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WO1996031828A1 - Systeme de commande et procede associe pour l'execution directe de modeles informatiques de logiciels d'application ne necessitant pas l'elaboration de codes - Google Patents

Systeme de commande et procede associe pour l'execution directe de modeles informatiques de logiciels d'application ne necessitant pas l'elaboration de codes Download PDF

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Publication number
WO1996031828A1
WO1996031828A1 PCT/US1996/000649 US9600649W WO9631828A1 WO 1996031828 A1 WO1996031828 A1 WO 1996031828A1 US 9600649 W US9600649 W US 9600649W WO 9631828 A1 WO9631828 A1 WO 9631828A1
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WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
group
attributes
information
information model
cse
Prior art date
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PCT/US1996/000649
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English (en)
Inventor
Kirit K. Talati
Original Assignee
Talati Kirit K
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Talati Kirit K filed Critical Talati Kirit K
Priority to AU47597/96A priority Critical patent/AU4759796A/en
Publication of WO1996031828A1 publication Critical patent/WO1996031828A1/fr

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    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F8/00—Arrangements for software engineering
    • G06F8/10—Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
    • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
    • G06F9/00—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units
    • G06F9/06—Arrangements for program control, e.g. control units using stored programs, i.e. using an internal store of processing equipment to receive or retain programs
    • G06F9/44—Arrangements for executing specific programs

Definitions

  • the second path sought to achieve design effectiveness by bringing structure and rigor to analysis and design.
  • the second path resulted in the development of structured methods of flowcharting programs or dividing programs into functional modules. More recently, automation of such structured methods has been achieved through computer aided software engineering ("CASE") graphic diagraming tools.
  • CASE computer aided software engineering
  • the third path focused on reusability by taking a database approach to development using objects and data abstraction. This approach initially used a construct known as a data dictionary for accessing information about the data and the relationships among data elements. More recently, such techniques have comprised object-oriented systems and have incorporated so-called information resources dictionaries for storing and accessing objects, programs and data.
  • an information model control system for implementing business applications using simple object-oriented information models as opposed to conventional source code or other high level programming tools such as 4GL or CASE to automate application program implementation.
  • Modification or maintenance of the "application” requires only a rewrite of the information model, and therefore use of the present invention obviates conventional software maintenance involving debugging, source code rewriting and testing either using traditional programming languages or tools such as 4GL or CASE technology.
  • the normal application development cycle namely, specification, design, implementation and execution, is thereby replaced by mere specification and execution of information models.
  • the invention automates client-server computing of application programs using an information model and the server portion of the client-server methodology.
  • a model information control system (“MICS") is used in conjunction with a user-defined information model and one or more conventional information system program modules or "functions" or function service interfaces to execute a business application defined by the information model.
  • the MICS includes the information models and a control system engine (CSE) comprising an state-action-event machine that controls processing of information associated with control flags in the user-defined information model.
  • CSE control system engine
  • the control flags associated with information facilitate the execution of the information model by the CSE, thus emulating the conventional execution of an application software program in present computer systems.
  • a model information control system for use in conjunction with a target computer having one or more functions or function service interfaces such as a user interface and a database interface.
  • the MICS comprises at least one information model and a control system engine (CSE).
  • the information model consists of at least one attribute and one control flag or at least one object and a dictionary of attributes.
  • the object generally will include a set of attributes that constitutes a "subset" of the attributes in the dictionary, as well as a number of control flags.
  • the control flags in conjunction with the "rules" or "expressions" used at the attribute, objects and model levels facilitate the application process flow.
  • the attributes of an object contain (i) information on how to assign values to these attributes, (ii) value constraints limiting the kind of values that can be assigned to these attributes, (iii) dependency information specifying how assigning a particular value to one attribute affects the value of another attribute, and (iv) select constraints creating one or more
  • attribute type control flags provide information identifying attribute type, and the attributes' relationship to other attributes, as well as providing specific function control directives for processing an instant of the object.
  • the rules include "initial value” expressions that assign initial values to an attribute before initial instantiation thereof, "default value” expressions that assign default values to an attribute in the
  • control flags provide information identifying object type, an object's relationship to other objects, and the identification of a set of actions that can be processed for the object.
