Data-driven rules are eliminated from an application, and replaced with goal-driven rules that formally and completely characterize high-level business concepts, while enabling the resulting goal-driven rules to be executed eagerly using a forward chaining rule engine in a way that preserves the data-driven behavior of the original rules. A computer-implemented method for executing business rules provides a unified rule that encapsulates a goal-oriented rule with triggering information selected from dependencies of the goal-oriented rule. The unified rule may be eagerly executed in response to changes in data specified by the dependencies, or lazily executed in response to a request for the value computed by the rule.
Please help me write a proper abstract based on the patent claims. CLAIM: 1. A computer-implemented method for authoring business rules, the method comprising: enabling creation of a goal-driven rule using an authoring system; and transforming the goal-driven rule into a rule annotated with triggering information executable using a rule engine. 2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the authoring system includes a text editor. 3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising; executing the annotated rule to determine a business measure. 4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: initiating communication with a customer based on execution of the annotated rule. 5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the triggering information comprises one or more paths referenced in the body of the rule, and wherein the triggering information triggers the rule engine to execute the rule in response to a change to a value of the one or more paths. 6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: receiving annotations via the authoring system. 7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the rule engine is a forward-chaining rule engine. 8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the rule engine is a hybrid rule engine. 9. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising: analyzing one or more terms in the body of the goal-driven rule; and determining one or more dependencies of the goal-driven rule based on the analyzed terms. 10. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, further comprising: analyzing one or more dependencies of the goal-driven rule; and deriving one or more triggering conditions for the forward-chaining rule based on the analyzed dependencies. 11. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, further comprising: analyzing one or more dependencies of the goal-driven rule; and deriving one or more triggering conditions for the hybrid rule based on the analyzed dependencies. 12. A non-transitory, computer-readable medium storing instructions for execution by a processor to perform a method for authoring business rules, the method comprising: enabling creation of a goal-driven rule using an authoring system; and transforming the goal-driven rule into a rule annotated with triggering information executable using a rule engine. 13. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises: executing the annotated rule to determine a business measure. 14. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the method further comprises: initiating communication with a customer based on execution of the annotated rule. 15. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the rule engine is a forward-chaining rule engine. 16. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 12, wherein the rule engine is a hybrid rule engine. 17. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises: analyzing one or more terms in the body of the goal-driven rule; and determining one or more dependencies of the goal-driven rule based on the analyzed terms. 18. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the method further comprises: analyzing one or more dependencies of the goal-driven rule; and deriving one or more triggering conditions for the forward-chaining rule based on the analyzed dependencies. 19. The non-transitory, computer-readable medium of claim 35, wherein the method further comprises: analyzing one or more dependencies of the goal-driven rule; and deriving one or more triggering conditions for the hybrid rule based on the analyzed dependencies. 20. A system for authoring business rules, comprising: a memory storing instructions; and a processor configured to execute the instructions to: enable creation of a goal-driven rule using an authoring system; and transform the goal-driven rule into a rule annotated with triggering information executable using a rule engine.