Workflow systems and methods for project management and information management

• US 7,707,259 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2008
• Issued: 04/27/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Juniper Networks Incorporated
• Inventors: Ouchi, Norman Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): NEURAUTER, GEORGE C
• Application Number:
  US12/022,904
• Publication Number:
  US 20080120388A1
• Time in Patent Office: 818 Days
• Field of Search: 709/206, 709/238
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present invention relates to workflow systems and methods. In one embodiment, the invention relates to integration of a calendar system with a workflow system where a calendar event can initiate a workflow by sending a message to a form route manager. The completion of a workflow or step in the workflow can result in sending a message to a calendar system to generate an event. In another embodiment, the invention relates to the integration of workflow with a project management system that includes project segments, which are processes that can be defined and controlled by workflow routes. The project management system sends a message to the workflow system to initiate workflow and the workflow system sends a message to the project management system, for example, at the completion of the workflow route. The relationship between the workflow routes can maintain the relationship between the project segments. If the relationships between project segments change, the relationship between the workflow routes changes without added effort.

Claims

1. A method, comprising:

separating an interdependent task into a route defining a sequence of steps, each step from the sequence of steps being associated with a user from a plurality of users;

sending an e-mail to a first email address associated with a first user from the plurality of users based on a value of a step indicator and the route;

incrementing the value of the step indicator to produce an incremented value; and

sending an e-mail to a second email address associated with a second user from the plurality of users based on the incremented value of the step indicator and the route.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the interdependent task is separated into a plurality of routes including the route, each route from the plurality of routes includes a route identifier;

the e-mail associated with the first user includes a route field, the route field including a route identifier; and

the route includes a route identifier that corresponds to a content of the route field of the e-mail associated with the first user.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

storing a location table containing a current email address of the e-mail associated with the first user, the current email address being the first email address; and

storing a move history table containing a third email address of an e-mail associated with a third user from the plurality of users, the e-mail associated with the third user being sent to the third email address before the sending the e-mail to the first email address associated with the first user.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a route identifier to the route; and

assigning a route name to the e-mail associated with the first user, the sending the e-mail to the first e-mail address associated with the first user being performed when the route identifier corresponds to the route name.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

assigning a document identifier to the e-mail associated with the first user;

storing a time that the e-mail with the document identifier was received in a move history table; and

entering a current email address of the e-mail with the document identifier in a location table, the current email address being the first email address.

6. A method, comprising:

storing a route defining a plurality of IP addresses associated with a sequence of steps, each IP address from the plurality of IP address being associated with a step from the sequence of steps;

receiving, at a location associated with a first Web address, information associated with an initial document to produce a submitted document;

assigning a second Web address to a Web page associated with to the submitted document;

pushing the Web page to a first IP address from the plurality of IP addresses based on a value of a step indicator and the route;

incrementing a value of the step indicator to produce an incremented value; and

pushing the Web page to a second IP address from the plurality of IP addresses based on the incremented value of the step indicator and the route.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein:

an interdependent task is separated into a plurality of routes including the route, each route from the plurality of routes includes a route identifier;

the Web page to the first IP address includes a route field, the route field including a route identifier; and

the route includes a route identifier that corresponds to a content of the route field of the Web page to the first IP address.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing a location table containing a current IP address of the Web page to the first IP address; and

storing a move history table containing an IP address of the Web page to a third IP address from the plurality of IP addresses, the Web page to the third IP address being pushed before the pushing the Web page to the first IP address.

9. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

assigning a route identifier to the route; and

assigning a route name to the Web page to the first IP address, the pushing the Web page to the first IP address being performed when the route identifier corresponds to the route name.

10. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

assigning a document identifier to the Web page to the first IP address;

storing a time that the Web page with the document identifier was received in a move history table; and

entering a current IP address of the Web page with the document identifier in a location table.

11. A method, comprising:

storing a route defining a plurality of addresses associated with a sequence of steps, each address from the plurality of address being associated with a step from the sequence of steps;

receiving, from a Web browser, information associated with an initial document to produce a submitted document;

assigning a destination address to the submitted document, the submitted document configured to be accessed by a second Web browser via the destination address;

sending an e-mail to a first address from the plurality of addresses based on a value of a step indicator and the route, the email to the first address including the destination address;

incrementing the value of the step indicator to produce an incremented value; and

sending an e-mail to a second address from the plurality of addresses based on the incremented value of the step indicator and the route, the email to the second address including the destination address.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein:

an interdependent task is separated into a plurality of routes including the route, each route from the plurality of routes includes a route identifier;

the e-mail to the first address includes a route field, the route field including a route identifier; and

the route includes a route identifier that corresponds to a content of the route field of the e-mail to the first address.

13. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

storing a location table containing a current address of the e-mail to the first address, the current address being the first address; and

storing a move history table containing a third address of an e-mail to a third address from the plurality of addresses, the e-mail to the third address being sent before the sending the e-mail to the first address.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

assigning a route identifier to the route; and

assigning a route name to the e-mail to the first address, the sending the e-mail to the first address being performed when the route identifier corresponds to the route name.

15. The method of claim 11, further comprising:

assigning a document identifier to the e-mail to the first address;

storing a time that the e-mail with the document identifier was received in a move history table; and

entering a current address of the e-mail with the document identifier in a location table.