  • the "rules" at the object level include "initial values” expressions that serve to modify attribute default values; "values,” “condition” or “assignment” constraint expressions limiting the kind of values attributes can have for an instant that can be activated for the object; "select" expressions specifying constraints limiting the
  • activation expressions specifying how to change the value of attributes when instances are activated
  • propagation expressions specifying how the change of values of one attribute affects the value of another attribute.
  • these expressions modify the behavior of the instant of the object to effect the activation, instantiation and processing of information.
  • a constraint expression at the object level specifies the activation constraint limiting what kind of instants of the object can be activated.
  • the object also includes index attributes by which instances of an object can be stored and retrieved via a database using the value of one or more attributes of the object.
  • Control flags are also used at the user "action” level. At the "action" level within the CSE, control flags and functions associated with an action provide process flow for activation and processing of information through one or more functions to perform a specific action.
  • the control flags and the "rules" at the model level modify the behavior of the attributes, objects or actions. If no object is defined in the information model, then the default object is created with the same name as the model and all control flags, "rules" and attributes at the model level are transferred to the default object.
  • the control system engine means reads the information model directly and in response thereto (i) activates objects from the set of objects defined in the information model, (ii) activates actions from a set of actions associated with action control flags of an object, (iii) activates one or more "instants" of an object and (iv) processes the one or more instants of the object through one or more interfaces or functions associated with the actions along with any expressions associated with the object and/or its attributes.
  • the MICS extends the information model with control flags to create the application process flow necessary to execute applications using the CSE, which operates on all information models in a consistent manner. Therefore, application program logic and control is automated by defining application programs in terms of models and then processing application programs directly from the models. This approach eliminates traditional maintenance of application programs. Since the information model contains function specific control directives and rules, one can easily map such information to user documentation, thus further eliminating creation and maintenance of user documentation. This is preferably accomplished via "descriptions" of attributes, objects and/or models. Therefore, since the information model facilitates application process flow of the application and further contains such "descriptions," one can map the model to user documentation on how to use the application system. This also eliminates the complex task of creating documentation using specification and application process flow.
  • FIGURE 1 is a block diagram of the model information control system of the present invention
  • FIGURE 2 is a detailed state diagram of the control system engine of the model information control system of FIGURE 1 .
  • DETAILED DESCRIPTION Referring now to FIGURE 1 , a block diagram is shown of the preferred embodiment of the model information control system (MICS) 10 of the present invention.
  • the MICS 10 includes at least one information model 1 2 which is created using a text editor and specific semantic rules defined for a target computer system upon which the MICS executes. Several information models are shown in detail below.
  • the target computer system typically comprises a 486-based computer running a UNIX, DOS or OS/2 operating system of the like, although other target systems are useful as well.
  • the MICS also includes a control system engine (CSE) 14 which is preferably a finite state control action machine that cycles through states of operation as will be described in more detail below.
  • CSE control system engine
  • the control system engine 14 performs several actions. It activates an object from a set of objects defined in the information model 1 2.
  • the control system engine 14 also activates an action from a set of actions 1 6 associated with the object. This is achieved using an associating action flag as will be described.
  • the control system engine 14 also activates "instants" of the object based on activation constraints of the attributes of the object, and the CSE processes each instant through a function set associated with the action.
  • An "instant" of an object refers to a given condition or state of the values of the object's attributes.
  • An “active" instant of an object exists where the object's attributes have values assigned or instantiated previously by retrieving the values from the database.
  • An "empty" instant is a condition where the values of the object's attributes have yet to assigned or instantiated.
  • Data used by the control system engine is stored in a database (DB) 20 and the engine interacts with the DB 20 through a database interface 22.
  • the user 24 of the MICS interfaces to the rest of the system through a presentation interface 26.
  • the information model consists of at least one attribute and one control flag or at least one object and a dictionary of attributes.
  • the object generally will include a set of attributes that constitutes a "subset" of the attributes in the dictionary, a number of control flags, and one or more rules or expressions.
  • the control flags in conjunction with the expressions, facilitate the CSE's use of the object.
  • control flags are divided into four distinct types, namely (1 ) attribute type flags, (2) object type flags that control storage and retrieval of the object's instant(s), (3) action type flags that facilitate activation and processing of instant(s) through one or more functions, and (4) function control flags used with attributes to provide control of attributes specific to the function, e.g., presentation function control flags that can be passed to a user interface function to control the presentation and/or interactions between the user interface function and the various I/O devices of the system (such as the presentation display and report printer).
  • the attribute type control flags specify how to control the behavior of the attributes such as "storage" classes and "existence" classes.
  • the attribute "existence" classes of flags control the rules for creating attributes.
  • ATYPE and "select" attribute constraint expressions specify the conditions on how to create one or more attributes.
  • the object type control flags include "primitive,” “transient,” “atomic,” “view,” “synonym,” “link,” “table” and “group.” This list is exemplary and other object type flags can be defined and used to categorize and associate one object with one or more other objects.
  • a primitive object type flag indicates that the object's instant(s) are to remain in the MICS in the system for some time.
  • a transient object type flag indicates that the object's instants need only be retained in the system for the duration of processing of particular actions.
  • An atomic object type flag means that the object's instant is derived by abstraction from some other (primitive) instant of the object.
  • An instant identified by a transient object type flag is also retained in the system.
  • a view object type flag indicates that the primary object is a view of some other object.
  • a "synonym" object type flag follows an identification of a primary object and indicates that the attributes of the primary object should be substituted with the attributes of the object identified in a "using of" flag. Thus, if an object A is followed by the flag "using of X,” the attributes of object X would be used by object A.
  • a "group" object type control flag indicates that a set of instants must be processed in a group by a selected action.
  • Each object may also have an associated link object. For example, if object A is an atomic view of a primitive object B, then object B is said to be the associated link object of object A. Or, if the instant of object C can exist if and only if there is a corresponding instant of an another object D, then object D is said to be an associated link object
  • the action type flags in the object identify the action which facilitates activation and processing of instant(s) by the CSE.
  • An action consists of four control flags, namely "action identifier,” “instant type,” “action class,” “instant propagation type,” and optionally one or more "function.”
  • An action identifier flag is the flag by which the particular action is known external to the system.
  • the instant type flag indicates the type of instant (active or empty).
  • the action class flag identifies which class of actions the particular action belongs.
  • An instant propagation type flag indicates how to propagate the change of instant for a primitive or atomic object of the instant. The functions if defined may be required to be executed to process the instant.
  • the functions are included in the MICS system using a compiler and link/editor or other conventional means. Such functions may be "off-the-shelf" modules or actually written into the MICS if desired. However, once the function set is defined, it is not necessary to maintain the function set code in any traditional sense.
  • presentation control function flags that control presentation of the object's attributes by external interfaces.
  • each attribute therein may include one or more of the presentation control flags which can be passed to the user interface function to control the presentation and/or interactions between the user interface function and the various I/O devices of the system (such as the presentation display and report printer).
  • Representative sample of presentation control flags are FPROT, MFILL, RJUST, FHIDE, DPROT, RSKIP, CENTER, GROUP, COMMON, UNIQUE,
  • An FPROT presentation control flag provides a field protection action that prevents the user from instantiating the particular attribute of the object.
  • An MFILL flag indicates that the attribute is one that the user must instantiate.
  • the RJUST, LJUST, or CENTER flags inform the presentation interface to right justify, left justify, or center value of the attribute to the presentation display.
  • An FHIDE flag prevents the value of the from being displayed.
  • a DPROT flag protects the value of the attribute overwritten to DPROT from being erased.
  • a COMMON flag indicates that the attribute is shared by multiple users and may require specific action for active instants before execution of any propagation expression.
  • a UNIQUE flag indicates the instances of the object are organized by the value of the attribute and indicates to create the index attribute of the object.
  • An RSKIP flag tells the presentation interface to skip the attribute when a report is printed, and an WSKIP flag tells the interface to skip the attribute when a window is created on the display.
  • PHIDE flag hides the name of the attribute.
  • a patient list can be grouped by city, state, and zip code, and a financial report could be grouped by day, week and month.
  • the object may include other presentation control flags for similar control purposes.
  • attributes and objects in the information model use consistent rules or "expressions" that, in conjunction with the various control flags, facilitate the application process flow to execute information model.
