# US 2002/0152102 A1 · State models for monitoring process

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- Number: US 2002/0152102 A1
- Document ID: US20020152102A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 09/579,336
- Filed: 2000-05-25
- Published: 2002-10-17
- Earliest claimed: 1998-11-30
- Assignees: Siebel Systems, Inc.
- Inventors: Karen Cheung Brodersen; Michael Tsunghsi Yu; Jai-Jein Yu; Andrzej P. Mazur; Brian K. Groves
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20020152102A1

## CPC

- G05B 19/41865: {characterised by job scheduling, process planning, material flow}
- G05B 19/042: using digital processors (G05B19/05 takes precedence)
- G05B 19/045: using logic state machines, consisting only of a memory or a programmable logic device containing the logic for the controlled machine and in which the state of its outputs is dependent on the state of its inputs or part of its own output states, e.g. binary decision controllers, finite state controllers
- G06Q 10/00: Administration; Management
- G06Q 10/06: Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
- G06Q 10/063: Operations research, analysis or management
- G06Q 10/10: Office automation; Time management
- G06Q 40/00: Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
- G05B 2219/23255: Object oriented programming, OOP
- G05B 2219/23261: Use control template library
- G05B 2219/23289: State logic control, finite state, tasks, machine, fsm
- G05B 2219/32128: Gui graphical user interface
- G05B 2219/32339: Object oriented modeling, design, analysis, implementation, simulation language
- G05B 2219/32353: Use elementary control task, finite state machine and loop, inhibit, synchronisation connections
- Y02P 90/02: Total factory control, e.g. smart factories, flexible manufacturing systems [FMS] or integrated manufacturing systems [IMS]
- G05B: CONTROL OR REGULATING SYSTEMS IN GENERAL; FUNCTIONAL ELEMENTS OF SUCH SYSTEMS; MONITORING OR TESTING ARRANGEMENTS FOR SUCH SYSTEMS OR ELEMENTS (systems for controlling or regulating non-electric variables G05D; systems for regulating electric or magnetic variables G05F; control devices or systems insofar as characterised by mechanical features only G05G)
- G06Q: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY [ICT] SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES; SYSTEMS OR METHODS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR ADMINISTRATIVE, COMMERCIAL, FINANCIAL, MANAGERIAL OR SUPERVISORY PURPOSES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

System and method for preparing, using, and displaying a state model of a process, as an industrial or business process, as a sequence of discrete steps. The state model defines the behavior of the logical objects making up a process model of the process as (1) a set of permitted states and (2) a set of permitted transitions between the permitted states. The state model is created by selecting a template for the state model, and selecting industrial or business object components for the state model (for example, by using “OOP” methods or other programming paradigms). The user then selects or defines state transitions for the state model, for example, by defining permitted state transitions from a “from state” to a “to state”. The defined or selected state transition rules are identified to State Transition Rule names. That is, state transitions are associated to specific state transition rules, names, and conditions, and the state transition names and state transition rule names are enumerated. The specific state transition rules corresponding to the names are extracted from a database. The extracted states, transitions, and rules define the state machine execution engine. This state machine execution engine is used to process business models.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method of preparing a state model defining the behavior of logical objects in a process model as a set of permitted states and a set of permitted transitions between the permitted states, and comprising the steps of:
(1) selecting a template for the state model;
(2) selecting business object components for the state model;
(3) selecting or defining state transitions for the state model;
(4) defining permitted state transitions from a “from state” to a “to state” with a State Transition Rule name;
(5) associating state transitions with state transition rules, names, and conditions;
(6) enumerating the state transition names and state transition rule names; and
(7) extracting the state transition rules from a database; wherein said states, transitions, and extracted rules comprise a state machine execution engine; and
(8) processing a model through said state machine execution engine.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said state transition rules include prerequisites which must be met before the transition is permitted.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said state transition rules define authorized users for effecting a state transition.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 wherein said objects are business objects that define a sales pipeline funnel model of a set of business deals.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method of claim 4 wherein said sales pipeline funnel shows business deals being worked in different methodologies on a single sales pipeline graphic.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 wherein said methodologies are chosen from the group consisting of telesales process deals, strategic deals, and standard process deals.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 comprising grouping business deals by sales methodology.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 comprising classifying deals.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The method of claim 8 comprising classifying deals as qualifying deals, working deals, and closing deals.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The method of claim 5 comprising creating a sales opportunity.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The method of claim 10 comprising creating a sales method.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 comprising breaking the sales method into sales cycles within the sales method.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The method of claim 12 comprising breaking the sales cycles down into sales phases for each sales cycle.

