Analytical model solver framework

• US 20090327183A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rubin, Darryl E., Beckman, Brian C., Mital, Vijay
• Granted Patent: US 8,117,145 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 30/00 Computer-aided design [CAD]

Abstract

A solver framework for use with an analytical model. The analytical model includes multiple model parameters and includes definitions for analytical relationships between the model parameters. The solver framework coordinates the processing of multiple specialized solvers. In particular, the solver framework identifies which model parameters are input model variables and which are output model variables. The solver framework then analyzes dependencies to determine a solve order to solve for the output model variables. The solver framework then charged the specialized solvers with performing portions of the solve operation such that the specialized solvers solve for the output model variables in an order which considers the dependencies. In one embodiment, additional or replacement solvers may register with the solver framework to thereby make the specialized solver available for solving for output model variables in the future.

Claims

1. A computer program product comprising one or more physical computer-readable media have thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, cause the computing system to instantiate the following:

a collection of a specialized solvers that are each capable of solving for one or more output model variables given one or more input model variables and given model analytics defining relationships between a plurality of the model parameters including the one or more input model variables and the one or more output model variables; and

a solver framework configured to perform the following in response to accessing one or more input model variables;

1) an act of coordinating processing of at least some of the specialized solvers in the collection to thereby cause the collection of specialized solvers to solve for the one or more output model variables; and

2) an act of outputting the one or more solved for output model variables.

2. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the specialized solvers may collectively solve only partially for the one or more output model variables.

3. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the specialized solvers may collectively fully solve for the one or more output model variables.

4. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the collection of specialized solvers includes one or more equation solvers, one or more rules solvers, one or more constraint solvers, and/or one or more simulation solvers.

5. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the act of coordinating processing comprises:

an act of identifying the one or more input model variables;

an act of identifying the one or more output model variables;

given the identity of the one or more input model variables, and given the identity of the one or more output model variables, and given the model analytics, an act of analyzing dependencies in the model parameters.

6. A computer program product in accordance with claim 5, wherein the dependencies may change depending on the identity of the one or more input model variables.

7. A computer program product in accordance with claim 5, wherein the act of coordinating processing further comprises:

an act of identifying one or more fully independent systems; and

an act of solving for the one or more fully independent systems.

8. A computer program product in accordance with claim 5, wherein the act of coordinating processing further comprises:

an act of determining an order of execution of the specialized solvers based on the analyzed dependencies.

9. A computer program product in accordance with claim 8, wherein the specialized solvers include equation solver(s), rules solver(s), and constraint solver(s), and the act of coordinating processing further comprises:

an act solving constraints using the constrain solver(s);

an act of solving equations using the equation solver(s) after the act of solving for constraints; and

an act of solving rules using the rules solver(s) after the act of solving for equations.

10. A computer program product in accordance with claim 9, wherein the act coordinating processing further comprises:

an act of repeating the acts of solving constraints, solving equations, and solving rules, until the solve causes all values to become consistent with the constraints, equations, and rules.

11. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further structured such that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, the computing system is caused to further instantiate the following:

a solver registration component configured to register specialized solvers with the solver framework such that the new solver may be incorporated into the collection of specialized servers to thereby be managed by the solver framework.

12. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the computer-executable instructions are further structured such that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, the computing system is caused to further instantiate the following:

a view portion of a view construction pipeline configured to construct a view composition using the input model variables and the solved-for output model variables.

13. A computer program product in accordance with claim 1, wherein the when the collection of one or more specialized solvers solves, the model analytics defining relationships may also change.

14. A method for a solver framework assisting in the construction of a view composition, the method comprising:

an act of a solver framework accessing a plurality of model parameters and model analytics defining relationships between the plurality of model parameters;

an act of the solver framework determining which of the plurality of model parameters are input model variables and which are output model variables;

an act of the solver framework fully or at least partially solving for any output model variables of the plurality of model parameters by performing an act of coordinating processing of a plurality of specialized solvers to thereby cause the collection of specialized solvers to solve for at least one of the output model variables; and

an act of the solver framework providing the one or more solved for output model variables to a view construction module that uses values from the plurality of model parameters to construct the view composition.

15. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

an act of the view construction module constructing the view composition using the model parameter values.

16. A method in accordance with claim 14, further comprising:

as an act of the solver framework performing the act of fully or at least partially solving and the act of providing each time it detects that a previously known model parameter value has become unknown or that a value has changed such that other values dependent on the parameter value should be re-calculated.

17. A method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the solver framework also performs the act of providing the one or more solved for model parameters to a view construction module each time it detects that a previously known model parameter value has become unknown or has been designated as an input model variable.

18. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the act of coordinating processing of a plurality of specialized solvers to thereby cause the collection of specialized solvers to solve for at least one of the output model variables comprises the following:

given the identity of the one or more input model variables, and given the identity of the one or more output model variables, and given the model analytics, an act of analyzing dependencies in the model parameters; and

an act of determining an order of execution of the specialized solvers based on the analyzed dependencies.

19. A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable media have thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by one or more processors of the computing system, cause the computing system to instantiate the following:

a collection of a specialized solvers including one or more equation solvers, one or more rules solvers, and one or more constraints solvers; and

a solver framework configured to perform the following in response to accessing one or more input model variables;

an act of identifying the one or more input model variables;

an act of identifying the one or more output model variables;

given the identity of the one or more input model variables, and given the identity of the one or more output model variables, and given model analytics that define relationships between the plurality of model parameters, an act of analyzing dependencies in the model parameters;

an act of determining an order of execution of the specialized solvers based on the analyzed dependencies;

an act solving for constraints using the constrain solver(s);

an act of solving for equations using the equation solver(s) after the act of solving for constraints;

an act of solving for rules using the rules solver(s) after the act of as solving for equations; and

an act of providing the one or more solved for parameter values to one or more external components.

20. A computer program product in accordance with claim 19, wherein the one or more computer-readable media are physical memory and/or storage media.