  • the attributes of an object contain (i) information on how to assign values to these attributes, (ii) value constraints limiting the kind of values that can be assigned to these attributes, (iii) dependency information specifying how assigning a particular value to one attribute affects the value of another attribute, and (iv) select constraints creating one or more attributes with specific constraints.
  • these rules include (i) "initial values” or “default values” expressions that assign values to these attributes, (ii) "values,” “condition” or “assignment” expressions limiting the kind of values that can be assigned to these attributes, and (iii) "activation” expressions specifying how to change the value of attributes when instances are activated, (iv) "propagation” expressions specifying how assigning a particular value to one attribute affects the value of another attribute, (v) "select” expressions specifying constraints limiting the kind of instants that can be activated. Similar rules or expressions are implemented at the object level.
  • these expressions modify the behavior of the instant of the object to effect the activation, instantiation and processing of information.
  • a constraint expression at the object level specifies the activation constraint limiting what kind of instants of the object can be activated.
  • the object also includes index attributes by which instances of an object can be stored and retrieved via the database using the value of one or more attributes of the object.
  • an object generally includes one or more control flags that facilitate the CSE's use of the object, a
  • An object's attributes may also include expressions that control how to assign values to these attributes, that limit the kind of values that can be assigned to these attributes, that specify how to change the value of attributes when instances are activated, that specify how assigning a particular value to one attribute affects the value of another attribute, and that specify constraints limiting the kind of instants that can be activated.
  • An advantageous feature of the present invention is that the MICS emulates application processing with autonomous control by directly converting one or more information models into an independent set of activation, instantiation and processing of functions using control flags defined in the model, thereby automating the application process flow of an application program.
  • the present invention wholly obviates such detailed design and code generation.
  • the MICS includes one or more information models and the control system engine (CSE).
  • the control system engine reads the information model directly and in response thereto (i) activates objects from the set of objects defined in the information model, (ii) activates actions from a set of actions associated with action control flags of an object, (iii) activates one or more "instants" of an object and (iv) processes the one or more instants of the object through one or more interfaces or functions associated with the actions along with any expressions associated with the object and/or its attributes.
  • the MICS activates and processes the independent set of activation, instantiation and service actions over the information models.
  • an “action” refers to the automatic categorization and association of functions using control flags to control activation, instantiation and processing of information using one or more functions. This obviates the specific creation of process flow instructions for each application. Applications thus can be said to be isolated from the process flow specification process because the information model only needs to specify an action and not how the action is implemented.
  • An “action” is preferably categorized by its class of service or type of function that it uses. For convenience, action class types are divided as follows: PCIYUS96/00649
  • ANALYSIS type actions that process an active instants through one or more functions that analyze information
  • REPORT type actions that process an active instant through one or more functions that create reports from information
  • ADD type actions that process an empty instant through one or more functions to create an active instant
  • UPDATE type actions that process an active instant through one or more functions that access, manipulate and return an active instant to the database
  • DELETE type actions that process an active instant through one or more functions that remove the trace of an instant from the database
  • CREATE type actions that process an active instant through one or more functions to create atomic information from primitive information.
  • the action type is UPDATE.
  • the associated action control flags are then: "UPDATE, ACTIVE INSTANT, DATABASE, UPDATE INSTANT, USR.INSTANTIATION.”
  • the first flag UPDATE is the identifier flag that identifies the action UPDATE.
  • the second flag ACTIVE INSTANT indicates that the action requires an active instant.
  • the third flag DATABASE identifies that the UPDATE action belongs to the DATABASE action class type.
  • INSTANT is the instant propagation type that will cause the CSE to update the final state of the active instant using the database interface.
  • the function USR.INSTANTIATION indicates that the CSE will require the execution of a user instantiation function.
  • the user instantiation function instantiates an instant through the user interface.
  • action has action control flags "ADD, EMPTY INSTANT, DATABASE, UPDATE INSTANT, USR.INSTANTIATION,"
  • the first flag identifies the action ADD.
  • the second flag indicates that the action operates on an empty instant.
  • the third flag identifies that the ADD action belongs to the DATABASE action class type.
  • the fourth flag, UPDATE INSTANT is the instant propagation type flag and will cause the CSE to add a newly created instant to the database using the database interface.
  • the function USR.INSTANTIATION indicates that CSE will require execution of a user instantiation function.
