Event-driven semantic approach to modelling complex dynamic processes

An event processing apparatus comprising:

• at least one processor;
• and
• at least one memory connected to the at least one processor and configured to store:
• (i) a set of events describing an activity of interest, wherein each event in the set of events represents a fact associated with one of the following:
• creating an object, assigning or changing a property of the object, or performing an action with the object;
• wherein each event in the set of events comprises:
• an event identifier;
• a semantic triplet comprising a basic event representing the event being described, a type representing a semantic type of the event, and a value representing a content or result of the event;
• an indication of an actor who or which registered or performed the event;
• a reference to at least one other event in the set of events, the at least one other event defining either a conditional dependency or sequential ordering;
• a reference to a semantic model that the event complies with;
• a timestamp indicating when the event was recorded or performed;
• wherein the set of events is divided into:
• a subset of genesis events defining semantic primitives of an event ontology, property models, property vocabularies and restricting properties;
• a subset of model events combined into named models of objects and processes describing the activity of interest using the semantic primitives, the property vocabularies and values of the restricting properties;
• a subset of reification events representing specific facts of the activity of interest and created according to the model events and the values of restricting properties;
• and
• (ii) processor-executable instructions which, when executed by at least one processor, are configured to cause the at least one processor to:
• receive data from an actor about a fact of the activity of interest, creating a new reification event based on a target model from the subset of model events, wherein the target model event specifies:
• an existing reification event with which the new reification event is semantically associated;
• a type of the new reification event corresponding to a property or action with a value assigned to an object;
• obtain a value for the property or action for the object in the new reification event from the actor or by querying the subset of reification events;
• create the new reification event based on the target model event with the obtained value;
• validate the new reification event against semantic constraints defined in the target model event, including:
• constraints on permissible ranges, data types, formats, mutability, and allowable quantities;
• access permissions confirming that the actor is authorized to perform the event;
• feasibility conditions represented by a logical expression in which values of properties or acts for existing reification events are compared with predefined values and the obtained value of the new reification event, ensuring the new reification event can only be created if the logical expression evaluates as true;
• create a subscription to monitor future reification events if an initial attempt to create the new reification event fails due to the unmet conditions;
• if the new reification event and said at least one of the subsequent new reification events jointly fulfill the
• conditions and constraints prescribed by the restricting properties of the target model event, create the new reification event and cancel the subscription;
• validate the new reification event together with subsequent reification events against the conditions in the restricting properties of the target model event;
• add, to the new reification event, a reference to at least one other event in the set of events that defines either a conditional dependency or a sequential order;
• add, to the new reification event, a reference to a semantic model by which the new reification event was created;
• and
• record the created new reification event in the at least one memory during the activity of interest.