EP2414903A1

EP2414903A1 - Device and method for creating a process model

Info

Publication number: EP2414903A1
Application number: EP10707854A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Michael Pirker
Original assignee: Siemens AG
Current assignee: Siemens AG
Priority date: 2009-03-30
Filing date: 2010-02-18
Publication date: 2012-02-08
Also published as: US20120023054A1; CN102365597A; WO2010112264A1

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method and to a device (1) for creating a process model (2). The process model (2) has great expressive power and is intuitively understandable for a human user and can also be processed by a machine. Creation of the process model (2) is carried out in the present invention by providing the concrete process model, a process meta model, and a mapping of concrete process steps to the abstract process steps of the meta model. It is particularly advantageous that the defined process meta model can be reused in relation to further domain-specific, concrete process models. With the present invention, step-for-step instructions can be semantically enriched, structured, and processed.

Description

description

Apparatus and method for creating a process model

The present invention relates to a device which is suitable for semantically enriching and structuring existing process models and to a corresponding method. The invention further relates to a computer program product for carrying out the method, and to a data memory which stores the computer program product.

Technical apparatuses, such as production lines or production facilities, typically include a variety of components. As technology advances, such devices become increasingly complex from a technical point of view. This results in a variety of possible malfunction of the equipment, making their maintenance difficult. Typically, failure causes of such complex devices are no longer immediately recognizable. A maintenance of complex equipment is complex and can only be performed by specialized personnel. Corresponding domain knowledge must be carefully maintained.

When servicing technical devices, it often comes to an exchange of individual components of the device. Thus, it may happen that individual components of the device to be serviced are defective or malfunctioning. It is also possible that individual components are indeed functional, but already have signs of wear. Often a replacement of individual components with less effort, or costs associated with, as a repair of the components.

Both a repair and an exchange of components can be done under the guidance of a specification of the corresponding apparatus. An essential part of the descriptions for the assembly, commissioning and use of technical equipment, systems, devices or software are step by step Step Instructions that describe a suitable procedure for achieving a specific goal through the most efficient way possible. Such instructions are z. Operating instructions, manuals, process documentation or instructions for action.

In the conventional approach of technical equipment leads the skilled personnel maintenance steps, which z. B. be read from a manual, d. H. the technical staff always has a manual with them, which always has to be updated. Typically, a separate manual is provided for each technical apparatus. To update a manual, a domain expert specialized in the field of maintenance is usually employed, as well as another domain expert specializing in the technical field of documentation. Consequently, in conventional methods, a plurality of skilled workers are involved in the maintenance as well as in the preparation of maintenance instructions.

Usually individual manuals are often provided in electronic form as part of electronic manuals and user manuals. In the electronic form of operating instructions and user manuals, the preparation of step-by-step instructions is typically not intended for machine processing. Electronic operating instructions regularly have text and illustrations, which are read out and implemented by a maintenance technician. An automated and information-technical processability of step-by-step instructions is not possible due to the lack of structuring of the operating instructions.

Furthermore, forms of representation of electronic step-by-step instructions intended for both interactive use by users and by software applications are represented by simple sequences of human-readable and machine-readable action steps. implemented. Partial information about step-by-step instructions is hereby typically created and managed simply or redundantly in the respective software applications. In addition, the information for the user, mostly as text and illustrations, can be processed separately.

In conventional methods, process descriptions are typically only weakly structured to make them intuitive to a human user. Alternatively, processes are described by means of a complex structure, which are only accessible to machine processing. Consequently, process models used in accordance with conventional methods can not be created, maintained and / or executed by both human users and machine devices. In addition, it is not possible with conventional methods to reuse individual parts of a process description that are defined as generally as possible.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an improved method for creating semantically rich and structured process models.

This object is achieved by a device for creating a process model according to claim 1 or according to claim 11.

Accordingly, an apparatus for creating a process model is provided, comprising:

a structure providing unit for providing a process structure description, the process structure description indicating a structure of a generic process; a process description unit for providing a process description, the process description indicating process steps and at least one temporal or causal dependence on the process steps; and a relationship production unit that establishes at least one relation between the provided process structure description and the provided process description for creating the process model.

