Architecture for an application framework

• US 7,237,199 B1
• Filed: 05/30/2000
• Issued: 06/26/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mind Fusion, LLC (Ascend Innovation Management, LLC)
• Original Assignee: Cedara Software, Corp (International Business Machines Corporation)
• Inventors: Heffernan, Patrick, Menhardt, Wido
• Primary Examiner(s): Lo; Weilun
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chuong; Truc T.
• Application Number:
  US09/580,163
• Time in Patent Office: 2,583 Days
• Field of Search: 345735-737, 345771-773, 345/853, 345/854, 715735-737, 715/771, 715/853, 715/854, 709/217, 709/219, 707/10
• US Class Current: 715/736
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

The present invention discloses a framework for monitoring workflow within an application having multiple levels of functionality, the framework being capable of combining a plurality of components from different sources and comprising a process level for selecting a set of defined process steps to be applied to a data set associated with a set of activities, a sub-process level including an aggregation of selected activities from the set of activities and facilitating navigation between the selected activities, and an activity level wherein an activity'"'"'s property in the data set is modified as a result of the applied processing of the activity level to produce an output data set.

Claims

1. A computer implemented framework for monitoring workflow within a computer application, said workflow including coordination of at least one activity from a set of activities originating from outside said application, said framework having multiple levels of functionality and capable of coordinating a plurality of said activities for said workflow from different sources outside said application for use in said application, said framework comprising:

(a) a user interface for facilitating interaction between a user and said application;

(b) a process level for selecting a process definition defining a set of process steps to be applied to a data set during said workflow according to the coordination of said activities whereby said process steps are associated with said set of activities, said process level comprising a process selector for selecting said process definition from a group of at least one process definition and a data selector for selecting said data set from a group of at least one data set, each said groups being stored in a data storage device accessible by said application;

(c) a sub-process level including an aggregation of selected activities from said set of activities, said aggregation of activities associated with said process definition, said sub-process level enabling navigation between ones of said selected activities during execution of said process definition for monitoring said workflow; and

(d) an activity level including said at least one activity from said set of activities, said at least one activity having a property that is modified as a result of the execution of said process definition during said workflow, whereby each said at least one activity is applied to said data set during its respective process step in said set of process steps to produce an output data set for subsequent use.

2. A framework according to claim 1, wherein the levels are assignable to distinct regions of said user interface.

3. A framework according to claim 2, wherein said activity level further supports re-use of a previous activity over a current activity, said activity selected from said aggregation of selected activities.

4. A framework according to claim 2, wherein said user interface facilitates multiple activities that are processable concurrently.

5. A framework according to claim 1, wherein said user interface includes a screen for providing a display of images.

6. A framework according to claim 5, wherein a current activity being processed from said set of activities is assigned to a work area of said screen, said work area having a substantial portion of the screen surface area.

7. A framework according to claim 6, wherein said framework monitors ownership of said work area by said current activity.

8. A framework according to claim 6, wherein a content of said work area contains shared properties stored in a shared data context.

9. A framework according to claim 8, wherein said shared data context is accessible by cooperating ones of said selected activities for sharing information.

10. A framework according to claim 8, wherein said data set and said set of process steps form a basis of said shared data context.

11. A framework according to claim 8, wherein the content of said shared data context accessible by said user is for verifying that required data for said selected activities is present.

12. A framework according to claim 1, wherein said sub-process level facilitates a dynamic ordering of said selected activities by said user.

13. A framework according to claim 1, wherein said process level automates a control flow between said selected activities in said set of activities based on a rule set or an activity property set.

14. A framework according to claim 1, wherein at least two of said different sources have different formats.

15. A framework according to claim 1, wherein said process level monitors functionality of a current activity based on said output data set obtained from a previous activity.

16. A framework according to claim 1, wherein said process level facilitates selection between active activities by a user.

