I-MACHINE

A State Machine Framework

Overall

I-Machine is aimed to provide a state machine framework that enables machine self-learning and machine intelligence.

Introduction

State Machine

A state machine can be viewed as:

A set of states, A set of transitions, A set of input events, A set of actions, where states and transitions represent the inherent “model of change” of an object, and actions usually represent user desired behaviors upon the change of the object.

State Machine Engine

In a certain state, a state machine accepts specific input events and triggers corresponding transitions respectively; and when a transition is triggered by one of these input events, corresponding actions are performed respectively. The State Machine Engine (SME) is designed in this framework to implement this mechanism in a unified way.

NSM & DAR

Different from many other state machine frameworks, e.g. the one in RoseRT, the SME in this framework uses the NSM and the DAR to drive a state machine. NSM is the acronym for Naked State Machine, which is a state machine that has no action. DAR is the acronym for Dynamic Action Registration, which is a mechanism that allows a user hook desired actions to the NSM.

State Machine Runtime Dynamic

Normally a state machine is predefined by users. But advanced machine intelligence requires a state machine be able to "evolve" itself when the environment changes. The I-Machine framework is aimed to provide the capability for state machine to change its states/transitions/event-handling etc. at runtime.

Values

• By using NSM and DAR the transition logic of a state machine is totally decoupled from user action logic of an application; and by decoupling the transition logic from the user action logic, the framework improves the flexibility and reusability of a state machine.
• With the State Machine Runtime Dynamic feature, the framework constructs a fundamental basis for the advanced machine learning and machine intelligence.

Build

• Go to project root directory
• Run ./build.sh
• After build is successfully done:
  • the header files will be generated at ./dist/
  • the library will be generated at ./dist/lib/
  • the demo application will be generated at ./dist/bin/atm

Build Eclipse Project

• Go to project root directory
• Run ./build-eclipse.sh
• After build is successfully done, the eclipse project will be generated at ./eclipse_project, and you can import it in your Eclipse.

Build UT (based on googletest)

• Go to project root directory
• Run ./build-ut.sh
• After build is successfully done, the ut applicatioin will be generated at ./ut_build/bin/imachine_ut, and can run it to check the UT result.