Monitoring Computer-Controlled Processes

• US 20080249817A1
• Filed: 02/27/2006
• Published: 10/09/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/16/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Original Assignee: British Telecommunications PLC (BT Group PLC)
• Inventors: Spott, Martin, Azvine, Behnam, Nauck, Detlef D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,933,855 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3409 for performance assessment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3452 Performance evaluation by statistical analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3466 Performance evaluation by tracing or monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0639 Performance analysis of employees; Performance analysis of enterprise or organisation operations

Abstract

The performance of a computer-controlled system (1) operating under the control of a first process (2), is monitored (4) by comparison (5) with a predetermined set of requirements (15, 25), to identify whether the performance of the system (1) meets the predetermined requirements. If the performance does not meet those requirements, an alternative program (22) may be selected, or generated from program elements stored in a library (60), to replace the current controller process (2).

Claims

1. Apparatus for operating a computer-controlled system, comprising means for monitoring the performance of the system when operating under the control of a first process, and monitoring means for comparing the monitored performance to a set of predetermined requirements, and for identifying when such performance fails to meet the predetermined requirements.

2. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined requirements relate to requirements of the user and properties of the system

3. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the predetermined requirements are represented by fuzzy sets each comprising a range of values, and the process generation means operates according to a fuzzy matching process.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising means responsive to the monitoring means for generating a second process from a store of process data, and means for installing the second process to control the system in place of the first process.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, the apparatus comprising means for reading data relating to predetermined requirements for the process, means to generate process data, comparison means to compare the generated data with the process requirements, thereby identifying characteristics meeting the predetermined requirements, and selection means to generate process data from the data so identified for installation in the computer-controlled system.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the process data is a set of templates for process elements, that may be combined to form an executable process program for installation in the system.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4 wherein the process generation means comprises means to extract one or more stored process templates, comparison means to compare the templates with the user and system requirements to identify templates meeting the user and system requirements, and selection means to generate a process from the templates so identified, for installation in the computer-controlled system.

8. A method of operating a computer-controlled system, the method comprising the steps of monitoring the performance of a system operating under the control of a first process, comparing the performance to a predetermined set of requirements, and identifying whether the performance of the system meets the predetermined requirements.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the predetermined requirements relate to requirements of the user and properties of the system

10. A method according to claim 8, in which the requirements have fuzzy characteristics each defined by a range of values, and the comparison means operates according to a fuzzy matching process.

11. A method according to claim 8 wherein in the event of the performance of the system failing to meet the predetermined requirements, a second process is generated better suited to the user requirements and current system operating parameters, and the second process is installed in the system to control the system in place of the first process.

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein a set of process requirements are defined, and stored process data is compared with data relating to the defined requirements, to identify process data that matches the said requirements, and generate a process in accordance with said data for installation in the system.

13. A method according to claim 12, wherein the second process is generated from a set of templates for process elements, that are combined to form an executable program for installation in the system.

14. A method according to claim 11 wherein the process generation process comprises the steps of selecting one or more process templates from a store of process templates, and comparing the templates with data relating to user requirements, and data relating to properties of the system that is to be controlled by the process, to identify a set of templates that matches the said requirements, and generating a process from the templates so identified.

15. A method according to claim 14, wherein the comparison process used in the selection process is also used for the monitoring process.

16. A computer program or suite of computer programs for use with one or more computers to carry out the method as set out in claim 8.