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  Apparatus and data structure for automatic workflow compositionUSPTO Application #: 20070245298Title: Apparatus and data structure for automatic workflow composition Abstract: A stream processing system provides a description language for stream processing workflow composition. A domain definition data structure in the description language defines all stream processing components available to the stream processing system. Responsive to receiving a stream processing request, a planner translates the stream processing request into a problem definition. The problem definition defines stream properties that must be satisfied by property values associated with one or more output streams. The planner generates a workflow that satisfies the problem definition given the domain definition data structure. (end of abstract)
Agent: Duke W. Yee - Dallas, TX, US Inventors: Genady Ya. Grabarnik, Zhen Liu, Anton V. Riabov USPTO Applicaton #: 20070245298 - Class: 717104000 (USPTO) Related Patent Categories: Data Processing: Software Development, Installation, And Management, Software Program Development Tool (e.g., Integrated Case Tool Or Stand-alone Development Tool), Modeling The Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070245298. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention relates generally to stream processing and, in particular, to workflow composition. Still more particularly, the present invention provides a method, apparatus, and program product for stream processing workflow composition using automatic planning. [0004] 2. Description of the Related Art [0005] Stream processing computing applications are applications in which the volume of data being processed is too large to be stored and, therefore, the information must be processed on the fly. Examples of stream processing computing applications include video processing, audio processing, streaming databases, and sensor networks. Recent advances in software development technologies, together with the growing availability of powerful computers and high-bandwidth communications have brought to practice large compositional computing architectures. [0006] This approach enables increased code reuse, simplified development, and high flexibility of the system. Components may be interconnected in multiple configurations, achieving highly complex functionality via composition of simpler black-box operations. Such architectures are being currently developed in many application areas, in particular, stream processing applications. [0007] In compositional stream processing architectures, the stream processing applications are composed of several processing units or components. The processing units can receive information streams on one or more input ports and produce one or more output streams, which are sent out via output ports. The output streams are a result of processing the information arriving via the input streams, by filtering, annotating, or otherwise analyzing and transforming the information. Once an output stream is created, any number of other components can read data from it. All processing units together compose a workflow. A stream processing application reads and analyzes primal streams coming into the system and produces a number of output streams that carry the results of the analysis. [0008] Composing stream processing workflows is a labor-intensive task, which requires that the person building the workflow has an extensive knowledge of component functionality and compatibility. In many cases, this makes it necessary for end-users of stream processing applications to contact application developers each time a new output information stream is requested and, as a result, a new workflow is needed. This process is costly, error-prone, and time-consuming. Also, changes to other elements of the stream processing system may require changes to the workflow. For example, processing units or primal streams may become unavailable, users may place certain restrictions on the output, or changes may be made to the components themselves. [0009] In large practical stream processing systems, both changes in the data coming into the system and changes in the system configuration can invalidate deployed and running stream processing applications. With time, these applications can start to produce output that no longer satisfies the user's requirements or they can be relying on primal streams that have become inactive. In many situations, user's requirements can be better satisfied if an existing workflow is updated with newly available primal streams or processing units. Therefore, when changes such as those described above occur, the workflow must be reconfigured quickly, before any potentially valuable streaming data is lost. Such timely reconfiguration is extremely difficult to achieve if the workflow composition requires human involvement. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0010] The present invention recognizes the disadvantages of the prior art and provides a computer implemented method for automatic workflow composition in a stream processing system. [0011] In one illustrative embodiment, the computer implemented method comprises providing a description language for stream processing workflow composition. The method provides a domain definition data structure in the description language. The domain definition data structure defines all stream processing components available to the stream processing system. Responsive to receiving a stream processing request, the method translates the stream processing request into a problem definition. The problem definition defines stream properties that must be satisfied by property values associated with one or more output streams. The computer implemented method generates a workflow that satisfies the problem definition given the domain definition data structure. [0012] In another exemplary embodiment, one or more stream properties data structures in the description language define primal streams available to the stream processing system. Each stream properties data structure is initialized with one or more property values for each primal stream. [0013] In yet another exemplary embodiment, the domain definition data structure comprises a plurality of stream processing component data structures in the description language. Each stream processing component data structure describes one or more input ports and one or more output ports. [0014] In another illustrative embodiment, a given stream processing component data structure within the plurality of stream processing component data structures defines a plurality of output ports. [0015] According to one exemplary embodiment, each input port of each stream processing component is modeled using one or more preconditions on an action associated with the stream processing component. In another exemplary embodiment, each output port of each stream processing component data structure is modeled using effects of the action associated with the stream processing component. [0016] In another illustrative embodiment, a given stream processing component in the workflow receives a first primal stream at a first input port. The one or more property values for the first primal stream satisfy the one or more preconditions of the first input port. [0017] In yet another illustrative embodiment, a first stream processing component in the workflow generates an output stream at a first output port. A second stream processing component receives the output stream at a first input port. The one or more property values for the output stream satisfy the one or more preconditions of the first input. [0018] According to an illustrative embodiment, a given stream processing component in the workflow generates an output stream at a first output port. The one or more property values for the output stream satisfy the problem definition. [0019] In yet another illustrative embodiment, each primal stream available to the stream processing system and each output stream generated by a stream processing component is represented by a set of predicates. [0020] In one illustrative embodiment, an apparatus for automatic workflow composition in a stream processing system is provided. The apparatus performs various ones of the operations outlined above with regard to the methods of the illustrative embodiments. [0021] In another illustrative embodiment, a computer program product for automatic workflow composition in a stream processing system is provided. The computer program product comprises computer usable program code configured to perform various ones of the operations outlined above with regard to the method in the illustrative embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0022] The novel features believed characteristic of the invention are set forth in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: Continue reading... Full patent description for Apparatus and data structure for automatic workflow composition Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Apparatus and data structure for automatic workflow composition patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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