Groupware development assisting system

• US 6,182,273 B1
• Filed: 05/18/1994
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Original Assignee: NEC Corporation
• Inventors: Tarumi, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): Oberley, Alvin E.
• Assistant Examiner(s): COURTENAY III, ST JOHN
• Application Number:
  US08/245,681
• Time in Patent Office: 2,449 Days
• Field of Search: 315/185.UL, 315/700, 395/680, 395/683, 709/300, 709/303, 709/310-332, 709/1, 709/100-108, 709/204, 709/206, 717/1-11, 345/329, 358/400, 714/4
• US Class Current: 717/101
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The groupware development assisting system includes a format definition portion which defines a format of the electronic mail given or received among nodes, an object definition portion which defines the operation condition information of a software object forming one of nodes inputting or outputting the electronic mail, a transferring order definition portion which designates a transferring route showing the delivery and receipt of the electronic mail among the nodes and a format of the electronic mail given or received by the transferring route. There is also a generation portion which generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of the electronic mail and the editing operation of the electronic mail in the transferring route relating to a node corresponding to a worker, and generates a processing program code required to execute individual operation of the software object and second electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of the electronic mail in the transferring route relating to the software object based on the format definition information, the object definition information and the transferring order definition information.

Claims

1. A groupware development assisting system for assisting effective execution of a series of works by giving or receiving electronic mail among a plurality of nodes, comprising:

a format definition means for dynamically visually defining a format of said electronic mail given or received among said nodes and outputting the defined format as format definition information, wherein said format definition information includes label fields, text fields, and selection fields, and a layout of the respective fields;

an object definition means for defining operation condition information of a software object forming one of said nodes inputting or outputting said electronic mail and outputting as object definition information;

a transferring order definition means for visually designating a transferring order showing an order in which said electronic mail is to be delivered and received in succession among said plurality of nodes and a format of said electronic mail given or received by said transferring order and outputting as transferring order definition information; and

a generation means for generating first electronic mail utilization environment definition information A indicating a transferring operation of said electronic mail and an editing operation of said electronic mail in said transferring order relating to at node corresponding to a worker who is a component unit of said nodes based on said format definition information, said object definition information and said transferring order definition information, and generating a processing program code required to execute individual operation of said software object and second electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail in said transferring order relating to said software object based on said format definition information, said object definition information and said transferring order definition information.

2. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said generation means, when the format of said electronic mail in said transferring order is not designated by said transferring order definition means, generates a processing program code for said software object described to automatically generate and transfer the electronic mail in a format previously fixed to indicate the completion of the work of said software object node which is a node on a sending side of said electronic mail which has said format not designated.

3. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said generation means, when a meeting pseudo object node expressing a meeting by a plurality of workers with said electronic mail as at least input or output as one of said software object nodes is described by said transferring order definition means, delivers said electronic mail which is inputted to said meeting pseudo object node as a meeting material to the nodes corresponding to all workers attending said meeting excluding a sender, and generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating to deliver said electronic mail in a format designated minutes to at least one previously designated worker node.

4. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

5. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 1, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.

6. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said generation means, when the meeting pseudo object node expressing the meeting by a plurality of workers with said electronic mail as at least input or output as one of said software object nodes is described by said transferring order definition means, delivers said electronic mail which is inputted to said meeting pseudo object node as a meeting material to the nodes corresponding to workers attending said meeting, and generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating to deliver said electronic mail in a format designated minutes to at least one previously designated worker node.

7. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

8. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 2, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.

9. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said meeting pseudo object is an online realtime meeting system communicating in realtime through an inter-computer network.

10. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

11. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.

