Executing business processes using persistent variables

• US 20080306746A1
• Filed: 04/01/2002
• Published: 12/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Gabeiras, Emilio L., Racca, Felix G.
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,602 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06311 Scheduling, planning or task assignment for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/063114 Status monitoring or status determination for a person or group
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis

Abstract

Executing a business process includes initiating an instance of a business process comprising activities, where the instance has an instance variable. A first activity of the business process is executed, and a value corresponding to the instance variable is received. The instance variable and the value is recorded in an object, and the object is stored in a data repository. A second activity of the business process is executed, and the object is retrieved from the data repository for use with the second activity.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for executing a business process, said method comprising:

constructing a graphical business process definition, said business process definition including a plurality of activities represented by graphical icons, said plurality of activities being coupled by a set of transitions;

storing the business process definition into a data repository on a computer;

initiating an instance of the business process by executing the business process definition stored in the data repository, the instance having an instance variable associated therewith, wherein the instance variable records state information for the instance of said business process;

executing a first activity of the instance of said business process;

receiving a value corresponding to the instance variable;

recording the instance variable and the value in an object;

storing the object in the data repository;

executing a second activity of the instance of said business process;

retrieving the object from the data repository for use with the second activity;

reading the value and the instance variable from said object by a task of the second activity; and

initiating a polymorphic sub-process depending on a variable embedded in said instance of the business process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the instance has a plurality of instance variables, and further comprising:

receiving a plurality of values, each value corresponding to an instance variable;

recording each instance variable and corresponding value in an object;

serializing the objects; and

storing the serialized objects in the data repository.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the object comprises a Java object.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving the value corresponding to the variable comprises:

receiving the value from a second business process associated with an argument variable; and

mapping the instance variable to the argument variable.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the first activity of said business process comprises a series of tasks that are executed to complete said first activity and wherein at least one of said tasks executes a component stored in a catalog.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said component comprises a modular software routine that has been compiled and that can be used with other components or programs.

17. The method of claim 1 wherein the instance variable maintains the activity where the instance is at a given moment in time during a lifecycle of the instance of said business process.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

associating said task with a compensation task, wherein the compensation task is only executed if said task fails.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein executing the compensation task attains a consistent state of the business process instance upon failure of said task.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein said polymorphic sub-process generates instances in two or more different child processes sharing a same interface depending on variables embedded in a parent process, such that the instance of said business process is routed to the correct child process according to said variables.

22. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

interrupting said instance of the business process by a different instance by transmitting a notification from said different instance, wherein said instance of the business process is automatically taken to a notification wait activity upon receiving said notification, regardless where the instance is in the business process.

5. Software for executing a business process, the software embodied in a medium and executed by a computing device and when executed is operable to:

construct a graphical business process definition, said business process definition including a plurality of activities represented by graphical icons, said plurality of activities being coupled by a set of transitions;

store the business process definition into a data repository on a computer;

initiate an instance of the business process by executing the business process definition stored in the data repository, the instance having an instance variable associated therewith, wherein the instance variable records state information for the instance of said business process;

execute a first activity of the instance of said business process;

receive a value corresponding to the instance variable;

record the instance variable and the value in an object;

store the object in the data repository;

execute a second activity of the instance of said business process;

retrieve the object from the data repository for use with the second activity;

read the value and the instance variable from said object by a task of the second activity; and

initiate a polymorphic sub-process depending on a variable embedded in said instance of the business process.

6. The software of claim 5, wherein:

the instance has a plurality of instance variables;

when executed by the computer, the software is operable to;

receive a plurality of values, each value corresponding to an instance variable;

record each instance variable and corresponding value in an object;

serialize the objects; and

store the serialized objects in the data repository.

7. The software of claim 5, wherein the object comprises a Java object.

8. The software of claim 5, operable to:

receive the value from a second business process associated with an argument variable; and

map the instance variable to the argument variable.

9. A computer implemented method for executing a business process, said method comprising:

constructing a graphical business process definition, said business process definition including a plurality of activities represented by graphical icons, said plurality of activities being coupled by a set of transitions;

storing the business process definition into a data repository on a computer;

initiating a first instance of a first business process by executing the business process definition stored in the data repository, said first instance comprising an activity, the activity having an argument variable that is employed to transfer a value between different business process instances;

receiving a value corresponding to the argument variable;

recording the argument variable and the value in an object;

storing the object in the data repository;

initiating a second instance of a second business process, the instance having an instance variable;

mapping the argument variable to the instance variable;

retrieving the object from the data repository for use by the second instance;

reading the value and the argument variable from said object by the activity of the second business process; and

initiating a polymorphic sub-process depending on a variable embedded in said instance of the business process.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the activity has a plurality of argument variables, and further comprising:

receiving a plurality of values, each value corresponding to an argument variable;

recording each argument variable and corresponding value in an object;

serializing the objects; and

storing the serialized objects in the data repository.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the object comprises a Java object.

18. The method of claim 9 wherein the first activity of said first instance connects said first business process to said second business process.

12. Software for executing a business process, the software embodied in a medium and executed by a computing device and when executed is operable to:

construct a graphical business process definition, said business process definition including a plurality of activities represented by graphical icons, said plurality of activities being coupled by a set of transitions;

store the business process definition into a data repository;

initiate a first instance of a first business process by executing the business process definition stored in the data repository, said first instance comprising an activity, the activity having an argument variable that is employed to transfer a value between different business process instances;

receive a value corresponding to the argument variable;

record the argument variable and the value in an object;

store the object in the data repository;

initiate a second instance of a second business process, the instance having an instance variable;

map the argument variable to the instance variable;

retrieve the object from the data repository for use by the second instance;

reading the value and the argument variable from said object by the activity of the second business process; and

initiate a polymorphic sub-process depending on a variable embedded in said instance of the business process.

13. The software of claim 12, wherein:

the activity has a plurality of argument variables;

when executed by the computer, the software is operable to;

receive a plurality of values, each value corresponding to an argument variable;

record each argument variable and corresponding value in an object;

serialize the objects; and

store the serialized objects in the data repository.

14. The software of claim 12, wherein the object comprises a Java object.