Method and apparatus for dataflow creation and execution

• US 20050160398A1
• Filed: 11/22/2004
• Published: 07/21/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DataCloud Technologies, LLC (IP Investments Group LLC)
• Original Assignee: Langtree Assets LLC (Intellectual Ventures LLC)
• Inventors: Weston, Stephen B., Sherman, Andrew H., Wing, James Edwin, Bjornson, Robert Dean, McCusker, James Patrick III
• Granted Patent: US 7,634,756 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method for creating and executing a computer workflow using a graphical user interface. A plurality of executable components is defined wherein the executable components are based on an input, an output, metadata and a sub-interpreter. Each of the executable components represents a computer-implemented computational process that is performed on one or more inputs to the executable component and that generates one or more outputs based on a predefined computational algorithm. A graphical user interface is defined that allows a user to visually create the computer workflow on a user display by selecting from a library of said executable components. The user graphically connects one or more input terminals of selected executable components with one or more output terminals of second selected executable components. For each selected executable component, the one or more input terminals graphically correspond to the one or more inputs to the predefined computational algorithm associated with the executable component. The one or more output terminals graphically correspond to the one or more outputs generated by the predefined computational algorithm associated with the executable component.

Claims

1. A method for creating and executing a computer workflow, comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a plurality of executable components based on an input, an output, metadata and a sub-interpreter, each of said executable components representing a computer-implemented computational process that is performed on one or more inputs to the executable component and that generates one or more outputs based on a predefined computational algorithm; and

(b) providing a graphical user interface that allows a user to visually create the computer workflow on a user display by selecting from a library of said executable components, and graphically connecting one or more input terminals of selected executable components with one or more output terminals of second selected executable components;

wherein, for each selected executable component, the one or more input terminals graphically correspond to the one or more inputs to the predefined computational algorithm associated with the executable component, and the one or more output terminals graphically correspond to the one or more outputs generated by the predefined computational algorithm associated with the executable component;

wherein at least one selected executable component comprises a splitter component having one or more splitter input terminals that graphically correspond to a splitter input to a splitter algorithm associated with the one splitter component, each splitter input terminal receiving its splitter input at a single splitter input time, and one or more splitter output terminals that graphically correspond to a splitter output generated by the splitter algorithm associated with the splitter component, said splitter output terminals producing splitter output at a plurality of splitter output times;

said splitter output comprising a plurality of consistent splitter output sets, wherein each splitter output terminal produces a splitter output;

said splitter algorithm associated with the splitter component generating the consistent splitter output sets in a specific order by operating on the splitter input, wherein each consistent splitter output set flows separately downstream to one or more other selected executable components;

wherein, for each of the splitter components, there is at least one joiner component associated with the splitter component having one or more joiner input terminals that graphically correspond to a joiner input to a joiner algorithm associated with the joiner component, each joiner input terminal receiving joiner input at a plurality of joiner input times, and one or more joiner output terminals that graphically correspond to a joiner output generated by the joiner algorithm associated with the joiner component,

said joiner input comprising a plurality of consistent joiner input sets, wherein each joiner input terminal receives a joiner input;

wherein, for each of the consistent splitter output sets generated by the splitter algorithm associated with the associated splitter component, exactly one consistent joiner input set arrives at the joiner input terminals of the joiner component; and

wherein, the joiner algorithm associated with the joiner component produces a single joiner output at its joiner output terminals upon completed execution of said joiner algorithm, the joiner output terminals producing the joiner output at a single joiner output time.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising,

the joiner algorithm associated with the joiner component beginning execution when a first consistent joiner input set arrives at the joiner input terminals,

said first consistent joiner input set associated with a first in order consistent splitter output set generated by the splitter algorithm associated with the associated splitter component;

said joiner algorithm continuing to execute as and when a next consistent joiner input set arrives at the joiner input terminals,

said next consistent joiner input set corresponding to a next in order consistent splitter output set generated by the splitter algorithm associated with the splitter component;

said joiner algorithm completing execution after all consistent joiner input sets have arrived in corresponding order at the joiner input terminals,

said all consistent joiner input sets corresponding to all consistent splitter output sets generated by the splitter algorithm associated with the associated splitter component.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the joiner algorithm associated with the joiner component beginning execution when a first consistent joiner input set arrives at the joiner input terminals,

said first consistent joiner input set corresponding to any consistent splitter output set generated by the splitter algorithm associated with the associated splitter component;

said joiner algorithm continuing execution as and when a second consistent joiner input set arrives at the joiner input terminal;

said second consistent joiner input set corresponding to any other consistent splitter output set generated by the splitter algorithm associated with the associated splitter component; and

said joiner algorithm completing execution after all consistent joiner input sets have arrived at the joiner input terminals,

said all consistent joiner input sets corresponding to all consistent splitter output sets generated by the splitter algorithm associated with the associated splitter component.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the joiner algorithm associated with the joiner component beginning execution when all consistent joiner input sets have arrived at the joiner input terminals,

said all consistent joiner input sets corresponding to all consistent splitter output sets generated by the splitter algorithm associated with the associated splitter component;

and

said joiner algorithm completing execution at any time thereafter.