  • the first field in the first line includes the object's name (in this case PATIENT CHART).
  • the second field in the line includes the object type flag identifying the type of object (in this case primitive). Following the object type flag, the next field identifies the action type flags that identify the one or more actions that the CSE can select for activation, instantiation and processing of instant(s) of an object.
  • an object having the DATABASE action class flag merely indicates to the CSE to substitute all actions associated with the DATABASE action class as available actions (thus making it unnecessary to individually list each action of the set).
  • the object includes a set of attributes.
  • the patient chart object is used for accounting and information purposes and thus includes such attributes as name, address, date of last visit and account number, as well as others.
  • the object further includes a number of presentation control flags that are associated with particular attributes.
  • the GROUP flags in the attributes are used to group different attributes of the object on the same line of the interface display. Thus ACNT NO, VISIT FIRST, and LAST attributes will be presented on the same line.
  • An attribute will also include a DATA statement if the same attribute is used more than once in the object.
  • CSE control system engine
  • Terminate CSE Prior to the CSE execution, one or more information models are created by a developer using semantic rules for the target system. Each information model has one of three states: idle, active and suspended. When an information model is in its idle state, its
  • State 1 An information model in the active state can be suspended at any time during the processing of the information model. Once suspended, the information model can be returned to its active state (at the same point therein where processing was suspended) or the suspended information model can be placed back into its idle state. Each information model has associated therewith a attribute identifying its state and its next state.
  • Execution of the control system engine begins with State 1 .
  • the CSE is initialized. This step obtains the necessary resources (e.g., memory, buffer pools, interprocess communication environment, I/O interface environment) from the operating system and then reads the action table definitions and function table definitions and loads them into memory. The CSE also creates structure in the memory to hold the information models, and loads information models into the memory. State 1 also sets up the user environment's presentation interface 26.
  • State 1 all information models are set to idle and the information model attribute is set to "3" (which is the next state after selection of an idle model).
  • the CSE then moves to State 2. If there is a failure during State 1 , the CSE goes to State 8 and terminates, providing an error message or the like.
  • the user is prompted to select an information model.
  • the presentation interface is a Windows-based graphical user interface (GUI) and a conventional point and click device is used to make appropriate selections.
  • GUI graphical user interface
  • the CSE activates the selected model and sets an "active model" to the selected model.
  • the activation of a model means assigning necessary storage area, initializing databases, building a dictionary from the set of attributes from all objects and creating sets of attributes with an associated attribute constraint expression or merely building a group of attributes with associated attribute constraint expression. This will be more fully shown later with respect to a calendar example.
  • the CSE activates the most recently suspended model to "active model.” The CSE then proceeds to the next state of the active model. If the user decides to exit, the CSE proceeds to State 8 and the CSE is terminated.
  • the CSE first determines whether there are one or more objects defined for the active model. If there is no object, set object equal to model name and copy all control flags and control expressions defined at model to object, and set all attributes of model as attributes of object. If there is only one object defined for the active model, the CSE sets "active object” attribute to this object and proceeds to State 4. On the active model, the CSE controls the presentation interface to display the list of available objects (which are defined in the information model) and prompts the user to select one. If the user selects one of the objects, the CSE sets an "active object” attribute to the selected object and proceeds to State 4. If the user decides to cancel, the CSE returns to State 2, from which the CSE then proceeds to State 7 in which the active model is terminated.
  • the CSE first determines whether there is an action class flag associated with the active object. If there is one, the CSE substitutes all action flags associated with the action's class as valid action flags. If there is only one action flag, the CSE sets an action associated with the action flag to "active action” and proceeds to state 5. On the other hand, if there is more than one action flag, the CSE controls the presentation interface to display the list of action names associated with action flags of the active objects and prompts the user to select one. If the user selects one of the actions, the CSE sets an "active action” attribute to the action associated with the action name of the selected action of the active object and proceeds to State 5. If the user decides to cancel, the CSE goes back to State 3.
  • processing begins by first setting all values of the attributes of active objects to zero except those attributes having the DPROT flag set. Then a test is performed to determine whether the active object has an associated link object. If so, the CSE activates the instant of the link object. If activation for a link object fails, the CSE returns to state 4. If the activation for the link object has been successful, or if the active object does not have an associated link object, then the routine continues by determining whether the active object requires an active instant.
