Method for generating an executable workflow code from an unstructured cyclic process model

• US 8,042,092 B2
• Filed: 03/24/2008
• Issued: 10/18/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/18/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Hauser, Rainer F., Koehler, Jana
• Primary Examiner(s): Bullock, Jr.; Lewis
• Assistant Examiner(s): YAARY, MICHAEL D
• Application Number:
  US12/053,664
• Publication Number:
  US 20080178146A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/106
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/0633 Workflow analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

A method for generating an executable workflow code from an unstructured cyclic process model. The method comprises the following steps. First a continuation equation system is generated from the unstructured cyclic process model. Then, the executable workflow code is generated from the continuation equation system, wherein therefore, the continuation equation system is solved by means of transformation rules.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for generating an executable workflow code from an unstructured cyclic process model, said method comprising:

generating, by a computing device, a continuation equation system from the unstructured cyclic process model; and

generating, by said computing device, the executable workflow from the continuation equation system;

assigning, by said computing device, variables to nodes of said unstructured cyclic process model;

substituting, by said computing device, one variable of a first equation by an expression of a second equation, said substituting based on a first transformation rule;

reducing, by said computing device, a number of occurrences of a same variable in said continuation equation system, said reducing based on a second transformation rule;

replacing, by said computing device, each variable with a Boolean variable; and

branching, by said computing device, to said Boolean variable if said Boolean variable fulfills a condition of a conditional statement introduced in said continuation equation system.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein one of said variables is assigned to a start node and one of said variables is assigned to an end node of the process model, and

wherein one of said variables is assigned to one of said nodes that has more than one incoming or outgoing link.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein for generating the executable workflow code the continuation equation system is solved by means of transformation rules.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein one of said transformation rules is selected such that it is applicable to an equation of the continuation equation system,

wherein the selected transformation rule is applied to the equation and a modified continuation equation system is computed, and

wherein these steps are repeated until a single equation remains.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein with the help of a third transformation rule one variable occurring on both sides of the equation is replaced by a repeat-until statement.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the condition for terminating the repeat-until statement is obtained from the negation of the condition that led in the original equation to the variable.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein each transformation rule is assigned to a priority, and

wherein the transformation rule with the highest priority is applied first.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein that variable is eliminated first which occurs most seldom in the continuation equation system.

9. The method according to claim 4, wherein the single equation is mapped to an XML file.

10. A non-transitory computer program element comprising computer program code which, when loaded in a processor of a computing device, configures the processor to perform a method comprising:

generating a continuation equation system from the unstructured cyclic process model;

generating the executable workflow from the continuation equation system;

assigning variables to nodes of said unstructured cyclic process model;

substituting one variable of a first equation by an expression of a second equation, said substituting based on a first transformation rule;

reducing a number of occurrences of a same variable in said continuation equation system, said reducing based on a second transformation rule;

replacing each variable with a Boolean variable; and

branching to said Boolean variable if said Boolean variable fulfills a condition of a conditional statement introduced in said continuation equation system.

11. A code generator for generating an executable workflow code from an unstructured cyclic process model, the code being executable by a workflow engine, said code generator comprising:

a computing device for designing the unstructured cyclic process model; and

a transformation engine adapted to generate;

a continuation equation system from the unstructured cyclic process model; and

the executable workflow code from the continuation equation system;

assigning variables to nodes of said unstructured cyclic process model;

substituting one variable of a first equation by an expression of a second equation, said substituting based on a first transformation rule;

reducing a number of occurrences of a same variable in said continuation equation system, said reducing based on a second transformation rule;

replacing each variable with a Boolean variable; and

branching to said Boolean variable if said Boolean variable fulfills a condition of a conditional statement introduced in said continuation equation system.

12. A machine-implemented method for generating an executable workflow code, said method comprising:

generating, using a computing device, a continuation equation system from a graphical description of an unstructured cyclic process model; and

generating, using said computing device, the executable workflow code from the continuation equation system,

wherein for generating the continuation equation system variables are assigned to nodes of the process model by said computing device,

wherein one of said variables is assigned to a start node and one of said variables is assigned to an end node of the process model by said computing device,

wherein one of said nodes has more than one incoming or outgoing link,

wherein for generating the executable workflow code the continuation equation system is solved by means of transformation rules by said computing device,

wherein one of said transformation rules is selected by said computing device such that it is applicable to an equation of the continuation equation system,

wherein the selected transformation rule is applied by said computing device to the continuation equation system and a modified continuation equation system is computed by said computing device, and

wherein said method of selecting and applying transformation rules is repeated by said computing device until a single equation remains,

wherein, with the help of a first transformation rule, one variable of a first equation is substituted by an expression of a second equation by said computing device,

