Automated research systems and methods for researching systems

• US 20090138415A1
• Filed: 11/03/2008
• Published: 05/28/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/02/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Hydrojoule LLC
• Original Assignee: Hydrojoule LLC
• Inventors: Lancaster, James Justin
• Application Number:
  US12/290,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20090138415A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/11
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

Systems and methods that provide for automated research into the workings of one or more studied systems include automated research software modules that communicate with domain knowledge bases, research professionals, automated laboratories experiment objects, and data analysis processes, wherein automatically selected experiment objects can be run at an automated laboratory to produce experimental results, and the subsequent data-processing providing automated guidance to a next round of experiment choice and automated research. An Experiment Director rules engine chooses Experiment Objects based on user input through a Query Manager.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates management of a biotechnology and/or biomedical research process, comprising:

a research component in communication with the biotechnology and/or biomedical research process which operates according to conditions of the process, which research component at least one of monitors and controls the process using modularized code;

a standards-based model employed to modularize control code into testable blocks such that higher order modules are built from tested, approved modules; and

a rules engine component that processes one or more rules in association with the modularized code to affect conditions of the process in real time.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the modularized code is developed according to an ISA S88.01 standard.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein

the research component includes a process control component that interfaces to the process and associated equipment for control thereof according to conditions of the process.

the research component includes a data acquisition component that interfaces to the process and associated equipment for the measurement of data.

the rules engine processes a prompt received from the research component in accordance with the one or more rules.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein

the rules engine processes the one or more rules to prioritize resource utilization as requested by the research component.

5. A automated, in integrated management, modeling and measurement system, comprising . . .

a method for a manager to integrate monitoring, modeling and management of a system. comprising

translating into computer form the mental models of managers,

merging the formalized mental models with scientific models for explaining relationships and dynamics in

gathered and/or measured data,

making the merged modeling layer transparent and accessible to managers and adjustably and robustly responsive to their queries, and

designing the data-gathering to be flexibly and rapidly adjustable to the data needs of the modeling layer and thus to the manager'"'"'s queries as the manager anticipates a decision

6. A method for automating research of a studied system comprising the steps of

providing an automated research system having at least on computer software module, a database component for holding at least two Experiment Objects, an Experiment Director (ExpDir) Module, a user interface, a computer, a data processing module, an experimental result analysis module, a database object for holding at least one first studied-system knowledge model (or knowledge-base assembly), a research progress evaluation module (RPEM), a module for comparing results to said first SSKM, updating 1^st SSKM to a 2^nd SSKM, comparing SSKM-2 and sskm-1 to evaluate increase in VOI against prior research goal

providing at least a first studied system

providing at least two EOs

providing a research goal via the USG

causing the ExpDir to evaluate the SSKM-1 (with optional interaction of query manager, QM), against the USG to yield an info gap analysis result

passing the gap result to the INEM (information needed evaluation module) to analyze the highest probability path to reduce the gap, producing a result out-=info needed passing info needed to ExpChooser, with ExpChooser having access to the LOPE, yielding choice of at least one EO

passing the chosen EO to ExpDir to direct at least one laboratory to process experiment

the lab running the experiment yielding parameter results

passing results to data processing engine/module

passing processed data to the research progress evaluation module (RPEM), updating the SSKM index n+1 and looping unless gap=0;

if gap=zero STOP