Method for creating a workflow
First Claim
1. A computer implemented method for creating a workflow including at least one structured process with interdependent tasks, and a composite object involved in the at least one structured process, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
- defining a model of the composite object, the model describing the composite object as an aggregate of constituent elements, wherein each of the constituent elements is an instance of an element type;
creating a general workflow by modelling the at least one structured process as a structured graph, comprising task nodes with an associated element type and connected according to their dependencies without any state nodes inbetween;
associating the tasks with the constituent elements according to the type of the elements to create a specific workflow, the associating step including rearranging the specific workflow based on the model of the composite object by rearranging the tasks on the basis of the associated element type for creating parallel task-element combinations in the specific workflow; and
moving connections between two sequential tasks with associated elements, which operate on elements that are not identical and have no encompassing or constituent elements in common.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method for creating a workflow including at least one structured process with interdependent tasks, and a composite object involved in the process is provided. The method includes defining a model of the object, describing the composite object as an aggregate of constituent elements, wherein each element is an instance of an element type; creating a general workflow by modelling the process as a structured graph comprising tasks with an associated element type, connected according to their dependencies; and associating tasks with elements according to their type to create a specific workflow. The method comprises rearranging the tasks on the basis of the associated element type to increase the number of parallel task-element combinations in the specific workflow. A programmable processing device comprises a mechanism for automatically generating a workflow and a mechanism for operation by one or more users. The device uses the above-described method. A computer program product can be run on a computer to execute the method and automatically create a workflow.
54 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A computer implemented method for creating a workflow including at least one structured process with interdependent tasks, and a composite object involved in the at least one structured process, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
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defining a model of the composite object, the model describing the composite object as an aggregate of constituent elements, wherein each of the constituent elements is an instance of an element type; creating a general workflow by modelling the at least one structured process as a structured graph, comprising task nodes with an associated element type and connected according to their dependencies without any state nodes inbetween; associating the tasks with the constituent elements according to the type of the elements to create a specific workflow, the associating step including rearranging the specific workflow based on the model of the composite object by rearranging the tasks on the basis of the associated element type for creating parallel task-element combinations in the specific workflow; and moving connections between two sequential tasks with associated elements, which operate on elements that are not identical and have no encompassing or constituent elements in common. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A programmable processing device for creating a workflow including at least one structured process with interdependent tasks, and a composite object involved in the at least one structured process, wherein the programmable processing device comprises:
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means for defining a model of the composite object, the model describing the composite object as an aggregate of constituent elements, wherein each of the constituent elements is an instance of an element type; means for creating a general workflow by modelling the at least one structured process as a structured graph, comprising task nodes with an associated element type and connected according to their dependencies without any state nodes inbetween; means for associating the tasks with the constituent elements according to the type of the elements to create a specific workflow, by rearranging the specific workflow based on the model of the composite object by rearranging the tasks on the basis of the associated element type for creating parallel task-element combinations in the specific workflow; and means for moving connections between two sequential tasks with associated elements, which operate on elements that are not identical and have no encompassing or constituent elements in common. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A computer program product embodied on a computer readable medium, for creating a workflow including at least one structured process with interdependent tasks, and a composite object involved in the at least one structured process, wherein the computer program product comprises computer-executable instructions for:
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defining a model of the composite object, the model describing the composite object as an aggregate of constituent elements, wherein each of the constituent elements is an instance of an element type; creating a general workflow by modelling the at least one structured process as a structured graph, comprising task nodes with an associated element type and connected according to their dependencies without any state nodes inbetween; associating the tasks with the constituent elements according to the type of the elements to create a specific workflow, by rearranging the specific workflow based on the model of the composite object by rearranging the tasks on the basis of the associated element type for creating parallel task-element combinations in the specific workflow; and moving connections between two sequential tasks with associated elements, which operate on elements that are not identical and have no encompassing or constituent elements in common. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A computer readable medium having thereon a computer program product for creating a workflow including at least one structured process with interdependent tasks, and a composite object involved in the at least one structured process, wherein the computer program product comprises computer-executable instructions for:
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defining a model of the composite object, the model describing the composite object as an aggregate of constituent elements, wherein each of the constituent elements is an instance of an element type; creating a general workflow by modelling the at least one structured process as a structured graph, comprising task nodes with an associated element type and connected according to their dependencies without any state nodes inbetween; associating the tasks with the constituent elements according to the type of the elements to create a specific workflow, by rearranging the specific workflow based on the model of the composite object by rearranging the tasks on the basis of the associated element type for creating parallel task-element combinations in the specific workflow; and moving connections between two sequential tasks with associated elements, which operate on elements that are not identical and have no encompassing or constituent elements in common.
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Specification