# US 8,788,248 B2 · Transparent flow model simulation implementing bi-directional links

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- Number: US 8,788,248 B2
- Document ID: US8788248B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 12/571,940
- Filed: 2009-10-01
- Published: 2011-01-27
- Granted: 2014-07-22
- Earliest claimed: 2009-07-21
- Assignees: International Business Machines Corporation
- Applicants: Jay William Benayon; Pablo Daniel Irassar; Kui Yan Lau; Humie Leung; William Gerald O'Farrell; Vincent Szaloky
- Inventors: Jay William Benayon; Pablo Daniel Irassar; Kui Yan Lau; Humie Leung; William Gerald O'Farrell; Vincent Szaloky
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8788248B2

## CPC

- G06F 8/34: Graphical or visual programming
- G06F 30/20: Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30)
- G06Q 10/06: Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
- G06Q 10/0674: {using process simulation}
- G06Q 10/0633: Workflow analysis
- G06Q 10/067: Enterprise or organisation modelling
- G06F: ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING (computer systems based on specific computational models G06N)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

The illustrative embodiments described herein provide a computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer program product for managing a flow model simulation. In an illustrative embodiment, annotated simulation settings are associated with a source model in response to receiving the source model. The annotated simulation settings are derived from at least one of a set of user-defined simulation settings and default simulation settings. The annotated source model is transformed into an internal domain model using a set of links that are generated using a set of link rules. The set of links maps a set of source model elements to a set of internal domain model elements of the internal domain model. Results from a simulation of the internal domain model are mapped back to the source model to identify a context for the results. Thereafter, a target view model is generated from the internal domain model. The target view model includes the results presented in the context of the source model.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A computer implemented method for managing a flow model simulation, the computer implemented method comprising:
responsive to receiving a source model created in a non-native modeler, associating annotated simulation settings with the source model to form an annotated source model, wherein the annotated simulation settings are derived from at least one of a set of user-defined simulation settings and default simulation settings;
transforming the annotated source model into an internal domain model using a set of links, wherein the set of links are generated using a set of link rules that comprise instructions that govern the creation of the set of links, the set of link rules customizable for the source model, and wherein the set of links maps a set of source model elements to a set of internal domain model elements of the internal domain model;
mapping results from a simulation of the internal domain model back to the source model to identify a context for the results, wherein the simulation is governed by the annotated simulation settings; and
generating a target view model from the internal domain model, wherein the target view model comprises the results presented in the context of the source model.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying a context for the results comprises:
identifying, using the set of links, one or more elements from the set of source model elements corresponding to the results.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:
capturing simulation events from a simulation of the internal domain model; and
updating the target view model with the simulation events.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein transforming the annotated source model into the internal domain model further comprises:
generating a set of internal domain elements corresponding to the set of source model elements; and
updating metadata fields in the set of links for the set of internal domain elements and the set of source model elements.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the target view model further comprises:
conforming the target view model to the source view model.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The computer implemented method of claim 5, wherein conforming the target view model further comprises at least one of hiding objects absent from the source model and abstracting target view objects with source view objects.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of links comprise one or more bidirectional links.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of links comprise one or more pointers corresponding to one or more elements in the set of source model elements and one or more pointers corresponding to one or more elements in the set of internal domain model elements.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the set of links comprise a pairing between an internal domain model element identifier and a domain model element pointer.

### Claim 10

A computer program product for managing a flow model simulation, the computer program product comprising:
a computer readable storage device;
program instructions for associating annotated simulation settings with a source model to form an annotated source model in response to receiving the source model created in a non-native modeler, wherein the annotated simulation settings are derived from at least one of a set of user-defined simulation settings and default simulation settings;
program instructions for transforming the annotated source model into an internal domain model using a set of links, wherein the set of links are generated using a set of link rules that comprise instruction that govern the creation of the set of links, the set of link rules customizable for the source model, and wherein the set of links maps a set of source model elements to a set of internal domain model elements of the internal domain model;
program instructions for mapping results from a simulation of the internal domain model back to the source model to identify a context for the results, wherein the simulation is governed by the annotated simulation settings;
program instructions for generating a target view model from the internal domain model, wherein the target view model comprises the results presented in the context of the source model; and
wherein the program instructions are stored on the computer-readable storage device.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the result mapping program instructions further comprises instructions for identifying, using the set of links, one or more elements from the set of source model elements corresponding to the results.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10, further comprising:
program instructions for capturing simulation events from a simulation of the internal domain model; and
program instructions for updating the target view model with the simulation events.

