State models for monitoring process

• US 20020152102A1
• Filed: 05/25/2000
• Published: 10/17/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Brodersen, Karen Cheung, Mazur, Andrzej P., Groves, Brian K., Yu, Jai-Jein, Yu, Michael Tsunghsi
• Granted Patent: US 6,665,648 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/042 using digital processors G05B19/05 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/045 using logic state machines, consisting only of a memory or a programmable logic device containing the logic for the controlled machine and in which the state of its outputs is dependent on the state of its inputs or part of its own output states, e.g. binary decision controllers, finite state controllers
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 19/41865 characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23255 Object oriented programming, OOP
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23261 Use control template library
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/23289 State logic control, finite state, tasks, machine, fsm
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32128 Gui graphical user interface
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32339 Object oriented modeling, design, analysis, implementation, simulation language
• CPC Class Codes: G05B 2219/32353 Use elementary control task, finite state machine and loop, inhibit, synchronisation connections
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063 Operations research, analysis or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 90/02 Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]

Abstract

System and method for preparing, using, and displaying a state model of a process, as an industrial or business process, as a sequence of discrete steps. The state model defines the behavior of the logical objects making up a process model of the process as (1) a set of permitted states and (2) a set of permitted transitions between the permitted states. The state model is created by selecting a template for the state model, and selecting industrial or business object components for the state model (for example, by using “OOP” methods or other programming paradigms). The user then selects or defines state transitions for the state model, for example, by defining permitted state transitions from a “from state” to a “to state”. The defined or selected state transition rules are identified to State Transition Rule names. That is, state transitions are associated to specific state transition rules, names, and conditions, and the state transition names and state transition rule names are enumerated. The specific state transition rules corresponding to the names are extracted from a database. The extracted states, transitions, and rules define the state machine execution engine. This state machine execution engine is used to process business models.

Claims

1. A method of preparing a state model defining the behavior of logical objects in a process model as a set of permitted states and a set of permitted transitions between the permitted states, and comprising the steps of:

(1) selecting a template for the state model;

(2) selecting business object components for the state model;

(3) selecting or defining state transitions for the state model;

(4) defining permitted state transitions from a “

from state”

to a “

to state”

with a State Transition Rule name;

(5) associating state transitions with state transition rules, names, and conditions;

(6) enumerating the state transition names and state transition rule names; and

(7) extracting the state transition rules from a database;

wherein said states, transitions, and extracted rules comprise a state machine execution engine; and

(8) processing a model through said state machine execution engine.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said state transition rules include prerequisites which must be met before the transition is permitted.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said state transition rules define authorized users for effecting a state transition.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein said objects are business objects that define a sales pipeline funnel model of a set of business deals.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein said sales pipeline funnel shows business deals being worked in different methodologies on a single sales pipeline graphic.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein said methodologies are chosen from the group consisting of telesales process deals, strategic deals, and standard process deals.

7. The method of claim 5 comprising grouping business deals by sales methodology.

8. The method of claim 5 comprising classifying deals.

9. The method of claim 8 comprising classifying deals as qualifying deals, working deals, and closing deals.

10. The method of claim 5 comprising creating a sales opportunity.

11. The method of claim 10 comprising creating a sales method.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising breaking the sales method into sales cycles within the sales method.

13. The method of claim 12 comprising breaking the sales cycles down into sales phases for each sales cycle.

14. The method of claim 11 comprising associating a sales method with a sales opportunity.

15. The method of claim 14 comprising advancing the sales opportunity based upon the associated sales method.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising sorting sales opportunities.

17. The method of claim 16 comprising sorting and grouping sales opportunities by at least one of sales methods, cycles, and phases.

18. The method of claim 17 comprising passing the data, grouped by one or more of sales method, sales cycle, and deal phase, to a charting engine, and from the charting engine to the Sales Pipeline Funnel Chart.

19. The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the state of deal as it moves from state to state.

20. The method of claim 19 comprising monitoring the state of a deal to determine additional actions with respect to the deal.

21. The method of claim 19 comprising assigning activity and assessment templates to a deal in process.

22. The method of claim 21 comprising assessing the deal using the assigned activity and assessment templates.

24. The system of claim 23 wherein at least one of said state transition rules include prerequisites which must be met before the transition is permitted.

25. The system of claim 23 wherein at least one of said state transition rules define authorized users for effecting a state transition.

26. The system of claim 23 wherein said objects are business objects defining a sales pipeline funnel model of a set of business deals.

27. The system of claim 26 wherein said sales pipeline funnel shows business deals being worked in different methodologies on a single sales pipeline graphic.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said methodologies are chosen from the group consisting of telesales process deals, strategic deals, and standard process deals.

29. The system of claim 27 wherein the system is configured to grouping business deals by sales methodology.

30. The system of claim 27 wherein the system is configured to classify deals.

31. The system of claim 30 wherein the system is configured to classify deals as qualifying deals, working deals, and closing deals.

32. The system of claim 27 wherein the system is configured to create a sales opportunity.

33. The system of claim 32 wherein the system is configured to create a sales method.

34. The system of claim 33 wherein the system is configured to break the sales method into sales cycles within the sales method.

35. The system of claim 34 wherein the system is configured to break the sales cycles down into sales phases for each sales cycle.

36. The system of claim 33 wherein the system is configured to associate a sales method with a sales opportunity.

37. The system of claim 36 wherein the system is configured to advance the sales opportunity based upon the associated sales method.

38. The system of claim 37 wherein the system is configured to sort sales opportunities.

39. The system of claim 38 wherein the system is configured to sort and group sales opportunities by at least one of sales methods, cycles, and phases.

40. The system of claim 39 wherein the system is configured to pass the data, grouped by one or more of sales method, sales cycle, and deal phase, to a charting engine, and from the charting engine to the Sales Pipeline Funnel Chart.

41. The system of claim 26 wherein the system is configured to monitor the state of deal as it moves from state to state.

42. The system of claim 41 wherein the system is configured to monitor the state of a deal to determine additional actions with respect to the deal.

43. The system of claim 41 wherein the system is configured to assign activity and assessment templates to a deal in process.

44. The system of claim 43 wherein the system is configured to assess the deal using the assigned activity and assessment templates.

23. A system running on at least one computer for preparing a state model defining the behavior of logical objects in a process as a set of permitted states and a set of permitted transitions between the permitted states, and said system configured to:

(1) select a template for the state model;

(2) select object components for the state model;

(3) select or define state transitions for the state model;

(4) define permitted state transitions from a “

from state”

to a “

to state”

with a State Transition Rule name;

(5) associate state transitions with state transition rules, names, and conditions;

(6) enumerate the state transition names and state transition rule names; and

(7) extract the state transition rules from a database;

wherein said states, transitions, and extracted rules comprise a state machine execution engine; and

(8) process a model through said state machine execution engine.