Workflow Management System and Method
First Claim
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1. A system for processing work items in a workflow, the system comprising:
- a plurality of queues each comprising a plurality of work items; and
a processor to;
determine a retrieval priority for each of the plurality of queues;
retrieve at least one work item from each of the plurality of queues according to the retrieval priority;
store the at least one work item retrieved from each of the plurality of queues in a workflow data structure; and
process the work items stored in the workflow data structure.
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Abstract
Systems and methods improve the equitable distribution the processing capacity of a computing device processing work items retrieved from multiple queues in a workflow system. A retrieval priority is determined for each of the plurality of queues and work items are retrieved from each of the multiple queues according to the retrieval priority. The retrieved work items are then stored in a central data structure. Multiple processing components process the work items stored in the central data structure. The number of processing components is selectively adjusted to maximize efficiency.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. A system for processing work items in a workflow, the system comprising:
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a plurality of queues each comprising a plurality of work items; and a processor to; determine a retrieval priority for each of the plurality of queues; retrieve at least one work item from each of the plurality of queues according to the retrieval priority; store the at least one work item retrieved from each of the plurality of queues in a workflow data structure; and process the work items stored in the workflow data structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A computer-readable medium encoded with a workflow application comprising modules executable by a processor and configured to process a plurality of work items in a workflow, the workflow application comprising:
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a queue storage module to receive a plurality of work items from a remote computer and to store each of the plurality of work items in one of a plurality of queues based on a state of each work item in the workflow; a queue selection module to determine a retrieval priority for each of the plurality of queues and to retrieve at least one work item from each of the plurality of queues according to the retrieval priority for storage in a workflow data structure; and
.a plurality of processing modules to process the work items in the workflow data structure. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A system for processing work items in a workflow, the system comprising:
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a plurality of queues each comprising a plurality of work items; a computing device comprising a workflow application comprising modules executable by the computing device and configured to process a plurality of work items in a workflow, the workflow application comprising; a queue selection module to determine a retrieval priority for each of the plurality of queues and to retrieve at least one work item from each of the plurality of queues according to the retrieval priority for storage in a workflow data structure; and a plurality of processing modules to process the work items in the workflow data structure. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A method for processing a plurality of work items in a workflow at a processor, the method comprising:
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receiving a plurality of work items at the processor; storing each of the plurality of work items in one of a plurality of queues based on a state of each work item in the workflow; determining a retrieval priority for each of the plurality of queues at the processor; retrieving at least one work item from each of the plurality of queues according to the retrieval priority for storage in a workflow data structure; and processing the work items in the workflow data structure at the processor. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A system for processing work items in a workflow, the system comprising:
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a plurality of queues each comprising a plurality of work items; a memory to store a plurality of business process definitions, wherein each of the plurality of business process definitions identifies a plurality of states of the work items in the workflow that corresponds to a different business process; and a processor to; receive a workflow request from a remote processor, the workflow request identifies a desired business process and work item data; retrieve a business process definition from the memory that corresponds to the desired business process to identify the plurality of states of the work items in the workflow for the desired business process, wherein the plurality of states identified for the desired business process identifies the plurality of queues; determine a retrieval priority for each of the plurality of queues; retrieve at least one work item from each of the plurality of queues according to the retrieval priority; store the at least one work item retrieved from each of the plurality of queues in a workflow data structure; and process the work items stored in the workflow data structure.
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37. A computer-readable medium encoded with a workflow application comprising modules executable by a processor and configured to process a plurality of work items in a workflow, the workflow application comprising:
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a memory to store a plurality of business process definitions, wherein each of the plurality of business process definitions identifies a plurality of states of the work items in the workflow that corresponds to a different business process; a queue storage module to; receive a workflow request from a remote computing device, the workflow request identifies a desired business process; retrieve a business process definition from the memory that corresponds to the desired business process to identify the plurality states of the plurality of work items in the workflow for the desired business process, wherein the plurality of states identified for the desired business process identifies the plurality of queues; and transmit each of the plurality of work items to one of the identified plurality of queues based on a current state of each work item; a queue selection module to determine a retrieval priority for each of the plurality of queues and to retrieve the at least one work item from each of the plurality of queues according to the retrieval priority for storage in a workflow data structure; and a plurality of processing modules to process the work items in the workflow data structure.
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38. A system for processing work items in a workflow, the system comprising:
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a plurality of queues each comprising a plurality of work items; a memory to store a plurality of business process definitions, wherein each of the plurality of business process definitions identifies a plurality of states of the work items in the workflow that corresponds a different business process a computing device comprising a workflow application comprising modules executable by the computing device and configured to process a plurality of work items in a workflow, the workflow application comprising; a queue storage module to; receive a workflow request from a remote computing device, the workflow request identifies a desired business process and at least one work item; retrieve a business process definition from the memory that corresponds to the desired business process to identify the plurality states of the work items in the workflow for the desired business process, wherein the plurality of states identified for the desired business process identify the plurality of queues; and transmit each of the work items to one of the identified plurality of queues based on a current state of the at least one work item; and a queue selection module to determine a retrieval priority for each of the plurality of queues and to retrieve at least one work item from each of the plurality of queues according to the retrieval priority for storage in a workflow data structure; and a plurality of processing modules to process the work items in the workflow data structure.
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39. A method for processing a plurality of work items in a workflow at a processor, the method comprising:
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receiving a workflow request from a remote computing device at the processor, the workflow request identifies a desired business process; retrieving a business process definition from a memory that corresponds to the desired business process to identify a plurality states of the plurality of work items in the workflow for the desired business process, wherein the plurality of states identified for the desired business process identify the plurality of queues; transmitting each of the plurality of work items to one of the identified plurality of queues based on a current state of each work item; determining a retrieval priority for each of the plurality of queues at the processor; retrieving at least one work item from each of the plurality of queues according to the retrieval priority for storage in a workflow data structure; and processing the work items in the workflow data structure at the processor.
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Specification