METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR SCALABLE HIERARCHICAL FEED-FORWARD PROCESSES

• US 20090006293A1
• Filed: 06/29/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Sherer, Thomas E., Grose, David L.
• Granted Patent: US 7,899,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/20
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Methods and systems for constructing a scalable feed-forward process are provided. The method includes identifying a plurality of segments of the process wherein the segments define a feed-forward network which is used to constrain the creation of more detailed segment components. The method also includes modeling each component by defining component outputs and determining component inputs that are combinable using the model to produce the defined output, ordering the components hierarchically based on the respective component outputs and inputs, determining segment inputs and outputs based on the component outputs and inputs, and ordering the segments hierarchically based on the respective segment outputs and inputs.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method of constructing a scalable feed-forward process, said method comprising:

identifying a plurality of segments of the process wherein the segments define a feed-forward network which is used to constrain the creation of more detailed segment components;

modeling each component by defining component outputs and determining component inputs that are combinable using the model to produce the defined output;

ordering the components hierarchically based on the respective component outputs and inputs;

determining segment inputs and outputs based on the component outputs and inputs; and

ordering the segments hierarchically based on the respective segment outputs and inputs.

2. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

determining the possible internal inputs to at least one of the segments;

determining the following internal products of the at least one segment; and

determining the final one or more segments of the process.

3. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

determining the possible component inputs to a component;

determining the possible internal inputs to another component; and

determining the initial components of an internal product.

4. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

determining the components preceding another component in a feed-forward network;

determining the possible external inputs to a segment; and

determining the possible external inputs to a component.

5. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising creating a process from an existing process.

6. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising:

determining the following internal products of an internal product;

determining the final components of an internal product; and

determining the internal products producing another internal product.

7. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising assigning identifiers of a dictionary to the outputs in the process wherein the outputs have the same hierarchical relationships within the process as the identified outputs in the dictionary.

8. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein the dictionary defines an external output hierarchy including a plurality of entries, each entry assigned a unique identifier to distinguish it from similarly identified entries.

9. A method in accordance with claim 7 wherein constructing the process comprises constructing the process such that identifiers of the dictionary assigned to at least some of the outputs of the process have the same hierarchical relationships within the process as the identified outputs in the dictionary.

10. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising combining a first process and a second process using a data dictionary wherein at least some internal outputs of the first process are external outputs of the second process and wherein no internal outputs of the second process are external products of the first process.

11. A method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising creating a second process by extraction from a first process wherein initial and final internal outputs are selected from the segments and components of the first process.

12. A computer system configured to:

identify a plurality of segments of the process wherein the segments define a feed-forward network which is used to constrain the creation of more detailed segment components;

model each component by defining component outputs and determining component inputs that are combinable using the model to produce the defined output;

order the components hierarchically based on the respective component outputs and inputs;

determine segment inputs and outputs based on the component outputs and inputs; and

order the segments hierarchically based on the respective segment outputs and inputs.

13. A system in accordance with claim 12 wherein said computer system is further configured to assign identifiers of a dictionary to the outputs in the process wherein the outputs have the same hierarchical relationships within the process as the identified outputs in the dictionary.

14. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein the dictionary defines an external output hierarchy including a plurality of entries, each entry assigned a unique identifier to distinguish it from similarly identified entries.

15. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said computer system is further configured to construct the process such that identifiers of the dictionary assigned to at least some of the outputs of the process have the same hierarchical relationships within the process as the identified outputs in the dictionary.

16. A system in accordance with claim 13 wherein said computer system is further configured to combine a first process and a second process using a data dictionary wherein at least some internal outputs of the first process are external outputs of the second process and wherein no internal outputs of the second process are external products of the first process.

17. A system in accordance with claim 12 wherein said computer system is further configured to create a second process by extraction from a first process wherein initial and final internal outputs are selected from the segments and components of the first process.

18. A method of generating large scale complex system integration of a process comprising:

identifying segments of the process, the segments comprising at least one of external products, internal products, and components.

organizing the segments into first level hierarchy such a feed-forward network is formed; and

decomposing subsequent levels of breakdown hierarchy using a process model of the feed forward network.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18 further comprising applying at least one breakdown rule such that local modularity within the model is maintained.

20. A method in accordance with claim 18 further comprising assigning identifiers of a dictionary to the outputs in the process wherein the outputs have the same hierarchical relationships within the process as the identified outputs in the dictionary.