Integration of cloud-based services to create custom business processes

• US 10,261,677 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2015
• Issued: 04/16/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/26/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Okta Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Azuqua, Inc. (Okta Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hasija, Nikhil, Unger, Craig Howard
• Primary Examiner(s): Elfervig, Taylor A
• Application Number:
  US14/953,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20160253079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,233 Days
• Field of Search: 709223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/958 Organisation or management of web site content, e.g. publishing, maintaining pages or automatic linking
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0482 Interaction with lists of selectable items, e.g. menus
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/166 Editing, e.g. inserting or deleting
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/30 Creation or generation of source code
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/31 Programming languages or programming paradigms
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0813 characterised by the conditions triggering a change of settings
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/0823 characterised by the purposes of a change of settings, e.g. optimising configuration for enhancing reliability for optimising operational conditions of wireless networks H04W24/02
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/22 comprising specially adapted graphical user interfaces [GUI]
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/50 Network service management, e.g. ensuring proper service fulfilment according to agreements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 41/5041 characterised by the time relationship between creation and deployment of a service
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/10 in which an application is distributed across nodes in the network software deployment G06F8/60; multiprogramming arrangements G06F9/46
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 21/458 Scheduling content for creating a personalised stream, e.g. by combining a locally stored advertisement with an incoming stream; Updating operations, e.g. for OS modules ; time-related management operations arrangements for replacing or switching information during the broadcast or during the distribution H04H20/10

Abstract

Embodiments are directed towards integrating cloud-based services to create custom business processes. A process flow may be generated to perform a custom business process. The process flow may include service channels such that the service channels are coupled together by flow fields to create a custom business process. If event information is provided, one or more service channels may be determined or based on the event information and configuration information associated with the service channels. The event information may be provided to one or more input flow fields of the service channels. Result information may be generated by the service channels based on the event information and the configuration information. The result information may be provided to output flow fields of the service channels. Also, the result information may be forwarded to input flow fields of a next service channel.

Claims

1. A method for managing online computer services using a network computer that includes a plurality of processors, wherein one or more of the processors execute logic to perform actions, comprising:

instantiating a display of a plurality of card user-interfaces, wherein each card user-interface corresponds to one of a plurality of service channels for a process flow, and wherein each card user interface includes a configuration back side of a visual representation of a card that displays and provides editable configuration information for a corresponding service channel and further includes an opposite flow front side of a visual representation of the same card that displays one or more output flow fields, and wherein each card user-interface flips the visual representation of the card to the flow front side only after enough edits occur to the configuration information through the visual representation of the card'"'"'s back side to define and bi-directionally map at least a portion of the one or more output flow fields to one or more input flow fields of the corresponding service channel on the configuration back side of the same card; and

in response to providing event information to the process flow, the plurality of processors perform further actions for the plurality of service channels, including;

providing a portion of the event information to one or more input flow fields of one or more of the plurality of service channels, wherein configuration information for the one or more service channels is employed to determine the portion of the event information that is provided to the one or more service channels of the process flow;

providing result information to the one or more output flow fields of the one or more of the plurality of service channels based on the event information;

providing a coupling of the result information to one or more next input fields of one or more next service channels of the process flow from a separate portion of the plurality of service channels based on the result information; and

employing the coupling of the one or more service channels to the one or more next service channels in a chain configuration to generate a custom version of the process flow for a user.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving data from one or more remote service provider computers; and

employing the data to provide configure one or more of the plurality of card user-interfaces.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the result information is provided to the one or more input flow fields of the one or more next service channels, and wherein next result information is provided using the one or more next service channels based on the previously provided result information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the providing of the one or more next service channels further comprises identifying when the separate portion of the plurality of service channels are linked to one or more output flow fields of the one or more of the plurality of service channels.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

communicating a request for meta-data to one or more remote service provider computers;

providing one or more configuration fields of the plurality of service channels based on meta-data provided by one or more remote service provider computers;

and

enabling a user to configure the plurality of service channels using the one or more configuration fields.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

displaying one or more configuration fields correspondent to the one or more of the plurality service channels, wherein the one or more configuration fields are displayed on a secondary display corresponding to a primary display for the one or more service channel card user-nterfaces; and

when configuration information is edited for the one or more configuration fields in the secondary display of the one or more of the service channel card user-interfaces, displaying the primary display of the one or more service channel card user-interfaces having one or more input flow fields or output flow fields that correspond to the one or more edited configuration fields.

