Device, method and computer program product for evaluating a behavior of an entity

• US 7,996,354 B2
• Filed: 08/27/2007
• Issued: 08/09/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Adi, Asaf, Nechushtai, Gil, Shulman, Boris, Sharon, Guy
• Primary Examiner(s): Fernandez Rivas; Omar F
• Application Number:
  US11/845,114
• Publication Number:
  US 20090063380A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 706/62
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 3/004 Artificial life, i.e. computing arrangements simulating life

Abstract

A method for evaluating a behavior of an entity, the method includes: converting a state machine representation of a behavior of an entity to a complex event processing (CEP) representation of the behavior of the entity; wherein the converting comprises defining a transition between multiple states of the state machine representation as a situation; and evaluating the behavior of the entity in response to the CEP representation.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating a behavior of an entity, the method comprising:

using a processor and a memory accessible to the processor in which computer program instructions are stored, wherein the instructions comprise distinct software modules including a complex event processing (CEP) engine, the processor operative under control of the instructions for;

modeling a behavior of the entity as a state machine representation thereof, the state machine representation comprising states, transitions between states, and actions of the entity;

converting the state machine representation of the behavior of the entity to a CEP model of the behavior of the entity;

wherein the converting comprises defining a transition between multiple states of the state machine representation as a situation, and responsively to an occurrence of the transition generating an event in the CEP model that initiates a lifespan of the situation;

processing the CEP model in the CEP engine; and

responsively to processing the CEP model evaluating the behavior of the entity.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the stage of converting comprises defining a lifespan of a situation in response to an ability to transit from one state to at least one other state.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the stage of converting comprises defining a transition from a certain state of the entity to another state of the entity in response to occurrences of multiple events.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the stage of converting comprises defining a transition from a certain state of the entity to another state of the entity in response to multiple repetitions of a certain event.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the stage of evaluating comprises detecting a transition from one situation to the other and terminating a situation representative of the transition.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the stage of converting comprises defining a lifespan of at least one situation in response to a state of another entity having its behavior modeled by another state machine;

and wherein the evaluating is responsive to a behavior of the other entity.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the stage of converting comprises defining a lifespan of at least one situation in response to an event that comprises occurrences external to a processor that participates in the evaluating.

8. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium including a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to:

model a behavior of an entity as a state machine representation thereof, the state machine representation comprising states, transitions between states, and actions of the entity;

convert the state machine representation of the behavior of the entity to a complex event processing (CEP) representation of the behavior of the entity, wherein the conversion comprises defining a transition between multiple states of the state machine representation as a situation;

responsively to an occurrence of the transition generate an event in the CEP representation that initiates a lifespan of the situation;

thereafter process the CEP representation using a CEP engine application; and

responsively to processing the CEP representation evaluate the behavior of the entity in response to the CEP representation.

9. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to define a lifespan of a situation in response to an ability to transit from one state to at least one other state.

10. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to define a transition from a certain state of the entity to another state of the entity in response to occurrences of multiple events.

11. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to define a transition from a certain state of the entity to another state of the entity in response to multiple repetitions of a certain event.

12. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to detect a transition from one situation to the other and terminating a situation representative of the transition.

13. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to define a lifespan of at least one situation in response to a state of another entity having its behavior modeled by another state machine;

and wherein the evaluating is responsive to a behavior of the other entity.

14. The computer program product according to claim 8, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to define a lifespan of at least one situation in response to an event that comprises occurrences external to a computer that participates in the evaluating.

15. A system comprising a memory unit coupled to a processor, wherein the processor is adapted to:

model a behavior of an entity as a state machine representation thereof, the state machine representation comprising states, transitions between states, and actions of the entity;

convert the state machine representation of the behavior of the entity to a complex event processing (CEP) representation of the behavior of the entity, wherein the conversion comprises defining a transition between multiple states of the state machine representation as a situation; and

responsively to an occurrence of the transition generate an event in the CEP representation that initiates a lifespan of the situation;

thereafter process the CEP representation using a CEP engine application; and

responsively to processing the CEP representation evaluate the behavior of the entity in response to the CEP representation.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the processor is adapted to define a lifespan of a situation in response to an ability to transit from one state to at least one other state.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein the processor is adapted to define a transition from a certain state of the entity to another state of the entity in response to occurrences of multiple events.

18. The system according to claim 15 wherein the processor is adapted to define a transition from a certain state of the entity to another state of the entity in response to multiple repetitions of a certain event.

19. The system according to claim 15 wherein the processor is adapted to detect a transition from one situation to the other and terminating a situation representative of the transition.

20. The system according to claim 15 wherein the processor is adapted to define a lifespan of at least one situation in response to a state of another entity having its behavior modeled by another state machine;

and wherein the evaluation is responsive to a behavior of the other entity.