IP Library Granted Patent US 12675751
Granted Patent B2
US 12675751 · App. 18/272,627 · Granted Jul 7, 2026

Method for decision-making regarding a decision in an environment by means of a data processing system and a corresponding data processing system

Inventors: Julia Gastinger (Heidelberg, DE); Timo Sztyler (Heidelberg, DE)
Assignee: NEC CORPORATION
G06Q10/06G06N5/02G06Q10/10
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12675751
App. No.
18/272,627
Granted
Jul 7, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method for decision-making regarding a decision in an environment by a data processing system in view of multiple different objectives includes: collecting information within the environment, describing the information in at least one temporal knowledge graph (TKG), forecasting a future development of one future state or more future states at a future time or more future points in time, under different decisions by the at least one TKG. The method further describes each resulting future state/decision combination by a corresponding temporal knowledge graph, rates an adherence of each forecasted future state to each objective of the multiple different objectives, considers a trade-off between the objectives for decision-making in a time-aware manner; and provides the decision.

Claims (34)

1 . A method for decision-making regarding a decision in an environment by a data processing system, wherein decision-making is performed in view of multiple different objectives, the method comprising:

collecting information within the environment;

describing the information in at least one temporal knowledge graph (TKG);

forecasting a future development of one future state or more future states at a future time or more future points in time, under different decisions by the at least one temporal knowledge graph;

describing each resulting future state/decision combination by a corresponding temporal knowledge graph;

rating an adherence of each forecasted future state to each objective of the multiple different objectives;

considering a trade-off between the different objectives for decision-making in a time-aware manner; and

providing the decision.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the information is collected by observation and interaction.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the forecasting step relies on a machine learning (ML) model.

4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the rating step uses a classification based on graph embedding.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the classification comprises: future knowledge graph forecasting, graph embedding and classification.

6 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the rating step, one classifier is used for each objective of the multiple different objectives.

7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein in the considering step uses a multi-objective optimization.

8 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the multi-objective optimization comprises predicting at least one future label of each decision.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one future label of each decision is regarding a definable point in time or definable time steps.

10 . The method according to claim 7 , wherein the multi-objective optimization comprises the use of a Pareto-front selector, and wherein the decision is provided on the basis of a Pareto-front selection.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the Pareto-front selector incorporates a forecast uncertainty in an additional factor and trains its weights on previous cases from a database.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the Pareto-front selector provides the steps: Pareto-graph creation and decision-making among Pareto-options.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein a future label forecasting is provided.

14 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the decision is provided by an explanation module, and wherein the explanation module is adapted to interact with a user.

15 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the temporal knowledge graph is updated as soon as new information is available.

16 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the environment includes public domains, public safety, public services, governmental institutions, and/or health care.

17 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the public domain environment comprises a control room or law enforcement and traffic monitoring and adjustment.

18 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the public services environment comprises a job center for providing intelligent assignment and routing, and wherein governmental institutions environment comprises a smart city with a smart grid system.

19 . The method according to claim 16 , wherein the healthcare environment comprises drug development, or the biomedical field.

20 . A data processing system for decision-making regarding a decision in an environment, wherein decision-making is performed in view of multiple different objectives, the data processing system comprising:

collecting means for collecting information within the environment;

describing means for describing the information in at least one temporal knowledge graph (TKG);

forecasting means for forecasting a future development of one future state or more future states at a future time or more future points in time, under different decisions by the at least one temporal knowledge graph;

describing means for describing each resulting future state/decision combination by a corresponding temporal knowledge graph;

rating means for rating an adherence of each forecasted future state to each objective of the multiple different objectives;

considering means for considering a trade-off between the different objectives for decision-making in a time-aware manner; and

providing means for providing the decision.