SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SYNCHRONIZED WORKFLOW MANAGEMENT

• US 20090007063A1
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Robl, Christian, Szpak, Peter, Orehek, Martin, Pacheco, Paulo
• Granted Patent: US 8,261,233 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system may identify a workflow associated with a graphical model and execute the workflow in a number of stages. The system may display a number of components of the graphical model and identify which of the displayed components are associated with or affected by execution of a current one of the stages of the workflow.

Claims

1. A computer-readable medium containing instructions executable by at least one processor, the computer-readable medium comprising:

one or more instructions for receiving a workflow associated with a graphical model;

one or more instructions for executing a portion of the workflow;

one or more instructions for synchronizing a display of one or more components of the graphical model relating to the portion of the workflow with execution of the portion of the workflow; and

one or more instructions for permitting a user to interact with the workflow via the display.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the one or more instructions for receiving the workflow include one or more instructions for permitting the user to define the workflow via an application programming interface.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 2, where the one or more instructions for permitting the user to define the workflow include one or more instructions for permitting the user to register tasks of the workflow, identify a relative order of the tasks, and identify dependencies of the tasks.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more instructions for permitting a user to create a snapshot of a current state of execution of the workflow, the snapshot containing data necessary to recreate the current state.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, where the one or more instructions for permitting a user to create the snapshot include one or more instructions for storing workflow information entered by the user and model information.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more instructions for displaying a plurality of components of the graphical model relating to the workflow; and

one or more instructions for identifying which of the displayed components are associated with the portion of the workflow.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 6, further comprising:

one or more instructions for identifying which of the displayed components are affected by the portion of the workflow.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the workflow includes a plurality of tasks;

and

where the computer-readable medium further comprises;

one or more instructions for providing status information regarding associated with the plurality of tasks.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the one or more instructions for permitting the user to interact with the workflow include:

one or more instructions for permitting the user to specify connectivity between the workflow and another workflow, and

one or more instructions for permitting the user to specify types of people conducting the workflow.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the one or more instructions for receiving the workflow include:

one or more instructions for providing a graphical editing environment, and

one or more instructions for receiving the workflow via the graphical editing environment.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the one or more instructions for permitting the user to interact with the workflow include one or more instructions for permitting the user to specify which tasks of a plurality of tasks in the workflow need to be validated against acceptance criteria.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more instructions for linking and concurrently displaying a block diagram view and a hierarchical view of the one or more components of the graphical model.

13. A computing device, comprising:

a graphical programming environment including a plurality of instructions for implementing;

a graphical model,

a workflow associated with the graphical model, the workflow including a plurality of tasks, and

a workflow manager to;

execute at least one of the plurality of tasks of the workflow, and

synchronize a display of one or more components of the graphical model relating to the at least one task with execution of the at least one task; and

a processor to execute the instructions of the graphical programming environment.

14. A method, comprising:

identifying a workflow associated with a graphical model, the workflow including a plurality of tasks;

executing at least one of the plurality of tasks of the workflow;

displaying a plurality of components of the graphical model; and

identifying which of the displayed components are associated with or affected by execution of the at least one task while the at least one task is being executed.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

permitting a user to define the workflow via an application programming interface.

16. The method of claim 15, where permitting the user to define the workflow includes permitting the user to register the plurality of tasks of the workflow, identify a relative order of the plurality of tasks, and identify dependencies of the plurality of tasks.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

permitting a user to create a snapshot of a current state of execution of the workflow, the snapshot containing data necessary to recreate the current state.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing information regarding status of each of the plurality of tasks.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

permitting a user to specify connectivity between the workflow and another workflow, or

permitting the user to specify types of people conducting the workflow.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

permitting a user to specify which of the plurality of tasks in the workflow need to be validated against acceptance criteria.

21. The method of claim 14, where displaying the plurality of components includes:

linking and concurrently displaying a block diagram view and a hierarchical view of the plurality of components.

22. A system, comprising:

means for identifying a workflow associated with a graphical model;

means for executing the workflow in a plurality of stages;

means for displaying a plurality of components of the graphical model; and

means for identifying which of the displayed components are associated with or affected by execution of a current one of the stages of the workflow.