Data processing apparatus for a temporal based rule system

• US 5,418,887 A
• Filed: 04/28/1994
• Issued: 05/23/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Wavish, Peter R., Connah, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Downs, Robert W.
• Application Number:
  US08/235,110
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: 395/51
• US Class Current: 706/58
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 706/92 Simulation

Abstract

A data processing apparatus includes a computer (1), a detector (2) for external events signalled on a set of input lines (7,8, etc.), and a real time clock 3. A table (20) of rules (24) is included in the computer storage (19). The computer is programmed to respond to a condition, (B,t) stored in a field (26,27) of a rule, being satisfied by generating an associated response (R) stored in a field (28) of that rule. The condition part of each rule requires the continous presence of a specific internal or external behavior (B) stored in the field 26 for a specific finite time (t) stored in the field 27 in order for the rule to be fired. Each time a change of internal behavior occurs due to the firing of a rule, and each time a change of external behavior occurs, signalled on one of the lines 7,8 etc., the rules are examined and the response associated with the next one to be fired on the basis of the behaviors currently present is loaded into a field (33) of a register (23), the time at which the firing is to occur (if there is no intermediate change of behavior which results in a new rule being potentially the next to be fired) being stored in a field 34. If the output of the clock (3) reaches the time stored in the field 34 the response indicated by the data in the field 33 is generated. This response may be purely internal, indicated by changing a flag associated with an entry (25) in a stored table (21), or external, taking the form of a signal on an output line (14,15, etc.).

Claims

1. A data processing apparatus for carrying out a simulation of an evolution over sequential stages of the simulation of a set of behaviors, each behavior being external of, or internal to, said data processing apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for storing a set of rules within the apparatus, each rule taking the form of a condition portion and a response portion with the condition portion of each stored rule requiring the continuous presence of a specific behavior or set of behaviors for a specific finite time exceeding zero within the simulation and the response portion of each rule specifying a change in behavior, means within the apparatus for maintaining a record of which of said set of behaviors are present from stage to stage of the simulation, for modifying said record upon a termination of a behavior of said set to indicate that the terminated behavior is not present, for referring to the stored set of rules at each stage of the simulation to determine, on the basis of the behaviors which the record indicates are then present and times within the simulation at which each such presence last began, future times within the simulation at which next changes in behavior, associated with said future times, will be effected by the firing of rules, and for outputting said future times and the associated next changes in behavior in succession.

2. A data processing system for carrying out a simulation of an evolution over sequential stages of the simulation of a set of behaviors which are included in a set of rules each behavior being external of, or internal to said data processing system, said system comprising a plurality of data processing apparatuses each comprising means for storing within said data processing apparatus a respective part of the set of rules and means for processing that part stored therein, each stored rule taking the form of a condition portion and a response portion, with the condition portion of each rule requiring the continuous presence of a specific behavior or set of behaviors for a specific finite time exceeding zero within the simulation and the response portion of each rule entailing a change in a behavior, each data processing apparatus comprising means for maintaining a record of which of said set of behaviors are present from stage to stage of the simulation, for modifying said record upon a termination of a behavior of said set to indicate that the terminated behavior is not present, for referring at each stage of the simulation to its respective part of the set of rules stored within said data processing apparatus to determine, on the basis of the behaviors which the record indicates are then present and times within the simulation at which each such presence last began, a future time within the simulation at which a next change in behavior will be effected by the firing of a rule of the respective part of the set if this is the next rule to be fired in any data processing apparatus of the system, and for outputting said future time and next change in behavior both from the system and to the other apparatuses of the system if said future time is the earliest determined by all the data processing apparatuses of the system at the relevant stage of the simulation.

3. A data processing apparatus for controlling an evolution over sequential stages of a set of behaviors, each behavior being external of, or internal to, said apparatus, said apparatus comprising means for storing a set of rules stored within the apparatus, each rule taking the form of a condition portion and a response portion with the condition portion of each stored rule requiring the continuous presence of a specific behavior or set of behaviors for a specific finite time exceeding zero within the evolution and the response portion of each rule specifying a change in behavior, means within the apparatus for maintaining a record of which of said set of behaviors are present from stage to stage of the evolution, for modifying said record upon a termination of a behavior of said set to indicate that the terminated behavior is not present, for referring to the stored set of rules at each stage of the evolution to determine, on the basis of the behaviors which the record indicates are then present and times within the evolution at which each such presence last began, future times within the evolution at which next changes of behavior, associated with said future times, will be effected by the firing of rules, and for effecting said next changes in behavior by the firing of said rules only if, when current time reaches said future times, said record indicates that the specific behavior or set of behaviors with which said future times are associated have remained continuously present.

4. A data processing system for controlling an evolution over sequential stages of a set of behaviors which are included in a set of rules each behavior being external of, or internal to said system, said system comprising a plurality of data processing apparatuses each comprising means for storing within said apparatus a respective part of the set of rules and means for processing that part stored therein, each stored rule taking the form of a condition portion and a response portion, with the condition portion of each rule requiring the continuous presence of a specific behavior or set of behaviors for a specific finite time exceeding zero within the evolution and the response portion of each rule entailing a change in a behavior, each apparatus comprising means for maintaining a record of which of said set of behaviors are present from stage to stage of the evolution, for modifying said record upon a termination of a behavior of said set to indicate that the terminated behavior is not present, for referring at each stage of the evolution to its respective part of the set of rules stored within said apparatus to determine, on the basis of the behaviors which the record indicates are then present and times within the evolution at which each such presence last began, a future time within the evolution at which a next change of behavior will be effected by the firing of a rule of the respective part of the set if this is the next rule to be fired in any apparatus of the system, and for outputting this future time and the associated change in behavior to the other apparatuses of the system if said future time is the earliest determined by all the apparatuses of the system at the relevant stage of the evolution, and for effecting said next changes in behavior by the firing of said rules only if, when current time reaches said future times, the applicable record indicates that the specific behavior or set of behaviors with which said future times are associated have remained continuously present.