PC EXPERT SYSTEM/DBMS INTERFACE TOOLS

THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR A FLEXIBLE SET OF TOOLS FOR CONSTRUCTING INTERFACES BETWEEN EXPERT SYSTEMS AND COMMERCIAL DATABASE MANAGMENT SYSTEMS (DBMSS) ON PCS. A GREAT NUMBER OF MILITARY PROBLEMS SUITABLE FOR EXPERT SYSTEMS SUPPORT INVOLVE DATA WHICH IS ALREADY MAINTAINED ON PC'S USING COMMERCIALLY AVAILABLE DMSS. TO BUILD THESE EXPERT SYSTEMS, INTERFACES MUST BE CONSTRUCTED BETWEEN THE EXPERT SYSTEM AND THE DBMS. CONSTRUCTION OF INDIVIDUAL INTERFACES BY HAND FOR EACH SUCH APPLICATION WOULD BE PROHIBITIVELY COSTLY. THIS SITUATION CREATES BOTH A DEMAND AND AN OPPORTUNITY TO CREATE EXPERT TOOLS FOR THE VIRTUALLY AUTOMATIC CONSTRUCTION OF INDIVIDUALIZED INTERFACES FOR EACH APPLICATION. FUNCTIONALLY, THE SYSTEM WILL ALLOW THE USER TO EASILY SPECIFY THE STRUCTURE OF THE DATABASE FILES TOGETHER WITH THE CONNECTION BETWEEN THE DATABASE RECORDS AND THE FULES AND FACTS UTILIZED BY THE EXPERT SYSTEM. THE TECHNICAL APPROACH WILL BE TO PROCESS THESE SPECIFICATIONS WITH A RULE-BASED EXPERT SYSTEM TO PRODUCE DEFINITIONS OF THE REQUIRED INTERFACES. THIS APPROACH WILL ALSO PROVIDE FOR EXPERT SYSTEMS WHICH PROCESS RAW INPUT DATA FOR INSERTION INTO THE DATABASE, AND WHICH INVOKE GRAPHICS PRESENTATION PACKAGES ON THE INSERTED DATA.