Markov Modeling Service Usage Patterns

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing log analysis methods focus on individual events but fail to effectively understand higher-level actions and their sequences, which are crucial for optimizing service configuration and usage trends.

Innovation Solution

The system analyzes client requests from logs to identify patterns and transitions between actions, constructing a Markov model that represents actions as nodes and transitions with associated probabilities, enabling the extraction of higher-level actions and their timing probabilities.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If log analysis focuses on individual events, then event occurrence measurement is improved, but understanding of higher-level actions and sequences deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent occurrence measurementVSAvoidhigher-level actions and sequences information
Core Design Contradiction:
Measurement precisionVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments individual events into higher-level actions by grouping related events into action sequences. Each action is represented as a node in a Markov model, with transitions capturing the sequence relationships between actions. This segmentation allows the system to maintain detailed event measurement while simultaneously capturing higher-level behavioral patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges multiple individual events into composite actions by analyzing event sequences and identifying patterns that represent higher-level operations. The Markov model then represents these merged actions as states, allowing the system to capture both individual event data and aggregated behavioral information in a unified structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Productivity

If individual events are analyzed separately, then event frequency counting is improved, but usage trend understanding deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent frequency countingVSAvoidusage trends information
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary analysis of event sequences to identify action patterns before constructing the final Markov model. By pre-grouping events into actions and calculating transition probabilities between actions, the system prepares aggregated usage trend data that reflects higher-level behaviors while maintaining the efficiency of frequency counting.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The Markov model incorporates feedback mechanisms where transition probabilities are calculated based on observed action sequences in logs. This feedback loop allows the system to continuously refine its understanding of usage trends by analyzing the frequency and timing of transitions between actions, thereby improving trend prediction accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

3Loss of information

If action sequences are modeled with Markov models, then usage pattern understanding is improved, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveusage pattern informationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent simplifies the complex relationships between events and actions by changing the representation parameters to a Markov model structure. Instead of modeling all possible event sequences directly, the system uses transition probabilities between actions as parameters, reducing computational complexity while preserving essential usage pattern information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts key characteristics from detailed event logs and action sequences to create a simplified Markov model representation. By extracting only the essential transition probabilities and action sequences, the system removes unnecessary detail while maintaining the core usage pattern information needed for analysis.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS8909562B2Markov modeling of service usage patterns
Publication Date: 2014.12.09 GOOGLE LLC
  • US8909562B2 patent drawing
  • US8909562B2 patent drawing
  • US8909562B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A system for analyzing service usage utilizing Markov models. Records of client requests to the service are extracted from at least one log. The records are grouped by client and sorted by timestamp. A pattern of requests that form an action is detected. Each action has a time. A probability is calculated of a transition from a precedent action to a subsequent action, where the precedent action has a time prior to the subsequent action. A delay time is also calculated between a precedent action and a subsequent action. A probability is calculated for a delay time, such as the likelihood that a delay from a precedent action to a subsequent action will fall within a given time interval.