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US6233537B1 Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Workflow modeling language

Assignee: Infor US LLC
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Filing: 2000-02-09
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Granted: 2001-05-15
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Expires: 2020-02-09
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Abstract

Abstract A modeling system for the visual presentation of business applications (process, information, control, and channel), composed of multiple plan elements, is disclosed. The modeling system consists of a modeling language organized around a small set of defined pictograms each capable of representing elements of the application in progressively finer levels of detail. Each element primitive, be it a plan, step, data object, translation map, or control element (such as a business rule), is independently adjustable. Each element can be modified or enhanced without damage to the overall process because they are functionally decoupled and each represents a delegation of a task primitive (including data storage). All of the other, connected primitives are aware simply of what is passed into or taken out of a neighbor primitive, not how that primitive accomplishes its task.

Inventors

  • 👤 Robert L. Gryphon
  • 👤 Michael R. Clements
  • 👤 Kira R. Makagon

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 05:34
CPC Classifications
G; G06; G06F; G06F8/00; G06F8/10; G06Q; G06Q10/00; G06Q10/06; G06Q10/063; G06Q10/0633

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim 186 words
A method for generating a business model of a business process to be used in a computer system by defining a plan having a plurality of steps, said method comprising: for each of said steps, naming said step; placing each of said named steps in a logical sequence; defining zero or more triggering events; associating each said triggering event with at least one of said named steps; defining one or more actions to be performed in each of said named steps, wherein each of said actions are controlled by one or more rules; associating zero or more business information objects with any of said named steps, said actions, or said rules; representing a plurality of interfaces with external entities using one or more translation map objects; associating said translation map objects with one or more of said named steps; and expressing said plan as a combination of said named steps, said logical sequence, said triggering events, said actions, said business information objects, and said translation map objects using a predefined graphic symbol library; wherein the business model provides an adjustable, graphic representation of the business process.
Claim 2
Independent Claim 186 words
A method for generating a business model of a business process to be used in a computer system by defining a plan having a plurality of steps, said method comprising: for each of said steps, naming said step; placing each of said named steps in a logical sequence; defining zero or more triggering events; associating each said triggering event with at least one of said named steps; defining one or more actions to be performed in each of said named steps, wherein each of said actions are controlled by one or more rules; associating zero or more business information objects with any of said named steps, said actions, or said rules; representing a plurality of interfaces with external entities using one or more translation map objects; associating said translation map objects with one or more of said named steps; and expressing said plan as a combination of said named steps, said logical sequence, said triggering events, said actions, said business information objects, and said translation map objects using a predefined graphic symbol library; wherein the business model provides an adjustable, graphic representation of the business process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 16 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said plan is reusable in whole or in part.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 43 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said generating a business model uses a medium selected from the group consisting of a computer system, a writing surface, a paper, a blackboard, and a whiteboard and wherein said computer system comprises a storage device.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 20 words
The method of claim 3 , further comprising saving said business model in said storage device in a predefined format.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 42 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said actions further comprise essential and compound actions, said essential actions further comprise assign, retrieve, gather, save, throw event, render, populate, and script actions; and said compound actions are defined by a user.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said business information objects further comprise a table.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 17 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said business information objects further comprises a matrix.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 21 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein each of said translation map objects further comprises a property describing channel interface information.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim 19 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein said predefined graphic symbol library comprises one or more computer-aided drawing templates.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim 201 words
A computer system for generating a business model of a business process to be used in a computer system by defining a plan having a plurality of steps, said computer system comprising a computer and a computer program, said computer program comprising computer instructions for: for each of said steps, naming said step; placing each of said named steps in a logical sequence; defining zero or more triggering events; associating each said triggering event with at least one of said named steps; defining one or more actions to be performed in each of said named steps, wherein each of said actions are controlled by one or more rules; associating zero or more business information objects with any of said named steps, said actions, or said rules; representing a plurality of interfaces with external entities using one or more translation map objects; associating said translation map objects with one or more of said named steps; and expressing said plan as a combination of said named steps, said logical sequence, said triggering events, said actions, said business information objects, and said translation map objects using a Redefined graphic symbol library; wherein the business model provides an adjustable, graphic representation of the business process.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim 201 words