12. A groupware development assisting system for assisting effective execution of a series of works by giving or receiving electronic mail among a plurality of nodes, comprising:

a format definition means for dynamically visually defining a format of said electronic mail given or received among said nodes and outputting the defined format as format definition information, wherein said format definition information includes label fields, text fields, and selection fields, and a layout of the respective fields;

an object definition means for defining operation condition information of a software object forming one of said nodes inputting or outputting said electronic mail and outputting as object definition information;

a transferring order definition means for visually designating a transferring order expressed in a role name given the order in which said electronic mail is to be delivered and received in succession among said plurality of nodes corresponded to said plurality of nodes and a format of said electronic mail given or received among said nodes in said transferring order, and outputting as transferring order definition information;

a role corresponding definition means for defining the corresponding relation between said role name given to said node and the actual name of a worker in said, node, and outputting as role corresponding definition; and

a generation means for generating first electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail and the editing operation of said electronic mail relating to a node corresponding to a worker who is a component unit of said nodes in said transferring order based on said format definition information, said object definition information, said transferring order definition information and said role corresponding definition, and generating a processing program code required to execute individual operation of said software object and second electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail relating to said software object node based on said format definition information, said object definition information, said transferring order definition information and said role corresponding definition.

13. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said generation means, when the format of said electronic mail in said transferring order is not designated by said transferring order definition means, generates a processing program code for said software object described to automatically generate and transfer the electronic mail in a format previously fixed to indicate the completion of the work of said software object node which is a node on a sending side of said electronic mail which has said format not designated.

14. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said generation means, when a meeting pseudo object node expressing the meeting by a plurality of workers with said electronic mail as at least input or output as one of said software object nodes is described by said transferring order definition means, delivers said electronic mail which is inputted to said meeting pseudo object node as a meeting material to the nodes corresponding to workers attending said meeting, and generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating to deliver said electronic mail in a format designated minutes to at least one previously designated worker node.

15. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

16. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 12, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.

17. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said generation means, when a meeting pseudo object node expressing a meeting by a plurality of workers with said electronic mail as at least input or output as one of said software object nodes is described by said transferring order definition means, delivers said electronic mail which is inputted to said meeting pseudo object node as a meeting material to the nodes corresponding to workers attending said meeting, and generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating to deliver said electronic mail in a format designated minutes to at least one previously designated worker node.

18. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

19. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 13, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.

20. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said meeting pseudo object is an online realtime meeting system communicating in realtime through an inter-computer network.

21. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

22. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 14, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.

23. A groupware development assisting system for assisting effective execution of a series of works by giving or receiving electronic mail among a plurality of nodes, comprising:

a format definition means for dynamically visually defining a format of said electronic mail given or received among said nodes and outputting the defined format as format definition information, wherein said format definition information includes label fields, text fields, and selection fields, and a layout of the respective fields;

an object definition means for defining operation condition information of a software object forming one of said nodes inputting or outputting said electronic mail and outputting as object definition information;

a transferring order definition means for visually designating a transferring order showing the order in which said electronic mail is to be delivered and received in succession among said plurality of nodes and a format of said electronic mail given or received by said transferring order, and outputting as transferring order definition information; and

a generation means for generating first electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail and the editing operation of said electronic mail in said transferring order relating to a node corresponding to a worker who is a component unit of said nodes based on said format definition information, said object definition information and said transferring order definition information, and generating a processing program code required to execute individual operation of said software object and second electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail in said transferring order relating to said software object based on said format definition information, said object definition information and said transferring order definition information,

said generation means, when a mutual relation meaning cooperation among said plurality of software object nodes is defined by said transferring order definition means, generating a processing program code for said software object described to execute multi-agent processing for automatically obtaining an optimum solution while dynamically adjusting a self-target of said software object node having a mutual relation indicating said cooperation.

24. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said generation means, when the format of said electronic mail in said transferring order is not designated by said transferring order definition means, generates a processing program code for said software object which described to automatically generate and transfer the electronic mail in a format previously fixed to indicate the completion of the work of said software object node which is a node on a sending side of said electronic mail which has said format not designated.

25. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said generation means, when a meeting pseudo object node expressing a meeting by a plurality of workers with said electronic mail as at least input or output as one of said software object nodes is described by said transferring order definition means, delivers said electronic mail which is inputted to said meeting pseudo object node as a meeting material to the nodes corresponding to workers attending said meeting, and generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating to deliver said electronic mail in a format designated minutes to at least one previously designated worker node.

26. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 23, comprising a work environment definition means which defines work environments including individual editing program and electronic mail utilization environment used by said worker corresponding node and types of individual computer used as said worker corresponding node and network to which said worker corresponding node belongs,

said generation means generating electronic mail utilization environment definition information for indicating to execute the transferring operation of said electronic mail and the editing operation of said electronic mail under said working environment designated by said working environment definition information as said groupware of said worker corresponding node.

27. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

28. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 23, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.

29. A groupware development assisting system for assisting effective execution of a series of works by giving or receiving electronic mail among a plurality of nodes, comprising:

a format definition means for dynamically visually defining a format of said electronic mail given or received among said nodes and outputting the defined format as format definition information, wherein said format definition information includes label fields, text fields, and selection fields, and a layout of the respective fields;

an object definition means for defining operation condition information of a software object forming one of said nodes inputting or outputting said electronic mail and outputting as object definition information, a transferring order definition means for visually designating a transferring order showing the order in which said electronic mail is to be delivered and received in succession among said plurality of nodes and a format of said electronic mail given or received by said transferring route, and outputting as transferring order definition information;

a generation means for generating first electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail and the editing operation of said electronic mail in said transferring order relating to a node corresponding to a worker who is a component unit of said nodes based on said format definition information, said object definition information and said transferring order definition information, and generating a processing program code required to execute individual operation of said software object and second electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail in said transferring order relating to said software object based on said format definition information, said object definition information and said transferring order definition information; and

a working environment definition means for defining work environments including individual editing program and electronic mail utilization environment used by said worker corresponding node and types of individual computer used as said worker corresponding node and network to which said worker corresponding node belongs,

said generation means generating electronic mail utilization environment definition information for indicating to execute the transferring operation of said electronic mail and the editing operation of said electronic mail under said working environment definition information said groupware of said worker corresponding node.

30. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said generation means, when the format of said electronic mail in said transferring order is not designated by said transferring order definition means, generates a processing program code for said software object which described to automatically generate and transfer the electronic mail in a format previously fixed to indicate the completion of the work of said software object node which is a node on a sending side of said electronic mail which has said format not designated.

31. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said generation means, when a meeting pseudo object node expressing a meeting by a plurality of workers with said electronic mail as at least input or output as one of said software object nodes is described by said transferring order definition means, delivers said electronic mail which is inputted to said meeting pseudo object node as a meeting material to the nodes corresponding to workers attending said meeting, and generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating to deliver said electronic mail in a format designated minutes to at least one previously designated worker node.

32. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

33. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 29, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.

34. A groupware development assisting system for assisting effective execution of a series of works by giving or receiving electronic mail among a plurality of nodes, comprising:

a format definition means for dynamically visually defining a format of said electronic mail given or received among said nodes and outputting the defined format as format definition information, wherein said format definition information includes label fields, text fields, and selection fields, and a layout of the respective fields;

an object definition means for defining operation condition information of a software object forming one of said nodes inputting or outputting said electronic mail and outputting as object definition information;

a transferring order definition means for visually designating a transferring order expressed in a role name given the order in which said electronic mail is to be delivered and received in succession among said plurality of nodes corresponded to said plurality of nodes and a format of said electronic mail given or received among said nodes in said transferring order, and outputting as transferring order definition information;

a role corresponding definition means for defining the corresponding relation between said role name given to said node and the actual name of a worker in said nodes, and outputting as role corresponding definition; and

a generation means for generating first electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail and the editing operation of said electronic mail relating to a nodes corresponding to a worker who is a component unit of said nodes in said transferring order based on said format definition information, said object definition information, said transferring order definition information and said role corresponding definition, and generates a processing program code required to execute individual operation of said software object and second electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail relating to said software object node based on said format definition information, said object definition information, said transferring order definition information and said role corresponding definition,

said generation means, when a mutual relation meaning cooperation among said plurality of software object nodes is defined by said transferring order definition means, generating a processing program code for said software object described to execute multi-agent processing for automatically obtaining an optimum solution while dynamically adjusting a self-target of said software object node having a mutual relation indicating said cooperation.

35. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 34, wherein said generation means, when the format of said electronic mail in said transferring route is not designated by said transferring order definition means, generates a processing program code for said software object which described to automatically generate and transfer the electronic mail in a format previously fixed to indicate the completion of the work of said software object node which is a node on a sending side of said electronic mail which has said format not designated.

36. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 34, wherein said generation means, when a meeting pseudo object node expressing a meeting by a plurality of workers with said electronic mail as at least input or output as one of said software object nodes is described by said transferring order definition means, delivers said electronic mail which is inputted to said meeting pseudo object node as a meeting material to the nodes corresponding to workers attending said meeting, and generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating to deliver said electronic mail in a format designated minutes to at least one previously designated worker node.

37. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 34, comprising a work environment definition means which defines work environments including individual editing program and electronic mail utilization environment used by said worker corresponding node and types of individual computer used as said worker corresponding node and network to which said worker corresponding node belongs,

said generation means generating electronic mail utilization environment definition information for indicating to execute the transferring operation of said electronic mail and the editing operation of said electronic mail under said working environment designated by said working environment definition information as said groupware of said worker corresponding node.

38. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 34, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

39. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 34, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.

40. A groupware development assisting system for assisting effective execution of a series of works by gibing or receiving electronic mail among a plurality of nodes, comprising:

a format definition means for dynamically visually defining a format of said electronic mail given or received among said nodes, and outputting the defined format as format definition information, wherein said format definition information includes label fields, text fields, and selection fields, and a layout of the respective fields;

an object definition means for defining operation condition information of a software object forming one of said nodes inputting or outputting said electronic mail, and outputting as object definition information;

a transferring order definition means for visually designating a transferring order showing the order in which said electronic mail is to be delivered and received in succession among said plurality of nodes and a format of said electronic mail given or received by said transferring order, and outputting as transferring order definition information;

a generation means for generating first electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail and the editing operation of said electronic mail in said transferring order relating to a node corresponding to a worker who is a component unit of said nodes based on said format definition information, said object definition information and said transferring order definition information, and generating a processing program code required to execute individual operation of said software object and second electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating the transferring operation of said electronic mail in said transferring order relating to said software object based on said format definition information, said object definition information and said transferring order definition information; and

a working environment definition means for defining work environments including individual editing program and electronic mail utilization environment used by said worker corresponding node and types of individual computer used as said worker corresponding node and network to which said worker corresponding node belongs,

said generation means generating electronic mail utilization environment definition information for indicating to execute the transferring operation of said electronic mail and the editing operation of said electronic mail under said working environment designated by said working environment definition information as said groupware of said worker corresponding node.

41. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 40, wherein said generation means, when the format of said electronic mail in said transferring order not designated by said transferring order definition means, generates a processing program code for said software object which described to automatically generate and transfer the electronic mail in a format previously fixed to indicate the completion of the work of said software object node which is a node on a sending side of said electronic mail which has said format not designated.

42. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 40, wherein said generation means, when a meeting pseudo object node expressing a meeting by a plurality of workers with said electronic mail as at least input or output as one of said software object nodes is described by said transferring order definition means, delivers said electronic mail which is inputted to said meeting pseudo object node as a meeting material to the nodes corresponding to workers attending said meeting, and generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information indicating to deliver said electronic mail in a format designated minutes to at least one previously designated worker node.

43. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 40, wherein said generation means, when said software object node having a plurality of electronic mail inputs by said transferring order definition means, generates electronic mail utilization environment definition information which indicates to start the operation of said software object after waiting the completion of a plurality of electronic mail inputs as said groupware of said software object node having said plurality of electronic mail inputs.

44. A groupware development assisting system as set forth in claim 40, wherein said transferring order definition means has a reutilization means which refers to a pattern of transferring order previously registered and reuses.