### Claim 13 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the program instructions for transforming the annotated source model into the internal domain model further comprises:
instructions for generating a set of internal domain elements corresponding to the set of source model elements; and
instructions for updating metadata fields in the set of links for the set of internal domain elements and the set of source model elements.

### Claim 14 (depends on 10)

The computer program product of claim 10, wherein the program instructions for generating the view model further comprise:
instructions for conforming the target view model to the source view model.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the instructions for conforming the target view model further comprise at least one of hiding objects absent from the source model and abstracting view objects with source view objects.

### Claim 16

A system for managing a flow model simulation, the system comprising:
a processor;
a memory operably connected to the processor;
a link generator, wherein the link generator generates a set of links using link rules that comprise instruction that govern the creation of the set of links, the set of link rules customizable for the source model, wherein the links map a set of source model elements to a set of internal domain model elements;
a simulation annotator logic module, wherein the simulation annotator associates annotated simulation settings with a source model to form an annotated source model, wherein the annotated simulation settings are derived from at least one of a set of default simulation settings and a set of user-defined simulation settings;
a model transformer logic module, wherein the model transformer transforms the annotated source model into an internal domain model using the set of links; and
a view model generator logic module, wherein the view model generator generates a target view model from the internal domain model;
wherein the link generator, the simulation annotator, the model transformer, and the view model generator comprise program instructions stored on the memory and executed by the processor.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, further comprising:
a viewer comprising program instructions stored on the memory and executed by the processor, wherein the viewer updates the target view model with simulation events and wherein the target view model presents the target view model for viewing.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The system of claim 16, further comprising:
a simulation engine comprising program instructions stored on the memory and executed by the processor, wherein the simulation engine maps results from a simulation of the internal domain model back to the source model to identify a context for the results, wherein the simulation is governed by the annotated simulation settings.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The system of claim 18, wherein the simulation engine generates simulation events for updating the target view model.

### Claim 20

An apparatus for managing a batch production system, the apparatus comprising:
a bus system;
a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes computer usable program code; and
a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the computer usable program code to: associate annotated simulation settings with a source model created in a non-native modeler to form an annotated source model in response to receiving the source model, wherein the annotated simulation settings are derived from at least one of a set of user-defined simulation settings and default simulation settings; transform the annotated source model into an internal domain model using a set of links, wherein the set of links are generated using a set of link rules that comprise instruction that govern the creation of the set of links, the set of link rules customizable for the source model, wherein the set of links maps a set of source model elements to a set of internal domain model elements of the internal domain model; map results from a simulation of the internal domain model back to the source model to identify a context for the results, wherein the simulation is governed by the annotated simulation settings; and generate a target view model from the internal domain model, wherein the target view model comprises the results presented in the context of the source model.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to identify, using the set of links, one or more elements from the set of source model elements corresponding to the results.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to capture simulation events from a simulation of the internal domain model; and update the target view model with the simulation events.

### Claim 23 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code for transforming the annotated source model into the internal domain model to generate a set of internal domain elements corresponding to the set of source model elements; and update meta data fields in the set of links for the set of internal domain elements and the set of source model elements.

### Claim 24 (depends on 20)

The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code for conforming the target view model to the source view model.

### Claim 25 (depends on 24)

The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the processing unit further executes the computer usable program code to perform at least one of: hide objects absent from the source model and abstract view objects with source view objects.