  • the CSE then activates the instant using a select condition if one exists in the active object.
  • the select activation constraint of the object maps directly to a select call associated with the database 20. If activation fails, and there is no learn flag, the CSE goes to state 4. If activation is successful or no activation is required, the CSE goes to State 6. If activation fails and there is a learn flag, the CSE also goes to state 6 because the learn flag instructs the CSE to accept an empty instant even though an active instant might otherwise be required. For example, in an appointment calendar information model, the database will not necessarily contain the instances corresponding to all calendar dates.
  • the learn flag allows the CSE to accept the empty page as an active page with no data in it so that when the user enters the data on this page it will be entered into the database. Also, the CSE executes any activation expression if one exists for the active instant. If the user decides, however, to access another information model during State 5, the CSE sets the active model's next state equal to 5, supends the active model and proceeds back to state 2. In State 6, the routine first determines if there is any function flag associated with the active action.
  • the CSE executes the associated function and any process propagation expression associated with the active object over all instants which satisfy activation constraints in the object.
  • the function may be an instantiation function, e.g., a user instantiation function that interacts with the user using the presentation interface and presentation control flags.
  • the CSE will also process any attribute flags by mapping the attribute flags into appropriate functions. For example, the presentation flags are used to create windows and control the interaction with the data in the window. Only data that satisfies attribute constraints is accepted and upon acceptance, the CSE also executes any propagation expression associated with any attribute. If the user decides, however, to access another information model during State 6, the CSE sets the active model's next state equal to 6, suspends the active model and proceeds back to State 2.
  • the CSE executes any propagation expression associated with object and the routine continues by determining if any object type flag is primitive or atomic. If not, the CSE goes to state 4 to select the next action. If yes, then the CSE determines whether the current action has an update instant or delete instant (instant propagation type action control) flag. If an update instant flag exists, active instants are updated or an empty instant is added to the database. If an delete instant flag exists, the CSE deletes an active instant and ignores empty instants. If an object has link objects, its associated link propagation expressions are executed and its instants are updated.
  • the CSE obtains the NEXT or PREVIOUS instant. If user selects a PROCESS event, the CSE returns to state 4. If an error occurs during any of these activities, the CSE returns to state 4 with an event flag indicating a failure.
  • State 8 the CSE is terminated. Once the CSE is initialized it executes through its various states until State 8 is reached. As the CSE executes, the functionality defined in the information model is effected in the same way as a prior art source code program executes.
  • the MICS includes three information models: an appointment book (MODEL APPOINTMENT CALENDAR), a notepad (MODEL NOTEPAD) and a complex medical system (MODEL MEDICAL).
  • the Appointment Calendar model includes a short list of attributes (such as the date, day of week, time and daily time increments) and control expressions.
  • the initial values expression that initializes the date, the day of week and the time to current system date, day of week and time, an default values expression that sets the value of the day of week attribute to a corresponding value of the date attribute, and a constraint assignment expression that sets the date to prevdate (date-1 ) or nextdate (date + 1 ) based on EVENT prev and next, respectively.
  • the notepad model includes a short list of attributes.
  • the medical system includes a list of numerous objects.
  • the system control tables consisting of action and function control
  • [PATIENT PORTION] (100 - [INSURANCE COVERAGE(%)]) *.01 * ([BALANCE] -[DEDUCTIBLE]);
  • NICOE PHONE NO,GROUP 137 CONDITION RELATED TO JOB?
  • Constraint values 1 - debit, -1 - credit.
  • GROUP ID, GROUP 139
  • PAYMENT,GROUP 24,SERIES,OUTPUT #OBJECT INS CHARGES ANALYSIS,ATOMIC OF DAILY JRNL, ANALYSIS link activation propagation
  • DEC 2
  • the medical system is much more complicated as compared to the simple notepad and calendar applications.
  • the model is all that is required for purposes of executing the business application.
  • the medical system information model is written, it is not required for the user to write source code or other high level code to implement the model. It is further not required that the user maintain source code or the like to implement enhancements or to correct errors.
  • all the user need do is to modify the information model (e.g., by adding an attribute, modifying or adding an object, changing an expression in an object, etc.).
