Object oriented based methodology for modeling business functionality for enabling implementation in a web based environment

• US 8,499,279 B2
• Filed: 08/06/2008
• Issued: 07/30/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: K.Mizra LLC
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gupta, Arun K., Uppal, Rajiv K., Parikh, Devang I.
• Primary Examiner(s): CHAVIS, JOHN Q
• Application Number:
  US12/186,562
• Publication Number:
  US 20090037502A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,819 Days
• Field of Search: 717/109
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• 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 computer method and apparatus defining Business Classes for modeling business activities comprising the steps of representing business activities as the interaction between one or more Business Classes, and entering into a computer and storing in an electronic format the Business Classes and the relationships existing between the Business Classes.

Claims

1. A computer system for modeling a business activity, the computer system comprising:

first program instructions to generate a graphical user interface and, responsive to user selection of first and second icons representing first and second business processes, respectively and an interconnection between the first and second icons, to form a graphical representation of the first and second business processes with the first and second icons and the interconnection between the first and second business processes indicating that the first and second business processes are part of the business activity and that the second business process is implemented after the first business process;

second program instructions to record that an application program function is capable of implementing, at least in part, the first business process;

third program instructions to initiate display of a list of business processes of the business activity including identities of the first and second business processes, wherein the third program instructions automatically populate the list with the identities of the first and second business processes based on the graphical representations of the first and second business processes;

a computer-readable non-transitory storage device which stores the first, second and third program instructions;

a computer-readable memory; and

a central processing unit to execute the first, second and third program instructions via the computer-readable memory; and

wherein

the second program instructions, based on a user selection of the identity of the first business process from the list, automatically identify an application program function template, including program code, from which to form the application program function.

2. The computer system of claim 1 wherein the third program instructions identify the first and second business processes in the graphical representation based on type(s) of the first and second icons used to graphically represent the first and second business processes.

3. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising:

fourth program instructions to correlate first and second rules to first and second attribute values of the first business process such that first and second instances of the first business process with first and second attribute values, respectively, will invoke the first and second rules, respectively, and yield first and second outcomes, respectively of the first business process, the first attribute value being different than the second attribute value, the first rule being different than the second rule, and the first outcome being different than the second outcome; and

wherein the computer-readable non-transitory storage device stores the fourth program instructions, and the central processing unit executes the fourth program instructions via the computer-readable memory.

4. The computer system of claim 1, further comprising fourth program instructions, responsive to user editing of the application program function template, to update the application program function template to form the application program function;

and wherein the computer-readable non-transitory storage device stores the fourth program instructions, and the central processing unit executes the fourth program instructions via the computer-readable memory.

5. A computer system for modeling a business activity, the computer system comprising:

first program instructions to generate a graphical user interface and, responsive to user selection of first and second icons representing first and second business processes, respectively and an interconnection between the first and second icons, to form a graphical representation of the first and second business processes with the first and second icons and the interconnection between the first and second business processes indicating that the first and second business processes are part of the business activity and that the second business process is implemented after the first business process;

second program instructions to record that an application program function is capable of implementing, at least in part, the first business process, the application program function to process values of an attribute applicable to respective instances of the first business process;

third program instructions to record that a first rule but not a second rule is applicable to a first instance of the first business process having a first value for the attribute, and record that the second rule but not the first rule is applicable to a second instance of the first business process having a second value for the attribute;

fourth program instructions to correlate the application program function to the first value of the attribute and the first rule for the first instance of the first business process such that the application program function executes the first rule during execution of the first instance of the first business process, and correlate the application program function to the second value of the attribute and the second rule for the second instance of the first business process such that the application program function executes the second rule during execution of the second instance of the first business process;

a computer-readable non-transitory storage device which stores the first, second, third and fourth program instructions;

a computer-readable memory; and

a central processing unit to execute the first, second, third and fourth program instructions via the computer-readable memory.

6. A computer program product for modeling a business activity, the computer program product comprising:

first program instructions to generate a graphical user interface and, responsive to user selection of first and second icons representing first and second business processes, respectively and an interconnection between the first and second icons, to form a graphical representation of the first and second business processes with the first and second icons and the interconnection between the first and second business processes indicating that the first and second business processes are part of the business activity and that the second business process is implemented after the first business process;

second program instructions to record that an application program function is capable of implementing, at least in part, the first business process;

third program instructions to initiate display of a list of business processes of the business activity including identities of the first and second business processes, wherein the third program instructions automatically populate the list with the identities of the first and second business processes based on the graphical representations of the first and second business processes; and

a computer-readable non-transitory storage device which stores the first, second and third program instructions; and

wherein

the second program instructions, based on a user selection of the identity of the first business process from the list, automatically identify an application program function template, including program code, from which to form the application program function.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 wherein the third program instructions identify the first and second business processes in the graphical representation based on type(s) of the first and second icons used to graphically represent the first and second business processes.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising:

fourth program instructions to correlate first and second rules to first and second attribute values of the first business process such that first and second instances of the first business process with first and second attribute values, respectively, will invoke the first and second rules, respectively, and yield first and second outcomes, respectively of the first business process, the first attribute value being different than the second attribute value, the first rule being different than the second rule, and the first outcome being different than the second outcome; and

wherein the computer-readable non-transitory storage device stores the fourth program instructions.

9. The computer program product of claim 6, further comprising fourth program instructions, responsive to user editing of the application program function template, to update the application program function template to form the application program function;

and wherein the computer-readable non-transitory storage device stores the fourth program instructions.

10. A computer program product for modeling a business activity, the computer program product comprising:

first program instructions to generate a graphical user interface and, responsive to user selection of first and second icons representing first and second business processes, respectively and an interconnection between the first and second icons, to form a graphical representation of the first and second business processes with the first and second icons and the interconnection between the first and second business processes indicating that the first and second business processes are part of the business activity and that the second business process is implemented after the first business process;

second program instructions to record that an application program function is capable of implementing, at least in part, the first business process, the application program function to process values of an attribute applicable to respective instances of the first business process;

third program instructions to record that a first rule but not a second rule is applicable to a first instance of the first business process having a first value for the attribute, and record that the second rule but not the first rule is applicable to a second instance of the first business process having a second value for the attribute;

fourth program instructions to correlate the application program function to the first value of the attribute and the first rule for the first instance of the first business process such that the application program function executes the first rule during execution of the first instance of the first business process, and correlate the application program function to the second value of the attribute and the second rule for the second instance of the first business process such that the application program function executes the second rule during execution of the second instance of the first business process; and

a computer-readable non-transitory storage device which stores the first, second, third and fourth program instructions.