17. A framework according to claim 1 further comprising a tool level for setting a parameter of said activity level, said parameter for updating an operational behavior of said activity level.

18. A framework according to claim 17, wherein said tool level is assignable to a distinct region of said user interface.

19. A framework according to claim 18, wherein said framework coordinates installation of a tool in the tool level region of said interface, said tool requested by said activity level.

20. A framework according to claim 17, wherein said tool level includes a tool navigator for facilitating selection of a tool by said user.

21. A framework according to claim 17, wherein multiple tool levels are supported by said framework.

22. A framework according to claim 17, wherein said framework restricts access by said user of selected ones of the levels.

23. A framework according to claim 1, wherein said framework restricts access by said user of selected ones of the levels.

24. A framework according to claim 1 further including a module for interfacing said application to a data base library.

25. A framework according to claim 24, wherein said database library includes data selected from the group comprising process definitions, sub-process descriptions, and activity information.

26. A framework according to claim 24, wherein said data set is external to said framework with an interface to said data set provided by said module.

27. A computer implemented method of monitoring a workflow within an application of a computer implemented framework, said workflow including coordination of at least one activity from a set of activities originating from outside said application, said framework having multiple levels of functionality and capable of coordinating a plurality of said activities for said workflow, and having a user interface for facilitating interaction between a user and said application, said application having said set of activities at an activity level, said activities selectable from a plurality of different sources, the method comprising the steps of:

(a) at a process level, selecting a process definition from a data storage device, said process definition defining a set of process steps for processing a data set during said workflow according to the coordination of said activities whereby said process steps are associated with said set of activities;

(b) selecting said data set from said data storage device;

(c) initiating said application for combining a plurality of said activities from different sources outside said application according to said process definition;

(d) at a sub-process level, navigating between ones of activities selected from said set of activities according to said process definition to enable said workflow to be monitored; and

(e) executing said process definition to apply each said at least one activity to said data set during its respective process step in said set of process steps thereby modifying at least one property contained in said data set for producing an output data set for subsequent use.

28. A method according to claim 27 further comprising the step of assigning at least some of said multiple levels of functionality to distinct regions of said user interface.

29. A method according to claim 28, wherein said user interface includes a screen providing a display of images.

30. A method according to claim 29 further comprising the step of assigning a current activity selected from said set of activities to a work area of said screen, said work area having a substantial portion of the screen surface area.

31. A method according to claim 30 further comprising the step of monitoring ownership of said work area by said current activity.

32. A method according to claim 28 further comprising the step of processing at least two process definitions concurrently.

33. A method according to claim 32 further comprising the step of selecting between active activities for assignment to a work area of said user interface.

34. A method according to claim 33, wherein said application supports a reuse of a previous activity over a current activity, said previous activity selected from said set of activities.

35. A method according to claim 28 further comprising the step of monitoring a level of information displayed in said distinct regions of said user interface.

36. A method according to claim 28 comprising the step of managing said distinct regions of said user interface by a current activity.

37. A method according to claim 27 further comprising the step of dynamically monitoring of an execution order of said set of activities by a user of said application.

38. A method according to claim 37 further comprising the step of automating a control flow between selected activities in said set of activities based on a rule set or an activity property set.

39. A method according to claim 27 further comprising the step of monitoring an operational functionality of said set of activities based on said output data set obtained from a previous activity.

40. A method according to claim 27 further comprising the step of setting a parameter of said set of activities by a tool, said parameter for updating an operational behavior of said set of activities.

41. A method according to claim 40 further comprising the step of assigning said tool to a distinct region of said user interface.

42. A method according to claim 41 further comprising the step of installing a tool in the tool region of said user interface, said tool requested by said process definition.

43. A method according to claim 27 further comprising the step of sharing properties of a content of a work area of said user interface in a shared data context.

44. A method according to claim 43 further comprising the step of accessing said shared data context by cooperating ones of said set of activities for sharing information purposes.