Weak Dependency

• US 20090164996A1
• Filed: 12/21/2007
• Published: 06/25/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Lu, Ruopeng, Lippe, Sonia, Kruembelmann, Marita, Kowalkiewcz, Marek, Baeuerle, Stefan
• Granted Patent: US 8,719,826 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4881 Scheduling strategies for dispatcher, e.g. round robin, multi-level priority queues
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/5038 considering the execution order of a plurality of tasks, e.g. taking priority or time dependency constraints into consideration scheduling strategies G06F9/4881 and subgroups
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/52 Program synchronisation; Mutual exclusion, e.g. by means of semaphores
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06316 Sequencing of tasks or work
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing a weak dependency linking two tasks of a workflow of task. In one aspect, there is provided a computer-implemented method. The method receives, from a user interface, an indication representing a link between a first task and a second task. The link being a weak dependency linking the first and second task. The weak dependency representing that one or more tasks may be inserted between the first and second tasks. The first and second tasks including the link representing the weak dependency may be provided to the user interface. The link presented at the user interface to enable identification of the weak dependency. Related apparatus, systems, methods, and articles are also described.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, from a user interface, an indication representing a link between a first task and a second task, the link being a weak dependency representing that one or more tasks may be inserted between the first and second tasks; and

providing, to the user interface, the first task and the second task including the link presented at the user interface to enable identification of the weak dependency.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises:

receiving, from the user interface, the indication as a message including information representing the link between the first task and the second task and information identifying that the link represents the weak dependency.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises:

the weak dependency configured as a data type at a workflow modeler and configured as a graphical representation distinguishable at the user interface from another graphical representation of a strong dependency.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein providing further comprises:

providing, by the workflow modeler to the user interface, the link presented at the user interface as a graphical representation distinguishable as a dashed line from another graphical representation of a strong dependency represented as a solid line.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

implementing the first task and the second task as a plurality of tasks of a business process.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising

receiving information identifying the other task.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6 further comprising;

inserting, based on the link representing the weak dependency, the other task between the first task and the second task in response to the received information.

8. A computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when performed by a computer result in operations comprising:

receiving, from a user interface, an indication representing a link between a first task and a second task, the link being a weak dependency representing that one or more tasks may be inserted between the first and second tasks; and

providing, to the user interface, the first task and the second task including the link presented at the user interface to enable identification of the weak dependency.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving further comprises:

receiving, from the user interface, the indication as a message including information representing the link between the first task and the second task and information identifying that the link represents the weak dependency.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein receiving further comprises:

the weak dependency configured as a data type at a workflow modeler and configured as a graphical representation distinguishable at the user interface from another graphical representation of a strong dependency.

11. The computer-readable medium of claim 8, wherein providing further comprises:

providing, by the workflow modeler to the user interface, the link presented at the user interface as a graphical representation distinguishable from another graphical representation of a strong dependency.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 further comprising:

implementing the first task and the second task as a plurality of tasks of a business process.

13. The computer-readable medium of claim 8 further comprising:

receiving information identifying the other task.

14. The computer-readable medium of claim 13 further comprising:

inserting, based on the link representing the weak dependency, the other task between the first task and the second task in response to the received information.

15. A system comprising:

a processor; and

a memory, wherein the processor and the memory are configured to perform a method comprising;

receiving, from a user interface, an indication representing a link between a first task and a second task, the link being a weak dependency representing that another task may be inserted between the first and second tasks; and

providing, to the user interface, the first task and the second task including the link presented at the user interface to enable identification of the weak dependency.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein receiving further comprises:

receiving, from the user interface, the indication as a message including information representing the link between the first task and the second task and information identifying that the link represents the weak dependency.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein receiving further comprises:

the weak dependency configured as a data type at a workflow modeler and configured as a graphical representation distinguishable at the user interface from another graphical representation of a strong dependency.

18. The system of claim 15, wherein providing further comprises:

providing, by the workflow modeler to the user interface, the link presented at the user interface as a graphical representation distinguishable from another graphical representation of a strong dependency.

19. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

implementing the first task and the second task as a plurality of tasks of a business process.

20. The system of claim 15 further comprising:

receiving information identifying the other task; and

inserting, based on the link representing the weak dependency, the other task between the first task and the second task in response to the received information.