Generating event-condition-action rules from process models

• US 6,826,579 B1
• Filed: 02/04/2000
• Issued: 11/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Leymann, Frank, Roller, Dieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Hafiz, Tariq R.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHAFFER, ERIC T
• Application Number:
  US09/498,835
• Time in Patent Office: 1,761 Days
• Field of Search: 705/1, 705/7, 707/2, 707/104, 707/100, 707/131, 707/132, 707/103
• US Class Current: 717/131
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A computerized method for automatically transforming the process model of a workflow-management-system into trigger-specifications executable within a trigger system. The process model comprises at least one source activity S, a target activity T and a control connector defining a potential control flow from said source activity to said target activity associated with a transition condition P. The source activity S is transformed into a trigger event. The trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger system that an instance of said source activity has been terminated. The control connector is transformed into a trigger condition, causing said trigger system at run-time, once said trigger event has been raised, to evaluate the truth value of said transition condition. Furthermore said target activity is transformed into a trigger action causing said trigger system at run-time, in case said trigger condition evaluates to TRUE, to start an instance of said target activity.

Claims

1. A computerized method in a computer system for said system to take a process-model of a workflow-management-system and, without user input, automatically generate an automatically executable implementation of the business process modeled by the Process-model as trigger-specifications executable within a trigger-system, said process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target-activity associated with a transition-condition P, comprising the steps of:

receiving as input a process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector, defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target activity associated with a transition-condition P;

automatically transforming said source-activity S into a trigger-event TERMINATE(S), without user input, whereby said trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger-system that an instance of said source-activity has been terminated;

automatically transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition, without user input, whereby at run-time, once said trigger-event has been raised, said trigger-system evaluates the truth value of said transition-condition; and

automatically transforming said target-activity T into a trigger-action START(T), without user input, whereby at run-time, in case said trigger-condition evaluates to TRUE, said trigger-system starts an instance of said target-activity;

wherein in said process-model said target-activity is a join-activity being the target of at least one further control-connector associated with a further transition-condition P2, said method further comprising;

transforming, if said workflow-management-system defines said target-activity to be started in case either one of said transition-conditions evaluates to TRUE, said control-connector into a trigger-condition by logically ORing said transition-condition and said further transition-condition (P OR P2); and

transforming, if said workflow-management-system defines said target-activity to be started in case all of said transition-conditions evaluate to TRUE, said control-connector into a trigger-condition by logically ANDing said transition-condition and said further transition-condition (P AND P2).

2. A computerized method for automatically transforming a process-model according to claim 1 wherein each of said activities within said process-model comprises an input-container and an output-container, said method further comprising:

incorporating accessing means into said trigger-specification whereby at run time said trigger-system accesses the parameters of all of said transition-conditions and said input-containers and said output-containers of said source-activity and said target-activity.

3. A computerized method for automatically transforming a process-model according to claim 2, further comprising incorporating into said trigger-action a termination-request SIGNALTERMINATION(T), whereby said trigger-system responds to said termination-request at run-time by raising a new trigger-event TERMINATE(T) once said instance of said target-activity has been terminated.

4. A computerized method for automatically transforming a process-model according to claim 3, wherein said termination-request comprises a request to store at run-time a termination-record into a table, indicating termination of said instance of said target-activity, said table to be used by said trigger-system at run-time for determining raised trigger-events.

5. A computerized method in a computer system for said system to take a process-model of a workflow-management-system and, without user input, automatically generate an automatically executable implementation of the business process modeled by the process-model as trigger-specifications executable within a trigger-system, said process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target-activity associated with a transition-condition P, comprising the steps of:

receiving as input a process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target activity associated with a transition-condition P;

automatically transforming said source-activity S into a trigger-event TERMINATE(S), without user input, whereby said trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger-system that an instance of said source-activity has been terminated;

automatically transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition, without user input, whereby at run-time, once said trigger-event has been raised, said trigger-system evaluates the truth value of said transition-condition; and

automatically transforming said target-activity T into a trigger-action START(T), without user input, whereby at run-time, in case said trigger-condition evaluates to TRUE, said trigger-system starts an instance of said target-activity

wherein in said process-model said target-activity is a join-activity being the target of at least one further control-connector associated with a further transition-conditions Pi, and said process-model defining said target-activity to be started in case a Boolean-expression B(P, . . . , Pi , . . . ) based on said transition conditions evaluates to TRUE, said method further comprising transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition representing said Boolean-expression B(P, . . . , Pi , . . . ).

