Workflow decision management with heuristics

• US 8,046,734 B2
• Filed: 04/03/2008
• Issued: 10/25/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 01/10/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Kyndryl Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Reddington, Francis Xavier, Brown, William A., Muirhead, Richard William
• Primary Examiner(s): Yigdall; Michael J
• Application Number:
  US12/061,974
• Publication Number:
  US 20080235706A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,300 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for workflow decision management. Embodiments typically include maintaining a device state history; identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history; identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern; and selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario. In typical embodiments, the heuristic has a tolerance. Embodiments also include identifying a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic and executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance.

Claims

1. A method for workflow decision management, the method comprising:

maintaining, by automated computing machinery, a device state history;

identifying, by the automated computing machinery, a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history for one or more devices in a networked environment;

identifying by the automated computing machinery a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern, the derived scenario created in dependence upon actual past device usage within the networked environment;

selecting, by the automated computing machinery, a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario, the heuristic having a tolerance and comprising an approximate solution directed to administering devices in the networked environment to address the derived scenario;

identifying, by the automated computing machinery, a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic; and

executing, by the automated computing machinery, the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein maintaining a device state history further comprises recording a plurality of attribute values for a device.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history further comprises comparing the device state history with a plurality of device usage patterns records.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern further comprises retrieving a derived scenario ID from a derived scenario table.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises reading a heuristic ID from a derived scenario record.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises retrieving a heuristic ID from a heuristic table.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein identifying a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic comprises retrieving a workflow ID from a heuristic record.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises sending a message to a device.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises calling a member method in a device class.

10. A computer system for workflow decision management, the computer system comprising:

a computer processor;

a computer readable memory and a computer readable, tangible storage device;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the computer processor via the memory to maintain , by automated computing machinery, a device state history;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the computer processor via the memory to identify, by the automated computing machinery, a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history for one or more devices in a networked environment;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the computer processor via the memory to identify, by the automated computing machinery, a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern, the derived scenario created in dependence upon actual past device usage within the networked environment;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the computer processor via the memory to select, by the automated computing machinery, a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario, the heuristic having a tolerance and comprising an approximate solution directed to administering devices in the networked environment to address the derived scenario;

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the computer processor via the memory to identify, by the automated computing machinery, a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic; and

program instructions, stored on the storage device for execution by the computer processor via the memory to execute, by the automated computing machinery, the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein the program instructions to maintain a device state history further comprises program instructions to record a plurality of attribute values for a device.

12. The system of claim 10 wherein the program instructions to identify a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history further comprises the program instructions to compare the device state history with a plurality of device usage patterns records.

13. The system of claim 10 wherein the program instructions to identify a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern further comprises the program instructions to retrieve a derived scenario ID from a derived scenario table.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein the program instructions to select a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises the program instructions to read a heuristic ID from a derived scenario record.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein the program instructions to select a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises the program instructions to retrieve a heuristic ID from a heuristic table.

16. The system of claim 10 wherein the program instructions to identify a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic further comprises the program instructions to retrieve a workflow ID from a heuristic record.

17. The system of claim 10 wherein the program instructions to execute the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises the program instructions to send a message to a device.

18. The system of claim 10 wherein the program instructions to execute the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises the program instructions to call a member method in a device class.

19. A computer program product for workflow decision management, the computer program product comprising a computer readable, tangible storage device and computer readable program instructions stored on the computer readable, tangible storage device, the computer-readable program instructions, when executed by a computer processor:

maintain, by automated computing machinery, a device state history;

identify, by the automated computing machinery, a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history for one or more devices in a networked environment;

identify, by the automated computing machinery, a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern, the derived scenario created in dependence upon actual past device usage within the networked environment;

select, by the automated computing machinery, a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario, the heuristic having a tolerance and comprising an approximate solution directed to administering devices in the networked environment to address the derived scenario;

identify, by the automated computing machinery, a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic; and

execute, by the automated computing machinery, the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance.

20. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the computer-readable program instructions to maintain a device state history further comprises the computer-readable program instructions to record a plurality of attribute values for a device.

21. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the computer-readable program instructions to identify a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history further comprises the computer-readable program instructions to compare the device state history with a plurality of device usage patterns records.

22. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein, the computer-readable program instructions to identify a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern further comprises the computer-readable program instructions to retrieve a derived scenario ID from a derived scenario table.

23. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein, the computer-readable program instructions to select a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises the computer-readable program instructions to read a heuristic ID from a derived scenario record.

24. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein, the computer-readable program instructions to select a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises the computer-readable program instructions to retrieve a heuristic ID from a heuristic table.

25. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein, the computer-readable program instructions to identify a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic further comprises the computer-readable program instructions to retrieve a workflow ID from a heuristic record.

26. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the computer-readable program instructions to execute the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises the computer-readable program instructions to send a message to a device.

27. The computer program product of claim 19 wherein the computer-readable program instructions to execute the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises the computer-readable program instructions to call a member method in a device class.