The process model includes a process structure description, a process description and a mapping of characteristics of the process description to characteristics of the process structure description. A process structure description can be viewed as a meta-model that describes a generic process. Typically, a process structure description models individual process steps as well as temporal dependencies between the individual process steps. A temporal dependency between individual process steps is z. B. that a process step is performed before or after a further process step. Temporal dependencies between process steps can establish an order on the process steps. Process steps can also be causally dependent on each other. A causal dependence describes z. For example, when a particular selection of process steps has been performed, a further selection of process steps may be performed.

For example, the process structure description defines that a process has multiple phases, with each phase having any number of process steps. The process structure description can also be defined as the basic framework of a process, which can be expanded as desired.

A generic process is z. A process defined at an abstract level. A generic process is z. As a start phase, any number of phases and / or a final phase. Such an abstract, generic process may be refined and / or specialized for any domain. For example, a startup phase may be opening a document, another phase may be editing the document, and a final phase may describe saving and closing a document. A relation between the provided process structure description and the provided process description can e.g. For example, an abstract step can be defined in the process structure description, which is present in the process description as a concrete step, thus establishing a relation between a feature of the process structure description and the process description It is particularly advantageous here for each concrete step of the process description to be able to identify or assign an abstract step in the process structure description, thus enabling step-by-step instructions to be structured and semantically enriched By integrating the process description into the process structure description, this integration can be accomplished, for example, by establishing at least one relation between the provided process structure description and the provided process description.

The created process model includes the process structure description, the process description, as well as the relations between the process structure description and the process description.

The provided process structure description may be in the form of a formal model, a propositional model, a description logic model, a predicate logic model, a rule-based model, a specification, an ontology, a metastrogram definition, and / or a natural linguistic text. This has the advantage that the process descriptions and the process structure descriptions are machine-readable and can be checked automatically.

The process structure description may include a process, a phase, a process step, a startup phase, a final phase, a predecessor phase, a final phase, a sequence of processes, a sequence of phases, a sequence of process step and / or have a step sequence. This has the advantage that the process structure description indicates a flexible meta-model of a process.

A process has at least one phase. A phase includes at least one process step. This has the advantage that a process with arbitrary granularity can be represented. In addition, iterations and / or orders can be defined on any subprocesses.

Process steps can be performed in parallel, alternatively, optionally and / or iteratively. This offers the advantage that any sequence of process steps can be modeled.

Causal dependencies can be defined in terms of transitivity, reflexivity and / or symmetry. This has the advantage that z. B. transitive relations can be defined on individual process steps. For example, it can be defined that if there is a dependence between a process step A and a process step B, as well as a process step B and a process step C, this dependence also applies between the process steps A and C. This is particularly advantageous when modeling temporal relations. So z. B. be defined that, if a process step A takes place before a process step B, and a process step B takes place before a process step C, the process step A is transitive before the process step C is performed.

The provision of the process description takes place in one possible embodiment as a function of readout of a sensor. This has the advantage that user inputs can be monitored by means of a sensor, and from this a process description can be created. The reading out of a sensor takes place z. For analyzing a screen shot. Here, a user performs several process steps on a computer Anläge, where the individual process steps are identified by means of several screen shots.

The process description can be provided in accordance with an operating manual, a user manual, process documentation and / or user input. This has the advantage that already existing documentation can be reused to provide the process description.

The provision of the process structure description and / or the process description can be done by reading a data memory. This offers the advantage that existing process structure descriptions and / or already existing process descriptions can be reused. So it is z. For example, it is possible to use a process structure description in different domains.

In one possible embodiment, the device for creating a process model has a reasoning unit which is suitable for checking the consistency of the process structure description. This has the advantage that the process structure description is error-free and can thus be reused in any number of domain-specific process descriptions.

A reasoning unit is suitable for extracting implicit knowledge from an existing knowledge base. A reasoning unit is also suitable for generating new knowledge from an existing knowledge base by means of inference.

The invention further relates to a method for creating a process model, in particular using the devices already described, and comprises the following steps:

Providing a process structure description, the process structure description indicating a structure of a generic process; Providing a process description, the process description indicating process steps and at least one temporal or causal dependence on the process steps; and - establishing at least one relation between the provided process structure description and the provided process description for creating the process model.

The invention further relates to a computer program product for carrying out the described method.

The invention further relates to a data memory which stores the computer program product.

The invention thus provides a method and a device which make it possible to create a process model which semantically enriches and structures processes. The generated process model is intuitive to a human user, despite its extensive expressiveness, and is further, due to the use of arbitrary forms of representation, such B. a formal model, machine-readable. In addition, the proposed method and the proposed device allow the process structure description to be definable independently of the specific process description, and thus reusable with respect to further domain-specific process descriptions.

Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims and the embodiments described below.

In the following, the invention will be explained in more detail by means of exemplary implementations with reference to the enclosed figures.

It shows: Fig. 1 is a structured process model as may be created in the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a hierarchical structure of a step-by-step guide according to an aspect of the present invention;

3 is a block diagram of an apparatus for creating a process model according to one aspect of the present invention;

4 shows a detailed block diagram to illustrate an embodiment of a device for creating a process model according to the present invention;

5 shows a flow chart for illustrating an embodiment of the method according to the invention for creating a process model; and

6 shows a detailed flow chart for illustrating an embodiment of the method according to the invention for creating a process model.

In the figures, the same or functionally identical elements have been given the same reference numerals, unless stated otherwise.

FIG. 1 shows a created process model 2 according to one aspect of the present invention. The process model 2 comprises a process structure description 3, a process description 4, and produced relations 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the definition of the process structure description 3 takes place by means of description logic. scher modeling approaches. This z. B. OWL-DL can be used. Alternatively or in combination with OWL-DL, other OWL variants, DAML + OIL or RDFS, can also be used. It is particularly advantageous here that the process structure description 3 is implemented as a formal model. Consequently, further propositional, description-logical, predicate-logical and / or rule-based models are suitable for defining the process structure description 3.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the definition of the process structure description 3 is made by the description logic concepts and relations of the OWL-DL. In this case, an ontological concept comprises a process, a phase and / or a step, this being drawn in circles in the present FIG. The defined and logical concepts are pairwise related by means of a definition of ontological relations. Consequently, it is possible to assign individual steps to individual phases. The relations are represented in the present Fig. 1 by lines connecting the circles representing concepts. A relation can also be defined reflexively, d. h., That a step in turn may have further steps. The ontological relation can also be defined between a variety of concepts. For example, classes of process steps can be defined. Ontological relations can also be used to implement sequences of phases within a step-by-step guide. Here it can be defined in the process structure description 3 that certain phases form a sequence in a specific sequence.

The ontological concepts defined in the process structure description 3 can also have further attributes. For example, a process step, which is modeled as an ontological concept, has a descriptive text. A descriptive text provides information on how the corresponding process step is to be carried out. In the present exemplary embodiment, the process structure description 3 defines that a generic process has the following meta-model:

The generic process consists of one or more phases. A phase encapsulates one or more possible steps. A step is an action to be performed by humans or machines. Phases are arranged in sequence, e.g. B. predecessor or successor phases. That is, sequences are used to specify sequences of step sets. Steps within a phase are not ordered into sequences, i. that is, one or more steps of a phase can be performed in any order. Not every step in a phase has to be completed. The same step within a phase can be run more often, or the same step within a phase can be run exactly once, but at least one step of a phase must be run to activate the follow-up phase.

The generic process starts with a startup phase. The starting phase is an excellent phase that has no previous phase. The generic process ends with a final phase. The final phase is an excellent phase that has no successor phase.

The generic process may have parallel sequences that have at least one of the following properties:

- Each phase, except the start phase, has at least one predecessor phase

- Each phase, except the final phase, has at least one successor phase

- Each phase, except the start phase, can have several predecessor phases - Each phase, except the final phase, can have several successor phases

By means of parallel phase sequences, phases can be made optional, e.g. B. Phase Sequence Phase Pl -> Phase P2 -> Phase P3 can be supplemented by a parallel phase sequence Phase Pl -> Phase P3, making Phase P2 optional

The process model 2 shown in FIG. 1 also has a process description 4. The process description 4 may in this case comprise a plurality of process steps, these process descriptions being in a temporal and / or causal relationship to one another. Typically, processes are defined as a sequence of individual process steps. In the present exemplary embodiment, the process description 4 describes a step-by-step instruction. The step-by-step instructions are available in an electronic format, which allows to identify individual process steps of the step-by-step instructions. Furthermore, it may be possible to identify individual phases in the step-by-step instructions. So z. For example, a chapter in a manual, which has a step-by-step instructions, a chapter for a phase predefined, as well as a sub-chapter and / or paragraph are provided for a step. Based on these features, a mapping of the process steps of the process description 4 to steps that are defined in the process structure description 3 takes place. Analogously, 4 phases can be identified in the process description.

Based on the identified figures, features of the process structure description 3 and the features of the process description 4, relations 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D between the process steps of the process description 4 and the phases and / or steps modeled in the process structure description 3 can now be established. In this case, the steps or the phases of the process description 4 instantiate the steps or the phases, the process structure description 3.

On the basis of the defined process structure description 3, the instantiated process steps of the process description 4 in the present exemplary embodiment can be carried out in accordance with at least one of the following possibilities: - Execution of parallel steps, due to parallel phase sequences

- Execution of alternative steps, due to parallel phase sequences and / or due to optional definition of the execution semantics of the step

- Execution using transitive relationships, due to parallel phase sequences that allow the skipping of a phase

- Execution with optional steps, in case it is defined in the process structure description 3, that not every step has to be run through.

The process structure description 3 may have further elements that z. For example, you can model that sequences of phases can be traversed several times within a step-by-step guide, or you can create a hierarchical breakdown of

Be defined step-by-step instructions. Here, step-by-step instructions can be arranged modularly to more complex step-by-step instructions.

Figure 2 describes a hierarchical breakdown of a process according to one aspect of the present invention.

In the present exemplary embodiment, a process 10, which represents a maintenance process of a machine, according to one aspect of the present invention is structured and semantically enriched. For this purpose, a process structure description 4 is provided. The process structure description includes process 10, as well as phases IIA and IIB. Phase IIA is subdivided into process steps 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D in the present exemplary embodiment. Furthermore, it is defined in the process structure description 3 that the phase IIB has a process step 12E. Based on an already existing user manual, it can be identified in the present exemplary embodiment that the process step 13A "starting the machine", the process step 13B "reading out parameters", the process step 13C "unscrewing the housing", the process step 13D "exchanging the module" , as well as the process step 13E "function test" is performed.

It is recognized from the user manual in the present exemplary embodiment that the process steps 13A, 13B, 13C and 13D are described in a chapter of the user manual. Thus, process steps 13A, 13B, 13C, and 13D may each be associated with abstract process steps 12A, 12B, 12C, and 12D, which are included in phase IIA. As a result, the flat process structure consisting of the process steps 13A, 13B, 13C and 13D is semantically enriched and assigned to a phase IIA which is included in the process 10.

Furthermore, in the example, it is recognized that the process step 13E "functional test" is described in another chapter of the user manual than the already described process steps 13A, 13B, 13C and 13D. Consequently, it is possible to carry out the process step 13E in a separate abstract process step 12E, which in turn is included in phase IIB.

The tree structure shown in Figure 2 is both intuitive to a human user and machine processing accessible.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the process steps 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D and 13E are identified by means of a rule-based recognition method. A corresponding rule base can, for. B. in a description language, such as. For example, SWRL. For this purpose, it can be defined in the rule base, such as an assignment of the concrete steps 13A, 13B, 13C, 13D to the abstract steps 12A, 12B, 12C, 12D, and 12E took place. For example, it can be defined that individual steps, which are described in a chapter of a user manual, are to be modeled in exactly one phase. Furthermore, the rule base can be analyzed by means of a rule engine and / or a reasoning unit, whereby further features of the process structure description 4 can be taken into account.

