System and method for evaluating and executing hierarchies of rules
First Claim
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1. A system, comprising:
- a processor;
a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to;
determine a hierarchical relationship among a plurality of rules, wherein each of the plurality of rules comprises a precondition and an action to be executed if the precondition is met; and
evaluate and execute the plurality of rules according to the hierarchical relationship to generate an output;
wherein, to evaluate and execute the plurality of rules according to the hierarchical relationship, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to;
evaluate a precondition of a parent rule in the plurality of rules;
if the precondition of the parent rule is met, evaluate a precondition of one or more child rules of the parent rule according to the hierarchical relationship; and
if the precondition of the parent rule is not met, skip evaluation of the precondition of the one or more child rules of the parent rule according to the hierarchical relationship.
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Abstract
Embodiments of a system and method for hierarchically organizing rules and for evaluating and executing the hierarchy of rules. Each rule in the hierarchy of rules may include a precondition and an action to be executed if the precondition is met. When evaluating and executing the rules, if a precondition of a rule in the hierarchy is not met, then the action of the rule is not executed. Further, rules that descend from the rule in the hierarchy of rules are precluded from evaluation and execution. In one embodiment, modification of the hierarchy of rules may be performed without modification to an application using the hierarchy of rules.
109 Citations
43 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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a processor; a memory comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to; determine a hierarchical relationship among a plurality of rules, wherein each of the plurality of rules comprises a precondition and an action to be executed if the precondition is met; and evaluate and execute the plurality of rules according to the hierarchical relationship to generate an output; wherein, to evaluate and execute the plurality of rules according to the hierarchical relationship, the program instructions are further executable by the processor to; evaluate a precondition of a parent rule in the plurality of rules; if the precondition of the parent rule is met, evaluate a precondition of one or more child rules of the parent rule according to the hierarchical relationship; and if the precondition of the parent rule is not met, skip evaluation of the precondition of the one or more child rules of the parent rule according to the hierarchical relationship. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system, comprising:
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a processor; a memory coupled to the processor, wherein the memory comprises a plurality of rules, wherein each of the plurality of rules comprises a precondition for evaluation and an action to be executed if the precondition is met; wherein the plurality of rules are configured for evaluation and execution according to a hierarchical relationship among the plurality of rules to generate output, wherein the hierarchical relationship is configured to indicate one or more child rules to be skipped for evaluation and execution if the precondition of a parent rule is not met. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method, comprising:
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determining a hierarchical relationship among a plurality of rules, wherein each of the plurality of rules comprises a precondition and an action to be executed if the precondition is met; and evaluating and executing the plurality of rules according to the hierarchical relationship to generate an output, wherein said evaluating and executing comprises; evaluating a precondition of a parent rule in the plurality of rules; if the precondition of the parent rule is met, evaluating a precondition of one or more child rules of the parent rule according to the hierarchical relationship; and if the precondition of the parent rule is not met, skipping evaluation of the precondition of the one or more child rules of the parent rule according to the hierarchical relationship. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. A computer-accessible medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are configured to implement:
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determining a hierarchical relationship among a plurality of rules, wherein each of the plurality of rules comprises a precondition and an action to be executed if the precondition is met; and evaluating and executing the plurality of rules according to the hierarchical relationship to generate an output; wherein, in said evaluating and executing the plurality of rules according to the hierarchical relationship to generate an output, the program instructions are further configured to implement; evaluating a precondition of a parent rule in the plurality of rules; if the precondition of the parent rule is met, evaluating a precondition of one or more child rules of the parent rule according to the hierarchical relationship; and if the precondition of the parent rule is not met, skipping evaluation of the precondition of the one or more child rules of the parent rule according to the hierarchical relationship. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43)
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Specification