Method for Generating an Executable Workflow Code from an Unstructured Cyclic Process Model and Method for Executing a Workflow Code of an Arbitrary Process Model

• US 20090031280A1
• Filed: 10/01/2008
• Published: 01/29/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Koehler, Jana
• Granted Patent: US 8,141,069 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

A method for generating an executable workflow code from an unstructured cyclic process model comprises the following steps. First, the unstructured cyclic process model is transformed into a preliminary workflow code. Then, from the preliminary workflow code the executable workflow code is generated by eliminating unstructured cycles.

Claims

1. A method for generating an executable non-cyclic workflow code, compatible with a Business Process Execution Language (BPEL), from an unstructured cyclic process model, said method comprising:

transforming said unstructured cyclic process model into a preliminary workflow code;

generating said executable non-cyclic workflow code, compatible with said BPEL standard, from said preliminary workflow code by eliminating unstructured cycles,

wherein said executable non-cyclic workflow code, which includes activities and links for linking said activities, is generated from said unstructured cyclic process model,

wherein said activities, which are not a target of any link are added to a set of executable activities,

wherein a thread is established for each executable activity,

wherein, when one of said executable activities is executed, a state of a corresponding thread is updated and said one of said executed activities is deleted then from said set of executable activities, and

wherein, if a transition condition of a link, which has its source in said one of said executed executable activities is satisfied, then the linked activity is added to said set of executable activities; and

repeating processes of updating state of a corresponding thread, deleting said one of said executed activities, and adding the linked activity to said set of executable activities until said set of executable activities is empty.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein for each second and further link, whose source is one of said executed activities and whose transition condition is satisfied, a further thread is established.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein for generating said executable non-cyclic workflow code a continuation semantics is assigned to said unstructured cyclic process model.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein for generating the continuation semantics, continuation variables are assigned to the start and end nodes of said unstructured cyclic process model and one of the continuation variables is assigned to each node that has more than one incoming or outgoing link.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the continuation semantics is compatible with a Business Process Execution Language (BPEL).

6. The method according to claim 4, wherein said continuation variables are transformed into empty activities.

7. A computing device for generating an executable workflow code from an arbitrary process model, said computing device comprising:

a computing unit for transforming the process model into the workflow code,

wherein said computing unit identifies activities which are not a target of any link and adds said activities to a set of executable activities; and

a workflow engine for executing the workflow code.