Mechanism and method for specified temporal deployment of rules within a rule server

Abstract

An improved method and mechanism for specified temporal deployment of rules within a rules server. A rules server applies a set of rules, stored within a rulebase, to a given set of input values or parameters. Each rule is associated with a start time and an end time. Upon receiving a transaction request, a transaction time is determined for the transaction request. Subsequently, a set of effective rules within the ruleset are identified by the rules server, wherein each effective rule has a start time before the transaction time, and an end time that is after the transaction time. The rule server applies only the set of effective rules to the transaction.

1. A method for processing transactions, comprising:
 operating a rules server, wherein said rules server comprises a single rulebase, wherein said rulebase comprises one or more rules; 
 associating at least one rule of said one or more rules with a start time and an end time; 
 receiving a transaction request for a transaction; 
 determining a transaction time for said transaction request, including automatically adjusting said transaction time to reflect a local time of said transaction request; and 
 determining a set of one or more effective rules for said transaction request from said at least one rule of said one or more rules associated with said start time and said end time, wherein said transaction time for said transaction request is after said start time associated with each of said set of one or more effective rules, and said transaction time for said transaction request is before said end time associated with each of said one or more effective rules; 
 wherein said rulebase is configured to store one or more corresponding versions of each rule of said one or more rules, including outdated rules; 
 wherein said rule server can be tested at any point in time, whether that point in time is in the past, present, or future, by an administrator specifying a testing time other than a current time, said testing time determining effective rules for testing; and 
 wherein if said one or more effective rules changes before said transaction is complete, then a most recent set of effective rules is used by said rule server. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1 , further comprising the step of:
 processing said transaction request with said set of one or more effective rules. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of determining a transaction time for said transaction request is performed once each time said transaction request is received. 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said step of determining a transaction time for said transaction request is performed repeatedly after a specified length of time. 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said rulebase contains one or more rules that are not in said set of one or more effective rules. 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said start time and said end time is specified by an administrator through a graphical user interface. 
     
     
       7. The method of  claim 1 , wherein said transaction time is determined by an administrator. 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having thereon instructions for performing a process for processing transactions, said process comprising:
 operating a rules server, wherein said rules server comprises a single rulebase, wherein said rulebase comprises one or more rules; 
 associating at least one rule of said one or more rules with a start time and an end time; 
 receiving a transaction request for a transaction; 
 determining a transaction time for said transaction request, including automatically adjusting said transaction time to reflect a local time of said transaction request; and 
 determining a set of one or more effective rules for said transaction request from said at least one rule of said one or more rules associated with said start time and said end time, wherein said transaction time for said transaction request is after said start time associated with each of said set of one or more effective rules, and said transaction time for said transaction request is before said end time associated with each of said one or more effective rules; 
 wherein said rulebase is configured to store one or more versions of said one or more rules, including outdated rules; 
 wherein said rule server can be tested at any point in time, whether that point in time is in the past, present, or future, by an administrator specifying a testing time other than a current time, said testing time determining effective rules for testing; and 
 wherein if said one or more effective rules changes before said transaction is complete, then a most recent set of effective rules is used by said rule server. 
 
     
     
       9. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , further comprises that step of:
 processing said transaction request with said set of one or more effective rules. 
 
     
     
       10. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein said step of determining a transaction time for said transaction request is performed once each time said transaction request is received. 
     
     
       11. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein said stop of determining a transaction time for said transaction request is performed repeatedly after a specified length of time. 
     
     
       12. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein said rulebase contains one or more rules that are not in said set of one or more effective rules. 
     
     
       13. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein said start time and said end time is specified by an administrator through a graphical user interface. 
     
     
       14. The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein said transaction time is determined by an administrator.