Method and apparatus for permissions based active document workflow

• US 7,356,611 B1
• Filed: 01/18/2002
• Issued: 04/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Ricoh Company Limited
• Inventors: van Glabbeek, Robert Jan, Stork, David G., Savitzky, Stephen
• Primary Examiner(s): Cardone; Jason D
• Assistant Examiner(s): BHATIA, AJAY M
• Application Number:
  US10/054,749
• Time in Patent Office: 2,272 Days
• Field of Search: 709/239
• US Class Current: 709/239
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Techniques for designing and processing a workflow that can be refined or modified based upon information associated with a document processed by the workflow. Since the author of the document may configure the information associated with a document that is used to determine if a workflow is to be modified, the present invention enables a document author, in addition to the workflow designer, to control processing of a document in a workflow. The documents themselves specify portions of the overall processing within a workflow net. Permissions information may be specified for the workflow and for the documents. The permissions information may specify which documents can modify the workflow, the manner in which the workflow is modified, and which documents can be processed according to the modified workflow.

Claims

1. A method of operating a computer device to process a document in a workflow system, the method in the computer device comprising:

detecting when a document is at a place in a first workflow network that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document to the place of the first workflow network, the first workflow network specifying a plurality of operations to be performed on the document including a first operation and a second operation, the place occurring at a location in the first workflow network after the first operation and before the second operation is performed on the document;

determining, when the document is at the place that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document, if a second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network, the second workflow network specifying one or more operations to be performed on the document; and

if the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network, attaching the second workflow network to the place of the first workflow network such that the document is processed according to the second workflow network before returning, upon completion of processing of the document according to the second workflow, to the place of the first workflow network to continue processing of the document according to the first workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document,

wherein the first workflow network comprises a first Petri net and the second workflow comprises a second Petri net.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the first workflow network is configured by a workflow designer and the second workflow network is configured by an author of the document.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein detecting when the document is at the place in the first workflow network comprises:

detecting when the first operation has been performed on the document.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network comprises:

determining permissions information specified for the place; and

determining that the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow if the document satisfies the permissions information specified for the place.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the permissions information specified for the place is configured by a designer of the first workflow network.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein determining if the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network comprises:

determining permissions information associated with the document; and

determining that the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow if the permissions information associated with the document permits the attachment.

7. The method of claim 6 wherein the permissions information associated with the document is configured by an author of the document.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein attaching the second workflow network to the place of the first workflow network such that the document is processed according to the second workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document comprises:

performing at least one operation from the one or more operations specified by the second workflow network on the document before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network on the document.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein attaching the second workflow network to the place of the first workflow network such that the document is processed according to the second workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document comprises:

identifying a set of one or more workflow networks specified by the document;

identifying a workflow network from the set of workflow networks that satisfies a selection criterion; and

processing the second document according to the workflow network identified from the set of workflow networks before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network on the document.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the second workflow network attached to the place of the first workflow network comprises a place of the second workflow network that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document at the place of the second workflow network.

11. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the second workflow network specified by the document is not permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network;

determining a set of workflow networks attached to the place of the first workflow network;

identifying at least one workflow network from the set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

processing the document according to the at least one workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network on the document.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

if the second workflow network specified by the document is not permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network;

determining a first set of workflow networks attached to the place of the first workflow network;

based upon permissions information associated with the document, detaching one or more workflow networks included in the first set of workflow networks from the place such that a second set of workflow networks remain attached to the place;

identifying at least one workflow network from the second set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

processing the document according to the at least one workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network on the document.

13. A method of operating a computer device to process a document according to a first workflow network, the first workflow network specifying a plurality of operations to be performed, the plurality of operations including a first operation and a second operation following the first operation, the method in the computer device comprising:

subsequent to performing the first operation and before performing the second operation, determining if the document is permitted to be processed by a second workflow network specified by the document at a location in the first workflow network that allows the document to be processed according to other workflow networks associated with the document, the second workflow network specifying one or more operations to be performed on the document; and

if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network at the location that allows the document to be processed according to other workflow networks associated with the document, processing the document according to the second workflow network and returning to the location, upon completion of processing of the document according to the second workflow, to continue processing of the document according to the first workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed,

wherein the first workflow network comprises a first Petri net and the second workflow comprises a second Petri net.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first workflow network is configured by a workflow designer and the second workflow network is configured by an author of the document.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein determining if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network specified by the document comprises:

determining permissions information specified for the first workflow network; and

determining that the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network if the document satisfies the permissions information specified for the first workflow network.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the permissions information specified for the first workflow network is configured by a designer of the first workflow network.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein determining if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network specified by the document comprises:

determining permissions information associated with the document; and

determining if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network specified by the document based upon the permissions information associated with the document.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the permissions information associated with the document is configured by an author of the document.

19. The method of claim 13 wherein processing the document according to the second workflow network comprises:

identifying a set of one or more workflow networks specified by the document;

identifying a workflow network from the set of workflow networks that satisfies a selection criterion; and

processing the second document according to the workflow network identified from the set of workflow networks before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network.

20. The method of claim 13 wherein processing the document according to the second workflow network comprises:

performing at least one operation from the one or more operations specified by the second workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network.

21. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

if the document is not permitted to be processed by the second workflow network;

identifying a set of workflow networks;

identifying at least one workflow network from the set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

processing the document according to the at least one workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network.

22. The method of claim 13 further comprising:

if the document is not permitted to be processed by the second workflow network;

identifying a first set of workflow networks;

based upon permissions information associated with the document, deleting one or more workflow networks from the first set of workflow networks;

identifying at least one workflow network from workflow networks remaining in the first set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

processing the document according to the at least one workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network.

23. A computer program product having a computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a computer system for processing a document in a workflow system, the computer program product comprising:

code for detecting when a document is at a place in a first workflow network that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document to the place of the first workflow network, the first workflow network specifying a plurality of operations to be performed on the document including a first operation and a second operation, the place occurring at a location in the first workflow network after the first operation and before the second operation is performed on the document;

code for determining, when the document is at the place that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document, if a second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network, the second workflow network specifying one or more operations to be performed on the document; and

if the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network, code for attaching the second workflow network to the place of the first workflow network such that the document is processed according to the second workflow network before returning, upon completion of processing of the document according to the second workflow, to the place of the first workflow network to continue processing of the document according to the first workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document,

wherein the first workflow network comprises a first Petri net and the second workflow comprises a second Petri net.

24. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the first workflow network is configured by a workflow designer and the second workflow network is configured by an author of the document.

25. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the code for detecting when the document is at the place in the first workflow network comprises:

code for detecting when the first operation has been performed on the document.

26. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the code for determining if the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network comprises:

code for determining permissions information specified for the place; and

code for determining that the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow if the document satisfies the permissions information specified for the place.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 wherein the permissions information specified for the place is configured by a designer of the first workflow network.

28. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the code for determining if the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network comprises:

code for determining permissions information associated with the document; and

code for determining that the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow if the permissions information associated with the document permits the attachment.

29. The computer program product of claim 28 wherein the permissions information associated with the document is configured by an author of the document.

30. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the code for attaching the second workflow network to the place of the first workflow network such that the document is processed according to the second workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document comprises:

code for performing at least one operation from the one or more operations specified by the second workflow network on the document before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network on the document.

31. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the code for attaching the second workflow network to the place of the first workflow network such that the document is processed according to the second workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document comprises:

code for identifying a set of one or more workflow networks specified by the document;

code for identifying a workflow network from the set of workflow networks that satisfies a selection criterion; and

code for processing the second document according to the workflow network identified from the set of workflow networks before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network on the document.

32. The computer program product of claim 23 wherein the second workflow network attached to the place of the first workflow network comprises a place of the second workflow network that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document at the place of the second workflow network.

33. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

if the second workflow network specified by the document is not permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network;

code for determining a set of workflow networks attached to the place of the first workflow network;

code for identifying at least one workflow network from the set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

code for processing the document according to the at least one workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network on the document.

34. The computer program product of claim 23 further comprising:

if the second workflow network specified by the document is not permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network;

code for determining a first set of workflow networks attached to the place of the first workflow network;

based upon permissions information associated with the document, code for detaching one or more workflow networks included in the first set of workflow networks from the place such that a second set of workflow networks remain attached to the place;

code for identifying at least one workflow network from the second set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

code for processing the document according to the at least one workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network on the document.

35. A computer program product having a computer readable storage medium storing instructions executable by a processor of a computer system for processing a document according to a first workflow network, the first workflow network specifying a plurality of operations to be performed, the plurality of operations including a first operation and a second operation following the first operation, the computer program product comprising:

code for determining, subsequent to performing the first operation and before performing the second operation, if the document is permitted to be processed by a second workflow network specified by the document at a location of the first workflow network that allows the document to be processed according to other workflow networks associated with the document, the second workflow network specifying one or more operations to be performed on the document; and

if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network at the location that allows the document to be processed according to other workflow networks associated with the document, code for processing the document according to the second workflow network before returning to the location, upon completion of processing of the document according to the second workflow, to continue processing of the document according to the first workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document,

wherein the first workflow network comprises a first Petri net and the second workflow comprises a second Petri net.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the first workflow network is configured by a workflow designer and the second workflow network is configured by an author of the document.

37. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the code for determining if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network specified by the document comprises:

code for determining permissions information specified for the first workflow network; and

code for determining that the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network if the document satisfies the permissions information specified for the first workflow network.

38. The computer program product of claim 37 wherein the permissions information specified for the first workflow network is configured by a designer of the first workflow network.

39. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the code for determining if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network specified by the document comprises:

code for determining permissions information associated with the document; and

code for determining if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network specified by the document based upon the permissions information associated with the document.

40. The computer program product of claim 39 wherein the permissions information associated with the document is configured by an author of the document.

41. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the code for processing the document according to the second workflow network comprises:

code for identifying a set of one or more workflow networks specified by the document;

code for identifying a workflow network from the set of workflow networks that satisfies a selection criterion; and

code for processing the second document according to the workflow network identified from the set of workflow networks before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network on the document.

42. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the code for processing the document according to the second workflow network comprises:

code for performing at least one operation from the one or more operations specified by the second workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network.

43. The computer program product of claim 35 further comprising:

if the document is not permitted to be processed by the second workflow network;

code for identifying a set of workflow networks;

code for identifying at least one workflow network from the set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

code for processing the document according to the at least one workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network.

44. The computer program product of claim 35 further comprising:

if the document is not permitted to be processed by the second workflow network;

code for identifying a first set of workflow networks;

based upon permissions information associated with the document, code for deleting one or more workflow networks from the first set of workflow networks;

code for identifying at least one workflow network from workflow networks remaining in the first set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

code for processing the document according to the at least one workflow network before performing the second operation specified by the first workflow network.

45. A workflow processing system comprising:

one or more computer systems configured to perform a plurality operations on a document specified by a first workflow network, the plurality of operations including a first operation and a second operation, the first workflow network comprising a place that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document to the place of the first workflow network and that occurs at a location in the first workflow network after the first operation and before the second operation is performed on the document; and

a workflow controller coupled to the one or more computer systems;

wherein the workflow controller is configured to;

detect when the document is at the place in the first workflow network that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document;

determine, when the document is at the place that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document, if a second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network, the second workflow network specifying one or more operations to be performed on the document; and

if the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network, attach the second workflow network to the place of the first workflow network such that the document is processed according to the second workflow network before returning, upon completion of processing of the document according to the second workflow, to the place of the first workflow network to continue processing of the document according to the first workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document,

wherein the first workflow network comprises a first Petri net and the second workflow comprises a second Petri net.

46. The workflow processing system of claim 45 wherein the first workflow network is configured by a workflow designer and the second workflow network is configured by an author of the document.

47. The workflow processing system of claim 45 wherein the workflow controller is configured to detect when the document is at the place in the first workflow network by detecting when the first operation has been performed on the document.

48. The workflow processing system of claim 45 wherein the workflow controller is configured to determine if the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network by:

determining permissions information specified for the place; and

determining that the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow if the document satisfies the permissions information specified for the place.

49. The workflow processing system of claim 48 wherein the permissions information specified for the place is configured by a designer of the first workflow network.

50. The workflow processing system of claim 45 wherein the workflow controller is configured to determine if the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network by:

determining permissions information associated with the document; and

determining that the second workflow network specified by the document is permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow if the permissions information associated with the document permits the attachment.

51. The workflow processing system of claim 50 wherein the permissions information associated with the document is configured by an author of the document.

52. The workflow processing system of claim 45 wherein the workflow controller is configured to attach the second workflow network to the place of the first workflow network such that the document is processed according to the second workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document by:

causing at least one operation from the one or more operations specified by the second workflow network to be performed on the document before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document.

53. The workflow processing system of claim 45 wherein the workflow controller is configured to attach the second workflow network to the place of the first workflow network such that the document is processed according to the second workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document by:

identifying a set of one or more workflow networks specified by the document;

identifying a workflow network from the set of workflow networks that satisfies a selection criterion; and

causing the second document to be processed according to the workflow network identified from the set of workflow networks before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document.

54. The workflow processing system of claim 45 wherein the second workflow network attached to the place of the first workflow network comprises a place of the second workflow network that allows attachment of workflow networks associated with the document at the place of the second workflow network.

