Mobile process automation method

• US 20060136902A1
• Filed: 09/22/2005
• Published: 06/22/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Descartes Systems Group Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Airclic Inc. (The Descartes Systems Group Incorporated)
• Inventors: Monroe, Andrew, Leamon, Andrew
• Granted Patent: US 7,373,361 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/170
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/60 Software deployment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4498 Finite state machines
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99948 Application of database or data structure, e.g. distributed, multimedia, or image

Abstract

Remote devices communicate with a central server in order to provide event tracking information pertaining to a business process, which is conducted by persons performing multiple roles. Software, including a state machine, is downloaded onto the device. A first state table is also downloaded and applied to the state machine in order to configure the device to operate in accordance with a first role. While the device is configured to operate in accordance with the first role, field data is captured and processed with the state machine in accordance with the first state table to generate event tracking information, which is transmitted to the server. Then, a second state table is applied to the state machine previously downloaded in order to reconfigure the device to operate in accordance with a second role. The device is reconfigured from the first role to the second role without changing the state machine on the device. While the remote device is configured to operate in accordance with the second role, field data is captured and processed with the state machine in accordance with the second state table to generate event tracking information, which transmitted to the server.

Claims

1. In a system that includes a central server and a plurality of remote devices, wherein the remote devices communicate with the central server in order to provide event tracking information, including field data, relevant to a business process to the central server, wherein the business process is conducted by one or more persons performing at least first and second different roles in the business process, a method for varying a configuration of at least one of the remote devices, comprising:

(a) downloading software comprising a state machine onto the remote device;

(b) downloading a first state table to the remote device and applying the first state table to the state machine in order to configure the remote device to operate in accordance with the first role in the business process;

(c) while the remote device is configured to operate in accordance with the first role;

(i) capturing the field data with the remote device;

(ii) processing, with the state machine and in accordance with the first state table, the field data to generate the event tracking information associated with the business process; and

(iii) transmitting the event tracking information from the remote device to the central server in accordance with output from step (c)(ii);

(d) after step (c), applying the second state table to the state machine previously downloaded in step (a) in order to reconfigure the remote device to operate in accordance with the second role in the business process, wherein the remote device is reconfigured from the first role to the second role without changing the state machine on the remote device; and

(e) while the remote device is configured to operate in accordance with the second role;

(i) capturing the field data with the at least one remote device;

(ii) processing, with the state machine and in accordance with the second state table, the field data to generate the event tracking information; and

(iii) transmitting the event tracking information associated with the business process from the remote device to the central server in accordance with output from step (e)(ii).

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the system further comprises a graphical user interface for inputting a definition of the business process to be stored at the central server;

wherein, based on the definition of the business process, the central server automatically generates at least the first state table for the first role in the business process and the second state table for the second role in the business process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the remote device includes a scanner that automatically detects machine readable articles, and wherein the steps c(i) and e(i) include automatically detecting machine readable articles as part of the field data.

4. A system for capturing event tracking information, including field data, related to a business process comprising:

a central server;

one or more persons conducting the business process by performing at least first and second different roles in the business process;

a plurality of remote devices in communication with the central server and used by the persons to gather the event tracking information and provide the event tracking information to the central server, wherein a configuration of the remote devices is varied by

(a) downloading software comprising a state machine onto the remote device;

(b) downloading a first state table to the remote device and applying the first state table to the state machine in order to configure the remote device to operate in accordance with the first role in the business process; and

(c) while the remote device is configured to operate in accordance with the first role;

(i) capturing the field data with the remote device;

(ii) processing, with the state machine and in accordance with the first state table, the field data to generate the event tracking information associated with the business process; and

(iii) transmitting the event tracking information from the remote device to the central server in accordance with output from step (c)(ii);

(d) after step (c), applying the second state table to the state machine previously downloaded in step (a) in order to reconfigure the remote device to operate in accordance with the second role in the business process, wherein the remote device is reconfigured from the first role to the second role without changing the state machine on the remote device; and

(e) while the remote device is configured to operate in accordance with the second role;

(i) capturing the field data with the at least one remote device;

(ii) processing, with the state machine and in accordance with the second state table, the field data to generate the event tracking information; and

(iii) transmitting the event tracking information associated with the business process from the remote device to the central server in accordance with output from step (e)(ii).

5. In a system comprising a plurality of different service providers who provide services to a plurality of different business entities, wherein each of the business entities is associated with one or more business processes, a method for providing access to event tracking information relevant to the business processes, the method comprising:

(a) receiving at a central server from the service providers event tracking information relating to the business processes associated with at least two of the business entities, wherein each item of the event tracking information is indicated as being associated with one of the business entities;

(b) organizing the received event tracking information in accordance with the indication; and

(c) providing to each of the business entities access to the organized event tracking information.