Workflow process management system including shadow process instances
OwnerShazia Sadiq, Maria Orlowska +2inventors
InventorsShazia Sadiq, Maria Orlowska, Wasim Sadiq, Karsten Schulz
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Abstract
A workflow management system, computer, and method has associated with it one or more shadow process instances. The system invokes these shadow process instances through internal logic, or at the behest of a user. Each such instance can be identified through unique parameters. The shadow process instances can be grouped, ungrouped, and/or regrouped, and this injects into the system a flexibility to adapt to many different organizational structures.
Claims26
A workflow process management system including:
- a process;
- said process including one or more activities;
- said process further including one or more primary process instances;
- and
- said one or more primary process instances including one or more alternative process instances, the alternative process instances being available to be grouped by the workflow process management system differently from a grouping of the one or more primary process instances.
A workflow process management system including:
- a process;
- the process including one or more activities;
- the process further including one or more primary process instances;
- and
- the more or more primary process instances including one or more alternative process instances, the alternative process instances being available to be grouped by the workflow process management system differently from a grouping of the one or more primary process instances;
- wherein the one or more alternative process instances include:
- an activity ID;
- a process instance ID;
- an activity instance ID;
- a group instance ID;
- and
- an activity state ID.
A workflow management process including:
- generating a first set of one or more activities, the activities of the first set including:
- a first activity ID;
- a first set of process instance IDs;
- a first set of activity instance IDs;
- and
- a first activity state;
- ungrouping the first set of one or more activities, thereby creating a second set of one or more activities, the activities of the second set including:
- a second set of activity instance IDs;
- generating a third set of one or more activities, the activities of the third set including:
- a second activity ID;
- a second activity state;
- and
- a second set of activity instance IDs;
- and
- regrouping the third set of one or more activities, thereby creating a fourth set of one or more activities, the activities of the fourth set including:
- a first group instance ID;
- and
- a third set of activity instance IDs.
A machine-readable medium including instructions to cause a machine to perform a process including:
- generating a first set of one or more activities, the activities of the first set including:
- a first activity ID;
- a first set of process instance IDs;
- a first set of activity instance IDs;
- and
- a first activity state;
- ungrouping the first set of one or more activities, thereby creating a second set of one or more activities, the activities of the second set including:
- a second set of activity instance IDs;
- generating a third set of one or more activities, the activities of the third set including:
- a second activity ID;
- a second activity state;
- and
- a second set of activity instance IDs;
- and
- regrouping the third set of one or more activities, thereby creating a fourth set of one or more activities, the activities of the fourth set including:
- a first group instance ID;
- and
- a third set of activity instance IDs.
A computer including:
- a process;
- the process including one or more activities;
- the process further including one or more primary process instances;
- and
- the more or more primary process instances including one or more alternative process instances, the alternative process instances being available to be grouped differently from a grouping of the one or more primary process instances;
- wherein the one or more alternative process instances include:
- an activity ID;
- a process instance ID;
- an activity instance ID;
- a group instance ID;
- and
- an activity state ID.
A data structure for a workflow management system, the workflow management system including a worklist handler process and a workflow control data process, the data structure including:
- activities;
- primary process instances;
- and
- alternative process instances;
- wherein the primary process instances are a subset of the activities;
- and
- wherein the alternative process instances are a subset of the primary process instances.
A process including:
- creating a process model, the process model including an activity level definition;
- initiating a process instance;
- scheduling an activity;
- invoking an ungroup function, the ungroup function creating an atomic activity;
- and
- invoking a grouping function, the grouping function creating a compound activity.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.