US 5,691,917 A · Event-processing system and method of constructing such a system

Abstract

A limited number of different types of event-processing node are provided for use as building blocks in constructing an event-processing system intended to receive and process event information about basic events occurring in a system being monitored, such as a telecommunications system. The event-processing system is constructed by interconnecting selected ones of the nodes into a network. Each event-processing node receives event data items in one or more input streams and processes these event data items to produce an output stream of event data items. Each event data item relates either to a basic event or to a combination of such events and includes event data that is indicative of the nature and time of occurrence thereof in the system being monitored. Generally, certain of the nodes effect processing on the basis of each input event data item taken individually, whilst other of the nodes are responsive to the presence of a predetermined inter-relationship between events represented by event data items.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An event processing system for receiving and processing event information about basic events occurring in a system monitored, said basic events comprising changes in state in said system being monitored, the event-processing system comprising:

a plurality of discrete event-processing nodes, at least one event processing node being coupled to said system being monitored, each operative to process event data items, each said event data item relating either to a basic event or to a combination of such basic events and having event data that is indicative of a nature and time of occurrence of said basic event or combination of events, as the case may be, in the system being monitored, each node receiving at least one input of said event data items which it processes to produce at least one output stream of said event data items;
and
means for coupling said nodes to form a network of nodes in which output streams of at least some said nodes form input data streams of other of said nodes, said at least one event processing node coupled to said system being monitored and constituting an input node for receiving said event information in the form of at least one said input data stream, said nodes, as so coupled, facilitating assessment of system operation.

A method of building an event processing system for receiving and processing event information about basic events occurring in a system being monitored, said basic events comprising changes in state in said system being monitored, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a library of event processing nodes each operative to process event data items, where each event data item relates either to a basic event or to a combination of such basic events and has event data that is indicative of the nature and time of occurrence of said basic event or combination of events, as the case may be, in the system being monitored, each node being intended to receive at least one input stream of said event data items which it can then process to produce at least one output stream of said event data items;
and
selecting nodes from said library and coupling said nodes to form a network of nodes in which output streams of at least some of said nodes form input streams of other of said nodes, at least one said node constituting an input node for receiving said event information in a form of at least one said input stream, said nodes, as so coupled, facilitating assessment of system operation.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Event-processing system and method of constructing such a system

Life of this patent

Event-processing system and method of constructing such a system

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims18