Patent ID: 8705080

Claim:
A method of automatically managing a configuration change in a print shop, comprising: maintaining a knowledge base containing a plurality of product data elements, a plurality of device data elements and a plurality of service data elements, wherein each device data element represents a device that is available to process a print job in a print shop, wherein each product data element represents a product that can be produced by the print shop and wherein each service data element represents a service that may be implemented by a group of the devices available in the print shop, and wherein each service data element includes: a process that identifies a set of actions taken by the service, a profile that identifies one or more devices and defines inputs, outputs, and preconditions required to implement the service, and a grounding that reduces the service to an executable format; receiving an updated product data element, wherein the updated product element corresponds to a new or changed product to be produced in the print shop; selecting, using an automated semantic reasoner in a workflow management system, a device and a service that may be used to produce the product by accessing the knowledge base for logic assertions relating to product data elements that are similar to the updated product data element; inferring, using the automated semantic reasoner, a process, a profile, and a grounding for the selected service based on logic assertions device/service combinations in the knowledge base that are similar to the selected device and selected service; updating the knowledge base to include the updated product element; and automatically associating, in the knowledge base, the updated product element, the selected service and the selected device.