55. The workflow processing system of claim 45 wherein the workflow controller is further configured to:

if the second workflow network specified by the document is not permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network;

determine a set of workflow networks attached to the place of the first workflow network;

identify at least one workflow network from the set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

cause the document to be processed according to the at least one workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document.

56. The workflow processing system of claim 45 wherein the workflow controller is further configured to:

if the second workflow network specified by the document is not permitted to be attached to the place of the first workflow network;

determine a first set of workflow networks attached to the place of the first workflow network;

based upon permissions information associated with the document, detach one or more workflow networks included in the first set of workflow networks from the place such that a second set of workflow networks remain attached to the place;

identify at least one workflow network from the second set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

cause the document to be processed according to the at least one workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document.

57. A workflow processing system comprising:

one or more computer systems configured to process a document according to a first workflow network, the first workflow network specifying a plurality of operations to be performed, the plurality of operations including a first operation and a second operation following the first operation; and

a controller system coupled to the one or more computer systems;

wherein the controller system is configured to;

subsequent to performing the first operation and before performing the second operation, determine if the document is permitted to be processed by a second workflow network specified by the document at a location in the first workflow network that allows the document to be processed according to other workflow networks associated with the document, the second workflow network specifying one or more operations to be performed on the document; and

if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network at the location that allows the document to be processed according to other workflow networks, cause the document to be processed according to the second workflow network before returning to the location, upon completion of processing of the document according to the second workflow, to continue processing of the document according to the first workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed,

wherein the first workflow network comprises a first Petri net and the second workflow comprises a second Petri net.

58. The workflow processing system of claim 57 wherein the first workflow network is configured by a workflow designer and the second workflow network is configured by an author of the document.

59. The workflow processing system of claim 57 wherein the controller system is configured to determine if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network specified by the document by:

determining permissions information specified for the first workflow network; and

determining that the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network if the document satisfies the permissions information specified for the first workflow network.

60. The workflow processing system of claim 59 wherein the permissions information specified for the first workflow network is configured by a designer of the first workflow network.

61. The workflow processing system of claim 57 wherein the controller system is configured to determine if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network specified by the document by:

determining permissions information associated with the document; and

determining if the document is permitted to be processed by the second workflow network specified by the document based upon the permissions information associated with the document.

62. The workflow processing system of claim 61 wherein the permissions information associated with the document is configured by an author of the document.

63. The workflow processing system of claim 57 wherein the controller system is configured to cause the document to be processed according to the second workflow network by:

identifying a set of one or more workflow networks specified by the document;

identifying a workflow network from the set of workflow networks that satisfies a selection criterion; and

causing the second document to be processed according to the workflow network identified from the set of workflow networks before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed.

64. The workflow processing system of claim 57 wherein the controller system is configured to cause the document to be processed according to the second workflow network by:

causing at least one operation from the one or more operations specified by the second workflow network to be performed before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed.

65. The workflow processing system of claim 57 wherein the controller system is further configured to:

if the document is not permitted to be processed by the second workflow network;

identify a set of workflow networks;

identify at least one workflow network from the set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

cause the document to be processed according to the at least one workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed.

66. The workflow processing system of claim 57 wherein the controller system is further configured to:

if the document is not permitted to be processed by the second workflow network;

identify a first set of workflow networks;

based upon permissions information associated with the document, delete one or more workflow networks from the first set of workflow networks;

identify at least one workflow network from workflow networks remaining in the first set of workflow networks for processing the document; and

cause the document to be processed according to the at least one workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed.

67. A method of operating a computer device to process a document in a workflow system, the method in the computer device comprising:

detecting when a document, processed according to a first work flow network, is permitted to be processed according to one or more workflow networks specified by the document, the first workflow network specifying a plurality of operations to be performed on the document including a first operation and a second operation, the location of document in the first workflow network permitting the document to be processed according to the one or more workflow networks being positioned after the first operation and before the second operation is performed on the document;

determining when the document is at the location permitting the document to be processed according to the one or more workflow networks, if the document is permitted to be processed according to a second workflow network specified by the document such that processing the document according to the second workflow network returns, upon completion of processing of the document according to the second workflow, to the location to continue processing of the document according to the first workflow network, the second workflow network specifying one or more operations to be performed on the document; and

if the document is permitted to be processed according to the second workflow network, processing the document according to the second workflow network before the second operation specified by the first workflow network is performed on the document,

wherein the first workflow network comprises a first Petri net and the second workflow comprises a second Petri net.