Parallel rule-based processing of forms

Details Parallel rule-based processing of forms Parallel rule-based processing of forms

1998-11-30

2001-02-06

Lintz, Paul R. (Department: 2771)

Data processing: database and file management or data structures

Database design

Data structure types

C707S793000, C707S793000, C345S215000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06185583

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to systems for validating forms and more particularly, to a system and method that validates forms using rules to check data provided on the forms.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many businesses process forms to gather information about customers or sales. Each form typically includes multiple data fields. The data is reviewed either manually or by a computerized system. Additional examination may also be performed to confirm that the type of data entered into the fields is correct. For example, a date field should contain an alphanumeric string, while a name field should include only an alphabetic string.
Traditionally, forms are examined using validation statements that are included in the base application program that processes the forms and written in the same language as the application program, for example C or COBOL. All form examinations are included in this base application program. Therefore, when any form examination is added, the base application program must be rewritten, recompiled, and retested. A programmer must enter all rule changes. Therefore, it is desirable to have a system that stores rules separate from the base application program so that a more simple rule language may be used by a non-programmer.
Many current rule systems use a standard Rete algorithm that is not fit to validate rules in parallel due to inherent architecture and processing limitations. The Rete algorithm is described in “Rete: A Fast Algorithm for the Many Pattern/Many Object Pattern Match Problem”, Artificial Intelligence, Vol. 19, pp 17-37, 1982. Using the Rete algorithm current rule systems perform rule checks on a form serially and do not verify more than one rule at a time or more than one rule set at a time,
Accordingly, it is desirable to have a system that validates a form using more than one rule in parallel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Systems and methods consistent with the principles of the present invention receive forms for validation. A memory stores program instructions performed by a processor to validate the forms. The processor operates responsive to the program instructions to receive a form and select rules that are associated with the form. The processor determines whether the form meets the requirements of each rule associated with the form, wherein at least two of the rules are validated in parallel.
In one embodiment, each form has associated rule sets where each rule set has a plurality of rules. The processor validates rules in each rule set in parallel. The processor may also process rules within a single rule set in parallel when, for example, the validation of a rule is expected to be time consuming. In this case, a separate thread is generated to check the time consuming rule.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification illustrate an embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, explain the objects, advantages and principals of the invention:
In the drawings,
FIG. 1
is a block diagram of the overall validation system consistent with the present invention;
FIG. 2
is an example form from the point of view of a user;
FIG. 3
is an example rule truth table chart;
FIG. 4A
is a block diagram of the overall flow of the validation system;
FIG. 4B
is a block diagram of the validation engine;
FIG. 5
is a flow chart showing steps for processing a received order and comparing the order to expected order types;
FIG. 6A
is a flow chart showing the steps for processing an order and comparing the order to rules associated with a determined order type; and
FIG. 6B
is a flow chart that continues the steps from
FIG. 6A
to process an order and compare the order to rules in parallel.


REFERENCES:
patent: 3974496 (1976-08-01), Aptroot-Soloway
patent: 5546574 (1996-08-01), Grosskopf et al.
patent: 5704029 (1997-12-01), Wright, Jr.
patent: 5758126 (1998-05-01), Daniels et al.
patent: 5920857 (1999-07-01), Rishe et al.
Forgy, Charles L. “Rete: A Fast Algorithm for the Many Pattern/ Many Object Pattern Match Problem” Artificial Intelligence, vol. 19, pp. 17-32, 1982.

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