6. A computerized method for automatically transforming a process-model according to claim 5 wherein each of said activities within said process-model comprising an input-container and an output-container, said method further comprising:

incorporating accessing means into said trigger-specification whereby at run time said trigger-system accesses the parameters of all of said transition-conditions and said input-containers and said output-containers of said source-activity and said target-activity.

7. A computerized method for automatically transforming a process-model according to claim 6, further comprising incorporating into said trigger-action a termination-request SIGNALTERMINATION(T), whereby said trigger-system responds to said termination-request at run-time by raising a new trigger-event TERMINATE(T) once said instance of said target-activity has been terminated.

8. A computerized method for automatically transforming a process-model according to claim 7, wherein said termination-request comprises a request to store at run-time a termination-record into a table, indicating termination of said instance of said target-activity, said table to be used by said trigger-system at run-time for determining raised trigger-events.

9. A system for receiving a process model of a workflow-management-system and for, without user input, automatically generating an automatically executable implementation of the business process modeled by the process-model as trigger-specifications executable within a trigger-system, said process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target-activity associated with a transition-condition P comprising:

means for receiving as input a process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target activity associated with a transition-condition P;

at least one processing component for automatically transforming said source-activity S into a trigqer-event TERMINATE(S), without user input, whereby said trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger-system that an instance of said source-activity has been terminated;

at least one processing component for automatically transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition, without user input, whereby at run-time, once said trigger-event has been raised, said trigger-system evaluates the truth value of said transition-condition; and

at least one processing component for automatically transforming said target-activity T into a trigger-action START(T), without user input, whereby at run-time, in case said trigger-condition evaluates to TRUE, said trigger-system starts an instance of said target-activity,

wherein in said Process-model said target-activity is a loin-activity being the target of at least one further control-connector associated with a further transition-condition P2, and wherein said at least one Processing component for automatically transforming said control connector comprises;

means for transforming, if said workflow-management-system defines said target-activity to be started in case either one of said transition-conditions evaluates to TRUE, said control-connector into a trigger-condition by logically ORing said transition-condition and said further transition-condition (P OR P2); and

if said workflow-management-system defines said target-activity to be started in case all of said transition-conditions evaluate to TRUE, said control-connector into a trigger-condition by logically ANDing said transition-condition and said further transition-condition (P AND P2).

10. A data processing program for execution in a data processing system comprising software code portions for performing a method in a computer system for said system to take a process-model of a workflow-management-system and, without user input, automatically generate an automatically executable implementation of the business method modeled by the process-model as trigger-specifications executable within a trigger-system, said process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target-activity associated with a transition-condition P, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving as input a process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target activity associated with a transition-condition P;

automatically transforming said source-activity S into a trigger-event TERMINATE(S), without user input, whereby said trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger-system that an instance of said source-activity has been terminated;

automatically transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition, without user input, whereby at run-time, once said trigger-event has been raised, said trigger-system evaluates the truth value of said transition-condition; and

automatically transforming said target-activity T into a trigger-action START(T), without user input, whereby at run-time, in case said trigger-condition evaluates to TRUE, said trigger-system starts an instance of said target-activity,

wherein in said process-model said target-activity is a join-activity being the target of at least one further control-connector associated with a further transition-condition P2, said method further comprising;

transforming, if said workflow-management-system defines said target-activity to be started in case either one of said transition-conditions evaluates to TRUE, said control-connector into a trigger-condition by logically ORing said transition-condition and said further transition-condition (P OR P2); and

transforming, if said workflow-management-system defines said target-activity to be started in case all of said transition-conditions evaluate to TRUE, said control-connector into a trigger-condition by logically ANDing said transition-condition and said further transition-condition (P AND P2).

11. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform a method in a computer system for said system to take a process-model of a workflow-management-system and, without user input, automatically generate an automatically executable implementation of the business process modeled by the process-model as trigger-specifications executable within a trigger-system, said process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target-activity associated with a transition-condition P, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving as input a process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target activity associated with a transition-condition P;

automatically transforming said source-activity S into a trigger-event TERMINATE(S), without user input, whereby said trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger-system that an instance of said source-activity has been terminated;

automatically transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition, without user input, whereby at run-time, once said trigger-event has been raised, said trigger-system evaluates the truth value of said transition-condition; and

automatically transforming said target-activity T into a trigger-action START(T), without user input, whereby at run-time, in case said trigger-condition evaluates to TRUE, said trigger-system starts an instance of said target-activity,

wherein in said process-model said target-activity is a join-activity being the target of at least one further control-connector associated with a further transition-condition P2, said method further comprising;

transforming, if said workflow-management-system defines said target-activity to be started in case either one of said transition-conditions evaluates to TRUE, said control-connector into a trigger-condition by logically ORing said transition-condition and said further transition-condition (P OR P2); and

transforming, if said workflow-management-system defines said target-activity to be started in case all of said transition-conditions evaluate to TRUE, said control-connector into a trigger-condition by logically ANDing said transition-condition and said further transition-condition (P AND P2).