  • the information model is Missing page. Not to be considered for PCT procedure.
  • PATIENT CHART object using the presentation interface (note that these actions are displayed because they are the only action flags in the object and the actions associated with such action flags):
  • CSE sets all values of PATIENT CHART object to null. CSE looks for initial values expression of the PATIENT CHART. There are no such expressions; if one existed it would have been executed. The primary object has no associated link object so no
  • PATIENT CHART type is primitive
  • DATA OBJECT of PATIENT CHART is PATIENT CHART itself. Because the action instant type flag of an active action is ACTIVE INSTANT and PATIENT CHART has no constraint expression, the CSE instantiates instant of the DATA OBJECT as
  • the CSE displays the following two keys using the presentation interface (because the PATIENT CHART instances are accessed by indexes or keys as indicated in the index at the end of the object):
  • the CSE interacts until a valid key value is entered.
  • the CSE also activates instant associated with PATIENT NAME by instantiating PATIENT CHART attributes using the database interface. Assuming activation is successful, the CSE looks for an activation expression associated with PATIENT CHART object. There is none here; if one existed it would have been executed.
  • CSE first determines if there is any function flag associated with the UPDATE action. In this case there is only one function USR.INSTANTIATION, so CSE executed
  • USRJNSTANTIATION function This function displays attributes to user using presentation control flags and the presentation interface. The user then modifies the attributes and returns an "event.” If event is not "process” (selection of PROCESS or NEXT or PREV EVENT), the CSE proceeds to an appropriate state described in the state 6 logic of the CSE. Assuming the selected event is "process”, the CSE executes any propagation expression associated with the active object. In this case there is none. CSE then determines if DATA OBJECT associated with PRIMARY OBJECT is primitive or atomic. In this case DATA OBJECT of PRIMARY OBJECT PATIENT CHART is PATIENT CHART itself. Since PATIENT CHART is primitive, CSE then determines if active action has any instant propagation type flag. In this instant propagation type flag is UPDATE INSTANT. Since PATIENT CHART instant is ACTIVE
  • the CSE updates the instant of PATIENT CHART using the database interface. If "process” is a result of PREV/NEXT event then the CSE will get prev/next instant of the patient chart from the database, activate the instant and repeat state 6, else the CSE returns to state 4. In the present case, assume “process” was the result of even PROCESS, then CSE returns to state 4. This completes the processing.
  • the model contains no dictionary or object.
  • the trace of the CSE for the exemplary system in which the system learns can also
  • State 1 MICS initializes the presentation interface and creates a linked list of three models, namely the appointment calendar, notepad and medical system.
  • State 2 The CSE activates the appointment calendar as follows. CSE displays the three models using presentation interface. Assume the user conditions the appointment calendar.
  • CSE creates appointment calendar object and sets control flags and control expressions defined at model equal to object, that is UPDATE ADD, SELECT EXPRESSION.
  • the CSE also sets all attributes defined under the model as attributes of appointment calendar object. Now if object has attribute type and selects expression type attribute, it expands attributes using attribute selection expression. In this, 9:30 A.M. has attribute type equal to time and has associated attribute selection expression. CSE executes select expression and creates attributes from 9:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. Since DATE has a UNIQUE flag, the CSE sets DATE as an index for the Appointment Calandar.
  • the object now created is as follows: #OBJECT APPOINTMENT CALENDAR, PRIMITIVE,UPDATE,LEARN selec lNSTANT
  • State 3 Now since there is only one object, CSE sets appointment calendar as object and sets next state to state 4.
  • State 4 Since there is only one action associated with action control flags, CSE sets active action to UPDATE ADD and goes to state 5.
  • CSE sets all values of calendar to null. Because action instant type has action type flag of an active instant, CSE obtains index value date from user to instantiate the appointment book instant. Since there is a select expression, CSE executes select expression and select expression selects next date if event is "next" or "prev". Since event is "process” CSE obtains date from the user. If date was as result of "next" or prev", CSE will skip the process of obtaining date from the user. In this case date is not set, so CSE obtains the date from the user using presentation interface. Assume user enters date value. CSE obtains the appointment calendar for the specified date. If appointment book for date exists it goes to state 6. Assume appointment book page does not exist.
