Geometric display tools and methods for the visual specification, design automation, and control of adaptive real systems

• US 6,789,054 B1
• Filed: 04/25/1999
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mahmoud A. Makhlouf
• Original Assignee: Mahmoud A. Makhlouf
• Inventors: Makhlouf, Mahmoud A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Hugh
• Assistant Examiner(s): Craig, Dwin M.
• Application Number:
  US09/299,235
• Time in Patent Office: 1,962 Days
• Field of Search: 703/1, 703/2, 703/22, 703/6, 717/1, 709/315, 709/316, 709/332, 706/919, 700/28, 700/29, 700/30, 700/31, 700/32, 700/33, 700/34, 700/35, 700/36, 700/37, 700/49, 700/51, 700/95, 700/96, 700/103, 700/104, 700/181, 700/182
• US Class Current: 703/6
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 5/00 Control arrangements or circuits for visual indicators common to cathode-ray tube indicators and other visual indicators image data processing or generation, in general G06T

Abstract

This invention specifies physics-like computational models called M models. These models enable the specification and design automation of an integrated architecture of a real system. A new class of adaptive systems engineering tools called Adaptive Model-Reference (AMR) tools, supports the M computational model. AMR tools are used to visually specify the integrated architecture model of a real system, assess it'"'"'s value, and automate the static and dynamic binding of it'"'"'s model components into adaptive systems. These systems can be adapted during system development to compensate for requirement changes and design errors, and during run time operation to compensate for unanticipated operational system conditions. AMR tools enable the verification and validation of adaptive real system designs built in compliance with a declared enterprise wide technical architecture. Architecture components can be specified using AMR tools or can be imported into the AMR tool set. AMR tools are specified using an open system architecture built as extensions to open system development environments, such as Microsoft Foundation and OLE, and run time system environments such as Microsoft Windows or Java Object Request Brokers (ORB).

Claims

1. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system, said real-world system comprising one or more members of the group consisting of physical processes, information transfer equipment, data processors, associated software, human operators, and systems users, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects, and further comprising:

(a) constructing a dynamic architecture model of said real-world system, wherein the model is geometric and is fractal;

(b) providing a data and process information specified from a user-selected set of universal modeling language graph types further comprising classification, association, aggregation, object relationship, sequence, collaboration, state-chart, activity, and implementation graphs;

(c) fusing said data and process information;

thereby generating an integrated visual representation of the fused data and process model information;

(d) constructing an atomic connection, defining communication protocols used to connect a set of component objects wherein said atomic connection is token based and is geometric and fractal and the geometric region of said atomic connection does not contain models of structure objects used to implement connections between said component objects;

(e) constructing a compound connection, defining communication protocols used to connect said set of component objects wherein said compound connection is token based and is geometric and the geometric region of said compound connection contains a plurality of models of infrastructure object, comprising an integrated model, used to implement connections between said component objects;

(f) constructing an object loop of said integrated model wherein said object loop is specified using a set of said atomic connections and of said compound connections, wherein said object loop specifies cyclic performance constrained interactions between said set of component objects wherein all interactions within the boundaries of said component objects are internal interactions during one complete loop cycle;

(g) constructing an adaptive loop information network, comprising a plurality of object loops, wherein said adaptive loop information network is specified using a group of said object loops, wherein each said adaptive loop information network specifies a proper partition of a set of component objects which is observable and controllable and configurable and whose semantics match a conceptual model of external objects invoking services of said adaptive loop information networks; and

(h) constructing said dynamic architecture model using a set of said adaptive loop information networks,

thus providing the user with an architectural specification model of the real-world system.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising code that, when executed, in response to an human input and an automated system measurement, further comprises constructing a plan projection which is geometric and is fractal and an elevation projection which is geometric and is fractal.

31. The method of claims 1, 3, 7, 8, 9, 10, or 12, further comprising using an automated system measurement, providing an integrated architecture model, and constructing an iterative map of the integrated architecture model thereby.

3. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing system objects and real objects comprised within a real-world system, said real-world system comprising one or more members of the group consisting of physical processes, information transfer equipment, data processors, associated software, human operators, and systems users, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising:

(a) generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects;

(b) constructing a dynamic architecture model of internal system objects and external system objects;

(c) constructing an operational requirements architecture model which is geometric and fractal, wherein the model is a dynamic architecture model; and

(d) specifying performance constrained interactions between said external system objects and said real-world system;

thus providing the user with an architectural specification model of the real-world system.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the real-world system further comprises internal system objects, the method further comprising using an operational requirements architecture model to construct a design control architecture model, wherein the model is a dynamic architecture model which specifies performance constrained interactions between said internal system objects, whereby a group of one or more said design control architecture models can be specified for each said operational requirements architecture model.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising using said design control architecture model to construct an implementation architecture model, wherein the model is a dynamic architecture model, which binds design control loops, of said design control architecture model to a programing language and a given object class library, whereby a group of one or more said implementation architectures models can be specified for each said design control architecture model.

6. The method of claim 5, further comprising integrating said operational requirements architecture model, said design control architecture model and said implementation architecture model, constructing an integrated architecture model thereby.

7. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system, said real-world system comprising one or more members of the group consisting of physical processes, information transfer equipment, data processors, associated software, human operators, and systems users, and further comprising component objects, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions, comprising:

(a) generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects;

(b) constructing an operational plan and a schedule of said component objects;

(c) housing a set of said component objects in one or more physical space regions;

(d) constructing a plurality of information state space regions which specify a static structure and a dynamic behavior of said component objects;

(e) constructing an integrated space grid of said real-world system which comprises cells, is geometric and is fractal and is multi-layered wherein said cells fuse the physical space regions and the information state space regions;

(f) constructing one or more adaptive loop information networks, each comprising a plurality of object loops, and each comprising a set of said component objects;

(g) constructing an instance of each said adaptive loop information network,

(h) specifying initial configuration and physical space constraints of said adaptive loop information network instance;

(i) constructing a plan which specifies the routing and connection of the component objects of said instance of adaptive loop information network; and

(j) scheduling, directing, monitoring, and adapting said components objects specified in said plan,

thus providing the user with an architectural specification model of the real-world system.

8. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system, said real-world system comprising one or more members of the group consisting of physical processes, information transfer equipment, data processors, associated software, human operators, and systems users, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects, further comprising:

(a) constructing a software concurrent application control process, which is a set of said component objects said real-world system, further comprising;

(b) constructing a user-selected set comprising a reliable communication controller, a security controller, an activation controller, a reliable configuration controller, a concurrency controller, and a monitoring controller whereby controller components of said software concurrent application control process further comprise enforcing static and dynamic constraints associated with segments of said instances of adaptive loop information network instances upon said software concurrent application control process;

(c) configuring and executing segments of said instances of adaptive loop information network, which are allocated to said software concurrent application control process; and

(d) enabling interactions between said software concurrent control processes using run time system environments,

thus providing the user with an architectural specification model of the real-world system.

9. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system, said real-world system comprising one or more members of the group consisting of physical processes, information transfer equipment, data processors, associated software, human operators, and systems users, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising:

(a) generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects,

(b) constructing an adaptive supervisory application control process;

(c) constructing a user-selected set comprising an overload monitor controller and a learning controller and a performance controller and a configuration controller;

(d) coordinating a group of adaptive supervisory control processes to implement and adapt a functional performance behavior of an integrated architecture model;

(e) including one or more adaptive loop information networks, each further comprising segments;

(f) configuring and executing said segments; and

(g) estimating a system model order and an associated dead time;

parameters for a system with time varying properties,

whereby said adaptive supervisory design control scheme enables the run time monitoring, control and adaptation of the behavior of an automated operational system, thus providing the user with an architectural specification model of the real-world system.

10. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system, said real-world system comprising one or more members of the group consisting of physical processes, information transfer equipment, data processors, associated software, human operators, and systems users comprising current and proposed business operations, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising:

(a) generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects;

(b) activating the computer to evaluate a cost and a value of said real-world system;

(c) configuring one or more adaptive loop information networks, further comprising specifying business operations of said real-world system;

(d) constructing a dynamic architecture model of said real-world system, wherein the model is geometric and is fractal;

(e) constructing an adaptive simulator further comprising incorporating a simulation engine to implement said dynamic architecture models; and

(f) computing performance sensitivity metrics of an adaptive loop information networks specification of current and proposed business operations,

thus providing the user with an architectural specification model of the real-world system.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating architecture projection displays of said static architecture model and said dynamic architecture model and said integrated architecture model, wherein said displays are created in compliance with static and dynamic constraints associated with said adaptive loop information networks and said adaptive loop information network instances, and further comprising generating a user-selected group comprising an object state display, a dynamic graph display, a business tracking graph display, and a business control graph.

12. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system, said real-world system comprising one or more members of the group consisting of physical processes, information transfer equipment, data processors, associated software, human operators, and systems users, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising:

(a) generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects;

(b) constructing a knowledge controller which further comprises a group of objects within an integrated architecture model;

(c) constructing a multilevel schema wherein a schema level is defined for each level of an abstraction of an adaptive loop information network;

(d) using said multilevel schema to construct a plurality of semantic filters wherein a group of said semantic filters are used to regulate access to data managed by said knowledge controller; and

(e) constructing said knowledge controller using an overload controller, a learning controller, a performance controller, and a configuration controller,

thus providing the user with an architectural specification model of the real-world system.

13. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system, wherein the real objects are members of the group which consists of mechatronic objects, infotronic objects, human objects, and human organization objects, the real-world system further comprising a multiplicity of unique segments in a spatial state time grid comprising an evolution structure, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising:

(a) generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects;

(b) configuring said display as a multiplicity of cells,

(c) configuring said display to be virtual and wrap-around;

(d) representing each unique segment by one of the cells, wherein a representation of the evolution structure is contained within said cell; and

(e) representing each cell by two adjacent triangular display tiles,

thus providing the user with a specification model of the real-world system.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein each of the cells further comprises subdividing each cell into a multiplicity of atomic regions further comprising operation regions, resource regions, referential attribute regions, and public interface regions.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising folding and unfolding said regions.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising fractally and geometrically displaying a multi-layered stack of components representing real objects, wherein said stack of components further comprises a plan projection and an elevation projection.

17. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects, and further comprising:

(a) constructing a dynamic architecture model of said real-world system, wherein the model is geometric and is fractal;

(b) providing a data and process information specified from a user-selected set of universal modeling language graph types further comprising classification, association, aggregation, object relationship, sequence, collaboration, state-chart, activity, and implementation graphs;

(c) fusing said data and process information;

thereby generating an integrated visual representation of the fused data and process model information;

(d) constructing an atomic connection, defining communication protocols used to connect a set of component objects wherein said atomic connection is token based and is geometric and fractal and the geometric region of said atomic connection does not contain models of infrastructure objects used to implement connections between said component objects;

(e) constructing a compound connection, defining communication protocols used to connect said set of component objects wherein said compound connection is token based and is geometric and the geometric region of said compound connection contains a plurality of models of infrastructure object, comprising an integrated model, used to implement connections between said component objects;

(f) constructing an object loop of said integrated model wherein said object loop is specified using a set of said atomic connections and of said compound connections, wherein said object loop specifies cyclic performance constrained interactions between said set of component objects wherein all interactions within the boundaries of said component objects are internal interactions during one complete loop cycle;

(g) constructing an adaptive loop information network, comprising a plurality of object loops, wherein said adaptive loop information network is specified using a group of said object loops, wherein each said adaptive loop information network specifies a proper partition of a set of component objects which is observable and controllable and configurable and whose semantics match a conceptual model of external objects invoking services of said adaptive loop information networks;

(h) constructing said dynamic architecture model using a set of said adaptive loop information networks; and

(i) constructing

(I) a plan projection which is geometric and is fractal; and

(II) an elevation projection which is geometric and is fractal,

when the code is executed in response to an human input and an automated system measurement,

thus providing the user with a specification model of the real-world system.

18. The method of claim 17, further comprising constructing a minimum dynamic architecture model of said dynamic architecture model.

19. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system comprising current and proposed business operations, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising:

(a) generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects;

(b) activating the computer to evaluate a cost and a value of said real-world system;

(c) configuring one or more adaptive loop information networks, further comprising specifying business operations of said real-world system;

(d) constructing a dynamic architecture model of said real-world system, wherein the model is geometric and is fractal;

(e) constructing an adaptive simulator further comprising incorporating a simulation engine to implement said dynamic architecture models;

(f) computing performance sensitivity metrics of an adaptive loop information networks specification of current and proposed business operations,

(g) generating architecture projection displays of said static architecture model, said dynamic architecture model, and said integrated architecture model, wherein said displays are created in compliance with static and dynamic constraints associated with said adaptive loop information networks and said adaptive loop information network instances, and

(h) further comprising generating a user-selected group comprising an object state display, a dynamic graph display, a business tracking graph display, and a business control graph,

thus providing the user with a specification model of the real-world system.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising evaluating a user-selected set of static structure metrics of said adaptive loop information networks, wherein said static structure metrics further comprise fractal dimension metrics, entropy coupling metrics, boundedness metrics, deadlock metrics, and liveness metrics.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising an automated system measuring, and an evaluating of a user-selected set of dynamic structure metrics of said adaptive loop information networks of said integrated architecture model using data collected by a set of software concurrent application control processes, wherein said dynamic structure metrics further comprise load metrics, service time metrics, response time metrics, and utilization level metrics.

22. A computer-program method embodied on a computer-readable medium and comprising code containing one or more software objects representing real objects comprised within a real-world system, said real-world system comprising one or more members of the group consisting of physical processes, information transfer equipment, data processors, associated software, human operators, and systems users, so that the code, when executed in response to human input, causes the computer to perform functions comprising generating a fractal geometric display representing the real objects;

thus providing the user with an architectural specification model of the real-world system.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein each real object further comprises an entity with a well-defined boundary and identity that encapsulates state and behavior, wherein state comprises a representation of one or more data attributes and one or more relationships, and wherein behavior comprises a representation of one or more operations, one or more methods, and one or more state machines.

24. The method of claim 22, further comprising configuring said display as a multiplicity of cells.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein said fractal geometric display is virtual and wraparound.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein said real-world system further comprises a multiplicity of unique segments in a spatial state time grid comprising an evolution structure, the method further comprising representing each unique segment by one of the cells, wherein a representation of the evolution structure is contained within said cell.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising representing each cell by two adjacent triangular display tiles.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the real objects are members of the group which consists of mechatronic objects, infotronic objects, human objects, and human organization objects.

29. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

(a) constructing a fractal geometric model of a classification relationship between said real objects;

(b) constructing a fractal geometric model of an association relationship between said real objects;

(c) constructing a fractal geometric model of a composition relationship between said real objects;

(d) constructing a static architecture model using fractal geometric models of said classification relationship, said association relationship, and said composition relationship.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising constructing a minimum static architecture model version of said static architecture model, using a minimal orthogonal set of object attributes and a minimal orthogonal set of functions operating on said software objects.