System and method for the composition, generation, integration and execution of business processes over a network
First Claim
1. A software method of composing, generating, integrating and executing business processes via a computer network, the method comprising:
- a. providing a plurality of software resources, the software resources being available over the computer network;
b. providing a network browser, the network browser for accessing the software resources both at design time and at run time;
c. providing a networked based, graphical user interface (GUI) business process model builder;
the GUI business process model builder for directing the network browser to access and interweave at least two of the plurality of software resources;
d. using the GUI business process model to generate a business process model by incorporating at least two software resources into the business process model;
e. providing a networked based, runtime environment, the networked based, runtime environment encapsulating a process interpreter and a grammar engine allowing the business process model to be dynamically created in real-time, and the networked based, runtime environment operable to integrate data sources and processes from remote sources based on the business process model; and
f. using the networked based, runtime environment to initiate business process activities for purposes of completing internal and external collaborative business processes and transactions;
wherein the process interpreter and the grammar engine encapsulated within the networked based, runtime environment encapsulates software resources necessary to complete a business process;
wherein a workflow determines the order in which business process activities are undertaken; and
wherein business process activities forming the internal and external collaborative business processes are linked together according to the workflow.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method providing an environment for the composition, generation, integration and execution of business processes and/or transactions over a distributed computing-based network. In a preferred embodiment, a business process expert develops a business model by using a network browser to access the composition environment via the network. The preferred embodiment includes a Composer and a Player. The Composer allows a business process engineer to model the processes, process rules and data structures of an entity upon the basis of a plurality of software resources. The Player executes the modeled processes and access relevant data in real-time, according to rules and resources as related within a software structure generated by the business process engineer. The preferred embodiment dynamically constructs web pages based on the process, rule and data definitions prepared by a business process engineer/expert and does so through a Process Interpreter and Grammar Engine so as to encapsulate all the software resources necessary to complete the desired business process without the need of people programming, scripting or coding. Pages are constructed only when required, ensuring that the solutions are flexible, error free and based upon the most current business practices, providing agile, integrated, error free and real-time software solutions capabilities.
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Citations
50 Claims
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1. A software method of composing, generating, integrating and executing business processes via a computer network, the method comprising:
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a. providing a plurality of software resources, the software resources being available over the computer network; b. providing a network browser, the network browser for accessing the software resources both at design time and at run time; c. providing a networked based, graphical user interface (GUI) business process model builder;
the GUI business process model builder for directing the network browser to access and interweave at least two of the plurality of software resources;d. using the GUI business process model to generate a business process model by incorporating at least two software resources into the business process model; e. providing a networked based, runtime environment, the networked based, runtime environment encapsulating a process interpreter and a grammar engine allowing the business process model to be dynamically created in real-time, and the networked based, runtime environment operable to integrate data sources and processes from remote sources based on the business process model; and f. using the networked based, runtime environment to initiate business process activities for purposes of completing internal and external collaborative business processes and transactions; wherein the process interpreter and the grammar engine encapsulated within the networked based, runtime environment encapsulates software resources necessary to complete a business process; wherein a workflow determines the order in which business process activities are undertaken; and wherein business process activities forming the internal and external collaborative business processes are linked together according to the workflow. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method, comprising:
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a. using a network browser interface to provide an application specification for an application, the application specification including data attributes, activities that reference the data attributes, processes formed using the activities, and business rules applied to the data attributes, the activities and the processes; and b. dynamically generating the application using the application specification without requiring programming code generation; c. using a networked based, runtime environment to initiate the activities for purposes of completing internal and external collaborative processes and transactions; wherein a process interpreter and a grammar engine encapsulated within the networked based, runtime environment encapsulates software resources necessary to complete the processes, the networked based, runtime environment allowing the application to be dynamically generated; wherein a workflow determines the order in which the activities are undertaken; and wherein the activities forming the internal and external collaborative processes and transactions are linked together according to the workflow. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A computer-readable medium storing a sequence of instructions thereon, the medium comprising:
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a. means for defining an organization calendar for an organization, the organization calendar including time zones, working hours, holidays, and events applicable to the organization; b. means for defining business rules and processes followed by the organization and consistent with the organization calendar; c. means for defining a data attribute library used by the organization; d. means for defining activities performed for the organization using data attributes in the data attribute library, the activities constrained by the business rules and represented graphically as activity icons; and e. means for using a networked based, runtime environment to initiate the activities for purposes of completing internal and external collaborative processes and transactions; wherein a process interpreter and a grammar engine encapsulated within the networked based, runtime environment encapsulates software resources necessary to complete the processes; wherein a workflow determines the order in which the defined activities are undertaken; and wherein the activities forming the internal and external collaborative processes and transactions are linked together according to the workflow.
