Database driven workflow management system for generating output material based on customer input
First Claim
1. A workflow management method for creating and delivering output material, comprising:
- generating a customer record to include fields specifying at least one product, customer preferences, and a selected delivery option indicating a method to deliver generated output material on the product specified in the customer record;
adding a job record including a status field to a job status table for the customer record;
setting the added job record status to a first status;
processing a selected job in the job status table;
invoking a first worker if the selected job has the first status;
generating, with the first worker, output material from processing the product and customer preference fields in the customer record for the selected job, by;
accessing one or more value fields in a customer record to include in a query from a template against a database table;
applying the query against the database table to determine a record associated with a content file and including fields matching the query;
accessing the content file associated with the determined record; and
generating content from the content file into the template, which forms the output material;
setting the status for the selected job in the job status table to a second status after generating the output material with the first worker;
invoking a second worker if the selected job has the second status;
determining, with the second worker, a selected one of a plurality of delivery options from the customer record for the selected job; and
transmitting, with the second worker, the output material via the determined delivery option to the customer specified in the customer record.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A customer record is generated to include fields specifying at least one product, customer preferences, and a selected delivery option indicating a method to deliver generated output material on the product. A job record including a status field is added to a job status table and set to a first status. A first worker is invoked if the selected job has the first status to generate output material from processing the product and customer preference fields in the customer record for the selected job. The status for the selected job in the job status table is set to a second status after generating the output material with the first worker. A second worker is invoked if the selected job has the second status to determine whether a selected one of a plurality of delivery options from the customer record for the selected job and transmits the output material via the determined delivery option to the customer specified in the customer record.
53 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A workflow management method for creating and delivering output material, comprising:
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generating a customer record to include fields specifying at least one product, customer preferences, and a selected delivery option indicating a method to deliver generated output material on the product specified in the customer record; adding a job record including a status field to a job status table for the customer record; setting the added job record status to a first status; processing a selected job in the job status table; invoking a first worker if the selected job has the first status; generating, with the first worker, output material from processing the product and customer preference fields in the customer record for the selected job, by; accessing one or more value fields in a customer record to include in a query from a template against a database table; applying the query against the database table to determine a record associated with a content file and including fields matching the query; accessing the content file associated with the determined record; and generating content from the content file into the template, which forms the output material; setting the status for the selected job in the job status table to a second status after generating the output material with the first worker; invoking a second worker if the selected job has the second status; determining, with the second worker, a selected one of a plurality of delivery options from the customer record for the selected job; and transmitting, with the second worker, the output material via the determined delivery option to the customer specified in the customer record. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A workflow management system for creating and delivering output material, comprising:
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means for generating a customer record to include fields specifying at least one product, customer preferences, and a selected delivery option indicating a method to deliver generated output material on the product specified in the customer record; means for adding a job record including a status field to a job status table for the customer record;
means for setting the added job record status to a first status;
means for processing a selected job in the job status table;means for invoking a first worker if the selected job has the first status; means for generating, with the first worker, output material from processing the product and customer preference fields in the customer record for the selected job, by accessing one or more value fields in a customer record to include in a query from a template against a database table, applying the query against the database table to determine a record associated with a content file and including fields matching the query, accessing the content file associated with the determined record and generating content from the content file into the template, which forms the output material; means for setting the status for the selected job in the job status table to a second status after generating the output material with the first worker;
means for invoking a second worker if the selected job has the second status;means for determining, with the second worker, a selected one of a plurality of delivery options from the customer record for the selected job; and means for transmitting, with the second worker, the output material via the determined delivery option to the customer specified in the customer record. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. An article of manufacture for use in a workflow management system for creating and delivering output material, the article of manufacture comprising computer readable storage media including a plurality of computer programs, including a first worker and second worker, embedded therein capable of causing at least one computer to perform:
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generating a customer record to include fields specifying at least one product, customer preferences, and a selected delivery option indicating a method to deliver generated output material on the product specified in the customer record; adding a job record including a status field to a job status table for the customer record;
setting the added job record status to a first status;processing a selected job in the job status table;
invoking the first worker if the selected job has the first status;generating, with the first worker, output material from processing the product and customer preference fields in the customer record for the selected job, by; accessing one or more value fields in a customer record to include in a query from a template against a database table; applying the query against the database table to determine a record associated with a content file and including fields matching the query; accessing the content file associated with the determined record; and generating content from the content file into the template, which forms the output material; setting the status for the selected job in the job status table to a second status after generating the output material with the first worker; invoking the second worker if the selected job has the second status;
determining, with the second worker, a selected one of a plurality of delivery options from the customer record for the selected job; andtransmitting, with the second worker, the output material via the determined delivery option to the customer specified in the customer record. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification