Transformations between private and shared workflows
First Claim
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1. A computer-implemented method of modifying an abstraction level of a workflow, the method comprising:
- analyzing a workflow to determine a first plurality of tasks;
expressing actual tasks within the first plurality of tasks as first vertices within a first matrix, wherein values of the first vertices within the first matrix are determined by actual dependencies between the tasks within the first plurality of tasks;
combining the first plurality of tasks into a first virtual task within an abstracted workflow;
expressing virtual tasks within the abstracted workflow as second vertices within a second matrix, wherein values of the second vertices within the second matrix are determined by virtual dependencies between the virtual tasks within the abstracted workflow; and
linking the first virtual task to the first plurality of tasks such that a virtual execution of the abstracted workflow corresponds to an actual execution of the workflow.
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Abstract
Techniques for modifying an abstraction level of a workflow are described. For example, a workflow may be analyzed to determine a first plurality of tasks, and the first plurality of tasks may then be combined into a first virtual task within an abstracted workflow. Then, the first virtual task may be linked to the first plurality of tasks, such that a virtual execution of the abstracted workflow corresponds to an actual execution of the workflow. In this way, the abstracted workflow may be shared with other parties, while a level of confidentiality associated with the workflow is preserved.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A computer-implemented method of modifying an abstraction level of a workflow, the method comprising:
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analyzing a workflow to determine a first plurality of tasks; expressing actual tasks within the first plurality of tasks as first vertices within a first matrix, wherein values of the first vertices within the first matrix are determined by actual dependencies between the tasks within the first plurality of tasks; combining the first plurality of tasks into a first virtual task within an abstracted workflow; expressing virtual tasks within the abstracted workflow as second vertices within a second matrix, wherein values of the second vertices within the second matrix are determined by virtual dependencies between the virtual tasks within the abstracted workflow; and linking the first virtual task to the first plurality of tasks such that a virtual execution of the abstracted workflow corresponds to an actual execution of the workflow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. An apparatus comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the apparatus including:
- means for executing a first code segment for grouping a task subset from a plurality of tasks comprising a workflow;
means for executing a second code segment for expressing actual tasks within the task subset as first vertices within a first matrix, wherein values of the first vertices within the first matrix are determined by actual dependencies between the tasks within the task subset;
means for executing a third code segment for constructing a virtual workflow including a first virtual task;
means for executing a fourth code segment for expressing the first virtual task within the virtual workflow as second vertices within a second matrix, wherein values of the second vertices within the second matrix are determined by virtual dependencies between the virtual tasks within the virtual workflow; and
means for executing a fifth code segment for associating the task subset with the first virtual task by requiring that completion of the task subset corresponds to completion of the first virtual task. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
- means for executing a first code segment for grouping a task subset from a plurality of tasks comprising a workflow;
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26. A storage medium comprising a workflow model comprising:
- a workflow comprising a first task and a second task, the first and second tasks expressed as first vertices within a first matrix having values determined by actual dependencies between the first and second tasks;
a workflow view corresponding to the workflow and comprising a first virtual task expressed as a second vertex within a second matrix having values determined by virtual dependencies between virtual tasks within the workflow view;
a first dependency between a first execution of the first task and a virtual execution of the first virtual task; and
a second dependency between a second execution of the second task and the virtual execution of the first virtual task. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
- a workflow comprising a first task and a second task, the first and second tasks expressed as first vertices within a first matrix having values determined by actual dependencies between the first and second tasks;
Specification