An aspect of the present disclosure aims to reduce problems associated with data acquisition of a rule set. Systems and methods enabling a semantic reasoner to stage acquisition of data objects necessary to bring each of the rules stored in the knowledge base to a conclusion are disclosed. To that end, a dependency chain is constructed, identifying whether and how each rule depends on other rules. Based on the dependency chain, the rules are assigned to difference epochs and reasoning engine is configured to perform machine reasoning over rules of each epoch sequentially. Moreover, when processing rules of each epoch, data objects referenced by the rules assigned to a currently processed epoch are acquired according to a certain order established based on criteria such as e.g. cost of acquisition of data objects. Such an approach provides automatic determination and just-in-time acquisition of data objects required for semantic reasoning.
Please help me write a proper abstract based on the patent claims. CLAIM: 1. A method executed by a semantic reasoner in a system, the method comprising: constructing a dependency chain for a plurality of rules, the dependency chain identifying whether and how each rule of the plurality of rules depends on other rules of the plurality of rules; based on the dependency chain, assigning each rule of the plurality of rules to one epoch of a sequence of N epochs E1-EN, N being an integer equal to or greater than 2; and performing machine reasoning over the N epochs sequentially, wherein performing machine reasoning over each epoch comprises using one or more criteria to establish an order for acquiring one or more data objects referenced by one or more rules assigned to the epoch and acquiring the one or more data objects in the established order. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein: each rule of one or more rules assigned to a first epoch E1 of the sequence does not depend on any rules of the plurality of rules, and each rule of one or more rules assigned to an epoch subsequent to the first epoch E1 depends on at least one rule of an epoch immediately preceding the epoch in the sequence of N epochs. 3. The method according to claim 2, wherein performing machine reasoning over each epoch Ei, i being an integer equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or smaller than N, comprises steps of: (a) identifying one or more data objects referenced by all rules of the one or more rules of the epoch Ei that have not reached a conclusion, (b) using the one or more criteria to establish the order for acquiring one or more data objects of the data objects identified in step (a) that have not yet been acquired in the epoch Ei, wherein establishing the order comprises assigning each data object of the one or more data objects of the data objects identified in step (a) that have not yet been acquired in the epoch Ei to one group of an ordered set of one or more groups, (c) acquiring one or more data objects assigned to a group that is first in the ordered set of the one or more groups, and (d) using a reasoning engine to perform machine reasoning over one or more data objects acquired in step (c). 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein performing machine reasoning over the each epoch Ei further comprises: (e) following the machine reasoning of step (d), identifying which zero or more rules of the one or more rules of the epoch Ei have not reached a conclusion, and (f) iterating steps (a)-(e) until all rules of the one or more rules of the epoch Ei have reached a conclusion. 5. The method according to claim 3, wherein step (b) comprises identifying one or more atoms comprised within the one or more rules assigned to the epoch Ei, the one or more atoms referencing the plurality of data objects and determining, for each atom of the one or more atoms, a data source for acquiring one or more data objects referenced by the atom. 6. The method according to claim 5, wherein determining the data source for each atom comprises determining an XPath of YANG object that maps to the atom. 7. The method according to claim 6, wherein determining the XPath of YANG object that maps to the atom comprises determining the XPath of YANG object based on one or more YANG models of one or more network elements referenced by the plurality of rules, base ontology of a knowledge base comprising the plurality of rules, and a set of predefined mapping rules. 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein constructing the dependency chain comprises determining, for each rule of the plurality of rules, whether the rule depends on one or more other rules of the plurality of rules. 9. The method according to claim 8, wherein a first rule of the plurality of rules is determined to depend on a second rule of the plurality of rules when execution of the first rule depends on execution of the second rule. 10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the one or more criteria comprise one or more of a location of a data object in a memory, the data object having been acquired in one or more preceding epochs of the sequence, and an estimated cost of acquiring the data object. 11. One or more computer readable storage media encoded with software comprising computer executable instructions for a semantic reasoner in a system and, when the software is executed, operable to: construct a dependency chain for a plurality of rules, the dependency chain identifying whether and how each rule of the plurality of rules depends on other rules of the plurality of rules; based on the dependency chain, assign each rule of the plurality of rules to one epoch of a sequence of N epochs E1-EN, N being an integer equal to or greater than 2; and perform machine reasoning over the N epochs sequentially, wherein performing machine reasoning over each epoch comprises using one or more criteria to establish an order for acquiring one or more data objects referenced by one or more rules assigned to the epoch and acquiring the one or more data objects in the established order. 