Systems and methods for identifying solutions to computer problems using contexts and versions

• US 7,418,628 B2
• Filed: 09/15/2003
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2002
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Arend, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Baderman; Scott T
• Assistant Examiner(s): Contino; Paul F
• Application Number:
  US10/522,526
• Publication Number:
  US 20060095392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,807 Days
• Field of Search: 714/26, 714/57, 714/46
• US Class Current: 714/26
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/022 Knowledge engineering; Knowledge acquisition

Abstract

A computer system includes a main system that executes an application in cooperation with a human user. An auxiliary system evaluates problems that occur in the main system. The auxiliary system includes a service module that collects problem related data from the main system, an acquisition module that acquires knowledge representations, a knowledge module that stores knowledge representations, an inference module that processes problem related data with knowledge representations to identify solutions and that forwards the solutions through the service module to the main system. The auxiliary system distinguishes a context of the problems and distinguishes versions of the main system.

Claims

1. A computer system comprising:

a main system that executes an application in cooperation with a human user;

an auxiliary system to evaluate problems in the main system using a service module to collect problem related data from the main system, wherein the auxiliary system determines a context of the evaluated problems and distinguishes versions of the main system;

a knowledge module that stores knowledge representations by classifying the knowledge representations into context groups, wherein,

each context group is classified according to at least one predefined context,

the knowledge representations comprise entries for specific problem symptoms and corresponding solutions,

the knowledge module distinguishes the context with a primary context and a secondary context, with the secondary context referenced from the primary context, and

the knowledge module makes knowledge representations selectively available or non-available according to a selected context;

an inference module that processes problem related data with knowledge representations where the context of the evaluated problems is used to select at least one context group of the knowledge representations to identify solutions, wherein the inference module forwards the solutions through the service module to the main system.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the auxiliary system distinguishes context and versions relating to the application.

3. The computer system of claim 2, wherein the auxiliary system distinguishes context and versions by using a check lexicon in the knowledge module.

4. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the check lexicon lists details for the knowledge representations, wherein the details depend on a version of the main system.

5. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the check lexicon lists details for the knowledge representations, wherein the details depend on a version of the application.

6. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the check lexicon lists details for the knowledge representations, wherein the details depend on the context of the problem.

7. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the check lexicon lists details for the knowledge representations that depend on a version of the main system.

8. The computer system of claim 3, wherein the check lexicon uses parameters for versions and context.

9. A computer system comprising:

a main system that executes an application in cooperation with a human user;

an auxiliary system to evaluate problems in the main system using a service module to collect problem related data from the main system, wherein the auxiliary system determines a context of the evaluated problems and distinguishes versions of the main system;

a knowledge module that stores knowledge representations by classifying the knowledge representations into context groups, wherein each context group is classified according to at least one predefined context, wherein the knowledge representations comprise entries for specific problem symptoms and corresponding solutions, and wherein the knowledge module makes knowledge representations selectively available or non-available according to a selected context; and

an inference module that processes problem related data with knowledge representations where the context of the evaluated problems is used to select at least one context group of the knowledge representations to identify solutions, wherein the inference module forwards the solutions through the service module to the main system.

10. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the auxiliary system distinguishes context and versions relating to the application.

11. The computer system of claim 10, wherein the auxiliary system distinguishes context and versions by using a check lexicon in the knowledge module.

12. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the check lexicon lists details for the knowledge representations, wherein the details depend on a version of the main system.

13. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the check lexicon lists details for the knowledge representations, wherein the details depend on a version of the application.

14. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the check lexicon lists details for the knowledge representations, wherein the details depend on the context of the problem.

15. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the check lexicon lists details for the knowledge representations that depend on a version of the main system.

16. The computer system of claim 11, wherein the check lexicon uses parameters for versions and context.