Method for the use of and interaction with business system transfer functions

• US 20060111931A1
• Filed: 12/29/2005
• Published: 05/25/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Johnson, Christopher Donald, Akbay, Kunter Seref, Kalish, Peter Arnold, Dulgeroglu, Onur Ilkin
• Application Number:
  US11/321,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20060111931A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method for using and interacting with mathematical or algorithmic business system transfer functions in support of a business information, analysis, decisioning and control system. The method includes developing at least one high-level business system view wherein the transfer function is configured to quantitatively express the business system view; identifying a number of input parameters associated with one or more of the resources used in the business process, identifying at least one output parameter associated with the operation of the business process; collecting operational data that associate the number of input parameters with the at least one output parameter based on an actual operation of the business process. The method also includes a primary display layer that presents a control scenario for a testbed environment for the business information and decisioning control system.

Claims

1. A method for using mathematical or algorithmic business system transfer functions in support of a business information, analysis, decisioning and control system, comprising:

developing at least one business system view wherein the transfer function is configured to quantitatively express the business system view;

identifying a plurality of input parameters in the system, wherein the input parameters correspond to physical deterministic and/or probabilistic inputs to the business system in accordance with the business system view;

identifying at least one output parameter in the system, wherein the output parameters correspond to physical deterministic and/or probabilistic outputs to the business system in accordance with the business system view;

collecting operational data that associate the plurality of input parameters with the at least one output parameter based on an actual operation of the business process;

determining at least one relationship between the at least one output parameter and the plurality of input parameters based on the operational data;

mathematically and/or algorithmically describing the at least one relationship between the at least one output parameter and the plurality of input parameters using the at least one transfer function; and

displaying particular values of at least one of the plurality of input parameters, the at least one output parameters or the at least one transfer function, wherein the displaying comprises;

constructing and displaying a stochastic simulation of the at least one output parameter based on the at least one transfer function using a primary display layer that presents a testbed environment for the business information and decisioning control system;

interpreting at least one of signals, trends, warning and conclusions generated by the stochastic simulation and presenting an interpretation of the at least one of signals, trends, warning and conclusions generated by the stochastic simulation using at least one secondary display layer;

displaying a plurality of suggested business decisions using a tertiary display layer, wherein the plurality of suggested business decisions developed based on the signals, trends, warning and conclusions generated by the primary display layer and the interpretation presented by the at least one secondary display layer.

2. A method as in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of transfer functions mathematically or algorithmically describe a relationship between the plurality of input parameters and the at least one output parameter.

3. A method as in claim 1 further comprising disposing a visual cockpit to allow a user to interactively provide the plurality of input parameters and communicate with the primary display layer.

4. A method as in claim 3, wherein the visual cockpit comprises at least one of a graphical, textual or click-and-drag input mechanism to receive the plurality of input parameters from the user.

5. A method as in claim 3, wherein the visual cockpit is visually presented as a mask superimposed over the primary display layer.

6. A business system user interface of a business information and decisioning control system, wherein the business information and decisioning control system comprises a control module that is configured to receive information provided by multiple interrelated business processes in a business in relation to a plurality of input parameters associated with one or more of the resources used in the business and at least one output parameter associated with the operation of the business process and configured to generate a plurality of mathematical or algorithmic business system transfer functions, the user interface comprising:

a primary display layer that presents a testbed environment for the business information and decisioning control system, wherein the primary display layer is constructed as a stochastic simulation of the at least one output parameter based on the plurality of mathematical or algorithmic business system transfer functions;

at least one secondary display layer that presents interpretation of at least one of signals, trends, warning and conclusions generated by the primary display layer;

a tertiary display layer that presents a plurality of suggested business decisions developed based on the signals, trends, warning and conclusions generated by the primary display layer and the interpretation presented by the at least one secondary display layer.

7. A user interface as in claim 6, wherein each of the primary display layer, the at least one secondary display layer, tertiary display layer comprises at least one display zone having an adaptable visibility state of at least one of transparency, translucency or opaqueness.

8. A user interface as in claim 7, wherein the visibility state of the display zone is dependent on the activity taking place in that display zone.

9. A user interface as in claim 6, wherein each of the primary display layer, the at least one secondary display layer and the tertiary display layer further comprises a plurality of software agents to monitor and control the functioning of the respective display layer.

10. A user interface as in claim 9, wherein the plurality of software agents are layered between descriptive and prescriptive poles, deployed in accordance with at least one of a vertical stacking and a parallel processing method and configured to communicate with each other to enable the functioning of the respective display layer.

11. A user interface as in claim 6, wherein each of the plurality of transfer functions mathematically or algorithmically describe a relationship between the plurality of input parameters and the at least one output parameter.

12. A user interface as in claim 6, wherein the primary display layer is further configured to present the stochastic simulation substantially in real time.

13. A user interface as in claim 6, wherein the primary display layer is further configured to present an animation of the stochastic simulation.

14. A user interface as in claim 6 further comprising a visual cockpit to allow a user to interactively provide the plurality of input parameters and communicate with the test bed environment.

15. A user interface as in claim 14, wherein the visual cockpit is further configured to allow a user to interactively interrupt, execute and change the functioning of the primary display layer.

16. A user interface as in claim 14, wherein the visual cockpit comprises at least one of a graphical, textual or click-and-drag input mechanism to receive the plurality of input parameters from the user.

17. A user interface as in claim 14, wherein the visual cockpit is decoupled from the primary display layer.

18. A user interface as in claim 14, wherein the visual cockpit is visually presented as a mask superimposed over the primary display layer.

19. A user interface as in claim 18, wherein the mask comprises a plurality of interaction zones, wherein each of the interaction zones is configured to interlace with, correspond to and interact with at least one part of the primary display layer.

20. A user interface as in claim 19, wherein each of the interaction zones have an adaptable visibility state of at least one of transparency, translucency or opaqueness.

21. A user interface as in claim 20, wherein the visibility state of the interaction zone is dependent on the activity taking place in the interaction zone.

22. A user interface as in claim 6 further comprising a visual display of a response surface based on the plurality of input parameters, the at least one output parameter and the transfer function.

23. A user interface as in claim 6, wherein the business information and decisioning control system generates auto-piloted decisions.