Discovering patterns of executions in business processes

• US 20070021995A1
• Filed: 05/31/2006
• Published: 01/25/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Medical Solutions USA Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Inventors: Toklu, Candemir, Dubouloz, Benoit
• Application Number:
  US11/443,863
• Publication Number:
  US 20070021995A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for analyzing business processes described in a business process execution language includes mapping a workflow abstract model graph from each of a plurality of business process descriptions corresponding to the business processes, identifying message exchange patterns between the business processes, and merging the workflow abstract model graphs into a common graph without connections between nodes associated with the plurality of business processes descriptions. The computer-implemented method further includes adding arcs between nodes of the different business processes descriptions within the common graph according to a merging rule and the message exchange patterns, and mining the common graph for a frequency of path execution, wherein a path is a set of nodes connected by the arcs.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for analyzing business processes described in a business process execution language, comprising:

mapping a workflow abstract model graph from each of a plurality of business process descriptions corresponding to the business processes;

identifying message exchange patterns between the business processes;

merging the workflow abstract model graphs into a common graph without connections between nodes associated with the plurality of business processes descriptions;

adding arcs between nodes of the different business processes descriptions within the common graph according to a merging rule and the message exchange patterns; and

mining the common graph for a frequency of path execution, wherein a path is a set of nodes connected by the arcs.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising collecting execution logs of the business processes, wherein the frequency of execution is mined from the execution logs.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the arcs constrain the mining to paths of the common graph.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising adding artificial start and end nodes after mapping the workflow abstract model graph.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein merging comprises determining an asynchronous message exchange between nodes, where in an arc is added between an invoker and a receiver in the asynchronous message exchange.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein merging comprises determining a synchronous message exchange between nodes.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein determining a synchronous message exchange between nodes comprises:

adding an arc between an invoker and a receive activity;

adding a reception node for reception of the message at an invoker side of the synchronous message exchange;

adding an arc between a reply activity and the reception node; and

adding an arc between the invoker and the reception node.

8. A program storage device readable by machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for analyzing business processes described in a business process execution language, the method steps comprising:

mapping a workflow abstract model graph from each of a plurality of business process descriptions corresponding to the business processes;

identifying message exchange patterns between the business processes;

merging the workflow abstract model graphs into a common graph without connections between nodes associated with the plurality of business processes descriptions;

adding arcs between nodes of the different business processes descriptions within the common graph according to a merging rule and the message exchange patterns; and

mining the common graph for a frequency of path execution, wherein a path is a set of nodes connected by the arcs.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising collecting execution logs of the business processes, wherein the frequency of execution is mined from the execution logs.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the arcs constrain the mining to paths of the common graph.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising adding artificial start and end nodes after mapping the workflow abstract model graph.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein merging comprises determining an asynchronous message exchange between nodes, where in an arc is added between an invoker and a receiver in the asynchronous message exchange.

13. The method of claim 8, wherein merging comprises determining a synchronous message exchange between nodes.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein determining a synchronous message exchange between nodes comprises:

adding an arc between an invoker and a receive activity;

adding a reception node for reception of the message at an invoker side of the synchronous message exchange;

adding an arc between a reply activity and the reception node; and

adding an arc between the invoker and the reception node.

15. A computer-system for analyzing business processes described in a business process execution language comprising:

a business process description database on a plurality of business process descriptions;

an instance log database on a plurality of instance logs for each of the plurality of business process descriptions;

a merging tool coupled to the business process description database for assembling the business process descriptions into a common process description;

a mapping tool for mapping paths of the common description; and

a workflow mining tool coupled to the instance log database for determining frequencies of path execution according to the instance logs, wherein the mapping tool generates a graphical visualization of the common process description and frequencies of path execution.

16. The computer-system of claim 15, wherein the merging tool assembles the instance logs into a common log according to the common process description.

17. The computer-system of claim 15, further comprising a display for displaying the graphical visualization.