;

generating an initial pseudo-state and a final state;

generating a transition from the initial pseudo-state to an empty state of the set of states;

generating transitions between each state of the set states and its subset states;

removing outgoing transitions from any state of the set of states that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals; and

generating transitions to the final state from any state of the set of states that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals, and

a memory means for storing a representation of the Statechart.

17. A system in accordance with claim 16, wherein the processing means is operable to repeat the elements:

generating an embedded Statechart for any non-atomic state in the set of states; and

adding the states of the embedded Statechart to the set of states, until Statecharts have been generated for all non-atomic states in the set of states.

18. A method for automatic Statechart generation from a set of goals, the method comprising:

adding a set of states corresponding to completion states of a data model comprising a set of data fields to the Statechart;

adding an initial pseudo-state and a final state to the Statechart;

adding a transition from the initial pseudo-state to an empty state of the set of states to the Statechart;

adding transitions between pairs of states of the set of states to the Statechart;

removing outgoing transitions from any state of the set of states that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals from the Statechart;

adding transitions to the final state from any state of the set of states that satisfies at least one goal of the set of goals to the Statechart, and

storing the Statechart.