A computer system for generating a business model of a business process to be used in a computer system by defining a plan having a plurality of steps, said computer system comprising a computer and a computer program, said computer program comprising computer instructions for: for each of said steps, naming said step; placing each of said named steps in a logical sequence; defining zero or more triggering events; associating each said triggering event with at least one of said named steps; defining one or more actions to be performed in each of said named steps, wherein each of said actions are controlled by one or more rules; associating zero or more business information objects with any of said named steps, said actions, or said rules; representing a plurality of interfaces with external entities using one or more translation map objects; associating said translation map objects with one or more of said named steps; and expressing said plan as a combination of said named steps, said logical sequence, said triggering events, said actions, said business information objects, and said translation map objects using a Redefined graphic symbol library; wherein the business model provides an adjustable, graphic representation of the business process.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim 17 words
The computer system of claim 10 , wherein said plan is reusable in whole or in part.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim 42 words
The computer system of claim 10 , wherein said generating a business model uses an additional medium selected from the group consisting of a writing surface, a paper, a blackboard, and a whiteboard and wherein said computer system comprises a storage device.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim 21 words
The computer system of claim 12 , further comprising saving said business model in said storage device in a predefined format.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim 43 words
The computer system of claim 10 , wherein each of said actions further comprise essential and compound actions, said essential actions further comprise assign, retrieve, gather, save, throw event, render, populate, and script actions; and said compound actions are defined by a user.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim 18 words
The computer system of claim 10 , wherein each of said business information objects further comprise a table.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim 18 words
The computer system of claim 10 , wherein each of said business information objects further comprises a matrix.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim 22 words
The computer system of claim 10 , wherein each of said translation map objects further comprises a property describing channel interface information.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim 20 words
The computer system of claim 10 , wherein said predefined graphic symbol library comprises one or more computer-aided drawing templates.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim 200 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising program code to be used with a computer for generating a business model of a business process to be used in a computer system by defining a plan having a plurality of steps, said program code comprising instructions for: for each of said steps, naming said step; placing each of said named steps in a logical sequence; defining zero or more triggering events; associating each said triggering event with at least one of said named steps; defining one or more actions to be performed in each of said named steps, wherein each of said actions are controlled by one or more rules; associating zero or more business information objects with any of said named steps, said actions, or said rules; representing a plurality of interfaces with external entities using one or more translation map objects; associating said translation map objects with one or more of said named steps; and expressing said plan as a combination of said named steps, said logical sequence, said triggering events, said actions, said business information objects, and said translation map objects using a predefined graphic symbol library; wherein the business model provides an adjustable, graphic representation of the business process.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim 200 words
A computer-readable storage medium comprising program code to be used with a computer for generating a business model of a business process to be used in a computer system by defining a plan having a plurality of steps, said program code comprising instructions for: for each of said steps, naming said step; placing each of said named steps in a logical sequence; defining zero or more triggering events; associating each said triggering event with at least one of said named steps; defining one or more actions to be performed in each of said named steps, wherein each of said actions are controlled by one or more rules; associating zero or more business information objects with any of said named steps, said actions, or said rules; representing a plurality of interfaces with external entities using one or more translation map objects; associating said translation map objects with one or more of said named steps; and expressing said plan as a combination of said named steps, said logical sequence, said triggering events, said actions, said business information objects, and said translation map objects using a predefined graphic symbol library; wherein the business model provides an adjustable, graphic representation of the business process.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim 18 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein said plan is reusable in whole or in part.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim 45 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein said generating a business model uses a medium selected from the group consisting of a computer system, a writing surface, a paper, a blackboard, and a whiteboard and wherein said computer system comprises a storage device.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim 22 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 21 , further comprising saving said business model in said storage device in a predefined format.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim 44 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein each of said actions further comprise essential and compound actions, said essential actions further comprise assign, retrieve, gather, save, throw event, render, populate, and script actions; and said compound actions are defined by a user.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim 19 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein each of said business information objects further comprise a table.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim 19 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein each of said business information objects further comprises a matrix.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim 23 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein each of said translation map objects further comprises a property describing channel interface information.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim 21 words
The computer-readable storage medium of claim 19 , wherein said predefined graphic symbol library comprises one or more computer-aided drawing templates.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US5734837A Cited
US5768506A Cited
US5980096A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 2004-05-14 2004-11-13 2005-05-15 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 2008-05-14 2008-11-13 2009-05-15 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 2012-05-14 2012-11-13 2013-05-15 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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