IP Library Granted Patent US 12682231
Granted Patent B2
US 12682231 · App. 17/806,019 · Granted Jul 14, 2026

Reasoning with real-valued first order logic and probability intervals

Inventor: Radu Marinescu (Dublin, IE)
Assignee: INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS MACHINES CORPORATION
G06N3/08G06N7/01
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12682231
App. No.
17/806,019
Granted
Jul 14, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Embodiments are provided for providing enhanced reasoning in a computing system by a processor. All first-order logic formulas may be converted into real-valued logic formulas. A probabilistic inference is executed using the real-valued logic formulas and one or more probability intervals associated with an atomic formulae in a knowledge base to provide an interval conditional probability indicating that a first predicate condition is true based one or more alternative predicates being true.

Claims (34)

1 . A method for providing enhanced automated reasoning in a computing environment by one or more processors comprising:

executing machine learning logic to convert a set of first-order logic statements into a set of real-valued logic representations, wherein the set of real-valued logic representations are input as training data into a logical neural network (“LNN”); and

generating the LNN by using the training data, wherein the LNN is configured to execute a probabilistic inference using the set of real-valued logic representations and one or more probability intervals associated with an atomic statement in a knowledge base to provide an interval conditional probability indicating that a first predicate condition is true based one or more alternative predicates being true, wherein the probabilistic inference comprises performing iterative message passing across nodes of a credal network representation of the LNN to update lower and upper probability bounds at the nodes, and terminating the iterative message passing responsive to detecting a convergence condition or expiration of a time limit.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further including representing a truth value of each of the set of real-valued logic representations as a zero or a one value.

3 . The method of claim 1 , further including receiving the set of first-order logic statements, and a set of intervals representing upper and lower bounds on one or more truth values of a set of ground predicates from the set of first-order logic statements.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further including setting upper and lower bounds on one or more truth values of the set of real-valued logic representations in the knowledge base.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further including determining a probability of a ground predicate being true based on an alternative ground predicate being true.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further including:

grounding a first-order logic based on a knowledge domain of a plurality of variables, wherein the LNN is a representation of the grounded first-order logic; and

constructing the credal network representation associated with the LNN.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further including applying the probabilistic inference to determine a set of solutions to one or more queries.

8 . A system for providing enhanced automated reasoning in a computing environment, comprising:

one or more computers with executable instructions that when executed cause the system to:

execute machine learning logic to convert a set of first-order logic statements into a set of real-valued logic representations, wherein the set of real-valued logic representations are input as training data into a logical neural network (“LNN”); and

generate the LNN by using the training data, wherein the LNN is configured to execute a probabilistic inference using the set of real-valued logic representations and one or more probability intervals associated with an atomic statement in a knowledge base to provide an interval conditional probability indicating that a first predicate condition is true based one or more alternative predicates being true, wherein the probabilistic inference comprises performing iterative message passing across nodes of a credal network representation of the LNN to update lower and upper probability bounds at the nodes, and terminating the iterative message passing responsive to detecting a convergence condition or expiration of a time limit.

9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions when executed cause the system to represent a truth value of each of the set of real-valued logic representations as a zero or a one value.

10 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions when executed cause the system to receive the set of first-order logic statements, and a set of intervals representing upper and lower bounds on one or more truth values of a set of ground predicates from the set of first-order logic statements.

11 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions when executed cause the system to set upper and lower bounds on one or more truth values of the set of real-valued logic representations in the knowledge base.

12 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions when executed cause the system to determine a probability of a ground predicate being true based on an alternative ground predicate being true.

13 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions when executed cause the system to:

ground a first-order logic based on a knowledge domain of a plurality of variables, wherein the LNN is a representation of the grounded first-order logic; and

construct the credal network representation associated with the LNN.

14 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the executable instructions when executed cause the system to apply the probabilistic inference to determine a set of solutions to one or more queries.

15 . A computer program product for providing enhanced automated reasoning in a computing environment, the computer program product comprising:

one or more computer readable storage media, and program instructions collectively stored on the one or more computer readable storage media, the program instruction comprising:

program instructions to execute machine learning logic to convert a set of first-order logic statements into a set of real-valued logic representations, wherein the set of real-valued logic representations are input as training data into a logical neural network (“LNN”); and

program instructions to generate the LNN by using the training data, wherein the LNN is configured to execute a probabilistic inference using the set of real-valued logic representations and one or more probability intervals associated with an atomic statement in a knowledge base to provide an interval conditional probability indicating that a first predicate condition is true based one or more alternative predicates being true, wherein the probabilistic inference comprises performing iterative message passing across nodes of a credal network representation of the LNN to update lower and upper probability bounds at the nodes, and terminating the iterative message passing responsive to detecting a convergence condition or expiration of a time limit.

16 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further including program instructions to represent a truth value of each of the set of real-valued logic representations as a zero or a one value.

17 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further including program instructions to receive the set of first-order logic statements, and a set of intervals representing upper and lower bounds on one or more truth values of a set of ground predicates from the set of first-order logic statements.

18 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further including program instructions to set upper and lower bounds on one or more truth values of the set of real-valued logic representations in the knowledge base.

19 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further including program instructions to determine a probability of a ground predicate being true based on an alternative ground predicate being true.

20 . The computer program product of claim 15 , further including program instructions to:

ground a first-order logic based on a knowledge domain of a plurality of variables, wherein the LNN is a representation of the grounded first-order logic; and

construct the credal network representation associated with the LNN.