System for enterprise-wide work flow automation
First Claim
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1. A method of providing services in a work flow system, comprising steps of:
- providing a computer network;
defining a first work flow class, the first work flow class definition including definitions of classes of objects available within the work flow system and an identification of a service to be provided by an instance of the first work flow class; and
defining a second work flow class, the second work flow class including the first work flow class definition, the first work flow class definition providing a defined interface for accessing services provided by the instance of the first work flow class to an instance of the second work flow class.
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus are provided for a enterprise-wide work flow system that may encompass multiple geographically separate sites. The sites may be either permanently or transiently linked. A single computer network may accommodate multiple work flow systems and a single work flow system may be distributed over multiple local area networks. The system maintains the paradigm of one global queue per service and provides for individual work flow systems to export services to one another in an enterprise.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A method of providing services in a work flow system, comprising steps of:
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providing a computer network;
defining a first work flow class, the first work flow class definition including definitions of classes of objects available within the work flow system and an identification of a service to be provided by an instance of the first work flow class; and
defining a second work flow class, the second work flow class including the first work flow class definition, the first work flow class definition providing a defined interface for accessing services provided by the instance of the first work flow class to an instance of the second work flow class. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. a method of distributing objects within a work flow system, the method comprising steps of:
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associating a partition expression with each potential destination of a work object within the work flow system;
evaluating each partition expression; and
distributing the work object to a destination responsive to the evaluated value of the corresponding partition expression. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method of distributing objects within a work flow system, the method comprising steps of:
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providing a predetermined partition table, the partition table comprising a plurality of entries, each one of the plurality of entries including a partition expression and a destination associated with an evaluated value of the partition expression;
evaluating the partition expression for each of the plurality of entries;
selecting one of the plurality of entries responsive to the value of the partition expression for that entry evaluating to a predetermined value; and
distributing the object to the destination associated with the selected one of the plurality of entries. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13)
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14. A method of distributing an object in a computer environment comprising a plurality of interconnected computer networks, wherein the object is to be sent from a local network to a remote network, the method comprising the steps of:
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providing each computer network with a queue for storing objects destined for the remote network;
circulating a load balancing work object through the interconnected computer networks such that the load balancing work object visits each of the networks at least once;
selectively embarking information relating to work objects stored in the queue into the load balancing work object when the load balancing work object visits the local network; and
selectively debarking information relating to work objects from the load balancing work object when the load balancing work object visits the remote network. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. Apparatus for processing data comprising:
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a plurality of computers interconnected to form a computer network, wherein the plurality of computers are programmed with first and second routines to process the data; and
at least one computer programmed to associate with each one of the first and second routines a logical expression, to select one of the first and second routines responsive to the associated logical expression being true, and sending the data to the selected routine. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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Specification