Inferring data type in a multi stage process
AssigneeHewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P.
InventorsRichard Taylor, Christopher Tofts
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A computer program (10) for analysing a specification, determining what kind of data processing operations are carried out, and deducing or inferring from the kind of internal operations, what data types are appropriate. The data types inferred can be compared with specified data types, to check for errors, or optimise the overall process. This is effectively an extension of type inference from individual programs into the higher level technical field of process analysis. It can also be applied to monitoring and optimising processes during operation of the processes.
Claims20
A computer program arranged to analyse a specification for a process, the process involving two or more autonomous computer programs, and involving processing of stored data, the specification specifying a data type for one or more interfaces of the process, the program being arranged to:
- determine what kind of data processing operations are carried out within the process,
- deduce automatically from the kind of internal operations, what data types are appropriate for inputs to or outputs of the operations, and compare the deduced data types with specified data types.
A computer program arranged to analyse a specification for a multi stage process, the process involving two or more autonomous computer programs, and involving processing of stored data, the program being arranged to:
- determine what kind of internal operations are carried out within one or more of the stages,
- deduce automatically from the kind of operations, what data types are appropriate for inputs to or outputs of the operations, and
- use the data types deduced for one of the stages, to analyse another of the stages.
A computer program arranged to analyse a process in use, to enable a specification for the process to be altered, the program being arranged to:
- determine what kind of internal operations are carried out within the process as actually used,
- deduce automatically from the kind of operations, what data types are appropriate for inputs to or outputs of the operations, and
- use the data types deduced for one stage, to analyse another of the stages.
A computer program arranged to analyse a specification for a multi stage process, the process involving two or more autonomous computer programs, and involving processing of stored data, the program being arranged to determine a cost for a part of the process by determining what kinds of transactions are used in that part, and assigning a predetermined typical cost to at least some of the types of transaction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.