Event Processing System with Dynamic Priority and Reaction Time Limits

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing stream processing systems lack flexible mechanisms to ensure timely and efficient processing of events, particularly in scenarios with rapidly changing priorities and high data volumes, leading to potential delays or catastrophic failures.

Innovation Solution

The system attaches priorities and reaction time limits to events, event types, and queries, allowing it to adapt its processing behavior by switching between normal and real-time modes, temporarily suspending non-essential queries to prioritize critical events and ensure timely processing.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the system processes all events in a stream uniformly without prioritization, then the processing is simple and consistent, but critical events may be processed too late to guarantee timely reaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetimely processing of critical eventsVSAvoidprocessing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts processing behavior by switching between normal processing mode and real-time processing mode based on the presence of events with boundary conditions. In normal mode, events are processed uniformly; when critical events are detected, the system transitions to real-time mode where these events are prioritized and processed immediately, while non-critical events are suspended or delayed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Different processing qualities are applied to different events based on their characteristics. Events with attached boundary conditions (maximum reaction times and priorities) receive specialized real-time processing with suspension of other queries, while events without such conditions continue to be processed using standard query processing. This allows critical events to get enhanced treatment without unnecessarily complicating the processing of all events.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Reliability

If the system switches to real-time processing mode to ensure timely handling of critical events, then critical events are processed promptly, but the overall event processing rate may decrease due to suspension of non-essential queries

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetimely reaction to critical eventsVSAvoidoverall event processing rate

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of suspending all query processing when in real-time mode, the system selectively suspends only those queries that do not consume events with boundary conditions. Queries that process critical events continue to execute, ensuring that the overall processing rate is maintained for important events while non-essential processing is temporarily reduced.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Solution Approach 2:

The system dynamically transitions between processing modes based on the current stream of events. When events with boundary conditions are detected, it switches to real-time processing mode with selective query suspension. When such events are no longer present, it returns to normal processing mode, thereby adapting the processing intensity to match the actual needs of the event stream.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Quantity of substance

If the system processes large amounts of data with shifting priorities, then comprehensive data coverage is achieved, but important data may be processed too late to guarantee timely reaction

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata processing volumeVSAvoidprocessing delay of important data

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system attaches specific parameters (maximum reaction times and priorities) to events with boundary conditions. These parameter changes allow the system to identify and differentiate critical events from ordinary events, enabling prioritized processing where critical events are handled within their specified time constraints while other events are processed according to their respective priorities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The event stream is segmented into two categories: events with boundary conditions (critical events with maximum reaction times and priorities) and events without such conditions. This segmentation allows the system to apply different processing strategies to each category, ensuring that critical events receive immediate attention with suspended non-essential queries, while maintaining comprehensive processing of all data over time.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP2450796B1Systems and/or methods for appropriately handling events

Publication Date: 2017.03.29 SOFTWARE AG

AI summary

Certain example embodiments described herein relate to techniques for the attachment of priorities and/or reaction time limits to various entities of a system such as, for example, events, event types, queries, etc. The system's processing may be tailored behavior to match these boundary conditions while at the same time increasing (and sometimes even maximizing) the rate of events processed. Advantageously, the system may be made to adapt its behavior to the current situation, which is changeable and may even be changing quite frequently, e.g., as in connection with a potentially rapidly changing stream. Users may in certain example embodiments specify policies to control this adaptation in certain example embodiments and, thus, in certain example instances, events (including events of special interest) may be handled appropriately, even in response to changing conditions.