Anomaly anti-pattern

• US 7,756,593 B2
• Filed: 08/14/2007
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Miller, Landon C. G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shechtman; Sean P
• Application Number:
  US11/838,739
• Publication Number:
  US 20090045950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,064 Days
• Field of Search: 700/9, 700/10, 700/28, 700/32, 700/38, 700/47, 700/51, 700/54, 700/73, 700/79, 700/80, 700/83, 700/95, 700/96, 700108-110, 700/121, 700/143, 700/150, 700/169, 700/174, 700/177, 700/204, 340/3.1, 340/3.32, 340/3.42, 340/3.43, 340/3.44, 340/521, 702 81- 85, 702179-185, 715/803, 715/804, 715/805, 715/808, 715/859, 715/860
• US Class Current: 700/79
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 19/00 Alarms responsive to two or more different undesired or abnormal conditions, e.g. burglary and fire, abnormal temperature and abnormal rate of flow
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 21/12 responsive to undesired emission of substances, e.g. pollution alarms

Abstract

A method is presented for representing anomalies to a process. These anomalies are represented in an anti-pattern, which depicts non-productive emergent information that describes activities that are detrimental to the progress of the process. The anti-pattern includes visually-coded areas that describe how severe the detrimental activities are to the process when combined. After the anti-pattern is created for the process, new non-productive emergent information for a current process is mapped onto the anti-pattern in the form of data patterns represented as visual fences. Appropriate steps are then taken to address the new non-productive emergent information, depending on the visually-coded area to which the new non-productive emergent information is mapped.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the data bus; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for tracking process anomalies by performing the steps of;

collecting initial non-productive emergent information from multiple emergent information sources, wherein the initial non-productive emergent information is based on initial non-productive underlying data, and wherein the initial non-productive underlying data is data that describes activities that impede a process, and wherein the initial non-productive emergent information is generated from stored data in an emergent information database;

weighting the initial non-productive emergent information according to what impact the initial non-productive underlying data has on impeding the process;

generating a fencing pattern based on combined weighted initial non-productive emergent information, wherein the fencing pattern presents multiple regions that describe a degree of how detrimental the combined weighted initial non-productive emergent information and initial non-productive underlying data are to the process, and wherein the multiple regions comprise a permissible region, a warning region, and a danger region;

displaying the fencing pattern as an anti-pattern, wherein the anti-pattern depicts levels of initial combined non-productive activities in the process;

plotting incoming new non-productive emergent information, for a current implementation of the process, onto the anti-pattern to determine whether progress parameters are anti-nominal, wherein the progress parameters are based on and reflecting the incoming new non-productive emergent information for the process, and wherein progress parameters are anti-nominal if they impede a progress of the current implementation of the process;

taking appropriate steps to correct conditions that caused a creation of the incoming new non-productive emergent information;

in response to the incoming new non-productive emergent information matching information descriptors in the warning region, presenting new non-productive underlying data that caused the incoming new non-productive emergent information to match information descriptors in the warning region, wherein the new non-productive underlying data is received from an array of sensors in an array location, and wherein the incoming new non-productive emergent information is created by;

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a trigger rule, wherein the trigger rule describes a local condition that must be met for the sensor to trigger an event signal;

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a relationship rule, wherein the relationship rule describes a hierarchy of communication control among sensors in the array of sensors;

activating the array of sensors; and

in response to conditions at the array location causing a predetermined percentage of sensors, from the array of sensors, to trigger event signals, generating array emergent information about the array location, wherein the array emergent information describes conditions at the array location, and wherein the array emergent information exists only when the predetermined percentage of sensors trigger event signals;

in response to the incoming new non-productive emergent information matching information descriptors in the danger region, automatically stopping the process;

overlaying an intelligent cursor over one of the multiple regions;

in response to the intelligent cursor being clicked, displaying the new non-productive underlying data that caused the incoming new non-productive emergent information to match information descriptors in the warning region; and

storing the fencing pattern as a data pattern in a system of systems as;

     1) an element in an Emergent Information Database Management System (EIDBMS) in the system of systems;

     2) a forward deployed agent in a cooperating processing management system; and

     3) in a neutral system that is intercommunicating with the cooperating management system and the system of systems.

2. A system comprising:

a processor;

a data bus coupled to the processor;

a memory coupled to the data bus; and

a computer-usable medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by the processor and configured for tracking process anomalies by performing the steps of;

collecting initial non-productive emergent information from multiple emergent information sources, wherein the initial non-productive emergent information is based on initial non-productive underlying data, and wherein the initial non-productive underlying data is data that describes activities that impede a process;

weighting the initial non-productive emergent information according to what impact the initial non-productive underlying data has on impeding the process;

generating a fencing pattern based on combined weighted initial non-productive emergent information, wherein the fencing pattern presents multiple regions that describe how detrimental the combined weighted initial non-productive emergent information and initial non-productive data are to the process;

storing the fencing pattern as a data pattern in a system of systems, wherein the data pattern is contained as an element of the system of systems as part of an Emergent Information Database Management System (EIDBMS), and wherein the data pattern is also contained as an element of a forward deployed agent in a cooperating process managing system, and wherein the data pattern is also contained as an element of a neutral system intercommunicating with the process managing system and the system of systems;

