Business process workflow system

• US 10,055,202 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2014
• Issued: 08/21/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 02/13/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sandhills Global, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sandhills Publishing Co.
• Inventors: Peed, Thomas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew S
• Assistant Examiner(s): Swartz, Stephen S
• Application Number:
  US14/179,318
• Publication Number:
  US 20140229227A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,651 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/35 model driven
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a description associated with a business process workflow via a graphical user interface, the description comprising a process flow diagram; and causing a processor to generate at least one of a software application or a natural language description of the business process workflow based upon the description.

Claims

1. A method of providing a service for defining and managing a business process workflow, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a hierarchical visual management tool implemented in a processor and operable to manage and update relational information within a hierarchy,

wherein the relational information comprises identification of one or more users involved in a business process, information to be conveyed to one or more users, a decision to be received from one or more users, an authorization to be received from one or more users, work product to be produced by one or more users, and a work product template;

further wherein the relational information are manipulated by a user via a plurality of graphic user interface icons graphicly indicating specific business process steps;

wherein each of the plurality of graphic user interface icons are associated with specific business process steps;

further wherein each of the plurality of graphic user interface icons are selectable to define a business process workflow;

embedding first embedded data within a first graphic user interface, wherein the first embedded data identifies at least a first user involved in the selected business process;

embedding second embedded data within a second graphic user interface, wherein the second embedded data identifies a decision to be received by the first user;

embedding third embedded data within a third graphic user interface, wherein the third embedded data is comprised of identification of an authorization to be received from a second user;

embedding fourth embedded data within a fourth graphic user interface, wherein the fourth embedded data is comprised of data identifying a first work product to be produced by a third user;

embedding fifth embedded data within a fifth graphic user interface, wherein the fifth embedded data identifying a work product template;

receiving embedded data from the selection of one or more of the plurality of graphic user interface icons;

transforming the received embedded data into a plurality of business process workflow functions;

transforming the business process workflow functions into a natural language textual description of the business process flow;

generating a plurality of API document calls based on received embedded data and one or more of the plurality of business process workflow functions;

receiving a plurality of API responses containing API response data;

producing an HTML form, wherein the HTML form is created based at least in part on the received embedded data, and at least one business process workflow function; and

generating an input form for required HTML form data, wherein the input form is generated based at least in part using embedded data, API response data and at least one business process workflow function.