Rules framework for definition and execution of end-user rules logic

• US 7,631,296 B2
• Filed: 07/30/2004
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Dossick, Stephen E, Gerber, Robert H, Knight, Holly, Curley, Vincent H, Seshadri, Praveen
• Primary Examiner(s): Yigdall; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US10/903,765
• Publication Number:
  US 20050246686A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,957 Days
• Field of Search: 717/117
• US Class Current: 717/117
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/046 Forward inferencing; Production systems

Abstract

A rules-based software architecture that provides the infrastructure for the definition and execution of end-user rules logic. This enables end-user automation of data in a unified storage platform using simple IF-THEN rules. The architecture includes a monitoring component that tracks items associated with the data, and a rules component interfaces to the rules component, and employs metadata associated with the tracked items to provide for automated handling of a subset of the items. The system further provides for defining virtual collections and items in the system using content based logic. The system further comprises one or more trigger components that sets items and collections of items dynamically active as a function of trigger logic. Additional components can include a constraint component for imposing constraint logic on items, and a decision component that supports enabling application customization logic at decision points.

Claims

1. A computer readable storage medium having stored thereon rules creation framework that facilitates data management by an end-user who is not a trained software developer, the rules creation framework comprising:

a first application program interface for receiving decision point objects from an application, the decision point objects comprising both synchronous and asynchronous decision point objects, wherein each decision point object contains one or more rules to be applied to data on a computer system on which the rules creation framework is running to produce a set of results, wherein the one or more rules are provided to the application by a user to customize the functionality of the application, wherein if a decision point object is synchronous, the application, upon reaching the decision point and submitting the synchronous decision point object to the first application program interface, waits for the set of results before proceeding with execution, whereas if a decision point object is asynchronous, the application, upon reaching the decision point and submitting the asynchronous decision point object to the first application program interface, proceeds with execution without waiting for the set of results;

a second application program interface for receiving rule logic objects, wherein each rule logic object contains one or more rules to be applied to data on the computer system wherein the one or more rules of each rule logic object customize the functionality of the operating system running on the computer system; and

a user interface component through which a user specifies the one or more rules to be included within each rule logic object for customizing the functionality of the operating system.

2. The medium of claim 1, wherein the one or more rules of the decision point objects and the rule logic objects are used by the rules creation framework to define virtual collections of the data in the computer system.

3. The medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more trigger components that sets items and collections of items dynamically active as a function of trigger logic.

4. The medium of claim 1, further comprising a resolution component that resolves a conflict between rules.

5. The medium of claim 4, the resolution component resolves the rules conflict by at least one of end-user rule prioritization or a predefined resolution policy.

6. A computer implemented rules-based system that facilitates file system management by an end-user who is not a trained software developer, comprising:

a processor; and

memory storing a rules creation framework comprising;

a first application program interface for receiving decision point objects from an application, the decision point objects comprising both synchronous and asynchronous decision point objects, wherein each decision point object contains one or more rules to be applied to data on a computer system on which the rules creation framework is running to produce a set of results, wherein the one or more rules are provided to the application by a user to customize the functionality of the application, wherein if a decision point object is synchronous, the application, upon reaching the decision point and submitting the synchronous decision point object to the first application program interface, waits for the set of results before proceeding with execution, whereas if a decision point object is asynchronous, the application, upon reaching the decision point and submitting the asynchronous decision point object to the first application program interface, proceeds with execution without waiting for the set of results;

a second application program interface for receiving rule logic objects, wherein each rule logic object contains one or more rules to be applied to data on the computer system wherein the one or more rules of each rule logic object customize the functionality of the operating system running on the computer system; and

a user interface component through which a user specifies the one or more rules to be included within each rule logic object for customizing the functionality of the operating system.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising one or more trigger components that set items and collections of items dynamically active as a function of trigger logic.

8. The system of claim 6, further comprising a resolution component that resolves a conflict between a plurality of the rules by employing at least one of end-user rule prioritization and a predefined resolution policy.