12. The one or more computer readable storage media according to claim 11, wherein: each rule of one or more rules assigned to a first epoch E1 of the sequence does not depend on any rules of the plurality of rules, and each rule of one or more rules assigned to an epoch subsequent to the first epoch E1 depends on at least one rule of an epoch immediately preceding the epoch in the sequence of N epochs. 13. The one or more computer readable storage media according to claim 12, wherein performing machine reasoning over each epoch Ei, i being an integer equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or smaller than N, comprises steps of: (a) identifying one or more data objects referenced by all rules of the one or more rules of the epoch Ei that have not reached a conclusion, (b) using the one or more criteria to establish the order for acquiring one or more data objects of the data objects identified in step (a) that have not yet been acquired in the epoch Ei, wherein establishing the order comprises assigning each data object of the one or more data objects of the data objects identified in step (a) that have not yet been acquired in the epoch Ei to one group of an ordered set of one or more groups, (c) acquiring one or more data objects assigned to a group that is first in the ordered set of the one or more groups, and (d) using a reasoning engine to perform machine reasoning over one or more data objects acquired in step (c). 14. The one or more computer readable storage media according to claim 13, wherein performing machine reasoning over the each epoch Ei further comprises: (e) following the machine reasoning of step (d), identifying which zero or more rules of the one or more rules of the epoch Ei have not reached a conclusion, and (f) iterating steps (a)-(e) until all rules of the one or more rules of the epoch Ei have reached a conclusion. 15. The one or more computer readable storage media according to claim 13, wherein step (b) comprises identifying one or more atoms comprised within the one or more rules assigned to the epoch Ei, the one or more atoms referencing the plurality of data objects and determining, for each atom of the one or more atoms, a data source for acquiring one or more data objects referenced by the atom. 16. A system for enabling semantic reasoning, the system comprising: at least one memory configured to store computer executable instructions, and at least one processor coupled to the at least one memory and configured, when executing the instructions, to: construct a dependency chain for a plurality of rules, the dependency chain identifying whether and how each rule of the plurality of rules depends on other rules of the plurality of rules; based on the dependency chain, assign each rule of the plurality of rules to one epoch of a sequence of N epochs E1-EN, N being an integer equal to or greater than 2; and perform machine reasoning over the N epochs sequentially, wherein performing machine reasoning over each epoch comprises using one or more criteria to establish an order for acquiring one or more data objects referenced by one or more rules assigned to the epoch and acquiring the one or more data objects in the established order. 17. The system according to claim 16, wherein: each rule of one or more rules assigned to a first epoch E1 of the sequence does not depend on any rules of the plurality of rules, and each rule of one or more rules assigned to an epoch subsequent to the first epoch E1 depends on at least one rule of an epoch immediately preceding the epoch in the sequence of N epochs. 18. The system according to claim 17, wherein performing machine reasoning over each epoch Ei, i being an integer equal to or greater than 1 and equal to or smaller than N, comprises steps of: (a) identifying one or more data objects referenced by all rules of the one or more rules of the epoch Ei that have not reached a conclusion, (b) using the one or more criteria to establish the order for acquiring one or more data objects of the data objects identified in step (a) that have not yet been acquired in the epoch Ei, wherein establishing the order comprises assigning each data object of the one or more data objects of the data objects identified in step (a) that have not yet been acquired in the epoch Ei to one group of an ordered set of one or more groups, (c) acquiring one or more data objects assigned to a group that is first in the ordered set of the one or more groups, and (d) using a reasoning engine to perform machine reasoning over one or more data objects acquired in step (c). 19. The system according to claim 18, wherein performing machine reasoning over the each epoch Ei further comprises: (e) following the machine reasoning of step (d), identifying which zero or more rules of the one or more rules of the epoch Ei have not reached a conclusion, and (f) iterating steps (a)-(e) until all rules of the one or more rules of the epoch Ei have reached a conclusion. 20. The system according to claim 18, wherein step (b) comprises identifying one or more atoms comprised within the one or more rules assigned to the epoch Ei, the one or more atoms referencing the plurality of data objects and determining, for each atom of the one or more atoms, a data source for acquiring one or more data objects referenced by the atom.