7. A system for managing online computer services over a network, comprising:

a network computer, comprising;

a transceiver that communicates over the network;

a memory that stores logic; and

a plurality of processors, wherein one or more of the processors execute the logic to perform actions, including;

instantiating a display of a plurality of card user-interfaces, wherein each card user-interface corresponds to one of a plurality of service channels for a process flow, and wherein each card user interface includes a configuration back side of a visual representation of a card that displays and provides editable configuration information for a corresponding service channel and further includes an opposite flow front side of a visual representation of the same card that displays one or more output flow fields, and wherein each card user-interface flips the visual representation of the card to the flow front side only after enough edits occur to the configuration information through the visual representation of the card'"'"'s back side to define and bi-directionally map at least a portion of the one or more output flow fields to one or more input flow fields of the corresponding service channel on the configuration back side of the same card; and

in response to providing event information to the process flow, the plurality of processors perform further actions for the plurality of service channels, including;

providing a portion of the event information to one or more input flow fields of one or more of the plurality of service channels, wherein configuration information for the one or more service channels is employed to determine the portion of the event information that is provided to the one or more service channels of the process flow;

providing result information to the one or more output flow fields of the one or more of the plurality of service channels based on the event information;

providing a coupling of the result information to one or more next input fields of one or more next service channels of the process flow from a separate portion of the plurality of service channels based on the result information; and

employing the coupling of the one or more service channels to the one or more next service channels in a chain configuration to generate custom version of the process flow for a user; and

a client computer, comprising;

a transceiver that communicates over the network;

a memory that stores logic; and

a plurality of processors, wherein one or more of the plurality of processors execute the logic to perform actions, including;

configuring the plurality of service channels; and

displaying the process flow on a display.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein one or more of the plurality of processors for the network computer perform further actions, including:

receiving data from one or more remote service provider computers; and

employing the data to configure one or more of the plurality of card user-interfaces.

9. The system of claim 7, wherein the result information is provided to the one or more input flow fields of the one or more next service channels, and wherein next result information is provided using the one or more next service channels based on the previously provided result information.

10. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more of the plurality of processors for the network computer perform further actions, including:

communicating a request for meta-data to one or more remote service provider computers;

providing one or more configuration fields of the plurality of service channels based on meta-data provided by one or more remote service provider computers;

and

enabling a user to configure the plurality of service channels using the one or more configuration fields.

11. The system of claim 7, wherein the one or more of the plurality of processors for the client computer perform further actions, including:

displaying one or more configuration fields correspondent to the one or more of the plurality service channels, wherein the one or more configuration fields are displayed on a secondary display corresponding to a primary display for the one or more service channel card user-interfaces; and

when configuration information is edited for the one or more configuration fields in the secondary display of the one or more of the service channel card user-interfaces, displaying the primary display of the one or more service channel card user-interfaces having one or more input flow fields or output flow fields that correspond to the one or more edited configuration fields.

12. A processor readable non-transitory storage media that includes logic for managing online computer services, wherein one or more of a plurality of processors execute the logic to perform actions, comprising:

instantiating a display of a plurality of card user-interfaces, wherein each card user-interface corresponds to one of a plurality of service channels for a process flow, and wherein each card user interface includes a configuration back side of a visual representation of a card that displays and provides editable configuration information for a corresponding service channel and further includes an opposite flow front side of a visual representation of the same card that displays one or more output flow fields, and wherein each card user-interface flips the visual representation of the card to the flow front side only after enough edits occur to the configuration information through the visual representation of the card'"'"'s back side to define and bi-directionally map at least a portion of the one or more output flow fields to one or more input flow fields of the corresponding service channel on the configuration back side of the same card; and

in response to providing event information to the process flow, the plurality of processors perform further actions for the plurality of service channels, including;

providing a portion of the event information to one or more input flow fields of one or more of the plurality of service channels, wherein configuration information for the one or more service channels is employed to determine the portion of the event information that is provided to the one or more service channels of the process flow;

providing result information to the one or more output flow fields of the one or more of the plurality of service channels based on the event information;

providing a coupling of the result information to one or more next input fields of one or more next service channels of the process flow from a separate portion of the plurality of service channels based on the result information; and

employing the coupling of the one or more service channels to the one or more next service channels in a chain configuration to generate a custom version of the process flow for a user.

