Data reduction technique for rule based systems

• US 6,067,637 A
• Filed: 05/16/1997
• Issued: 05/23/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/16/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: AT&T Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Auer, Paul, Grizmala, Fredrick, Lerner, Michah, Masher, Hiren H., Sporel, Eric R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Beausolill, Jr., Robert W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Revak, Christopher A.
• Application Number:
  US08/857,987
• Time in Patent Office: 1,103 Days
• Field of Search: 706/47, 706/48, 706/49, 706/916, 706/917, 706/50, 395/183.02, 371/51.1, 711/118, 714/26, 709/224
• US Class Current: 714/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models

Abstract

A system for and method of pre-filtering data to create and/or maintain data in a working memory such that the data can be more efficiently used by an expert system. In one example, event triggers are used to enable efficient management of faults that occur in an expert system, such as faults that occur in connection with the interaction between a central system and a number of remote systems controlled by the central system. The event triggers filter data that is potentially relevant to the operation of the expert system, each event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion. A processor compares the match portion of at least one of the event triggers to the potentially relevant data, and executes the action portion of any event trigger whose match portion matches the potentially relevant data, the execution comprising modifying the working memory. The evaluation of and execution of the event triggers occurs independently of other event triggers.

Claims

1. A memory control system for maintaining a working memory used in connection with an expert system, said memory control system comprising:

a storage device comprising said working memory;

a plurality of event triggers for filtering data that is potentially relevant to the operation of said expert system, each said event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion; and

a processor for;

(1) comparing said match portion of at least one of said event triggers to said potentially relevant data; and

(2) executing the action portion of any event trigger whose match portion matches said potentially relevant data, said executing comprising modifying said working memory;

wherein said expert system is a system for controlling a plurality of remote processors from a central location.

2. The memory control system of claim 1 wherein said executing comprises adding at least one element to said working memory.

3. The memory control system of claim 2 wherein said element comprises information concerning the status of one component of said expert system.

4. The memory control system of claim 2 wherein said element comprises a portion of said potentially relevant data.

5. The memory control system of claim 1 wherein said expert system comprises a fault detection and correction capability and wherein said working memory stores information relevant to said fault detection-and correction.

6. The memory control system of claim 5 wherein said expert system is a system for controlling a plurality of remote processors from a central location, said remote processors each implementing telephone quality monitoring software.

7. The memory control system of claim 6 wherein said potentially relevant data comprises data concerning communications between said central location and said remote processors.

8. A memory control system for maintaining a working memory used in connection with an expert system, said memory control system comprising:

a storage device comprising said working memory;

a plurality of event triggers for filtering data that is potentially relevant to the operation of said expert system, each said event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion; and

a processor for;

(1) comparing said match portion of at least one of said event triggers to said potentially relevant data; and

(2) executing the action portion of any event trigger whose match portion matches said potentially relevant data, said executing comprising modifying said working memory;

wherein said processor executes steps (1) and (2) for each of said event triggers independently of each of said remaining event triggers.

9. An expert system for controlling at least one application, said expert system comprising:

a communications link for receiving information potentially relevant to the operation of said expert system;

a storage area for storing data;

a comparator for comparing information received on said communications link to a predetermined set of criteria; and

a plurality of event triggers, each said event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion, said match portions of said event triggers specifying said predetermined set of criteria;

wherein said expert system modifies data stored in said storage area based on results of comparisons performed by said comparator; and

wherein said expert system evaluates each of said event triggers for execution independently of each of said other event triggers.

10. An expert system for controlling at least one application, said expert system comprising:

a communications link for receiving information potentially relevant to the operation of said expert system from at least one remote location;

a storage area for storing data; and

a comparator for comparing information received on said communications link to a predetermined set of criteria to thereby determine whether said information is relevant to the operation of said expert system;

wherein said expert system modifies data stored in said storage area only if the results of comparisons performed by said comparator indicated that said information is relevant to the operation of said expert system.

11. The expert system of claim 10 further comprising a plurality of event triggers stored in a second storage area, each said event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion, said match portions of said event triggers specifying said predetermined set of criteria.

12. The expert system of claim 11 wherein said first and second storage areas are portions of a single storage device.

13. The expert system of claim 12 wherein said expert system modifies data in said storage area by adding at least one element to said storage area.

14. The expert system of claim 13 wherein said element comprises information concerning the status of one component of said expert system.

15. The expert system of claim 13 wherein said element comprises a portion of said information received on said communications link.

16. The expert system of claim 11 wherein said expert system executes an action portion of one of said event triggers only if said comparator determines that said match portion of said one of said event triggers matches information received on said communications link.

17. The expert system of claim 10 further comprising a fault detection and correction capability and wherein said storage area stores information relevant to said fault detection and correction.

18. The expert system of claim 17 wherein said expert system is a system for controlling a plurality of remote processors from a central location, said remote processors each implementing telephone quality monitoring software.

19. The expert system of claim 18 wherein said storage area stores information concerning communications between said central location and said remote processors.