  • CSE Since calendar has learn flag CSE sets active instant flag to EMPTY and action to ADD and sets next state to 6. This is where CSE differs from traditional programming systems. Since there is only one control flag associated with action ADD, CSE instantiates the appointment calendar via user interface. The user then modifies the appointment and returns an event assuming user selects an event "next". Since action is ADD and instant is EMPTY, CSE adds calendar for specific date using database interface. CSE then proceeds to state 6.
  • calendar records in the database appear to exist for all dates to user. In reality no data exists unless there is information in the appointment calendar for given date. This is significant because if one needs to use the database to build a calendar using the database management system, one must create empty records for all years. This can waste significant disk space.
  • the action control flag learn makes it possible to create a database record when instant is instantiated and no record exists.
  • a user of the MICS simply writes information models rather than source code or the like.
  • the information model 1 2 and functions 1 6 replace the common source code programs used in computer software systems of the prior art.
  • the user need only change the information model and thus there is no software maintenance in the traditional sense. This approach is therefore radically different from prior art techniques and practices.
  • a designer desiring to take advantage of the present invention builds models as opposed to applications, thereby allowing end users to create their own applications directly from the business model.
  • a complete medical system is implemented using less than about 700 lines of an information model as compared to thousands upon thousands of lines of complex source code.
  • the main processing engine of the MICS is the CSE machine in which each action creates an event, the event changes a state, and the state triggers an action.
  • a model can be terminated during any state and can be restarted at the same state later.
  • the control engine saves the prior model and the state of the transaction.
  • the control engine reenters the previous transactions at the "action" level (as opposed to the instruction level). The control engine is thus reentrant at the action level.
  • the information model is defined with the assistance of a BNF grammar using an editor.
  • the BNF grammar also facilitates dividing the application into a set of independent actions.
  • the model is converted into information processing objects using a preprocessor or lexical analyzer that is based on the BNF grammar.

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Abstract

L'invention porte sur un système de gestion informatique de modèles (MICS) utilisé en association avec un modèle informatique défini par l'utilisateur (12), avec un ou plusieurs modules de programmes ou 'fonctions' (16) de systèmes informatiques classiques, et avec une base de données (20), cela pour l'exécution d'applications de gestion. Le MICS comporte un moteur de système de gestion (14) qui manipule les modèles et fonctions définis par l'utilisateur (24) du MICS, lequel accède au reste du système à l'aide d'une interface de présentation (26) pour exécuter une application de gestion définie par le modèle informatique.
PCT/US1996/000649 1995-01-09 1996-01-11 Systeme de commande et procede associe pour l'execution directe de modeles informatiques de logiciels d'application ne necessitant pas l'elaboration de codes WO1996031828A1 (fr)

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WO2000067181A3 (fr) * 1999-05-04 2002-08-15 Accenture Llp Procede et article de fabrication destines a la gestion de taches basee sur des composantes au cours d'une demande de reglement
WO2000067180A3 (fr) * 1999-05-04 2003-04-24 Accenture Llp Methode et article fabrique fournissant une interface axee sur un composant pour la prise en charge de taches durant un traitement de demandes
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US7979382B2 (en) 1999-05-04 2011-07-12 Accenture Global Services Limited Component based information linking during claim processing
US7865931B1 (en) 2002-11-25 2011-01-04 Accenture Global Services Limited Universal authorization and access control security measure for applications
US8126742B2 (en) 2003-05-09 2012-02-28 Accenture Global Services Limited Automated assignment of insurable events
GB2405499A (en) * 2003-09-01 2005-03-02 Isis Innovation Information system development
US8180668B2 (en) 2005-11-01 2012-05-15 Accenture Global Services Limited Collaborative intelligent task processor for insurance claims
US7933786B2 (en) 2005-11-01 2011-04-26 Accenture Global Services Limited Collaborative intelligent task processor for insurance claims
US8401896B2 (en) 2005-11-01 2013-03-19 Accenture Global Services Limited Automated task processor for insurance claims
US8478769B2 (en) 2008-02-22 2013-07-02 Accenture Global Services Limited Conversational question generation system adapted for an insurance claim processing system
US8515786B2 (en) 2008-02-22 2013-08-20 Accenture Global Services Gmbh Rule generation system adapted for an insurance claim processing system

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