13. The media of claim 12, further comprising:

receiving data from one or more remote service provider computers; and

employing the data to provide configure one or more of the plurality of card user-interfaces.

14. The media of claim 12, wherein the result information is provided to the one or more input flow fields of the one or more next service channels, and wherein next result information is provided using the one or more next service channels based on the previously provided result information.

15. The media of claim 12, wherein the providing of the one or more next service channels further comprises identifying when the separate portion of the plurality of service channels are linked to one or more output flow fields of the one or more of the plurality of service channels.

16. The media of claim 12, further comprising:

communicating a request for meta-data to one or more remote service provider computers;

providing one or more configuration fields of the plurality of service channels based on meta-data provided by one or more remote service provider computers;

and

enabling a user to configure the plurality of service channels using the one or more configuration fields.

17. The media of claim 12, further comprising:

displaying one or more configuration fields correspondent to the one or more of the plurality service channels, wherein the one or more configuration fields are displayed on a secondary display corresponding to a primary display for the one or more service channel card user-interfaces; and

when configuration information is edited for the one or more configuration fields in the secondary display of the one or more of the service channel card user-interfaces, displaying the primary display of the one or more service channel card user-interfaces having one or more input flow fields or output flow fields that correspond to the one or more edited configuration fields.

18. A network computer for managing online computer services, comprising:

a transceiver that communicates over the network;

a memory that stores logic; and

a plurality of processors, wherein one or more of the processors execute the logic to perform actions, including;

instantiating a display of a plurality of card user-interfaces, wherein each card user-interface corresponds to one of a plurality of service channels for a process flow, and wherein each card user interface includes a configuration back side of a visual representation of a card that displays and provides editable configuration information for a corresponding service channel and further includes an opposite flow front side of a visual representation of the same card that displays one or more output flow fields, and wherein each card user-interface flips the visual representation of the card to the flow front side only after enough edits occur to the configuration information through the visual representation of the card'"'"'s back side to define and bi-directionally map at least a portion of the one or more output flow fields to one or more input flow fields of the corresponding service channel on the configuration back side of the same card; and

in response to providing event information to the process flow, the plurality of processors perform further actions for the plurality of service channels, including;

providing a portion of the event information to one or more input flow fields of one or more of the plurality of service channels, wherein configuration information for the one or more service channels is employed to determine the portion of the event information that is provided to the one or more service channels of the process flow;

providing result information to the one or more output flow fields of the one or more of the plurality of service channels based on the event information;

providing a coupling of the result information to one or more next input fields of one or more next service channels of the process flow from a separate portion of the plurality of service channels based on the result information; and

employing the coupling of the one or more service channels to the one or more next service channels in a chain configuration to generate a custom version of the process flow for a user.

19. The network computer of claim 18, further comprising:

receiving data from one or more remote service provider computers; and

employing the data to provide configure one or more of the plurality of card user-interfaces.

20. The network computer of claim 18, wherein the result information is provided to the one or more input flow fields of the one or more next service channels, and wherein next result information is provided using the one or more next service channels based on the previously provided result information.

21. The network computer of claim 18, wherein the providing of the one or more next service channels further comprises identifying when the separate portion of the plurality of service channels are linked to one or more output flow fields of the one or more of the plurality of service channels.

22. The network computer of claim 18, further comprising:

communicating a request for meta-data to one or more remote service provider computers;

providing one or more configuration fields of the plurality of service channels based on meta-data provided by one or more remote service provider computers;

and

enabling a user to configure the plurality of service channels using the one or more configuration fields.

23. The network computer of claim 18, further comprising:

displaying one or more configuration fields correspondent to the one or more of the plurality service channels, wherein the one or more configuration fields are displayed on a secondary display corresponding to a primary display for the one or more service channel card user-interfaces; and

when configuration information is edited for the one or more configuration fields in the secondary display of the one or more of the service channel card user-interfaces, displaying the primary display of the one or more service channel card user-interfaces having one or more input flow fields or output flow fields that correspond to the one or more edited configuration fields.