System and method for synchronized workflow management

• US 8,261,233 B2
• Filed: 08/20/2007
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Original Assignee: The MathWorks, Inc.
• Inventors: Szpak, Peter, Pacheco, Paulo, Robl, Christian, Orehek, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): Das, Chameli
• Application Number:
  US11/841,808
• Publication Number:
  US 20090007063A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,842 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A system may identify a workflow associated with a graphical model and execute the workflow in a number of stages. The system may display a number of components of the graphical model and identify which of the displayed components are associated with or affected by execution of a current one of the stages of the workflow.

Claims

1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions executable by at least one processor, the computer-readable medium comprising one or more instructions for:

displaying a step of a workflow associated with a graphical model, the graphical model having a first component and a second component, only the first component being associated with the step;

receiving a selection of the step; and

in response to receiving the selection of the step, synchronizing a display of the first component and the second component of the graphical model with an execution of the selected step, where the synchronized display indicates that;

the first component is associated with the execution of the selected step, and

the second component is not associated with the execution of the selected step.

2. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the workflow is defined via an application programming interface.

3. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more instructions for:

registering one or more tasks of the workflow;

identifying a relative order of the one or more tasks; and

identifying one or more dependencies of the one or more tasks.

4. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more instructions for creating a snapshot of a current state of execution of the workflow, the snapshot containing data necessary to recreate the current state.

5. The computer-readable medium of claim 4, further comprising one or more instructions for:

storing workflow information entered by a user and model information.

6. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, where the workflow includes a plurality of tasks, and

where the computer-readable medium further comprises:

one or more instructions for providing status information associated with the plurality of tasks.

7. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more instructions for:

permitting connectivity between the workflow and another workflow to be specified; and

permitting types of people conducting the workflow to be specified.

8. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more instructions for:

receiving the workflow via a graphical editing environment.

9. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising one or more instructions for:

permitting specification of which tasks of a plurality of tasks in the workflow need to be validated against acceptance criteria.

10. The computer-readable medium of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more instructions for linking and concurrently displaying a block diagram view and a hierarchical view of the one or more components of the graphical model.

11. A computing device, comprising:

a graphical programming environment including a plurality of instructions for implementing;

a graphical model,

a workflow associated with the graphical model, the workflow including a plurality of tasks, and

a workflow manager to;

execute at least one of the plurality of tasks of the workflow, and

synchronize a display of a plurality of components of the graphical model with an execution of the at least one task, where the synchronized display indicates;

a first component, in the plurality of components, that is associated with the execution of the at least one task, and

a second component, in the plurality of components, that is not associated with the execution of the at least one task; and

a processor to execute the instructions of the graphical programming environment.

12. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the workflow manager further:

creates a snapshot of a current state of execution of the workflow, the snapshot containing data necessary to recreate the current state.

13. The computing device of claim 11, wherein the first component being associated with the execution of the at least one task includes the first component being affected by the execution of the at least one task.

14. A method, comprising:

identifying a workflow associated with a graphical model, the workflow including a plurality of tasks;

executing at least one of the plurality of tasks of the workflow;

displaying a plurality of components of the graphical model; and

synchronizing a display of the plurality of components of the graphical model with an execution of the at least one of the plurality of tasks, where the synchronized display indicates that;

a first component is associated with the execution of the at least one of the plurality of tasks, and

a second component is not associated with the execution of the at least one of the plurality of tasks.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

permitting a user to define the workflow via an application programming interface.

16. The method of claim 15, where permitting the user to define the workflow includes permitting the user to register the plurality of tasks of the workflow, identify a relative order of the plurality of tasks, and identify dependencies of the plurality of tasks.

17. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

creating a snapshot of a current state of execution of the workflow, the snapshot containing data necessary to recreate the current state.

18. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

providing information regarding status of a task in the plurality of tasks.

19. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

permitting a user to specify connectivity between the workflow and another workflow, or

permitting the user to specify types of people conducting the workflow.

20. The method of claim 14, further comprising:

permitting a user to specify which of the plurality of tasks in the workflow need to be validated against acceptance criteria.

21. The method of claim 14, where displaying the plurality of components includes:

linking and concurrently displaying a block diagram view and a hierarchical view of the plurality of components.

22. A system, comprising:

a processor for;

identifying a workflow associated with a graphical model;

executing the workflow in a plurality of stages;

displaying a plurality of components of the graphical model; and

synchronizing a display of the plurality of components of the graphical model with an execution of a current one of the stages of the workflow, where the synchronized display indicates that;

a first component is associated with the execution of the current one of the stages of the workflow, and

a second component is not associated with the execution of the current one of the stages of the workflow.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the processor further:

creates a snapshot of a current state of execution of the workflow, the snapshot containing data necessary to recreate the current state.