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33. A method of integrating a first business process software program with a second business process software program, the first business process software program and the second business process software program communicating via a computer network, the method comprising:
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a. interrogating the second business process software program via the computer network to determine how a message containing data may be structured in order to enable the second business process software program to accept the data; b. detecting a set of data that the first business process software program may provide to the second business process software program; c. structuring a message for transmission to and acceptance by the second business process software program, the message containing the set of data; d. transmitting the message to the second business process software program via the computer network; and e. using a networked based, runtime environment to initiate activities for purposes of completing internal and external collaborative processes and transactions; wherein a process interpreter and a grammar engine encapsulated within the networked based, runtime environment encapsulates software resources necessary to complete a process; wherein a workflow determines the order in which the activities are undertaken; and wherein the activities forming the internal and external collaborative processes and transactions are linked together according to the workflow. - View Dependent Claims (34)
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35. A computer readable medium having stored thereon sequences of instructions which are executable by a system, and which, when executed by the system, cause the system to perform a method, comprising:
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a. using a network browser interface to provide an application specification for an application, the application specification including data attributes, activities that reference the data attributes processes formed using the activities, and business rules applied to the data attributes, the activities and the processes; b. dynamically generating the application using the application specification without requiring programming, coding or scripting; and c. using the networked based, runtime environment to initiate the activities for purposes of completing internal and external collaborative processes and transactions; wherein a process interpreter and a grammar engine encapsulated within the networked based, runtime environment encapsulates software resources necessary to complete the processes; wherein a workflow determines the order in which the activities are undertaken; and wherein the activities forming the internal and external collaborative processes and transactions are linked together according to the workflow. - View Dependent Claims (36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44)
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45. A system comprising:
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a network; at least one remote processor in bidirectional communication with the network, each of the at least one remote processors having at least one software application residing thereon to result in at least two software applications residing on the at least one remote processors; and a system processor in bidirectional communication with the network, the system processor capable of receiving and sending data to each of the at least one software applications residing on each of the at least one remote processors, and the system processor operable to generate an executable business process model, the executable business process model comprising at least one activity between at least two of the at least one software applications residing on the at least one remote processors; the system processor using a networked based, runtime environment to initiate the at least one activity for purposes of completing internal and external collaborative processes and transactions; wherein a process interpreter and a grammar engine encapsulated within the networked based, runtime environment encapsulates software resources necessary to complete a process; wherein a workflow determines the order in which the at least one activity are undertaken; and wherein the at least one activity forming the internal and external collaborative processes and transactions are linked together according to the workflow. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47)
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48. A system comprising:
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a network; at least one remote processor in bidirectional communication with the network, each of the at least one remote processor having at least one software application residing thereon to result in at least two software applications residing on the at least one remote processors; and a system processor in bidirectional communication with the network, the system processor capable of receiving and sending data to each of the at least one software applications residing on each of the at least one remote processors, the system processor operable to generate an executable business process model, the executable business process model comprising at least one activity between at least two of the at least one software applications residing on the at least one remote processors, and the system processor further operable to execute the generated executable business process model; the system processor using a networked based, runtime environment to initiate the at least one activity for purposes of completing internal and external collaborative processes and transactions; wherein a process interpreter and a grammar engine encapsulated within the networked based, runtime environment encapsulates software resources necessary to complete a process; wherein a workflow determines the order in which the at least one activity are undertaken; and wherein the at least one activity forming the internal and external collaborative processes and transactions are linked together according to the workflow. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50)
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Specification