Timer patterns for process models

• US 8,683,436 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2007
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Baeuerle, Stefan A., Kowalkiewicz, Marek K., Kruempelmann, Marita A., Lu, Ruopeng
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr., Lewis A
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dang, Christine
• Application Number:
  US11/960,635
• Publication Number:
  US 20090165001A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,288 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/121
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/506 Constraint
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system

Abstract

The subject matter disclosed herein provides methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing timers for tasks of process models. In one aspect, an input representative of a temporal constraint for a task of a graph-process model may be received. The temporal constraint defines at least one of a delay or a deadline. The task may be associated with the temporal constraint created based on the received input. The temporal constraint defined to have a placement at the graph-process model based on the type of temporal constraint. The task and the temporal constraint may be provided to configure the process model. Related systems, apparatus, methods, and/or articles are described.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor, an input representative of a temporal constraint for a task of a graph-process model, the temporal constraint defining at least one of a commencement delay, a completion delay, a commencement deadline, and a completion deadline;

associating, by the at least one processor, the task with the temporal constraint created based on the received input, the temporal constraint defined to have a placement on the task of the graph-process model based on a type of temporal constraint, wherein the placement of the temporal constraint is based on a graphical element, the graphical element comprising a left border, a right border, a top border and a bottom border, wherein the left border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the commencement delay, wherein the right border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the completion delay, wherein the top border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the commencement deadline, and wherein the bottom border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the completion deadline; and

providing, by the at least one processor, the task and the temporal constraint to configure the graph-process model.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving further comprises:

receiving, from a user interface, the input representative of the temporal constraint.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the task and the temporal constraint to the user interface for presentation.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein associating further comprises:

defining the placement of the temporal constraint based on whether the type of the temporal constraint represents the deadline or the delay.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein associating further comprises:

linking a second task to the temporal constraint, the second task being an escalated task.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein associating further comprises:

defining the graphical element to include the left border, the right border, the top border, and the bottom border.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the temporal constraint further comprises an absolute commencement delay.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the temporal constraint further comprises a relative commencement delay.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the temporal constraint further comprises an interrelated commencement delay.

10. A non-transitory computer-readable medium comprising instructions that when performed by a computer result in operations comprising:

receiving, by at least one processor, an input representative of a temporal constraint for a task of a graph-process model, the temporal constraint defining at least one of a commencement delay, a completion delay, a commencement deadline, and a completion deadline;

associating, by the at least one processor, the task with the temporal constraint created based on the received input, the temporal constraint defined to have a placement on the task of the graph-process model based on a type of temporal constraint, wherein the placement of the temporal constraint is based on a graphical element, the graphical element comprising a left border, a right border, a top border and a bottom border, wherein the left border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the commencement delay, wherein the right border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the completion delay, wherein the top border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the commencement deadline, and wherein the bottom border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the completion deadline; and

providing, by the at least one processor, the task and the temporal constraint to configure the graph-process model.

11. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10, wherein receiving further comprises:

receiving, from a user interface, the input representative of the temporal constraint.

12. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 10 further comprising:

providing the task and the temporal constraint to the user interface for presentation.

13. A system comprising:

at least one processor; and

at least one memory, wherein the at least one processor and the at least one memory are configured to perform operations comprising;

receiving an input representative of a temporal constraint for a task of a graph-process model, the temporal constraint defining at least one of a commencement delay, a completion delay, a commencement deadline, and a completion deadline;

associating the task with the temporal constraint created based on the received input, the temporal constraint defined to have a placement on the task of the graph-process model based on a type of temporal constraint, wherein the placement of the temporal constraint is based on a graphical element, the graphical element comprising a left border, a right border, a top border and a bottom border, wherein the left border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the commencement delay, wherein the right border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the completion delay, wherein the top border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the commencement deadline, and wherein the bottom border is configured to accept placement of the temporal constraint when the temporal constraint corresponds to the completion deadline; and

providing the task and the temporal constraint to configure the graph-process model.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein receiving further comprises:

receiving, from a user interface, the input representative of the temporal constraint.

15. The system of claim 13 further comprising:

providing the task and the temporal constraint to the user interface for presentation.