E-mail based workflow systems and methods of distributing e-mail

• US 6,370,567 B1
• Filed: 10/13/1999
• Issued: 04/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Solectron Corporation (Flex, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Ouchi, Norman Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Maung, Zarni
• Application Number:
  US09/417,451
• Time in Patent Office: 909 Days
• Field of Search: 709/207, 709/206, 709/219, 709/203, 709/217, 709/245, 709/239
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The invention relates to message-based workflow systems and methods for computer networks. In one embodiment, the invention provides: (1) an e-mail system; (2) PC'"'"'s, terminals, and/or workstations; and (3) a form route manager connected by the e-mail system. In another, the invention provides an e-mail-based workflow system for processing a document, connected to a computer network and a system for sending an e-mail, including a form route manager, connected to the computer network, capable of receiving and sending the e-mail, and capable of defining a route, a step-by-step sequence of e-mail addresses, in the network.

Claims

1. An e-mail-based workflow system, comprising:

a form route manager, connected to a computer network, capable of accessing a route, a sequence of email addresses in the computer network, comprising;

means for receiving the e-mail,

means for comparing the e-mail with the route,

means for determining the next email address in the route based on the results of the comparing means; and

means for forwarding the e-mail to the next e-mail address in the reoute based on the determining means.

2. The e-mail-based workflow system of claim 1, wherein the e-mail includes a route indicator, the form route manager is capable of accessing multiple routes, each route has an identifier, and the form route manager further comprises:

means for matching the route indicator of the e-mail with one identifier of the multiple routes, and

means for determining the route for the e-mail based on the results of the matching means.

3. The e-mail-based woryflow system of claim 1 or 2, wherein the e-mail includes a document, which includes an identifier, wherein the form route manager further includes:

a location table with the document identifier and the current e-mail address of the document, and

a move history table with the document identifier and a list of each e-mail address which sent the document to the form route manager.

4. The e-mail-based workflow system of claim 1, wherein the e-mail includes a branch indicator which is settable by the user at an e-mail address, and the form route manager is capable of accessing multiple routes, each route having an identifier, and the form route manager further comprises:

means for matching the branch indicator of the e-mail with one identifier of the multiple routes, and

means for determining the route for the e-mail based on the results of the matching means.

5. The e-mailed based worxflow system of claim 1, further comprising means, at the next e-mail address, for receiving the e-mail from the form route manager and returning the e-mail to the form route manager.

6. An e-mail-based workflow system for processing a document, wherein the workflow system is connected to a computer network and a system for sending an e-mail, comprising:

a form route manager, connected to the computer network, capable of receiving and sending the e-mail, and capable of defining;

a route, a step-by-step sequence of e-mail addresses, in the network; and

wherein a computer with an e-mail address in the network is adapted to send the e-mail to the form route manager which is adapted to send the e-mail to the next e-mail address in the route.

7. The e-mail-based workflow system of claim 6, wherein the e-mail includes a route indicator and wherein the form route manager is further capable of:

defining multiple routes, each route having an identifier,

comparing each route indicator with the multiple routes, and

determining the route for each e-mail before performing the step-by-step sequence in the route.

8. The e-mail-based workflow system of claim 6 or 7, wherein the document includes an identifier and the first form route manager further includes:

a location table with the document identifier and the next e-mail address of the document, and

a move history table with the document identifier and a list of every e-mail address which sent the document to the first form route manager.

9. The e-mail-based workflow system of claim 6, wherein the route includes a plurality of branch routes at a step in the route, wherein the e-mail includes a settable branch identifier and wherein the form route manager is adapted to select the branch route based on the setting of the branch identifier.

10. A method of centrally distributing e-mail to a step-by-step sequence of e-mail addresses, comprising:

receiving the e-mail with an indicator of the step in the sequence stored in a form route manager;

determining from the indicator and the sequence, the successor e-mail address in the sequence;

updating the e-mail indicator to the successor step; and

sending the e-mail to the successor e-mail address.