RULE-BASED PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES FOR ENTITIES IN ENVIRONMENTS

• US 20090210372A1
• Filed: 02/18/2008
• Published: 08/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Cheng, Lili, Miller, Michael C., Coy, Stephen B., MacLaurin, Matthew
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/025 Extracting rules from data

Abstract

A rule-based programming language may be devised for programming an entity in an environment. Computer systems may therefore be configured to program the entity with at least one rule comprising at least zero language conditions representing an action condition, at least one language verb representing an action, and at least zero language verb parameters representing an action object. The computer system may also be configured to facilitate entry by a user of a rule set according to the rule-based programming language by receiving user selections of language conditions, language verbs, and language verb parameters. By facilitating the programming by users of entities within environments, the computer system may facilitate individuals (such as non-technical individuals, aspiring programmers, and children) in understanding programming concepts, encourage the development of experience with computer programming, and permit the generation of useful computer programs by non-proficient programmers.

Claims

1. A method of programming an entity in an environment with a rule set specified according to a rule-based programming language comprising at least one language condition, at least one language verb, and at least one language verb parameter, the method comprising:

receiving at least one rule comprising at least zero language conditions representing an action condition, at least one language verb representing an action, and at least zero language verb parameters representing an action object, and

programming the entity to perform the rules having satisfied action conditions within the environment.

2. The method of claim 1, the programming comprising:

programming the entity, for a rule cycle, to;

evaluate the action conditions of respective rules within the environment to identify a satisfied rule having satisfied action conditions, and

upon identifying a satisfied rule, perform the satisfied rule within the environment.

3. The method of claim 2, the programming comprising:

upon failing to identify a satisfied rule, remain idle for the rule cycle.

4. The method of claim 2:

the rules grouped according to at least one rule group having a rule group name;

the language verbs comprising a rule group transition action;

the language verb parameters comprising the rule group names;

the entity comprising a rule group identifier; and

the evaluating comprising;

evaluate the action conditions of respective rules of the rule group identified by the rule group identifier within the environment to identify a satisfied rule having satisfied action conditions.

5. The method of claim 4:

at least one rule group designated as a start rule group for the entity, and

the programming comprising;

programming the entity, upon initialization of the entity, to set the rule group identifier to one of the start rule groups.

6. The method of claim 2:

respective rules comprising a rule priority, and

the evaluating comprising;

evaluate the action conditions of respective rules in descending priority order within the environment to identify a satisfied rule having satisfied action conditions.

7. The method of claim 2:

the programming language comprising at least one Boolean logic connector;

at least one rule comprising at least two action conditions joined by a Boolean logic connector; and

the evaluating of the rule comprising;

evaluating the action conditions of the rule according to the Boolean logic connector to identify a satisfied rule having satisfied action conditions according to the Boolean logic connector.

8. The method of claim 1:

the entity configured to accept input from an entity controller; and

the language conditions comprising at least one entity controller input condition.

9. The method of claim 1:

at least one language condition comprising an environment test, and

the evaluating of the rule comprising;

evaluating the environment test of the rule to identify a satisfied rule having a satisfied environment test.

10. The method of claim 9:

the environment test comprising a language condition representing a sensory condition and a language verb parameter representing a sensory object; and

the evaluating of the rule comprising;

evaluating the sensory condition for the sensory object of the rule within the environment to identify a satisfied rule having a satisfied sensory condition for the sensory object within the environment.

11. The method of claim 10, the sensory conditions comprising at least one of:

an entity type condition,

an entity status condition,

an entity possessory condition,

an entity sensory input condition, and

an environment status condition.

12. The method of claim 10:

the language verb parameters comprising a sensory object reference representing the sensory object of the language condition of the rule.

13. The method of claim 10:

the programming language comprising at least one language adjective;

at least one environment test comprising a condition representing a sensory condition, a language verb parameter representing a sensory object, and a language adjective representing a sensory object adjective; and

the evaluating of the rule comprising;

evaluating the sensory condition for the sensory object of the rule modified by the sensory object adjective within the environment to identify a satisfied rule having a satisfied sensory condition for the sensory object modified by the sensory object adjective within the environment.

14. A method of facilitating entry by a user of a rule set comprising at least one rule specified according to a rule-based programming language comprising at least one language condition, at least one language verb, and at least one language verb parameter for programming an entity in an environment, the method comprising:

presenting to the user the language conditions of the rule-based programming language;

presenting to the user the language verbs of the rule-based programming language;

presenting to the user the language verb parameters of the rule-based programming language;

upon receiving a rule complete selection from the user, generating a rule comprising at least zero selected language conditions representing an action condition, at least one selected language verb representing an action, and at least zero selected language verb parameters representing an action object; and

upon receiving a rule set complete selection from the user, generating the rule set comprising the generated rules for the entity within the environment.

15. The method of claim 14:

the rules grouped according to at least one rule group having a rule group name;

the language verbs comprising a rule group transition action;

the language verb parameters comprising the rule group names;

the method comprising;

receiving from the user the rule group name of the rule; and

the rule set generating comprising;

generating the rule set for the entity within the environment comprising rules grouped according to rule groups.

16. The method of claim 14:

at least one language condition comprising an environment test comprising a language condition representing a sensory condition and a language verb parameter representing a sensory object; and

the language conditions of the rule-based programming language presented to the user comprising;

presenting to the user the language verb parameters of the rule-based programming language that are grammatically compatible with a selected language condition.

17. The method of claim 14:

the rule set generated for an entity type, and

the language verbs of the rule-based programming language presented to the user comprising the language verbs that are compatible with the entity type.

18. The method of claim 14, the language verb parameters of the rule-based programming language presented to the user comprising the language verb parameters that are grammatically compatible with a selected language verb.

19. The method of claim 14:

the programming language comprising at least one language adjective;

the method comprising;

upon presenting to the user the language verb parameters of the rule-based programming language, presenting to the user the language adjectives of the rule-based programming language; and

the rule generating comprising;

upon receiving a rule complete selection from the user, generating a rule comprising the language condition representing an action condition, the selected language verb representing an action, and the selected language verb parameter and selected adjectives representing an action object described by action object adjectives.

20. A method of programming an entity in an environment with a rule set:

respective rules grouped according to at least one rule group having a rule group name;

at least one group designated as a start rule group for the entity;

the entity configured to accept input from an entity controller;

the at least one rule specified according to a rule-based programming language comprising;

at least one language condition, including;

at least one entity controller input condition, and

at least one environment test comprising;

a sensory condition comprising at least one of;

an entity type condition,

an entity status condition,

an entity possessory condition,

an entity sensory input condition, and

an environment status condition;

a language verb parameter representing a sensory object; and

at least zero language adjectives representing the sensory object;

at least one language verb, including at least one rule group transition verb;

at least one language verb parameter, including;

the rule group names, and

a sensory object reference representing the sensory object of the language condition of the rule;

at least one language adjective; and

at least one Boolean logic connector;

the at least one rule comprising a rule priority, at least one language condition representing an action condition, at least one language verb representing an action, and at least one language verb parameter representing an action object;

the entity comprising a rule group identifier;

and the method comprising;

receiving the rule set comprising at least one rule; and

programming the entity to;

upon initialization of the entity, set the rule group identifier to one of the start rule groups, and

for a rule cycle, to;

evaluate the action conditions of respective rules of the rule group identified by the rule group identifier and in descending priority order, within the environment to identify a satisfied rule having satisfied action conditions according to Boolean logic connectors of the rule;

upon identifying a satisfied rule, perform the satisfied rule within the environment; and

upon failing to identify a satisfied rule, remain idle for the rule cycle.