CORBA wrappers for rules automation technology

• US 6,745,382 B1
• Filed: 04/13/2000
• Issued: 06/01/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Verizon Patent and Licensing Incorporated (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Original Assignee: WorldCom, Inc. (Verizon Communications Inc.)
• Inventors: Zothner, Eric
• Primary Examiner(s): Zhen, Wei
• Application Number:
  US09/548,499
• Time in Patent Office: 1,510 Days
• Field of Search: 717/101-103, 717/114-119, 717/120-127, 709/316, 709/317, 709/328, 709/331, 709/332, 709/107, 709/108
• US Class Current: 717/107
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/04 Inference or reasoning models
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A method, system, and software product in which wrappers for rules automation technology are provided. Business rules, business objects, and at least one object agent, representing a corresponding one of the business objects, are provided. The object agent is inserted into a business rules agenda for executing the business rules so that the business rules are directly applied to the object agent, and thereby, are indirectly applied to the corresponding business object. This approach advantageously allows unsophisticated users of rules automation technology to interface with complex business objects and prevents an exception from destroying a business transaction.

Claims

1. A computer implemented system for providing wrappers for rules automation technology, the system comprising:

a business rule corresponding to a business process;

a business object; and

an object agent representing the business object, wherein the object agent matches conditions in an agenda within a context class for executing a business rule; and

the object agent is inserted into the agenda so that the business rule is directly applied to the object agent and indirectly applied to the business object to perform a business transaction.

2. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object agent comprises a helper method that is configured to encapsulate complex method calls, the complex method calls corresponding to the business object.

3. The system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the helper method is configured to perform at least one of making several method calls to the corresponding business object, rebinding to servers containing the business object, and parsing large data sets.

4. The system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the object agent is configured to catch an exception before the exception enters the agenda.

5. The system as claimed in claim 4 further comprising a mechanism configured to generate error messages based on the exception, the error messages notifying users about the exception.

7. The system as claimed in claim 1 wherein the business object comprises a transient object comprising a plurality of life states.

6. A computer implemented system for providing wrappers for rules automation technology, the system comprising:

a business rule corresponding to a business process;

a business object;

an object agent representing the business object;

a business rules agenda configured to execute the business rule, wherein the object agent is inserted into the agenda so that the business rule is directly applied to the object agent and indirectly applied to the business object to perform a business transaction;

a ruleset class configured to manage the business rule, the business rule comprising conditions and actions; and

a context class comprising the agenda and a working memory in which the business object and the object agent are stored, wherein the object agent is condition matched with the business rule according to the conditions, and the object agent matching the conditions is stored in the agenda, the actions of the business rule being performed on the object agent in the agenda to thereby indirectly apply the business rule to the business object.

8. A computer implemented method for providing wrappers for rules automation technology, the method comprising:

providing a business rule corresponding to a business process;

providing a business object;

providing an object agent representing the business object, wherein the object agent matches conditions in an agenda within a context class for executing a business rule; and

inserting the object agent into the agenda so that the business rule is directly applied to the object agent and indirectly applied to the business object.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

providing a helper method for the object agent, the helper method encapsulating complex method calls corresponding to the business object.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

using the helper method to perform at least one of the steps of;

making several method calls to the corresponding business object,

rebinding to servers containing the business object, and

parsing large data sets.

11. The method as claimed in claim 8, further comprising:

using the object agent to catch an exception before the exception enters the agenda.

12. The method as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

generating error messages based on the exception, the error messages notifying users about the exception.

13. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein the step of providing a business object further comprises providing a transient business object having a plurality of life states.

14. A computer implemented method for providing wrappers for rules automation technology, the method comprising:

providing a business rule corresponding to a business process;

providing a business object;

providing an object agent representing the business object;

providing a business rules agenda for executing the business rule;

inserting the object agent into the agenda so that the business rule is directly applied to the object agent and indirectly applied to the business object;

managing the business rule using a ruleset class;

providing conditions and actions for the business rule;

providing a context class which includes the agenda and a working memory in which the business object and the object agent are stored;

condition matching the object agent with the business rule according to the conditions;

storing the object agent matching the conditions in the agenda; and

performing the actions of the business rule on the object agent in the agenda to indirectly apply the business rule to the business object.

15. A computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for providing wrappers for rules automation technology, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

providing a business rule corresponding to a business process;

providing a business object;

providing an object agent representing the business object, wherein the object agent matches conditions in an agenda within a context class for executing a business rule; and

inserting the object agent into the agenda so that the business rule is directly applied to the object agent and indirectly applied to the business object.

16. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are caused to perform steps further comprising:

providing a helper method for object agent;

the helper method encapsulating complex method calls corresponding to the business object.

17. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 16, wherein the one or more processors are caused to perform steps further comprising:

using the helper method to perform at least one of the steps of;

making several method calls to the corresponding business object,

rebinding to servers containing the business object, and

parsing large data sets.

18. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein the one or more processors are caused to perform steps further comprising:

using the object agent to catch an exception before said exception enters the agenda.

19. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 18, wherein the one or more processors are caused to perform steps further comprising:

generating error messages based on the exception, the error messages notifying users of the computer implemented method about said exception.

20. The computer readable medium as claimed in claim 15, wherein the step of providing a business object comprises providing at least one transient business object having a plurality of life states.

21. A computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for providing wrappers for rules automation technology, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

providing a business rule corresponding to a business process;

providing a business object;

providing an object agent representing the business object;

providing a business rules agenda for executing the business rule;

inserting the object agent into the agenda so that the business rule is directly applied to the object agent and indirectly applied to the business object;

managing a business rule using a ruleset class;

providing conditions and actions for the business rule;

providing a context class which includes the agenda and a working memory in which a business object and an object agent are stored;

condition matching the object agent with the business rule according to the conditions;

storing the object agent matching the conditions in the agenda; and

performing the actions of the business rule on the object agent in the agenda to indirectly apply the business rule to the business object.

22. A method for providing wrappers for rule automation, the method comprising:

storing a business object and an associated object agent, wherein the object agent matches conditions in an agenda within a context class for executing a business rule; and

inserting the object agent into the agenda for performing actions of the business rule on the object agent in the agenda to indirectly apply the business rule to the business object.

23. A computer readable medium carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions for providing wrappers for rules automation technology, the one or more sequences of one or more instructions including instructions which, when executed by one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform steps comprising:

storing a business object and an associated object agent, wherein the object agent matches conditions in an agenda within a context class for executing a business rule; and

inserting the object agent into the agenda for performing actions of the business rule on the object agent in the agenda to indirectly apply the business rule to the business object.

24. A system for providing wrappers for rule automation, the system comprising:

means for storing a business object and an associated object agent, wherein the object agent matches conditions in an agenda within a context class for executing a business rule; and

means for inserting the object agent into the agenda for performing actions of the business rule on the object agent in the agenda to indirectly apply the business rule to the business object.