5. A method for creating and executing a computer workflow, comprising the steps of:

(a) defining a plurality of executable components based on an input, an output, metadata and a sub-interpreter, each of said executable components representing a computer-implemented computational process that is performed on one or more inputs to the executable component and that generates one or more outputs based on a predefined computational algorithm; and

(b) providing a graphical user interface that allows a user to visually create the computer workflow on a user display by selecting from a library of said executable components, and graphically connecting one or more input terminals of selected executable components with one or more output terminals of selected executable components;

wherein, for each selected executable component, the one or more input terminals graphically correspond to the one or more inputs to the predefined computational algorithm associated with the executable component, and the one or more output terminals graphically correspond to the one or more outputs generated by the predefined computational algorithm associated with the executable component;

wherein, for at least one selected executable component, the graphical user interface allows the user to designate each of the one or more input terminals as an input terminal selected from the group consisting of a required input terminal and an optional input terminal;

wherein, for each selected executable component, the inputs received on each of the one or more input terminals comprise an input selected from the group consisting of valid data for the associated predefined computational algorithm and a special NoValue marker;

wherein for each selected executable component, executing the associated predefined computational algorithm when the selected executable component has received inputs on all of its input terminals, provided that no input received on a required input terminal comprises the NoValue marker;

wherein for each selected executable component, delivering one output to each output terminal upon completing the execution of the associated predefined computational algorithm, said outputs comprising at least one of valid data and NoValue markers; and

wherein if said selected executable component receives a NoValue marker on one or more of the required input terminals, each selected executable component delivers one NoValue marker to each output terminal and performs no other action.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein for at least one selected executable component, there are two output terminals graphically corresponding to two outputs generated by a computational algorithm associated with the selected executable component,

said two output terminals connected to downstream input terminals of one or more downstream executable components,

wherein the associated computational algorithm delivers outputs to the two output terminals, and exactly one of the outputs comprises a NoValue marker.

7. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

(c) providing a graphical user interface that allows a user to visually create a metaworkflow on a user display by editing a metworkflow template;

said metaworkflow having a metaworkflow input, a metaworkflow output, a set of metaworkflow input terminals, and a set of metaworkflow output terminals;

said metaworkflow consisting of a metaworkflow associated executable expression and two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows;

said two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows consisting of a first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow and a second metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow;

wherein each of the two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows has a set of corresponding metaworkflow associated input terminals that is identical to the set of metaworkflow input terminals;

wherein each of the two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows has a set of corresponding metaworkflow associated output terminals that is identical to the set of metaworkflow output terminals;

wherein each of the metaworkflow input terminals is graphically connected to the corresponding metaworkflow associated input terminals of each of the two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows;

wherein each of the metaworkflow output terminals is graphically connected to each of the metaworkflow associated output terminals of the two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows;

wherein each of the two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows delivers one output to each of the metaworkflow output terminals;

wherein the metaworkflow associated executable expression comprises a computer-implemented computational process performed on the metaworkflow input that computes a single value comprising a distinguishable value by executing predefined associated computational algorithm;

wherein if the metaworkflow associated executable expression computes the distinguishable value, then the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow is executed; and

wherein if the metaworkflow associated executable expression does not compute the distinguishable value, then the second metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow is executed.

8. The method of claim 5, further comprising:

(c) providing a graphical user interface that allows a user to visually create a metaworkflow on a user display by editing a metworkflow template,

said metaworkflow having a metaworkflow input, a metaworkflow output, a set of metaworkflow input terminals, a set of metaworkflow output terminals;

said metaworkflow consisting of a metaworkflow associated executable expression and two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows;

said two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows consisting of a first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow and a second metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow;

wherein each of the two metaworkflow associated executable subworkflows has a set of corresponding metaworkflow associated input terminals that is identical to the set of metaworkflow input terminals;

wherein the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow has a set of corresponding metaworkflow associated output terminals that is identical to the set of metaworkflow input terminals;

wherein the second metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow has a set of corresponding metaworkflow associated output terminals that is identical to the set of metaworkflow output terminals;

wherein the metaworkflow associated executable expression comprises a computer-implemented computational process performed on the metaworkflow input that computes a single value comprising a distinguishable value by executing a predefined associated computational algorithm;

wherein if the metaworkflow associated executable expression computes the distinguishable value, then the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow is executed and the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow delivers no outputs to the metaworkflow output terminals;

wherein, if the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow is executed, the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow delivers one output to each of its metaworkflow associated output terminals upon completion of the execution of the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow;

wherein after the execution of the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow, a new copy of the metaworkflow is created;

wherein after the new copy of the metaworkflow is created, the outputs delivered to the metaworkflow associated output terminals of the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow are delivered to input terminals of the new copy of the metaworkflow;

wherein after the outputs are delivered to input terminals of the new copy of the metaworkflow, the execution of the metaworkflow terminates and the new copy of the metaworkflow is executed;

wherein if the first metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow does not compute the distinguishable value, then the second metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow is executed; and

wherein, if the second metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow is executed, then upon completion of the execution of the second metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow, the second metaworkflow associated executable subworkflow delivers one output to each of the metaworkflow output terminals and the execution of the metaworkflow terminates.