Activity monitoring without accessing a process object

• US 20050114187A1
• Filed: 11/12/2004
• Published: 05/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Tanaka, Yohsuke, Shimizu, Sari, Adachi, Hisatoshi, Osaka, Yoshihiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,441,249 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Disclosed is a method, apparatus, and program product that allows for monitoring of the progress of process without alterations to the existing application. There are provided a mapping logic generating unit 14 that refers to a mapping definition stored in a mapping definition storage unit 11 for mapping an object flow event to a control flow event, generates a mapping logic for identifying a control flow event mapped to an object flow event, and stores the mapping logic in a mapping logic storage unit 16; a log logic generator unit 15 that refers to a process definition stored in a process definition storage unit 12 for mapping a control flow event to monitoring log information, generates a log logic for providing a monitoring log of control flow events, and stores the log logic in a log logic storage unit 17; and a logic skeleton composer unit 18 that embeds a mapping logic and a log logic into a skeleton stored in a skeleton storage unit 13.

Claims

1. A method applied to a business process integration system which is equipped with a first and a second information processing systems and a message switching system, the method comprising the steps of:

exchanging messages between the first and the second information processing systems through the message switching system and thereby performing a certain business process; and

judging the progress of the business process based on a message exchanged.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of acquiring a message from the message switching system before executing the judging step.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising the step of recording the progress of the business process after executing the judging step.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the recording step is recording the progress of the business process as a log.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the business process includes one or more operating units processed by the first information processing system and wherein the judging step is judging the progress of the operating unit based on the message exchanged.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the judging step is judging a start and/or an end of the operating unit based on the message exchanged.

7. The method according to claim 6, wherein the operating unit includes, at least in part, an activity performed by an individual.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the business process includes two or more operating units processed by the first information processing system.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the business process includes an operating unit processed with a certain application in the first information processing system, the application not having a progress monitoring function.

10. The method according to claim 1, wherein the business process includes two or more operating units;

some operating units are processed by the first information processing system, and other operating units are processed by the second information processing system.

11. A converting mechanism applied to a business process integration system, the business process integration system being equipped with first and second information processing systems and a message switching system, the business process integration system exchanging messages between the first and the second information processing systems through the message switching system and thereby performing a certain business process;

and

a judging mechanism for judging the progress of the business process based on the message exchanged.

12. The converting apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising an acquiring part for acquiring a message from the message switching system.

13. The converting apparatus according to claim 11, further comprising a recording part for recording the progress of the business process.

14. A program product, the program product comprising:

computer readable media; and

a converting mechanism stored on the computer readable media, the converting mechanism being applied to a business process integration system, the business process integration system being equipped with first and second information processing systems and a message switching system, the business process integration system exchanging messages between the first and the second information processing systems through the message switching system and thereby performing a certain business process; and

a judging mechanism also stored on the computer readable media, the judging mechanism being used for judging the progress of the business process based on the message exchanged.

15. The program product according to claim 14, further comprising an acquiring part for acquiring a message from the message switching system.

16. The program product according to claim 14, further comprising a recording part for recording the progress of the business process.