Autonomous semantic software agents and design method therefor, and online simulation apparatus using an inference engine

• US 8,793,198 B1
• Filed: 11/16/2011
• Issued: 07/29/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: United States Secretary of the Navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Thomas, James Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): VINCENT, DAVID ROBERT
• Application Number:
  US13/373,746
• Publication Number:
  US 20140229421A1
• Time in Patent Office: 986 Days
• Field of Search: 706/12, 706/45
• US Class Current: 706/12
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation

Abstract

A semantic software agent and methods for designing and implementing the software agent and multi-agent systems, where the semantic software agent includes an interface adapter configured to receive instances of data collected and queries from an external source; a semantic repository configured to receive the instances and queries from the interface adapter; and an inference engine configured to receive the instance data from the semantic repository and to generate semantic inferences on the instances based on an ontology and semantic rules. An online simulation apparatus is also provided to generate actions and events for a simulation environment in real-time.

Claims

1. An ontology-based simulation apparatus comprising:

an interface adapter configured to receive actions and simulation test results from one of a semantic software agent and an external system in communication with the ontology-based simulation apparatus;

an inference engine configured to receive the actions and simulation test results from the interface adapter, and ontology basis, semantic rules and attribute data, the inference engine including semantic reasoner receiving instances from an algorithm adapter and receives initialization from the ontology basis and the semantic rules; and

a visualization, planning and control component configured to control an operation of the inference engine,

wherein the inference engine uses the attribute data along with the ontology and the semantic rules to provide simulated instances to the semantic software agent or the external system via the interface adapter.

2. The ontology-based simulation apparatus of claim 1, further comprising

a data logging component configured to log interface data received from the interface adapter;

and

a system assessment component configured to receive the logged interface data from the data logging component and the simulation test results from the interface adapter, to evaluate the simulation test results and to perform a system assessment.

3. The ontology-based simulation apparatus of claim 1, wherein the visualization, planning and control component is further configured to receive input data from at least one algorithm via at least one algorithm adapter wherein the input data includes simulated attributes of an entity.

4. An online simulation apparatus comprising:

an interface adapter configured to receive simulated data and outcomes from a simulation environment;

a semantic repository configured to receive the simulated data in the form of instances and the outcomes from the interface adapter; and

an inference engine configured to receive the instances and outcomes from the semantic repository and to generate semantic inferences on the instances based on an ontology basis and semantic rules, and to generate in real time actions and events for input into the simulation environment, the inference engine including a semantic reasoner that receives instances from an algorithm adapter, initialization from the ontology basis and the semantic rules.

5. The online simulation apparatus of claim 4, further comprising:

a visualization, planning and control component configured to display status information and to perform editing and activation of the ontology and the semantic rules via a user, and to plan and control simulation of the simulation environment; and

a simulation scheduler configured to receive the actions and events generated from the inference engine and to schedule simulation of the simulation environment upon the control of the visualization, planning and control component, wherein the actions and events generated are transmitted to the simulation environment via the interface adapter.

6. The online simulation apparatus of claim 5, wherein the simulation environment comprises at least one external system.

7. The online simulation apparatus of claim 6, wherein the online simulation apparatus is coupled with a plurality of models and algorithms, wherein the online simulation apparatus is configured to assign tasks and supply data for performance of calculations to the plurality of models and the algorithms, and to obtains results therefrom, and wherein the data are derived from the instances and outcomes provided by the at least one external system.

8. The online simulation apparatus of claim 6, wherein the online simulation apparatus is configured to perform system-level testing on the at least one external system, wherein the online simulation apparatus simulates instances and outcomes and forwards the instances and outcomes to the at least one external system for system-level testing, and the at least one external system forwards actions and results back to the online simulation apparatus in response to the instances and outcomes.

9. The online simulation apparatus of claim 8, wherein the online simulation apparatus interfaces with the at least one external system and a user to perform user simulation training of the at least one external system, wherein the online simulation apparatus forwards instances and outcomes to the at least one external system which are displayed to the user for manipulation and training, and the at least one external system forwards results and actions back to the online simulation apparatus in response to the instances and outcomes.

10. The online simulation apparatus of claim 9, wherein the online simulation apparatus is in communication with a network of external systems in training and provides real-time interpretation of simulation results during simulation, wherein the online simulation apparatus provides training to the external systems simultaneously or selectively, as determined by a user.