Patent ID: 9026577
Filing Date: 2015-05-05
Classification: G06Q

Abstract:
1. A non-transitory computer-readable medium embodying a first workflow engine executable in a first computing device, the first workflow engine comprising: code that, in response to receiving a workflow agent comprising a workflow definition, a workflow history, and a plurality of state data corresponding to a plurality of states of the workflow definition, determines a first one of a plurality of actions to be taken for the workflow agent based at least upon the workflow definition, the workflow history, and a first portion of the state data, wherein the workflow agent is a document received from a prior computing device via a network and wherein a digital signature is associated with the workflow definition and the first workflow engine determines whether the digital signature is valid; code that, in response to a determination that the digital signature associated with the workflow definition is valid, initiates the first one of the plurality of actions to be taken for the workflow agent, wherein the first one of the plurality of actions is performed in the first computing device; code that stores a first result of the first one of the plurality of actions in the workflow history of the workflow agent and in a data store via the network, wherein a message digest is associated with the workflow history, and the message digest is computed for the workflow history; code that determines a second one of the plurality of actions to be taken for the workflow agent based at least upon the workflow definition, the workflow history, and a second portion of the state data, wherein an assignee of the second one of the plurality of actions is determined based at least upon the workflow definition of the workflow agent and a query to a directory via the network; code that stores an update in the workflow history of the workflow agent and in the data store via the network, wherein the update comprises the assignee and an identifier of the first workflow engine, wherein the message digest is computed for the workflow history; and code that forwards, via the network, the workflow agent to a second workflow engine associated with the assignee of the second one of the plurality of actions to be taken for the workflow agent, wherein the second workflow engine is associated with a second computing device.