Rule Engine Vocabulary Integration via XML Schema
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing business rule engines face challenges in seamlessly integrating with external rule engines, requiring specialized programming skills and proprietary formats, which limits agility and flexibility in modeling business processes across different domains like public sector, finance, and insurance.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced where a local rule engine automatically generates a vocabulary, including context and result descriptions, serialized in an XML schema document, to facilitate communication with an external rule engine, allowing for the definition and execution of business rules without requiring specialized programming skills, thus enabling seamless integration and data exchange.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a local rule engine integrates with an external rule engine using proprietary formats and specialized programming skills, then the integration can be achieved, but the agility and flexibility in modeling business processes is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal vocabulary exchange mechanism using XML schemas that enables the local rule engine to communicate with multiple different external rule engines (e.g., Drools, Jess, CLIPS) through a standardized interface. This universal approach allows the system to integrate with various external engines without requiring specialized programming for each, thereby maintaining reliability while improving agility and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary vocabulary layer (XML schema document) that mediates between the local rule engine and external rule engines. This intermediary translates and standardizes data exchange formats, allowing seamless integration without direct proprietary connections, thus enhancing both reliability through standardized protocols and adaptability through flexible vocabulary definitions.
2Reliability
If specialized programming skills are required for rule engine integration, then precise control over the integration can be achieved, but the ease of operation and implementation is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automatic vocabulary generation and exchange mechanisms where the system self-configures the integration parameters and data formats. The XML schema documents are automatically created and exchanged between engines, eliminating the need for manual programming configuration while maintaining precise control over the integration process, thus improving ease of operation without sacrificing reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining vocabulary structures and data exchange protocols in XML schemas before actual rule execution. This preliminary configuration establishes the integration framework in advance, allowing the system to operate with precise control while reducing the operational complexity during runtime, thereby improving ease of implementation.
3Manufacturing precision
If proprietary formats are used for data exchange between rule engines, then data precision and structure can be maintained, but the adaptability to different domains and engines is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes parameter changes by allowing the XML vocabulary schemas to be dynamically configured and adapted for different domains and external rule engines. The same underlying data structures maintain precision through standardized XML formatting, while the vocabulary parameters can be changed to accommodate different domains (e.g., public sector, finance, insurance) and engines, thus achieving both data precision and domain adaptability.
Data Source
AI summary
An enhanced rule engine, in which a rule-evaluated result that is received from an external rule engine based on a context transmitted to the external rule engine for evaluation by the rule and on a schema document serializing an automatically generated vocabulary transmitted to the external rule engine is output. The schema document defines the business rule based on a context description and a result description included in the vocabulary, and the context and the result are respectively specified according to the context description and the result description.