Patent Document ID: 4890240
Application ID: 07247037
Patent Flag: 1

Claim One:
1. A method for coalescing changes to objects in a working memory, the method being invoked prior to processing said changes through a matching structure used in conflict set resolution, said resolution occurring during the recognize-act cycle of a rule-based, artificial intelligence production system, said system including a rule set and an inference engine cooperating with said rule set and working memory for executing a succession of recognize-act cycles, each rule having pattern indication and action specifying parts thereof, the action specifying part of a rule including procedures for effecting changes to said objects, said method comprising the steps of: responsive to a first change to an object resulting from execution of a first rule, creating a control block (CB) internal to the inference engine and recording said first change in the created CB; enqueueing said CB in a queue; in the event of a second change to said object subsequent to said first change and prior to the selection of the next rule following said first rule, maintaining said CB unaltered in said queue, without passing either said first or said second changes through said matching mechanism; and upon completing said execution of said first rule, passing the change recorded in said CB through said matching mechanism.