Systems and methods to program a computing system to process related events via workflows configured using a graphical user interface

• US 10,419,379 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2015
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Visa International Service Association (Visa, Inc.)
• Inventors: Celikyilmaz, Ilker, Spears, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): To, Jennifer N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fortino, Ashley M
• Application Number:
  US14/679,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20150288637A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,625 Days
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04842 Selection of displayed objects or displayed text elements G06F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04847 Interaction techniques to control parameter settings, e.g. interaction with sliders or dials
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/216 Handling conversation history, e.g. grouping of messages in sessions or threads

Abstract

Systems and methods configured to program processing logic of related events via the use of autonomous components connected via a message board, a graphical user interface for specifying a workflow among selected autonomous components, where each of the autonomous components is configured to process a pre-determined type of events, and the autonomous components are configured to monitor a message board for relevant messages, retrieve respective messages from the message board, process the retrieved messages independent of other autonomous components, and provide processing results via posting messages on the message board. The messages posted on the message board identify the relevant workflows to cause the autonomous components to process data in accordance with the workflows.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

providing, in a computing apparatus, a plurality of autonomous components;

providing, in the computing apparatus, a message board;

wherein each of the autonomous components operates independently from each other to process a pre-determined type of events via;

monitoring the message board to retrieve a message that the autonomous component is configured to detect;

retrieving the message from the message board independent of the message board itself and other autonomous components;

processing the message in the computing apparatus to generate processing results; and

providing the processing results via result messages posted on the message board;

providing, via the computing apparatus, a graphical user interface;

receiving, in the graphical user interface, a workflow input, the workflow input selecting a subset of the plurality of autonomous components, and specifying a flow among the subset of autonomous components;

generating, by the computing apparatus, a workflow from the workflow input;

storing, in the computing apparatus, the workflow;

receiving, in the computing apparatus, event inputs associated with events of predetermined types corresponding to predetermined types of the autonomous components; and

posting, in the message board, initial messages each identifying the workflow and a respective event input;

wherein the plurality of autonomous components independently monitor check the message board to detect messages that require services associated with the plurality of autonomous components and, in response to detecting the messages, process initial messages in accordance with the workflow, generate result messages, and post the result messages on the message board for further processing in accordance with the workflow.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the graphical user interface includes a workflow panel configured to present icons representing the subset of autonomous components, and receive user input defining flow directions among the subset of autonomous components.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the graphical user interface further includes an icon panel showing icons of autonomous components that can be selected into the workflow panel as part of the workflow.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein at least a portion of the icons of autonomous components are connected via flow lines in defining the workflow.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein at least one autonomous component in the subset is not connected via a flow line to other autonomous components in the workflow panel.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the workflow input includes a user selection of configuration options for a first autonomous component in the subset.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the user selection of the configuration options includes one or more selections of exposed services of the first autonomous component.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising:

presenting a user interface element selectable to export the exposed services into a web service definition language file.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the user selection of the configuration options includes one or more selections of substitute variables in an output of the first autonomous component.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein the user selection of the configuration options includes one or more specifications of custom data fields in an output of the first autonomous component.

11. The method of claim 6, wherein the user selection of the configuration options includes one or more selections of data objects provided by the first autonomous component.

12. The method of claim 6, wherein the first autonomous component is a transaction manager configured to produce a data object containing data of a payment transaction processed by a transaction handler in an electronic processing network in which the transaction handler interconnects one or more issuers and one or more acquirers.

13. The method of claim 6, wherein the first autonomous component is an enrollment manager configured to process enrollment of a customer in an offer or loyalty program defined by the workflow.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the first autonomous component is a notification manager configured to deliver a notification message to a customer in accordance with the workflow.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the first autonomous component is a discount manager configured to provide a discount to a payment transaction of a customer enrolled in an offer defined by the workflow.

16. A non-transitory computer storage medium storing instructions configured to instruct a computing apparatus to perform a method, the method comprising:

providing, in the computing apparatus, a plurality of autonomous components, wherein each of the autonomous components operates independently from each other to process a pre-determined type of events;

providing, in the computing apparatus, a message board;

monitoring the message board to retrieve a message that the autonomous component is configured to detect;

retrieving the message from the message board independent of the message board itself and other autonomous components;

processing the message in the computing apparatus to generate processing results; and

providing the processing results via result messages posted on the message board;

providing, via the computing apparatus, a graphical user interface;

receiving, in the graphical user interface a workflow input, the workflow input selecting a subset of the plurality of autonomous components, and specifying a flow among the subset of autonomous components;

generating, by the computing apparatus, a workflow from the workflow input;

storing, in the computing apparatus, the workflow;

receiving, in the computing apparatus, event inputs associated with events of predetermined types corresponding to predetermined types of the autonomous components; and

posting, in the message board, initial messages each identifying the workflow and a respective event input;

wherein the plurality of autonomous components independently monitor chock the message board to detect messages that require their services associated with the plurality of autonomous components and, in response to detecting the messages, process initial messages in accordance with the workflow, generate result messages, and post the result messages on the message board for further processing in accordance with the workflow.

17. A computing apparatus, comprising:

one or more computers configured as a plurality of autonomous components;

a message board coupled to the one or more computers;

wherein each of the autonomous components operates independently from each other to process a pre-determined type of events via;

monitoring the message board to retrieve a message that the autonomous component is configured to detect;

retrieving the message from the message board;

processing the message in the computing apparatus to generate processing results; and

providing the processing results via result messages posted on the message board;

a portal configured to provide a graphical user interface and receive, in the graphical user interface a workflow input, the workflow input selecting a subset of the plurality of autonomous components, and specifying a flow among the subset of autonomous components; and

a data warehouse configured to store a workflow generated from the workflow input;

wherein in response to event inputs associated with events of predetermined types corresponding to predetermined types of the autonomous components, the message board hosts initial messages each identifying the workflow and a respective event input, and the plurality of autonomous components independently monitor the message board to detect messages that require their services, process initial messages in accordance with the workflow, generate result messages, and post the result messages on the message board for further processing in accordance with the workflow.

18. The computing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the one or more computers includes a plurality of computers connected via a network;

and each of the plurality of autonomous components is implemented on at least a separate one of the plurality of computers.

19. The computing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the graphical user interface includes a first panel showing icons of autonomous components selectable to be part of the workflow;

and a second panel showing icons of autonomous components selected as part of the workflow and flow lines identifying flow directions among the autonomous components.

20. The computing apparatus of claim 17, wherein the subset of autonomous components includes a transaction manager configured to generate payment transaction data objects corresponding to payment transactions processed by a transaction handler of an electronic payment processing network, wherein the transaction manager is configured to receive transaction inputs from the transaction handler, generate the transaction data objects, and provide the transaction data objects for further processing by other autonomous components in the computing apparatus via posting messages in the message board.