Distributed workflow-enabled system

US9734465B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• RICOH COMPANY, LTD. · JP

Inventors

• Daja Phillips · Palo Alto, US
• Max McFarland · Sunnyvale, US
• Andrea Mariotti · Redwood City, US
• Haixia Yu · San Jose, US
• Michael Griffin · Redwood City, US
• Bradley Rhodes · Alameda, US
• Sergey Chemishkian · Cupertino, US
• Edward L. Schwartz · Sunnyvale, US
• Patty Case · Saratoga, US
• Stephen R. Savitzky · San Jose, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 9, 2008
• Grant date: Aug 15, 2017
• Expiry date: Nov 24, 2029

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06Q10/06
• WIPO field: IT methods for management
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

A distributed workflow-enabled system includes: a workflow-enabled provider and a workflow-enabled client communicatively coupled by a network. The workflow-enabled provider and the workflow-enabled client include a workflow unit. The workflow unit allows the workflow-enabled provider and the workflow-enabled client to communicate, distribute processes and present a user interfaces by providing a communication manager, a process control module and a user interface module. The present invention also includes a number of novel methods including a method for communication, a method for processing by a process control module, a method for creating and presenting the user interface and a method for retrieving processes executable by the process control module.