Workflow management method and workflow management system of controlling workflow process
First Claim
1. A workflow management method for previously defining a plurality of states and transitions between the states as a process definition to process a state transition for a process instance in response to an inputted state transition request, said method comprising:
- a synchronous processing step for processing a state transition for a process instance during an interval of from accepting of said inputted state transition request to return of a response;
an asynchronous processing step for processing a state transition for a process instance after said inputted state transition request is accepted and a response is returned; and
a selecting step for selecting said synchronous processing step or said asynchronous processing step for execution based on inputted selection information, as a state transition process for a process instance associated for said inputted state transition request.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A workflow management system has synchronousness information, which can be set by a process definition tool in a process definition, for specifying a processing mode for calling a state transition request application programming interface (API). The synchronousness is controlled using a state transition request synchronous process program and a state transition request asynchronous process program. The synchronous process program processes a state transition in a synchronous processing mode in which the state transition is processed from receipt of an inputted state transition request to return of a response. The asynchronous process program processes a state transition in an asynchronous processing mode in which a state transition for a process instance is processed after an inputted state transition request is received and a response is returned. The synchronousness information is referenced to determine whether a state transition is processed in the synchronous or asynchronous processing mode.
-
Citations
25 Claims
-
1. A workflow management method for previously defining a plurality of states and transitions between the states as a process definition to process a state transition for a process instance in response to an inputted state transition request, said method comprising:
-
a synchronous processing step for processing a state transition for a process instance during an interval of from accepting of said inputted state transition request to return of a response;
an asynchronous processing step for processing a state transition for a process instance after said inputted state transition request is accepted and a response is returned; and
a selecting step for selecting said synchronous processing step or said asynchronous processing step for execution based on inputted selection information, as a state transition process for a process instance associated for said inputted state transition request. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
-
-
10. A workflow management apparatus for previously defining a plurality of states possibly taken by a process instance, and transitions between the states as a process definition to process a state transition for the process instance in response to an inputted state transition request, said apparatus comprising:
-
synchronous processing means for processing a state transition for a process instance during an interval of from accepting of said inputted state transition request to return of a response;
asynchronous processing means for processing a state transition for a process instance after said inputted state transition request is accepted and a response is returned; and
selecting means for selecting said synchronous processing means or said asynchronous processing means for execution based on inputted selection information, as a state transition process for a process instance associated for said inputted state transition request.
-
-
11. A computer readable recording medium having stored thereon a workflow management program for previously defining a plurality of states possibly taken by a process instance, and transitions between the states as a process definition to process a state transition for the process instance in response to an inputted state transition request, said program comprising:
-
a synchronous processing step for processing a state transition for a process instance from receipt of said inputted state transition request to return of a response;
an asynchronous processing step for processing a state transition for a process instance after said inputted state transition request is accepted and a response is returned; and
an executing step for selecting said synchronous processing step or said asynchronous processing step for execution based on inputted selection information as a state transition process for a process instance associated for said inputted state transition request. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
-
-
12. A workflow management method comprising the steps of:
-
previously defining a plurality of states possibly taken by a process instance, and transitions between the states as a process definition;
inputting a state transition request; and
controlling execution of a state transition process for a process instance associated for said inputted state transition request based on inputted transition process control information.
-
-
25. A computer-implemented workflow management program for previously defining a plurality of states possibly taken by a process instance, and transitions between the states as a process definition to process a state transition for the process instance in response to an input state transition request, said program causing the computer to perform:
-
synchronously processing a state transition for a process instance from receipt of said inputted state transition request to return of a response;
causing the computer to perform asynchronously processing a state transition for a process instance after said inputted state transition request is accepted and a response is returned; and
causing the computer to perform selecting said synchronous processing or said asynchronous processing for execution based on inputted selection information as a state transition process for a process instance associated for said input state transition request.
-
Specification