20. An expert system for controlling at least one application, said expert system comprising:

a communications link for receiving information potentially relevant to the operation of said expert system;

a storage area for storing data;

a comparator for comparing information received on said communications link to a predetermined set of criteria; and

a plurality of event triggers, each said event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion, said match portions of said event triggers specifying said predetermined set of criteria;

wherein said expert system modifies data stored in said storage area based on results of comparisons performed by said comparator; and

wherein said expert system simultaneously evaluates at least two of said event triggers for execution.

21. The expert system of claim 20 wherein said expert system simultaneously executes at least two of said event triggers.

22. An expert system for controlling at least one application, said expert system comprising:

a communications link for receiving information potentially relevant to the operation of said expert system;

a storage area for storing data; and

a comparator for comparing information received on said communications link to a predetermined set of criteria to thereby determine whether said information is relevant to the operation of said expert system;

wherein said expert system modifies data stored in said storage area only if the results of comparisons performed by said comparator indicated that said information is relevant to the operation of said expert system; and

wherein said expert system is a system for controlling a plurality of remote processors from a central location.

23. An expert system for controlling at least one application, said expert system comprising:

a communications link for receiving information potentially relevant to the operation of said expert system;

a storage area for storing data;

a comparator for comparing information received on said communications link to a predetermined set of criteria; and

a plurality of event triggers, each said event trigger comprising a match portion, and wherein said comparator compares said match portion of each event trigger to said information received on said communications link independently of each of said remaining event triggers;

wherein said expert system modifies data stored in said storage area based on results of comparisons performed by said comparator.

24. A method for maintaining a working memory used in connection with an expert system, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a plurality of event triggers in a memory device, each said event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion;

receiving potentially relevant data over a communications link;

comparing a match portion of at least one of said plurality of event triggers to said received potentially relevant data; and

executing the action portion of any event trigger whose match portion matches said potentially relevant data, said-executing comprising modifying said working memory;

wherein said expert system is a system for controlling a plurality of remote processors from a central location.

25. A system for modifying data stored in a memory used by an expert system comprising:

a memory for storing data used by said expert system;

a processor; and

a plurality of event triggers, each said event trigger comprising a match portion that indicates a predetermined condition and an action portion that specifies a modification to said data in said memory;

wherein said processor detects the occurrence of a predetermined condition associated with any of said event triggers independently of each of said other event triggers, and implements each action portion of each event trigger whose corresponding predetermined condition is satisfied such that said data in said memory can be independently modified by a plurality of event triggers.

26. The system of claim 25 wherein said modification of said data in said memory comprises adding at least one element to said memory.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said element comprises information concerning the status of one component of said expert system.

28. The system of claim 26 further comprising a communications link for receiving data and wherein said element comprises a portion of data received on said communications link.

29. The system of claim 25 wherein said expert system is a system for controlling a plurality of remote processors from a central location.

30. The system of claim 25 wherein said expert system comprises a fault detection and correction capability and wherein said memory stores information relevant to said fault detection and correction.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein said expert system is a system for controlling a plurality of remote processors from a central location, said remote processors each implementing telephone quality monitoring software.

32. The system of claim 31 wherein said information relevant to said fault detection and correction comprises information concerning communications between said central location and said remote processors.

33. The system of claim 25 wherein said processor detects said occurrence of said predetermined condition for each of said event triggers independently of each of said remaining event triggers.

34. The system of claim 25 further comprising a second processor and wherein said second processor detects the occurrence of a predetermined condition associated with any of said event triggers simultaneously with said first processor.

35. A method for maintaining a working memory used in connection with an expert system, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a plurality of event triggers in a memory device, each said event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion;

receiving potentially relevant data over a communications link from at least one remote location;

comparing a match portion of at least one of said plurality of event triggers to said received potentially relevant data; and

executing the action portion of any event trigger whose match portion matches sad potentially relevant data, said executing comprising modifying said working memory.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said executing step comprises adding at least one element to said working memory.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein said element comprises information concerning the status of one component of said expert system.

38. The method of claim 36 wherein said element comprises a portion of said received potentially relevant data.

39. The method of claim 35 wherein said expert system comprises a fault detection and correction capability and wherein said working memory stores information relevant to said fault detection and correction.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein said expert system is a system for controlling a plurality of remote processors from a central location, said remote processors each implementing telephone quality monitoring software.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein said received potentially relevant data comprises data concerning communications between said central location and said remote processors.

42. A method for maintaining a working memory used in connection with an expert system, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a plurality of event triggers in a memory device, each said event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion;

receiving potentially relevant data over a communications link;

comparing a match portion of at least one of said plurality of event triggers to said received potentially relevant data; and

executing the action portion of any event trigger whose match portion matches said potentially relevant data, said executing comprising modifying said working memory;

wherein said steps of comparing and executing are carried out for each of said event triggers independently of each of said remaining event triggers.

43. A method for maintaining a working memory used in connection with an expert system, comprising the steps of:

maintaining a plurality of event triggers in a memory device, each said event trigger comprising a match portion and an action portion;

receiving potentially relevant data over a communications link;

comparing a match portion of at least one of said plurality of event triggers to said received potentially relevant data; and

executing the action portion of any event trigger whose match portion matches said potentially relevant data, said executing comprising modifying said working memory;

wherein said expert system comprises a plurality of rules and where said rules affect said match portion of at least one of said event triggers.