Automatically processing dynamic business rules in a content management system

• US 8,140,362 B2
• Filed: 08/30/2005
• Issued: 03/20/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Deshpande, Prasad Manikarao, Srinivasan, Savitha
• Primary Examiner(s): Boswell, Beth V
• Assistant Examiner(s): JACKSON, ERNEST ADEYEMI
• Application Number:
  US11/216,578
• Publication Number:
  US 20070094199A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,394 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/7, 705/7.11, 707/200, 709/218
• US Class Current: 705/7.11
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/025 Extracting rules from data
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A business rule processing system automatically processes dynamic business rules in a content management system, allowing frequent updates to the business rules. The updates can be automatically adapted by the system without restarting the content management system. The system utilizes a stand-alone rule engine. Business logic is encoded as business rule definition files using a platform-independent language; the business rule definition files are stored in a central business rule repository. The business rules are managed and executed by the rules engine; the rules engine provides business rule processing services to other parts of the content management system. The system reduces development and maintenance cost, accelerates the business rule update cycle, and simplifies administration efforts.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method of automatically processing dynamic business rules in a content management system, comprising:

authoring first business rules in a first business rule definition file in the content management system, wherein the authoring is processed using a computer with a computer processor;

configuring the first business rules in the first business rule definition file;

setting a predetermined action regarding whether to stop processing the first business rules after a first violation of one of the first business rules;

classifying the first business rules into stages of data processing actions on the first business rules;

creating a first set of the first business rules for testing first input data for validity with respect to numeric and relationship categories;

creating a second set of the first business rules for performing first operations on the first input data;

creating a third set of the first business rules which provide a mechanism that initiates further action after a content management repository is updated;

classifying fourth business rulesets according to different first action types and business ruleset types;

managing the first business rules in the first business rule definition file;

receiving a set of second input data to which the first business rules apply;

determining whether updated data from the user needs to be stored in the content management repository and processed;

mapping the first business rules to the set of second input data to identify the first business rules required by the set of second input data;

executing the identified first business rules against different backend data models;

monitoring the identified first business rules to determine if a new business rule is introduced;

updating the first business rule definition file to reflect the new business rule;

updating the business rule definition file during the processing of at least two of;

the first business rules, the first input data, and the second input data;

executing the updated first business rule definition file; and

displaying the updated first business file on a display unit,

wherein the first business rules are dynamic and are based on the set of second input data stored in the content management repository, to enable querying of the content management repository based on foreign key relationships to auto-fill the fields.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining the first business rules in a second business rule definition file stored in a business rule repository.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the business ruleset types comprise at least one:

one of the first action types that captures information about which action triggers one of the first business rules that comprises insert, update, and delete actions;

insert type that creates a new item instance in the content management repository;

delete type that removes an existing item instance in the content management repository;

update type that changes a content of an existing item instance in the content management repository;

RSType that specifies one of the business ruleset types;

entry type that performs validation and automatic filling of fields;

action type that modifies a state of the content management repository by performing operations on the set of second input data;

post type that executes actions based on the modified state of the content management repository;

RSName type that assigns a name to one of the fourth business rulesets;

RSFileType type that identifies a file type of the one of the fourth business rulesets; and

RSFilelocation type that comprises a string for a path in a file system where the second business rule definition file might be located.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising defining the first business rules in the first business rule definition file stored in a first business rule configuration file.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising identifying one of the first business rules that is associated with an input data type;

and

further determining the location of the first business rule definition file that is associated with the identified one of the first business rules.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the backend data models have different hierarchical schemas.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein managing the first business rules supports editing, updates, and deletes to a business rule logic.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the first business rules trigger internal actions.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the internal actions include initiating a workflow process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first business rules trigger external actions.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the external actions include notifying the user.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the external actions include initiating a business process.

13. A computer program product having a plurality of executable instruction codes that are stored on a computer-readable medium, for automatically processing dynamic first business rules in a content management system, comprising:

a computer readable storage medium having computer readable program code embodied therewith, the computer readable program code comprising;

computer readable program code configured to author the first business rules in a first business rule definition file;

computer readable program code configured to configure the first business rules in the first business rule definition file;

computer readable program code configured to create a first set of the first business rules for testing first user input values for validity with respect to numeric and relationship categories;

computer readable program code configured to create a second set of the first business rules that perform first operations on the first user input values;

computer readable program code configured to create a third set of the first business rules which provide a mechanism that initiates further action after a content management repository is updated;

computer readable program code configured to manage the first business rules in the first business rule definition file;

computer readable program code configured to prepare a separate business rule definition file for a separate item type;

computer readable program code configured to receive second user input values to which the first business rules apply;

computer readable program code configured to map the first business rules to the second user input values to identify first business rules required by the second user input values;

computer readable program code configured to perform the identified first business rules against different backend data models;

computer readable program code configured to select an inference engine type;

computer readable program code configured to use the selected inference engine type in an inference engine for executing the first business rules in a specified order;

computer readable program code configured to monitor the first business rules to determine if a new business rule is introduced;

computer readable program code configured to update the first business rule definition file to reflect the new business rule; and

computer readable program code configured to perform the updated first business rule definition file.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, further comprising computer readable program code configured to define the first business rules in a second business rule definition file stored in the content management repository.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, further comprising computer readable program code configured to classify fourth business rulesets according to different action types and business ruleset types.

16. A system for automatically processing dynamic first business rules in a content management system, comprising:

a computer with a computer processor for processing dynamic first business rules;

a business rule processing interface for authoring first business rules, and for receiving a set of first input data to which the first business rules apply;

a business rule engine for configuring and managing the first business rules, and for mapping the first business rules to the first input data to identify the first business rules required by the first input data;

the business rule engine further for creating a first set of the first business rules for testing the first input data for validity with respect to numeric and relationship categories;

the business rule engine further for creating a second set of the first business rules for performing first operations on the first input data;

the business rule engine further for creating a third set of the first business rules for initiating further action after an action has been taken to update a content management repository;

the business rule engine further for checking integrity of the content management system based on a plurality of primary key and foreign key relationships;

an inference engine using pattern matching for executing the first business rules in a specified order;

a business rule processing connector for executing the identified first business rules against different backend data models, and for monitoring the first business rules to determine if a new business rule is introduced; and

an outputting engine for outputting a reason for each of a plurality of results after applying one of the first business rules to the first input data,

wherein the business rule engine performs file updates to reflect the new business rule, and executes the updated files.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein the business rule engine comprises a rule module and a rule engine.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the rule engine defines the first business rules in a second business rule definition file that is stored in the content management repository.