A process can also be defined as a sequence of states. A process can thus be defined as a sequence of state transitions. Accordingly, in this case, the process structure description 3 refers to a state machine.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a device 1 for creating a process model 2 according to one aspect of the present invention. The device 1 comprises a structure providing unit 20 for providing a process structure description 3, wherein the process structure description 3 indicates a structure of a generic process, a process description unit 21 for providing a process description 4, wherein the process description includes 4 process steps and at least one temporal or causal dependence on the process steps indicates and a Relationsher- position unit 22, which establishes at least one relation 5A, 5B, 5C, 5D between the provided process structure description 3 and the provided process description 4 for creating the process model 2.

FIG. 4 shows a detailed block diagram of a device 1 for creating a process model 2 according to an embodiment of the present invention, and differs from the device 1 shown in FIG. 3 as follows:

In the present exemplary embodiment, the structure providing unit 20 has a reasoning unit 32. The reasoning unit 32 is suitable for checking a process structure description 3 for errors or consistency. The process structure Structure description 3 can be read out of a data memory 30 by means of the structure providing unit 20. This can be z. B. done by means of a network. The process structure description 3 is z. B. as a formal model, which can be checked by means of rules, which are also stored in the data memory 30.

In the present exemplary embodiment, the process description unit 21 has a sensor 33 which is suitable for detecting the process description 30. Based on predefined rules, which z. B. are stored in the data memory 31, the process description unit 21 can create a process description 4 depending on a sensor result. A sensor can, for. For example, it may be an image recognition sensor that analyzes an action instruction that has multiple graphical representations. For example, an existing manual contains several graphical representations of process steps, with the process steps labeled in each case. The visual sensor 33 is suitable for reading the labeling from the respective graphical representation, and assigning the readout label to individual process steps. Corresponding techniques, which are required in particular for image processing, can be read out of the data memory 31 by the process description unit 21.

The provided process structure description 3, as well as the provided process description 4, are transmitted to the relation production unit 22. The relationship production unit 22 may have a data store that provides rules that describe how a relation is created between the process structure description 3 and the process description 4.

The described units of the device 1, in particular the structure providing unit 20, the process description unit 21, the relation making unit 22, and the reasoning unit 32 may be referred to as a processor, a microprocessor, a computer, a computer system, a central computer Processing unit, an arithmetic unit and / or be implemented as a circuit.

The data memory 30 and 31 can be replaced by any type of storage media, eg. As a hard disk, flash disk, USB stick, floppy disk, floppy disk, CD, DVD, Bluray disk, magnetic tape, tape and / or as a removable disk are formed. The data stores 30 and 31 may also be implemented as a database server.

The data memories 30 and 31 are read in a possible embodiment via a network. A network includes at least one hub, a switch, a router, a server, an access point, a client, a sender, a receiver, a network card and / or other network-typical components.

FIG. 5 describes a flowchart of a method for creating a process model 2, in particular using a device 1, and comprises the following steps:

Providing 100 of a process structure description 3, wherein the process structure description 3 describes or indicates a structure of a generic process;

Providing 101 a process description 4, the process description describing or indicating 4 process steps and at least one temporal or causal dependence on the process steps; and

Produce 102 of at least one relation between the provided process structure description 3 and the provided process description 4 for creating the process model 2.

The method steps described can be carried out iteratively and / or in a different order.

In another embodiment, a system administrator performs an installation process of software. To do this, he runs an installation program. The installa- The system administrator guides the system administrator through the installation process through a sequence of virtual windows displayed on a screen. The process description unit 21 uses screen shots to record the individual process steps, and names the individual steps with window titles that are displayed on each virtual window.

In the present embodiment, the title of a first virtual window is "select components for installation" and a second window is "specify installation path". The structure providing unit 20 provides a process meta model, which describes that repetitive process steps are combined in phases. Because the system administrator often the process steps

"Select components for installation" and "Specify installation path", the reasoning unit 32 recognizes that the two process steps are a phase that can be iteratively traversed.

Thus, a process model 2 is provided, which represents both the installation process as a process description 4, as well as a process structure description 3 provides.

FIG. 6 shows a detailed flow chart of a method for creating a process model 2 and has the following method steps:

In a first method step 200, concepts are defined which represent at least one process, at least one phase and / or at least one step. Concepts are here z. Phases IIA and IIB or process steps 12A, 12B, 12C and 12D. Optionally, in the method step 200 further attributes are defined, which are assigned to the respective concept. So z. For example, a specific description text can be assigned to a concept. In a subsequent method step 201, a definition of relations to the concepts described in method step 200 takes place. It is z. For example, it is defined that a phase comprises a certain number of steps, and that certain steps must be taken each time the phase is executed, or that certain steps are optionally performed. Furthermore, it can be defined in method step 201 which steps can take place in parallel. In addition, it can be described when certain phases must be cycled through or when cycles must be avoided.

In a subsequent method step 202, automatic detection of process steps takes place. This can be z. B. by means of capturing screen shots are performed. Screen shots are taken at regular intervals while a specific process is running. On the basis of the screen shots, individual process steps can then be identified. This can be z. For example, in response to capturing labels of items displayed on a monitor when executing a process. In the execution of the process z. B. opened several virtual windows of an operating system, which have a label. Consequently, it can be detected in method step 202 when a new virtual window is opened, or a new process step is executed.

In a method step 203, a temporal dependency is defined between the process steps detected in method step 202. This can be z. B. by means of an analysis of the order of opened virtual windows. Here can z. For example, certain sequences may be identified that indicate that cycles are occurring at a particular point in the execution of the process and / or that individual process steps are performed iteratively. In a subsequent method step 204, a read-out of a rule base is performed, which describes when relations exist between the concepts defined in method step 200 and the process steps detected in method step 202.

In a subsequent method step 205, the rules read out in method step 204 are applied to the features defined in method steps 200 to 203. Thus, an analysis of the created process model 4, as well as the process structure description 3. When identifying corresponding relations, they are created in a subsequent process step 206.

By exporting the method steps 200 to 206, a process model 2 is created which models a process with semantic information and documents it accordingly.

In a further optional method step 207, a check of the consistency of the created model, z. By means of the reasoning unit 32.

Claims

claims

1. Device (1) for creating a process model (2), comprising:

a) a structure providing unit (20) for providing Stel ^¬ development of a process structure description (3), wherein the process structure description (3) indicates a structure of a generic process;

b) a process description unit (21) for providing a process description (4), the process description

(4) indicative of process steps and at least one temporal or KAUSA ^¬ le function of the process steps; and with

c) a relation recovery unit (22) (for Erstel ^¬ development of the process model 2) preparing at least one relation (5A, 5B, 5C, 5D) between the provided process structure description (3) and the provided process description (4).

2. Device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the provided by the structure providing unit (20) process ^¬ structural description (3) as a formal model, a geneogical model, a description logic model, a predicate logic model, a rule-based model, a specification , an ontology, a meta-structure definition and / or a natural linguistic text.

3. Device (1) according to any one of claims 1 or 2, wherein the process structure description (3) at least one process, a phase, a process step, a starting phase, a final ^¬ phase, a previous stage, a final phase, a series of processes, a Sequence of phases, a sequence of process steps and / or a sequence of steps.

4. Device (1) according to claim 3, wherein a process has at least one phase and / or a phase has at least one process step.

5. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the process structure description (3) indicates the process steps as parallel, alternatively, optionally and / or iteratively ausfuhrbar.

6. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the causal dependence is defined for a transitivity, a reflectivity and / or a symmetry.

7. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the provision of the process description (4) in response to a readout of a sensor (33).

8. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the provision of the process description (4) takes place as a function of an operating manual, a user manual, a process documentation and / or a user input.

9. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the provision of the process structure description (3) and / or the process description (4) in dependence of a reading of a data memory (30, 31) takes place.

10. Device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 9, with a reasoning unit (32) which is suitable for checking a consistency of the process structure description (3).

11. Method for creating a process model (2), in particular using a device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, with the steps: a) providing (100) a process structure description (3), the process structure description (3) indicating a structure of a generic process;

b) providing (101) a process description (4), the process description (4) indicating process steps and at least one temporal or causal dependence on the process steps; and

c) establishing (102) at least one relation (5A, 5B, 5C, 5D) between the provided process structure description (3) and the provided process description (4) for creating the process model (2).

12. Computer program product for carrying out the method according to claim 11.

13. Data storage, which stores the computer program product according to claim 12.