Method and apparatus for identifying the coverage of a test sequence in a rules-based expert system
First Claim
1. A method for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rules selected from a number of available rules and execute one or more of the rules that are applied, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rules in the rules-based expert system, the method comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a first indicator for each of the number of available rules of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine;
b. setting the first indicator for a particular rule when that particular rule is applied; and
c. determining the number of rules that were applied during the execution of the test sequence by examining the first indicator for each of the available rules.
12 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A method and apparatus for efficiently debugging and/or testing a rules based expert system. To provide guidance when updating a test sequence, the present invention contemplates identifying which rule sets and/or rules were exercised by the test sequence, and which were not exercised. The present invention also contemplates identifying the rule sets and/or rules that were exercised, and the percent of the rule sets/rules that were exercised. This and other information may be useful in identifying appropriate changes for the test sequence so that those rule sets and/or rules that were not exercised during the previous iteration are exercised in a subsequent iteration.
-
Citations
55 Claims
-
1. A method for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rules selected from a number of available rules and execute one or more of the rules that are applied, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rules in the rules-based expert system, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. providing a first indicator for each of the number of available rules of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting the first indicator for a particular rule when that particular rule is applied; and c. determining the number of rules that were applied during the execution of the test sequence by examining the first indicator for each of the available rules. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A method for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rule sets selected from a number of available rule sets, each of the available rule sets having a listing of rules selected from a number of available rules, the execution of one of the number of rule sets causing each of the rules in the corresponding listing of rules to be applied, and selected ones of the number of rules that are applied being actually executed by the rules-based expert system, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rule sets in the rules-based expert system, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. providing a rule set indicator for each of the number of available rule sets of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting the rule set indicator for a particular rule set when that particular rule set is executed; and c. determining the number of rules sets that were executed during the execution of the test sequence by examining the rule set indicator for each of the available rule sets. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
-
-
26. A method for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rules selected from a number of available rules and execute one or more of the rules that are applied, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rules in the rules-based expert system, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. providing a first indicator for each of the number of available rules of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting the first indicator for a particular rule when that particular rule is applied; and c. determining which rules were applied during the execution of the test sequence by examining the first indicator for each of the available rules. - View Dependent Claims (27)
-
-
28. A method for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having said inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rules selected from a number of available rules and execute one or more of the rules that are applied, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rules in the rules-based expert system, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. providing a first indicator for each of the number of available rules of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting the first indicator for a particular rule when that particular rule is executed; and c. determining which of the rules were executed during the execution of the test sequence by examining the first indicator for each of the available rules.
-
-
29. A method for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rules selected from a number of available rules and execute one or more of the rules that are applied, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rules in the rules-based expert system, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. providing a first indicator for each of the number of available rules of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting the first indicator for a particular rule when that particular rule is executed; and c. determining the number of rules that were executed during the execution of the test sequence by examining the first indicator for each of the available rules.
-
-
30. A method for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference system, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rule sets selected from a number of available rule sets, each of the available rule sets having a listing of rules selected from a number of available rules, the execution of one of the number of rule sets causing each of the rules in the corresponding listing of rules to be applied, and selected ones of the number of rules that are applied being actually executed by the rules-based expert system, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rules in the rules-based expert system, the method comprising the steps of:
-
a. providing a rule set indicator for each of the number of available rule sets of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting the rule set indicator for a particular rule set when that particular rule set is executed; and c. determining which rule sets were executed during the execution of the test sequence by examining the rule set indicator for each of the available rule sets. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32)
-
-
33. An apparatus for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rules selected from a number of available rules and execute one or more of the rules that are applied, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rules in the rules-based expert system, comprising:
-
a. storing module for storing a first indicator for each of the number of available rules of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting module coupled to said storing module for setting the first indicator for a particular rule when that particular rule is applied; and c. determining module coupled to said storing module for determining the number of rules that are applied during the execution of the test sequence by examining the first indicator for each of the available rules. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37)
-
-
38. An apparatus for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rule sets selected from a number of available rule sets, each of the available rule sets having a listing of rules selected from a number of available rules, the execution of one of the number of rule sets causing each of the rules in the corresponding listing of rules to be applied, and selected ones of the number of rules that are applied being actually executed by the rules-based expert system, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rules sets in the rules-based expert system, comprising:
-
a. storing means for storing a rule set indicator for each of the number of available rule sets of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting means coupled to said storing means for setting the rule set indicator for a particular rule set when that particular rule set is executed; and c. determining means coupled to said storing means for determining the number of rules sets that were applied during the execution of the test sequence by examining the rule set indicator for each of the available rule sets. - View Dependent Claims (39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
-
-
51. An apparatus for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rules selected from a number of available rules and execute one or more of the rules that are applied, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rules in the rules-based expert system, comprising:
-
a. storing module for storing a first indicator for each of the number of available rules of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting module coupled to said storing module for setting the first indicator for a particular rule when that particular rule is applied; and c. determining module coupled to said storing module for determining which rules were applied during the execution of the test sequence by examining the first indicator for each of the available rules. - View Dependent Claims (52)
-
-
53. An apparatus for identifying the test coverage of a test sequence that is executed in a rules-based expert system having an inference engine, the execution of the test sequence causing the rules-based expert system to apply a number of rule sets selected from a number of available rule sets, each of the available rule sets having a listing of rules selected from a number of available rules, the execution of one of the number of rule sets causing each of the rules in the corresponding listing of rules to be applied, and selected ones of the number of rules that are applied being actually executed by the rules-based expert system, the test coverage indicating the degree that the test sequence was successful in exercising each of the number of available rule sets in the rules-based expert system, comprising the steps of:
-
a. storing module for storing a rule set indicator for each of the number of available rule sets of said rules-based expert system having said inference engine; b. setting module coupled to said storing module for setting the rule set indicator for a particular rule set when that particular rule set is executed; and c. determining module coupled to said storing module for determining which rules sets were executed during the execution of the test sequence by examining the rule set indicator for each of the available rule sets. - View Dependent Claims (54, 55)
-
Specification