OBJECT ORIENTED BASED METHODOLOGY FOR MODELING BUSINESS FUNCTIONALITY FOR ENABLING IMPLEMENTATION IN A WEB BASED ENVIRONMENT

• US 20090037502A1
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Published: 02/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: K.Mizra LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Uppal, Rajiv K., Parikh, Devang I., Gupta, Arun K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,499,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• 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 computer method and apparatus defining Business Classes for modeling business activities comprising the steps of representing business activities as the interaction between one or more Business Classes, and entering into a computer and storing in an electronic format the Business Classes and the relationships existing between the Business Classes.

Claims

1. Computer apparatus with a processor for modeling a business activity, comprising:

means for defining one or more business classes stored in a digital electronic format including indications of relationships existing between said one or more business classes;

means for implementing corresponding business objects of the business classes, for each business object the respective business class forming a template of a run-time instance of the business object; and

means for linking respective business rules having states or methods which function as rules required to carry out a business rule to a next logical state, the means linking respective business rules or methods tied to individual instances of the business classes such that two instances of a same business class can behave differently.

2. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1 further comprising means for auto deleting a business class.

3. Apparatus as claimed in claim 2 further comprising automatic memory deallocation for deallocating memory space storing subject business class data.

4. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein the business rules of an instance of a business class include references to respective external code portions, each external code portion being executable to provide functionality specific to the instance and different from other instances of said business class.

5. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 4 wherein the external code portion is stored in a database organized according to defined attributes of the business class.

6. A computer program product stored on a computer storage medium for modeling a business activity comprising:

a set of computer program instructions embodied on the computer storage medium, including instructions for;

(a) defining one or more business classes including storing in a digital electronic format said one or more business classes as well as the relationships existing between said one or more business classes;

(b) representing a subject business activity as an interaction between one or more business classes; and

(c) using a logical state, tying business rules or methods to individual instances of the business classes such that two instances of a same class can respond differently to a given business activity, the business rules having states and the methods effectively carrying out at least one business rule to a next logical state.

7. A computer program product as claimed in claim 6 wherein the instructions for defining further include:

(a) defining one or more business states indicative of the status of a business class; and

(b) defining one or more business methods to logically define the steps required to move a business class between one or more business states.

8. A computer program product as claimed in claim 6 further comprising instructions for auto deleting a business class.

9. A computer program product as claimed in claim 8 further comprising instructions for auto deallocating memory space storing business class data.

10. A computer program product as claimed in claim 6 wherein the business classes form templates of run-time business objects, each business object being an instance of a respective business class.

11. A computer program product as claimed in claim 6 wherein the business rules of an instance of a business class include references to respective external code portions, each external code portion being executable to provide functionality specific to the instance and different from other instances of said business class.

12. A computer program product as claimed in claim 11 wherein the external code portion is stored in a database organized according to defined attributes of the business class.

13. A computer system for modeling a workflow, said system comprising:

first program instructions to generate a graphical user interface to enable a user to form a graphical representation of first and second business processes and an interconnection between said first and second business processes indicating that said first and second business processes are part of said workflow and that said second business process is implemented after said first business process;

second program instructions to record that an application program function is capable of implementing, at least in part, said first business process during run-time, said application program function during run-time to process attributes applicable to a current instance of said first business process;

third program instructions to tie said application program function to different instances of said first business process with different, respective attributes such that different instances of said first business process with different, respective attributes can function differently;

a computer readable media which stores said first, second and third program instructions; and

a central processing unit to execute said first, second and third program instructions.

14. A computer system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

fourth program instructions to initiate display of a list of business processes of said workflow including said first and second business processes, said fourth program instructions automatically populating said list based on said graphical representations of said first and second business processes; and

wherein

said second program instructions, based on one of said graphical representation of said first business process or the listing of said first business process, automatically identifies an application program template from which to form said application program; and

said computer readable media stores said fourth program instructions; and

said central processing unit to execute said fourth program instructions.

15. A computer system as set forth in claim 14 wherein said fourth program instructions identify said first and second business processes in said graphical representation based on a pre-determined type of icon used to graphically represent said first and second business processes.

16. A computer system as set forth in claim 13, further comprising:

fourth program instructions to record that a first rule but not a second rule is applicable to a first instance of said first business process having a first one of said attributes but not a second instance of said first business process having a second, different one of said attributes, and record that said second rule but not said first rule is applicable to said second instance of said first business process having said second attribute but not said first attribute; and

said third program instructions tie said application program function to said first attribute for said first instance of said first business process, and tie said application program function to said second attribute for said second instance of said first business process; and

wherein

said computer readable media stores said fourth program instructions; and

said central processing unit to execute said fourth program instructions.

17. A computer program product for modeling a workflow, said computer program product comprising:

first program instructions to generate a graphical user interface to enable a user to form a graphical representation of first and second business processes and an interconnection between said first and second business processes indicating that said first and second business processes are part of said workflow and that said second business process is implemented after said first business process;

second program instructions to record that an application program function is capable of implementing, at least in part, said first business process during run-time, said application program function during run-time to process attributes applicable to a current instance of said first business process;

third program instructions to tie said application program function to different instances of said first business process with different, respective attributes such that different instances of said first business process with different, respective attributes can function differently; and

a computer readable media which stores said first, second and third program instructions.

18. A computer program product as set forth in claim 17, further comprising:

fourth program instructions to initiate display of a list of business processes of said workflow including said first and second business processes, said fourth program instructions automatically populating said list based on said graphical representations of said first and second business processes; and

wherein

said second program instructions, based on one of said graphical representation of said first business process or the listing of said first business process, automatically identifies an application program template from which to form said application program; and

said computer readable media stores said fourth program instructions.

19. A computer program product as set forth in claim 18 wherein said fourth program instructions identify said first and second business processes in said graphical representation based on a pre-determined type of icon used to graphically represent said first and second business processes.

20. A computer program product as set forth in claim 17, further comprising:

fourth program instructions to record that a first rule but not a second rule is applicable to a first instance of said first business process having a first one of said attributes but not a second instance of said first business process having a second, different one of said attributes, and record that said second rule but not said first rule is applicable to said second instance of said first business process having said second attribute but not said first attribute; and

said third program instructions tie said application program function to said first attribute for said first instance of said first business process, and tie said application program function to said second attribute for said second instance of said first business process; and

wherein

said computer readable media stores said fourth program instructions.