System and method for performing flexible workflow process execution in a distributed workflow management system
US6041306A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 21, 1997 |
| Grant date | Mar 21, 2000 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 21, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG06Q10/06316
- WIPO fieldIT methods for management
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A system and method for performing flexible workflow process execution in a distributed workflow management system is described. The distributed workflow management system is formed by a computer network comprising a plurality of computers. Each computer has a processor, memory and input/output facilities. A workflow process management system operates on one or more of the computers to control the computer network in executing the workflow process. The workflow process includes at least one sequence of multiple actions. A plurality of resources is coupled to respective ones of the computers to carry out the multiple actions. A plurality of state machines are stored as computer-operable code in at least one memory and include a plurality of states interconnected by arcs logically forming a directed graph. The workflow management system further includes logic for instantiating each action with one state and logic for executing the logical sequence of the action as state transitions in each state machine.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.