Object-oriented framework for document routing service in a content management system

• US 7,032,225 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2002
• Issued: 04/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: X Corp. (f/k/a Twitter, Inc.) (X Holdings Corp.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Yaung, Alan Tsu-I, Wang, Fang-Yi
• Primary Examiner(s): Thomson, W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hoang, Phuong N.
• Application Number:
  US10/131,167
• Publication Number:
  US 20030204646A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: 719/328, 719/315, 719/316, 709/238, 709/206
• US Class Current: 719/315
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

An object-oriented framework for document routing service in a content management system directly provides the server API set for document routing to the application programmers, without an intermediate interface layer. This framework provides document routing functions and system administration support for document routing. In addition, the system defines the document routing process as a series of steps provided by an administrator through which a document is routed, where a work node is a step within the process. A work list is provided that is a filter of one or more work nodes; a user may obtain a list of work or the “next” work item from the work list. Work packages can be suspended pending the satisfaction of criteria such as delay time or collection of a specified group of documents. The process can be resumed at any time. Suspension and resumption of the process are defined by the resume list in the work package and the work node. The object-oriented framework defines the object model of the document routing service that includes a set of classes and associated methods to support the model.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for providing an object oriented framework for document routing, comprising:

defining a document routing process with a finite number of predefined stages;

executing the document routing process based on the stages to create work list;

querying the work list to create a work package;

presenting the work package in the object oriented framework to an application without an intermediate interface layer;

wherein presenting the work package in the object oriented framework comprises presenting the work package in a plurality of classes;

wherein presenting the work package in a plurality of classes comprises defining a first class that provides document routing functions;

wherein presenting the work package in a plurality of classes further comprises defining a second class that provides system administration support for document routing;

wherein presenting the work package in a plurality of classes further comprises defining a third class that provides on object oriented representation of a process in document routing;

wherein presenting the work package in a plurality of classes further comprises defining a fourth class that provides an object oriented representation of a work node in document routing;

wherein presenting the work package in a plurality of classes further comprises defining a fifth class that provides an object oriented representation of a work list in document routing;

wherein presenting the work package in a plurality of classes further comprises defining a sixth class that provides an object oriented representation of an entry of a route list in a process in document routing;

wherein presenting the work package in a plurality of classes further comprises defining a seventh class that provides an object oriented representation of an entry of a resume list in a work node;

wherein presenting the work package in a plurality of classes further comprises defining an eight class that provides an object oriented representation of the work package in document routing and that routes the work package between work nodes in a process; and

wherein presenting the work package in a plurality of classes further comprises defining a ninth class that provides on object oriented representation of an entry of the resume list in the work package.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the first class comprises providing a basic document routing service.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the basic document routing service comprises performing any one or more of the following tasks:

starting, terminating, continuing, suspending, and resuming a process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein defining the document routing process with a finite number of predefined stages comprises:

retrieving an instance;

defining a number of work nodes required to complete the document routing process; and

defining work lists.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein executing the document routing process based on the stages to create the work package comprises:

creating an instance;

determining a number of processes that are available; and

creating the work package.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein querying the work package comprises:

creating an instance; and

querying a work list resulting in any of the work package or the work list.

7. A computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program for providing an object oriented framework for document routing, comprising:

a first set of instructions for defining a document routing process with a finite number of predefined stages;

a second set of instructions for executing the document routing process based on the stages to create a work list;

a third set of instructions for querying the work list to create a work package;

a fourth set of instructions for presenting the work package in the object oriented framework to an application without an intermediate interface layer;

wherein the fourth set of instructions for presenting the work package in the object oriented framework comprises a plurality of classes;

wherein the plurality of classes comprise a first class that provides document routing functions;

wherein the plurality of classes comprise a second class that provides system administration support for document routing;

wherein the plurality of classes comprise a third class that provides an object oriented representation of a process in document routing;

wherein the plurality of classes comprise a fourth class that provides an object oriented representation of a work node in document routing;

wherein the plurality of classes comprise a fifth class that provides an object oriented representation of a work list in document routing;

wherein the plurality of classes comprise a sixth class that provides an object oriented representation of an entry of a route list in a process in document routing;

wherein the plurality of classes comprise a seventh class that provides an object oriented representation of an entry of a resume list in a work node;

wherein the plurality of classes comprise an eight class that provides an object oriented representation of the work package in document routing and that routes the work package between work nodes in a process; and

wherein the plurality of classes comprise a ninth class that provides an object oriented representation of an entry of the resume list in the work package.