Patent ID: 7272820
Filing Date: 2007-09-18
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A computer-implemented method for graphical development of fully executable workflow applications, wherein said fully executable workflow applications are stored in a form of computer-executable program code in computer memory, a processor runs the workflow operation by invoking said program code, said program code facilitates processing of workflow orders, wherein said method for graphical development comprises the following steps: (A) Describing an element of workflow-process graphically with software that accepts interactive user input; (B) Interpreting the user input to obtain workflow-related data and transforming obtained workflow-related data into an incremental modification of incrementally constructed set of class objects that represents a workflow-process description; (C) Repeating steps (A) and (B) in a loop until workflow-process description is complete; (D) Extracting workflow-process-related data from the set of class objects and transforming the extracted workflow-process-related data into a workflow-process definition; (E) Generating source code of the workflow application software, compiling instructions, and linking instruction from the workflow-process definition; (F) Compiling the source code of the workflow application software with the compiling instructions; (G) Linking result of the performed compiling with generated linking instructions; and wherein said method further comprises defining a work-flow-process comprising the following steps: (a) Establishing a matrix of workflow-activities, wherein said workflow-activities are individual items of work comprised by a potential workflow-process where all transactional operations potentially performed by each one of said individual items are potentially executed as a single transaction within each one of said workflow-activities of said potential workflow-process, and wherein said establishing the matrix further comprises: (b) Defining a main flow-graph, wherein the defining matrix of workflow-activities are further being represented as nodes of said flow-graph by incorporating control-connectors in order to represent a potential flow-of-control between said nodes within a potential workflow-process, wherein each said control-connector signals successful execution of its sourcing workflow-activity with execution result having value TRUE, wherein two or more control-connectors sourcing from one of said nodes initiate concurrent execution of destination nodes of said control-connectors, wherein two or more control-connectors having a common destination node impose a requirement for synchronizing conjunction of signals of all control-connectors incoming to said common destination node in order to trigger execution of said common destination node, wherein said defining the main flow-graph further comprises: (c) Defining one or more alternative control connectors, wherein each one of said alternative control connectors signals successful execution of its sourcing workflow-activity with execution result having value FALSE, wherein two or more of said alternative control-connectors sourcing from same workflow-activity initiate concurrent execution of destination workflow-activities of said alternative control-connectors, wherein a workflow-activity having established during the defining main flow-graph a requirement for synchronizing conjunction of signals of all incoming to it control-connectors cannot be a destination workflow-activity of an alternative control connector, wherein defining the one or more alternative control-connectors further comprises: (d) Defining workflow-components matrix, wherein every element of said workflow-components matrix represents a software component, associated with a workflow-activity of workflow-process being defined, for potential plugging for execution as part of a potential single transaction within said workflow-activity of the workflow-process, wherein the defining of the workflow-component matrix further comprises: