Patent US4198638A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
EP0397259A2
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EP
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Data processing apparatus
Assignee: Philips Electronics UK Ltd
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Filing: 1990-05-07
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Granted: —
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Expires: 2010-05-07
Abstract
Abstract A data processing apparatus comprises a computer (1), a detector (2) for external events signalled on a set of input lines (7,8, etc.), and a real time clock 3. A table (20) of rules (24) is included in the computer storage (19). The computer is programmed to respond to a condition, (B,t) stored in a field (26,27) of a rule, being satisfied by generating an associated response (R) stored in a field (28) of that rule. The condition part of each rule requires the continous presence of a specificinternal or external behaviour (B) stored in the field 26 for a specific finite time (t) stored in the field 27 in order for the rule to be fired. Each time a change of internal behaviour occurs due to the firing of a rule, and each time a change of external behaviour occurs, signalled on one of the lines 7,8 etc., the rules are examined and the response associated with the next one to be fired on the basis of the behaviours currently present is loaded into a field (33) of a register (23), the time at which the firing is to occur (if there is no intermediate change of behaviour which results in a new rule being potentially the next to be fired ) being stored in a field 34. If the output of the clock (3) reaches the time stored in the field 34 the response indicated by the data in the field 33 is generated. This response may be purely internal, indicated by changing a flag associated with an entry (25) in a stored table (21), or external, taking the form of a signal on an output line (14,15, etc.).
Inventors
- 👤 David Malcolm Connah
- 👤 Peter Roy Wavish
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
EP
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-07 10:40
CPC Classifications
G; G05; G05B; G05B19/00; G05B19/02; G05B19/04; G05B19/042; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S706/00; Y10S706/902; Y10S706/919; Y10S706/92
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
81 words
A data processing apparatus having stored therein a set of rules each in the form of a condition and an associated response, the condition portion of each rule requiring the presence of a specific behaviour and the apparatus comprising means for responding to any said condition being satisfied by generating the associated response, characterised in that the condition portion of each of the rules requires the continuous presence of a specific behaviour or set of behaviours for a specific finite time.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
81 words
A data processing apparatus having stored therein a set of rules each in the form of a condition and an associated response, the condition portion of each rule requiring the presence of a specific behaviour and the apparatus comprising means for responding to any said condition being satisfied by generating the associated response, characterised in that the condition portion of each of the rules requires the continuous presence of a specific behaviour or set of behaviours for a specific finite time.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
77 words
An apparatus as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the apparatus includes means for maintaining a record of which of said behaviours or sets of behaviours are currently present, and in that the means for responding to any said condition being satisfied is arranged to generate the associated response on the basis of the record indicating that the relevant specific behaviour or set of behaviours is currently present and the time at which this presence began.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
27 words
An apparatus as claimed in Claim 2, including means for maintaining in conjunction with the record a list of the times at which each said presence began.
Claim 5
Independent Claim
48 words
An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, including means for referring to the set of rules at least each time a said behaviour commences or terminates and determining which (if any) of the said conditions will be next satisfied on the basis of the behaviours currently present.
Claim 6
Independent Claim
47 words
An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the response portion of at least one of the rules comprises the generation of a specific behaviour (if not already present) the presence of which is required by the condition portion of at least one of the rules.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
174 words
A data processing apparatus for simulating the evolution of a set of behaviours which are included in a set of rules stored within the apparatus, each rule taking the form of a condition and an associated response with the condition portion of each rule requiring the continuous presence of a specific behaviour or set of behaviours for a specific finite time within the simulation and the response portion of each rule entailing a change in a behaviour, said apparatus comprising means for maintaining a record of which of said behaviours are present from stage to stage of the simulation, for referring to the set of rules at each stage of the simulation to determine, on the basis of the behaviours which the record indicates are then present and the times within the simulation at which each such presence began, the time within the simulation at which the next change of behaviour will be effected by the firing of a rule, and for outputting the latter times and the associated changes in behaviour in succession.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
174 words
A data processing apparatus for simulating the evolution of a set of behaviours which are included in a set of rules stored within the apparatus, each rule taking the form of a condition and an associated response with the condition portion of each rule requiring the continuous presence of a specific behaviour or set of behaviours for a specific finite time within the simulation and the response portion of each rule entailing a change in a behaviour, said apparatus comprising means for maintaining a record of which of said behaviours are present from stage to stage of the simulation, for referring to the set of rules at each stage of the simulation to determine, on the basis of the behaviours which the record indicates are then present and the times within the simulation at which each such presence began, the time within the simulation at which the next change of behaviour will be effected by the firing of a rule, and for outputting the latter times and the associated changes in behaviour in succession.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
255 words
A data processing system for simulating the evolution of a set of behaviours which are included in a set of rules stored within the system, said system comprising a plurality of data processing apparatuses each for processing a respective part of the set of rules and having that part stored therein, each rule taking the form of a condition and an associated response with the condition portion of each rule requiring the continuous presence of a specific behaviour or set of behaviours for a specific finite time within the simulation and the response portion of each rule entailing a change in a behaviour, each apparatus comprising means for maintaining a record of which of said behaviours are present from stage to stage of the simulation, for referring to its part of the set of rules at each stage of the simulation to determine, on the basis of the behaviours which the record indicates are then present and the times within the simulation at which each such presence began, the time within the simulation at which the next change of behaviour will be effected by the firing of a rule of the respective part of the set if this is the next rule to be fired in any apparatus of the system, and for outputting this time and the associated change in behaviour both from the system and to the other apparatus(es) of the system if said time is the earliest determined by all the apparatuses of the system at the relevant stage of the simulation.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
255 words
A data processing system for simulating the evolution of a set of behaviours which are included in a set of rules stored within the system, said system comprising a plurality of data processing apparatuses each for processing a respective part of the set of rules and having that part stored therein, each rule taking the form of a condition and an associated response with the condition portion of each rule requiring the continuous presence of a specific behaviour or set of behaviours for a specific finite time within the simulation and the response portion of each rule entailing a change in a behaviour, each apparatus comprising means for maintaining a record of which of said behaviours are present from stage to stage of the simulation, for referring to its part of the set of rules at each stage of the simulation to determine, on the basis of the behaviours which the record indicates are then present and the times within the simulation at which each such presence began, the time within the simulation at which the next change of behaviour will be effected by the firing of a rule of the respective part of the set if this is the next rule to be fired in any apparatus of the system, and for outputting this time and the associated change in behaviour both from the system and to the other apparatus(es) of the system if said time is the earliest determined by all the apparatuses of the system at the relevant stage of the simulation.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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