### Claim 14 (depends on 11)

The method of claim 11 comprising associating a sales method with a sales opportunity.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The method of claim 14 comprising advancing the sales opportunity based upon the associated sales method.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The method of claim 15 comprising sorting sales opportunities.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The method of claim 16 comprising sorting and grouping sales opportunities by at least one of sales methods, cycles, and phases.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The method of claim 17 comprising passing the data, grouped by one or more of sales method, sales cycle, and deal phase, to a charting engine, and from the charting engine to the Sales Pipeline Funnel Chart.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The method of claim 1 further comprising monitoring the state of deal as it moves from state to state.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 comprising monitoring the state of a deal to determine additional actions with respect to the deal.

### Claim 21 (depends on 19)

The method of claim 19 comprising assigning activity and assessment templates to a deal in process.

### Claim 22 (depends on 21)

The method of claim 21 comprising assessing the deal using the assigned activity and assessment templates.

### Claim 23

A system running on at least one computer for preparing a state model defining the behavior of logical objects in a process as a set of permitted states and a set of permitted transitions between the permitted states, and said system configured to:
(1) select a template for the state model;
(2) select object components for the state model;
(3) select or define state transitions for the state model;
(4) define permitted state transitions from a “from state” to a “to state” with a State Transition Rule name;
(5) associate state transitions with state transition rules, names, and conditions;
(6) enumerate the state transition names and state transition rule names; and
(7) extract the state transition rules from a database; wherein said states, transitions, and extracted rules comprise a state machine execution engine; and
(8) process a model through said state machine execution engine.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein at least one of said state transition rules include prerequisites which must be met before the transition is permitted.

### Claim 25 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein at least one of said state transition rules define authorized users for effecting a state transition.

### Claim 26 (depends on 23)

The system of claim 23 wherein said objects are business objects defining a sales pipeline funnel model of a set of business deals.

### Claim 27 (depends on 26)

The system of claim 26 wherein said sales pipeline funnel shows business deals being worked in different methodologies on a single sales pipeline graphic.

### Claim 28 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27 wherein said methodologies are chosen from the group consisting of telesales process deals, strategic deals, and standard process deals.

### Claim 29 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27 wherein the system is configured to grouping business deals by sales methodology.

### Claim 30 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27 wherein the system is configured to classify deals.

### Claim 31 (depends on 30)

The system of claim 30 wherein the system is configured to classify deals as qualifying deals, working deals, and closing deals.

### Claim 32 (depends on 27)

The system of claim 27 wherein the system is configured to create a sales opportunity.

### Claim 33 (depends on 32)

The system of claim 32 wherein the system is configured to create a sales method.

### Claim 34 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33 wherein the system is configured to break the sales method into sales cycles within the sales method.

### Claim 35 (depends on 34)

The system of claim 34 wherein the system is configured to break the sales cycles down into sales phases for each sales cycle.

### Claim 36 (depends on 33)

The system of claim 33 wherein the system is configured to associate a sales method with a sales opportunity.

### Claim 37 (depends on 36)

The system of claim 36 wherein the system is configured to advance the sales opportunity based upon the associated sales method.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

The system of claim 37 wherein the system is configured to sort sales opportunities.

### Claim 39 (depends on 38)

The system of claim 38 wherein the system is configured to sort and group sales opportunities by at least one of sales methods, cycles, and phases.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

The system of claim 39 wherein the system is configured to pass the data, grouped by one or more of sales method, sales cycle, and deal phase, to a charting engine, and from the charting engine to the Sales Pipeline Funnel Chart.

### Claim at position 41 (depends on 26)

41 The system of claim 26 wherein the system is configured to monitor the state of deal as it moves from state to state.

### Claim 42 (depends on 41)

The system of claim 41 wherein the system is configured to monitor the state of a deal to determine additional actions with respect to the deal.

### Claim 43 (depends on 41)

The system of claim 41 wherein the system is configured to assign activity and assessment templates to a deal in process.

### Claim 44 (depends on 43)

The system of claim 43 wherein the system is configured to assess the deal using the assigned activity and assessment templates.