12. A system for receiving a process model of a workflow-management-system and for, without user input, automatically generating an automatically executable implementation of the business process modeled by the process-model as trigger-specifications executable within a trigger-system, said process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target-activity associated with a transition-condition P comprising:

means for receiving as input a process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target activity associated with a transition-condition P;

at least one processing component for automatically transforming said source-activity S into a trigger-event TERMINATE(S), without user input, whereby said trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger-system that an instance of said source-activity has been terminated;

at least one processing component for automatically transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition, without user input, whereby at run-time, once said trigger-event has been raised, said trigger-system evaluates the truth value of said transition-condition; and

at least one processing component for automatically transforming said target-activity T into a trigger-action START(T), without user input, whereby at run-time, in case said trigger-condition evaluates to TRUE, said trigger-system starts an instance of said target-activity,

wherein in said process-model said target-activity is a join-activity being the target of at least one further control-connector associated with a further transition-conditions Pi, and said Process-model defining said target-activity to be started in case a Boolean-expression B(P, . . . , Pi, . . . ) based on said transition conditions evaluates to TRUE, wherein said at least one processing component for automatically transforming said control-connector comprises means for transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition representing said Boolean-expression B(P, . . . , Pi, . . . ).

13. A data processing program for execution in a data processing system comprising software code portions for performing a method in a computer system for said system to take a process-model of a workflow-management-system and, without user input, automatically generate into an automatically executable implementation of the business method modeled by the process-model as trigger-specifications executable within a trigger-system, said process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target-activity associated with a transition-condition P, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving as input a process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target activity associated with a transition-condition P;

automatically transforming said source-activity S into a trigger-event TERMINATE(S), without user input, whereby said trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger-system that an instance of said source-activity has been terminated;

automatically transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition, without user input, whereby at run-time, once said trigger-event has been raised, said trigger-system evaluates the truth value of said transition-condition; and

automatically transforming said target-activity T into a trigger-action START(T), without user input, whereby at run-time, in case said trigger-condition evaluates to TRUE, said trigger-system starts an instance of said target-activity,

wherein in said process-model said target-activity is a join-activity being the target of at least one further control-connector associated with a further transition-conditions Pi, and said process-model defining said target-activity to be started in case a Boolean-expression B(P, . . . , Pi, . . . ) based on said transition conditions evaluates to TRUE, said method further comprising transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition representing said Boolean-expression B(P, . . . , Pi, . . . ).

14. A computer program product stored on a computer usable medium, comprising computer readable program means for causing a computer to perform a method in a computer system for said system to take a process-model of a workflow-management-system and, without user input, automatically generate an automatically executable implementation of the business process modeled by the process-model as trigger-specifications executable within a trigger-system, said process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target-activity associated with a transition-condition P, said method comprising the steps of:

receiving as input a process-model comprising at least one source-activity S and a target-activity T and a control-connector defining a potential control flow from said source-activity to said target activity associated with a transition-condition P;

automatically transforming said source-activity S into a trigger-event TERMINATE(S), without user input, whereby said trigger-event, if raised at run-time, indicates to said trigger-system that an instance of said source-activity has been terminated;

automatically transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition, without user input, whereby at run-time, once said trigger-event has been raised, said trigger-system evaluates the truth value of said transition-condition; and

automatically transforming said target-activity T into a trigger-action START(T), without user input, whereby at run-time, in case said trigger-condition evaluates to TRUE, said trigger-system starts an instance of said target-activity,

wherein in said process-model said target-activity is a loin-activity being the target of at least one further control-connector associated with a further transition-conditions Pi, and said process-model defining said target-activity to be started in case a Boolean-expression B(P, . . . , Pi, . . . ) based on said transition conditions evaluates to TRUE, said method further comprising transforming said control-connector into a trigger-condition representing said Boolean-expression B(P, . . . , Pi, . . . ).