wherein, with the help of a second transformation rule, the number of occurrences of the same variable in the continuation equation system is reduced by said computing device, wherein at each place where the variable occurs it is replaced by a Boolean variable by said computing device, wherein a conditional statement is introduced by said computing device in the continuation equation system for branching to the variable if the Boolean variable fulfills the condition,

wherein with the help of a third transformation rule, one variable occurring on both sides of the continuation equation system is replaced by a repeat-until statement by said computing device, wherein the condition for terminating the repeat-until statement is obtained by said computing device from the negation of the condition that led in the original equation to the variable,

wherein each of said transformation rules is assigned to a priority by said computing device, and the transformation rule with the highest assigned priority is applied first by said computing device,

wherein a variable is eliminated first which occurs most seldom in the continuation equation system by said computing device, and

wherein the single equation is mapped to an XML file by said computing device.

13. A machine-implemented method for generating an executable workflow code, said method comprising:

generating, using a computing device, a continuation equation system from a graphical description of an unstructured cyclic process model; and

generating, using said computing device, the executable workflow code from the continuation equation system,

wherein for generating the continuation equation system variables are assigned to nodes of the process model by said computing device,

wherein one of said variables is assigned to a start node and one of said variables is assigned to an end node of the process model by said computing device,

wherein one of said nodes has more than one incoming or outgoing link,

wherein for generating the executable workflow code the continuation equation system is solved by means of transformation rules by said computing device,

wherein one of said transformation rules is selected by said computing device such that it is applicable to an equation of the continuation equation system,

wherein the selected transformation rule is applied by said computing device to the continuation equation system and a modified continuation equation system is computed by said computing device, and

wherein said method of selecting and applying transformation rules is repeated by said computing device until a single equation remains,

wherein, with the help of a first transformation rule, one variable of a first equation is substituted by an expression of a second equation by said computing device,

wherein, with the help of a second transformation rule, the number of occurrences of the same variable in the continuation equation system is reduced by said computing device, wherein at each place where the variable occurs it is replaced by a Boolean variable by said computing device, wherein a conditional statement is introduced by said computing device in the continuation equation system for branching to the variable if the Boolean variable fulfills the condition,

wherein with the help of a third transformation rule, one variable occurring on both side of the continuation equation system is replaced by a repeat-until statement by said computing device, wherein the condition for terminating the repeat-until statement is obtained by said computing device from the negation of the condition that led in the original equation to the variable,

wherein a fourth transformation rule rearranges elements of the continuation equation system by said computing device;

wherein each of said transformation rules is assigned to a priority by said computing device, and the transformation rule with the highest assigned priority is applied first by said computing device,

wherein a variable is eliminated first which occurs most seldom in the continuation equation system by said computing device, and

wherein the single equation is mapped to an XML file by said computing device.

14. A machine-implemented method for generating an executable workflow code, said method comprising:

generating, using a computing device, a continuation equation system from a graphical description of an unstructured cyclic process model; and

generating, using said computing device, the executable workflow code from the continuation equation system;

generating, using a computing device, a continuation equation system from the unstructured cyclic process model; and

generating, using said computing, the executable workflow from the continuation equation system,

wherein for generating the continuation equation system variables are assigned to nodes of the process model by said computing device,

wherein one of said variables is assigned to a start node and one of said variables is assigned to an end node of the process model by said computing device,

wherein one of said nodes has more than one incoming or outgoing link,

wherein for generating the executable workflow code the continuation equation system is solved by means of transformation rules by said computing device,

wherein one of said transformation rules is selected by said computing device such that it is applicable to an equation of the continuation equation system,

wherein the selected transformation rule is applied by said computing device to the continuation equation system and a modified continuation equation system is computed by said computing device, and

wherein said method of selecting and applying transformation rules is repeated by said computing device until a single equation remains,

wherein, with the help of a first transformation rule, one variable of a first equation is substituted by an expression of a second equation by said computing device,

wherein, with the help of a second transformation rule, the number of occurrences of the same variable in the continuation equation system is reduced by said computing device, wherein at each place where the variable occurs it is replaced by a Boolean variable by said computing device, wherein a conditional statement is introduced by said computing device in the continuation equation system for branching to the variable if the Boolean variable fulfills the condition,

wherein with the help of a third transformation rule, one variable occurring on both sides of the continuation equation system is replaced by a repeat-until statement by said computing device, wherein the condition for terminating the repeat-until statement is obtained by said computing device from the negation of the condition that led in the original equation to the variable,

wherein each of said transformation rules is assigned to a priority by said computing device, and the transformation rule with the highest assigned priority is applied first by said computing device,

wherein a variable is eliminated first which occurs most seldom in the continuation equation system by said computing device, and

wherein the single equation is mapped to an XML file by said computing device.