An adaptation module for maintaining rule-based information distribution systems
Moataz Ahmed · Medical Entomology and Zoology · 1997
An information distribution system (IDS) is a module of a command, control, communication, and intelligence (C$\sp3$I) system. An IDS is the system that is used to control message passing (communications) between distributed nodes within a real-time, concurrent distributed environment. The IDS is suitable for distributed environments which are characterized by needs for information at each individual node maintained within the environment. Such information needs are required to correctly behave in response to events occur in the environment. A rule-based information distribution system (RBIDS) is an IDS that uses distributed information distribution rules (IDRs) to control message passing between distributed nodes. As the configuration of the environment gets larger (i.e., large number of nodes, large number of possible events, many needs for information, large number of communication constraints, etc.), it is very difficult to generate and debug IDRs manually. On the other hand, having faulty IDRs can lead to serious undesirable situations. The problem addressed in this dissertation is that there do not exist adaptation (rules generation and rules debugging) algorithms that can be used to maintain existing IDRs to achieve effective and efficient message-communication responses in a distributed system of fact bases and rule bases. This dissertation is concerned with developing new rule-generation and debugging (error removal) algorithms that can be used to maintain an existing RBIDS to achieve effective and efficient message-communication responses in a distributed system of fact bases and rule bases. The technical contribution of this dissertation is in a form of three different algorithms, each of which can be used to generate and debug IDRs so that they can meet their intended goal.