Collection installable knowledge

Abstract

A Collection Knowledge System provides context-sensitive knowledge delivery services to application programs, thereby enabling application programs to effectively support variant computational processes. In operation, a Collection Knowledge System receives knowledge requests from application programs, performs local and remote lookups into structured trees of knowledge, and returns requested knowledge to requesting application programs. Collection Knowledge Systems can manage knowledge for entire variant computational processes, thereby enabling application programs to calculate and execute many variant computational processes in fully automated, scalable ways that were not previously possible. As a consequence of automated process construction and execution, associated human labor costs are effectively reduced to zero.

1 - 9 . (canceled)  
     
     
         10 . A method for providing knowledge to one or more programs comprising: 
 receiving a knowledge request;    building a set of search rules;    performing a knowledge search for said requested knowledge; and    returning one or more knowledge search results.    
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules is based at least in part on an environment variable.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules is based at least in part on a file containing a pathname to reference an initial set of search rules.  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules includes building a second set of search rules based at least in part on a first set of search rules.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules is based at least in part on one or more named context definition files.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules is based at least in part on placeholder and instance substitution strings.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules is based at least in part on mobile knowledge search rules.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules is based at least in part on workspace knowledge search rules.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules is based at least in part on aggregated knowledge search rules.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules is based at least in part on virtual platform search rules.  
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein building a set of search rules is based at least in part on remote knowledge search rules.  
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein performing a search includes using at least one knowledge directory.  
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein performing a search includes using at least one installable knowledge directory.  
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein performing a search includes initiating remote searches according to remote search rules.  
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein performing a search includes performing remote searches according to remote search rules.  
     
     
         25 . A system for providing knowledge to one or more programs comprising: 
 a memory configured to store a knowledge request;    a processor, coupled to the memory, configured to: 
 build a set of search rules to guide a search for said requested knowledge,  
 perform a knowledge search for said requested knowledge using said set of search rules, and  
 return one or more knowledge search results.  
   
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 25 , wherein building a set of search rules includes building a second set of search rules based at least in part on a first set of search rules.  
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 25  wherein building a set of search results is based at least in part on mobile knowledge search rules.  
     
     
         28 . A computer program product for providing knowledge to one or more programs, the computer program product being embodied in a computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for: 
 receiving a knowledge request;    building a set of search rules;    performing a knowledge search for said requested knowledge; and    returning one or more knowledge search results.    
     
     
         29 . The computer program product of  claim 28  wherein building a set of search results includes building a second set of search rules based at least in part on a first set of search rules.