displaying the fencing pattern as an anti-pattern, wherein the anti-pattern depicts levels of initial combined non-productive activities in the process;

plotting incoming new non-productive emergent information, for a current implementation of the process, onto the anti-pattern to determine whether progress parameters are anti-nominal, wherein the progress parameters are based on the incoming new non-productive emergent information for the process, and wherein progress parameters are anti-nominal if they impede a progress of the current implementation of the process; and

taking appropriate steps to correct conditions that caused a creation of the incoming new non-productive emergent information.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the multiple regions comprise a permissible region, a warning region, and a danger region, and wherein the instructions are further configured for:

in response to the incoming new non-productive emergent information matching information descriptors in the warning region, presenting new non-productive data that caused the incoming new non-productive emergent information to match information descriptors in the warning region.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

in response to the incoming new non-productive emergent information matching information descriptors in the danger region, automatically stopping the process.

5. The system of claim 3, wherein the initial non-productive emergent information is generated from stored data in an emergent information database.

6. The system of claim 2, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

overlaying an intelligent cursor over one of the multiple regions; and

in response to the intelligent cursor being clicked, displaying the new non-productive data that caused the incoming new non-productive emergent information to match information descriptors in the warning region.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the new non-productive underlying data is received from an array of sensors in an array location, and wherein the instructions are further configured to create new non-productive emergent information by:

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a trigger rule, wherein the trigger rule describes a local condition that must be met for the sensor to trigger an event signal;

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a relationship rule, wherein the relationship rule describes a hierarchy of communication control among sensors in the array of sensors;

activating the array of sensors; and

in response to conditions at the array location causing a predetermined percentage of sensors, from the array of sensors, to trigger event signals, generating array emergent information about the array location, wherein the array emergent information describes conditions at the array location, and wherein the array emergent information exists only when the predetermined percentage of sensors trigger event signals.

8. A computer-readable storage medium embodying computer program code, the computer program code comprising instructions executable by a processor and configured for tracking process anomalies by performing the steps of:

collecting initial non-productive emergent information from multiple emergent information sources, wherein the initial non-productive emergent information is based on initial non-productive underlying data, and wherein the initial non-productive underlying data is data that describes activities that impede a process;

weighting the initial non-productive emergent information according to what impact the initial non-productive underlying data has on impeding the process;

generating a fencing pattern based on combined weighted initial non-productive emergent information, wherein the fencing pattern presents multiple regions that describe how detrimental the combined weighted initial non-productive emergent information and initial non-productive data are to the process;

storing the fencing pattern as a data pattern, in a system of systems, as an element of the system of systems, wherein the system of systems comprises an Emergent Information Database Management System (EIDBMS);

storing the data pattern as an element of a forward deployed agent in a cooperating process managing system;

storing the data pattern in a neutral system that is intercommunicating with the process managing system and the system of systems;

displaying the fencing pattern as an anti-pattern, wherein the anti-pattern depicts levels of initial combined non-productive activities in the process;

plotting incoming new non-productive emergent information, for a current implementation of the process, onto the anti-pattern to determine whether progress parameters are anti-nominal, wherein the progress parameters are based on the incoming new non-productive emergent information for the process, and wherein progress parameters are anti-nominal if they impede a progress of the current implementation of the process; and

taking appropriate steps to correct conditions that caused a creation of the incoming new non-productive emergent information.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the multiple regions comprise a permissible region, a warning region, and a danger region, and wherein the instructions are further configured for:

in response to the incoming new non-productive emergent information matching information descriptors in the warning region, presenting new non-productive data that caused the incoming new non-productive emergent information to match information descriptors in the warning region.

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

in response to the incoming new non-productive emergent information matching information descriptors in the danger region, automatically stopping the process.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the initial non-productive emergent information is generated from stored data in an emergent information database.

12. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 9, wherein the instructions are further configured for:

overlaying an intelligent cursor over one of the multiple regions; and

in response to the intelligent cursor being clicked, displaying the new non-productive data that caused the incoming new non-productive emergent information to match information descriptors in the warning region.

13. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 12, wherein the new non-productive underlying data is received from an array of sensors in an array location, and wherein the instructions are further configured to create the incoming new non-productive emergent information by:

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a trigger rule, wherein the trigger rule describes a local condition that must be met for the sensor to trigger an event signal;

programming each sensor in the array of sensors with a relationship rule, wherein the relationship rule describes a hierarchy of communication control among sensors in the array of sensors;

activating the array of sensors; and

in response to conditions at the array location causing a predetermined percentage of sensors, from the array of sensors, to trigger event signals, generating array emergent information about the array location, wherein the array emergent information describes conditions at the array location, and wherein the array emergent information exists only when the predetermined percentage of sensors trigger event signals.

14. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the computer-usable medium is a component of a remote server, and wherein the computer executable instructions are deployable to a local computer from the remote server.

15. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 8, wherein the computer executable instructions are capable of being provided by a service provider to a customer on an on-demand basis.