METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR ASSEMBLING INFORMATION PROCESSING APPLICATIONS BASED ON DECLARATIVE SEMANTIC SPECIFICATIONS

• US 20080244540A1
• Filed: 04/02/2007
• Published: 10/02/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Riabov, Anton V., Liu, Zhen, Ranganathan, Anand, Feblowitz, Mark D., Halim, Nagui
• Granted Patent: US 8,863,102 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/143
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/41 Compilation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment

Abstract

A method for assembling an information processing application, includes: inputting a plurality of component descriptions, wherein each of the component descriptions includes a graph pattern that semantically describes an applicability condition of a component and a graph pattern that semantically describes an inclusion effect of the component; inputting a processing request, wherein the processing request includes a goal that is represented by a graph pattern that semantically describes a desired processing outcome; assembling a processing graph, wherein the processing graph includes at least one component that satisfies the desired processing outcome; and outputting the processing graph.

Claims

1. A method for assembling an information processing application, comprising:

inputting a plurality of component descriptions, wherein each of the component descriptions includes a graph pattern that semantically describes an applicability condition of a component and a graph pattern that semantically describes an inclusion effect of the component;

inputting a processing request, wherein the processing request includes a goal that is represented by a graph pattern that semantically describes a desired processing outcome;

assembling a processing graph, wherein the processing graph includes at least one component that satisfies the desired processing outcome; and

outputting the processing graph.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graph pattern that semantically describes the applicability condition of the component includes a description of a condition under which the component can be included in the processing graph.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the graph pattern that semantically describes the inclusion effect of the component includes a description of an effect of including the component in the processing graph.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the graph pattern that semantically describes the applicability condition of the component and the graph pattern that semantically describes the inclusion effect of the component are represented in an ontology description language.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing request further includes a constraint that is represented by a graph pattern that semantically describes constraints on the assembly of the processing graph.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

deploying an information processing application embodying the at least one component of the processing graph; and

operating the information processing application.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein result data is produced when operating the information processing application.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein when the goal is a goal that requests the production of data, the processing request further includes a disposition that describes a means of handling the result data.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing request further includes an outcome response that is represented by a graph that semantically describes another outcome to be achieved upon achievement of the desired processing outcome.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein when the goal is a goal that requests the production of data, the outcome response includes a semantic description of a means of handling result data that is produced when operating an information processing application embodying the at least one component of the processing graph after the information processing application has been deployed.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the processing request is encoded in a request specification language.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein assembling the processing graph comprises:

determining if an inclusion effect of a first component matches an applicability condition of a second component;

connecting the first component to the second component if the inclusion effect of the first component matches the applicability condition of the second component; and

determining a new inclusion effect of the second component when the first and second components are connected to each other.

13. A system for assembling an information processing application, comprising:

a memory device for storing a program;

a processor in communication with the memory device, the processor operative with the program to;

receive and compile a plurality of component descriptions, wherein each of the component descriptions includes a graph pattern that semantically describes an applicability condition of a component and a graph pattern that semantically describes an inclusion effect of the component;

receive and compile a processing request, wherein the processing request includes a goal that is represented by a graph pattern that semantically describes a desired processing outcome;

assemble a processing graph, wherein the processing graph includes at least one component that satisfies the desired processing outcome; and

output the processing graph.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the graph pattern that semantically describes the applicability condition of the component includes a description of a condition under which the component can be included in the processing graph.

15. The system of claim 13, wherein the graph pattern that semantically describes the inclusion effect of the component includes a description of an effect of including the component in the processing graph.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the graph pattern that semantically describes the applicability condition of the component and the graph pattern that semantically describes the inclusion effect of the component are represented in an ontology description language.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing request further includes a constraint that is represented by a graph pattern that semantically describes constraints on the assembly of the processing graph.

18. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative with the program to:

deploy an information processing application embodying the at least one component of the processing graph; and

operate the information processing application.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein result data is produced when operating the information processing application.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein when the goal is a goal that requests the production of data, the processing request further includes a disposition that describes a means of handling the result data.

21. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing request further includes an outcome response represented by a graph that semantically describes another outcome to be achieved upon achievement of the desired processing outcome.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein when the goal is a goal that requests the production of data, the outcome response includes a semantic description of a means of handling result data that is produced when operating an information processing application embodying the at least one component of the processing graph after the information processing application has been deployed.

23. The system of claim 13, wherein the processing request is encoded in a request specification language.

24. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further operative with the program when assembling the processing graph to:

determine if an inclusion effect of a first component matches an applicability condition of a second component;

connect the first component to the second component if the inclusion effect of the first component matches the applicability condition of the second component; and

determine a new inclusion effect of the second component when the first and second components are connected to each other.

25. A computer program product comprising a computer useable medium having computer program logic recorded thereon for assembling an information processing application, the computer program logic comprising;

program code for receiving and compiling a plurality of component descriptions, wherein each of the component descriptions includes a graph pattern that semantically describes an applicability condition of a component and a graph pattern that semantically describes an inclusion effect of the component;

program code for receiving and compiling a processing request, wherein the processing request includes a goal that is represented by a graph pattern that semantically describes a desired processing outcome; and

program code for assembling a processing graph, wherein the processing graph includes at least one component that satisfies the desired processing outcome.