Custom rule system and method for expert systems

• US 6,934,696 B1
• Filed: 09/15/2000
• Issued: 08/23/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: BN Corporation LLC
• Original Assignee: Bently Nevada Incorporated (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Williams, Scott T., Schachtely, Alan T.
• Primary Examiner(s): Knight, Anthony
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hirl, Joseph P.
• Application Number:
  US09/663,325
• Time in Patent Office: 1,803 Days
• Field of Search: 706/11, 706/47, 706/46
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition

Abstract

A custom rule system and method that stores custom rules as rule steps and then displays these rule steps as graphical depictions such that these graphical depictions can be selected and interconnected to visually form custom rules for an expert system.

Claims

1. A custom rule system for creating custom rules, said custom rule system comprising in combination:

a processor,

a memory and a display both operatively coupled to said processor;

a plurality of operand and operation rule steps stored within said memory;

means for displaying to a user graphical icons of said plurality of operand and operation rule steps stored within said memory as a pallet on a first area of said display such that said pallet is comprised of a plurality of individual graphical operand and operation icons each corresponding to at least one of said operand and operation rule steps;

means for a user to sequentially select a plurality of icons from said pallet and arrange said plurality of sequentially selected icons as an ordered series of icons on a second area on said display; and

means for a user to interconnect said plurality of sequentially selected icons sequentially arranged as said ordered series of icons on said second area of said display for creating a custom rule comprised of said user selected and interconnected ordered series of icons created by the user, and

means for storing, in a database, said user created custom rule as an ordered series of operand and operation rule steps corresponding to said user selected and interconnected ordered series of icons created by the user such that said operand and operation rule steps are processed in the same order in which they are stored in said database resulting in the processing of said user created custom rule in accordance with the same order as said user selected and interconnected ordered series of icons created by the user.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for the user to sequentially select and interconnect said plurality of sequentially selected icons includes means for a user to select, drag, and drop said plurality of sequentially selected icons from said pallet to said second area on said display and then interconnect said plurality of sequentially selected icon for creating said user created custom rule.

3. The system of claim 1 further including an extraction module for extracting information engendered from sensors and a processor operatively coupled to both said extraction module and said database for processing said extracted information according to said user created custom rule having said ordered series of operand and operation rule steps having said same order as said user selected and interconnected ordered series of icons created by the user such that said processor processes each rule step in said ordered series of operand and operation rule steps as they are stored in the database.

4. A custom rule system for creating custom rules, said system comprising in combination:

a database comprised of a multiplicity of operand and operation rule steps, each said rule step having specific executable code associated therewith;

a computer operatively coupled to said database and including a display for displaying to a user graphical depictions of said multiplicity of operand and operation rule steps stored within said database as an array of a multiplicity of individual graphical operand and operation depictions displayed within a first window on said display and each corresponding to at least one of said multiplicity of operand and operation rule steps;

means for displaying a rules window on said display;

means for a user to interface with said array displayed in said first window to select and place a plurality of said multiplicity of individual graphical operand and operation depictions from said array to said rules window as a user ordered series of selected and placed depictions; and

means for a user to interconnect said plurality of selected and placed depictions such that a custom rule is created by the user defined by said user ordered series of said user selected, placed, and interconnected depictions; and

means for storing, in said database, said user created custom rule as an ordered series of operand and operation rule steps corresponding to said by said user ordered series of said user selected, placed, and interconnected depictions; and

an extraction module for extracting information engendered from sensors and a processor operatively coupled to both said extraction module and said database for processing said operand and operation rule steps in the same order in which they are stored in said database resulting in the processing of said user created custom rule in accordance with the same order as said user ordered series of said user selected, placed, and interconnected depictions.

5. The system of claim 4 further including a step reference stored within said database for referencing said specific executable code associated with each operand and operation rule step that corresponds to each of said plurality of selected and placed depictions displayed in said rules window.

6. The system of claim 5 further including means for providing a decision based upon said processing of said user created custom rule.

7. The system of claim 6 further including means for routing said decision based upon said processing of said user created custom rule to appropriate personal.

8. The system of claim 7 further including a plurality of tables stored within said database, each having at least one record containing fields and a plurality of said fields including said step references each associated with each operand and operation rule step that corresponds to each of said user selected, placed, and interconnected depictions created by the user.

9. A method for creating custom rules, the steps including:

storing individual operand and operation rule steps comprised of executable code within a database coupled to a computer;

depicting said operand and operation rules steps on a display of said computer as a graphical arrangement of operand and operation icons;

creating a user defined custom rule by interfacing with said graphical arrangement of operand and operation icons for selecting and placing a plurality of said operand and operation icons from said graphical arrangement to a graphical window on said display in a user ordered series and interconnecting said icons placed within said graphical window for creating said user defined custom rule defined by said user ordered series of selected, placed, and interconnected icons, and

storing, in said database, said user defined custom rule as an ordered series of operand and operation rule steps corresponding to said user ordered series of selected, placed, and interconnected icons and processing said rule steps in said ordered series of operand and operation rule steps in the same order in which they are stored in said database resulting in the processing of said user defined custom rule in accordance with the same order as said user ordered series of said user selected, placed, and interconnected icons.

10. The method of claim 9 further including the steps of extracting information engendered from sensors and providing a processor operatively coupled to both said extraction module and said database for processing said operand and operation rule steps in the same order in which they are stored in said database resulting in the processing of said user defined custom rule in accordance with the same order as said user ordered series of said user selected, placed, and interconnected icons.