Collaborative business plug-in framework
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system that includes a computer and a processor, and that provides a plug-in framework for integrating business processes, comprising:
- a process engine operating on the computer that includes a workflow stored and executing thereon, wherein the process engine allows applications to interact with business processes, and triggers notifications to the business processes when events occur within the workflow; and
a plug-in framework operating on the computer that provides an interface for the applications to interact with the process engine, and that allows an existing workflow to be dynamically modified by plug-ins at run-time, wherein said plug-in framework includesa database store that includes plug-in configuration information and allow plug-ins to be deployed as session beans to the plug-in framework,a plurality of plug-ins defined by the database store as session beans, for use with the process engine, that when packaged and deployed to the process engine as a plug-in at run-time are automatically discovered by the plug-in framework and dynamically modify the workflow process that is currently running on the process engine, by registering listeners for specific notifications, and then executing a workflow functionality when the specific notifications are triggered, and wherein each plug-in communicates with the process engine using context passing to provide an instance of the plug-in component run-time interface and pass the context to that instance, to allow the plug-in to introduce plug-in instance data into the current workflow run-time,a plug-in manager that provides meta-data about deployed plug-ins including the deployed session beans, enables access to plug-in design and run-time components, registers the plug-ins with the workflow, handles the notifications to and from the plug-ins, and provides loading and unloading of plug-ins as necessary to dynamically modify the workflow, anda plug-in API that enables design, development and configuration of the plug-ins and the managing of run-time interactions between the process engine and the deployed plug-ins.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A plug-in framework can be used in an integration system to extend business process management functionality. A plug-in manager, which can be part of an integration process engine, is used to support configuration, design, and run-time management of the plug-ins. A plug-in API is used to provide support for configuration, design, and run-time interactions between the process engine and a deployed plug-in. The plug-in API can consist of components such as session beans, run-time management classes, and packages.
This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.
-
Citations
27 Claims
-
1. A system that includes a computer and a processor, and that provides a plug-in framework for integrating business processes, comprising:
-
a process engine operating on the computer that includes a workflow stored and executing thereon, wherein the process engine allows applications to interact with business processes, and triggers notifications to the business processes when events occur within the workflow; and a plug-in framework operating on the computer that provides an interface for the applications to interact with the process engine, and that allows an existing workflow to be dynamically modified by plug-ins at run-time, wherein said plug-in framework includes a database store that includes plug-in configuration information and allow plug-ins to be deployed as session beans to the plug-in framework, a plurality of plug-ins defined by the database store as session beans, for use with the process engine, that when packaged and deployed to the process engine as a plug-in at run-time are automatically discovered by the plug-in framework and dynamically modify the workflow process that is currently running on the process engine, by registering listeners for specific notifications, and then executing a workflow functionality when the specific notifications are triggered, and wherein each plug-in communicates with the process engine using context passing to provide an instance of the plug-in component run-time interface and pass the context to that instance, to allow the plug-in to introduce plug-in instance data into the current workflow run-time, a plug-in manager that provides meta-data about deployed plug-ins including the deployed session beans, enables access to plug-in design and run-time components, registers the plug-ins with the workflow, handles the notifications to and from the plug-ins, and provides loading and unloading of plug-ins as necessary to dynamically modify the workflow, and a plug-in API that enables design, development and configuration of the plug-ins and the managing of run-time interactions between the process engine and the deployed plug-ins. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
-
-
27. A computer-implemented method of providing a plug-in framework to integrate business processes, comprising the steps of:
-
operating a process engine on the computer that includes a workflow stored and executing thereon, wherein the process engine allows applications to interact with business processes, and triggers notifications to the business processes when events occur within the workflow; and operating a plug-in framework on the computer that provides an interface for the applications to interact with the process engine, and that allows an existing workflow to be dynamically modified by plug-ins at run-time, wherein said plug-in framework includes a database store that includes plug-in configuration information and allow plug-ins to be deployed as session beans to the plug-in framework, a plurality of plug-ins defined by the database store as session beans, for use with the process engine, that when packaged and deployed to the process engine as a plug-in at run-time are automatically discovered by the plug-in framework and dynamically modify the workflow process that is currently running on the process engine, by registering listeners for specific notifications, and then executing a workflow functionality when the specific notifications are triggered, and wherein each plug-in communicates with the process engine using context passing to provide an instance of the plug-in component run-time interface and pass the context to that instance, to allow the plug-in to introduce plug-in instance data into the current workflow run-time, a plug-in manager that provides meta-data about deployed plug-ins including the deployed session beans, enables access to plug-in design and run-time components, registers the plug-ins with the workflow, handles the notifications to and from the plug-ins, and provides loading and unloading of plug-ins as necessary to dynamically modify the workflow, a plug-in API that enables design, development and configuration of the plug-ins and the managing of run-time interactions between the process engine and the deployed plug-ins; and allowing applications to interact with the workflow using the plug-in framework.
-
Specification
-
- Resources
Litigation Campaign Assessment
Thank you for your request. You will receive a custom alert email when the Litigation Campaign Assessment is available.
×
-
Current AssigneeOracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
-
Original AssigneeBEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
-
InventorsBlevins, Mike
-
Primary Examiner(s)An; Meng-Ai
-
Assistant Examiner(s)Anya; Charles E
-
Application NumberUS10/404,552Publication NumberTime in Patent Office2,205 DaysField of Search709201-207, 709217-219, 715764-767, 719311-318, 719/328, 719/331, 717100-123, 705 1- 11, 707 1- 10, 707/100US Class Current719/328CPC Class CodesG06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human...
