Patent Publication Number: US-2007101329-A1

Title: Workflow verification system and method thereof

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates to a workflow verification system and method thereof, and more particularly, to a workflow verification system and method for verifying the validity and the accuracy of a workflow by providing a correspondence weight factor.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      To understand a project with a rate of progress, a workflow which connects all working procedures is usually designed on actual demands to record and control the project with the progress rate at real time by verifying each node of the workflow and entire workflows can also be traced to provide references for improvements, since projects developed.  
      A workflow includes a serial routing and a parallel routing.  FIG. 1  is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional serial routing. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the workflow  1 ′ for verifying product development data comprises at least one serial routing  10 ′. The serial routing  10 ′ is used for transmitting the product development data to a workflow node for verifying every level of the workflow  1 ′. The product development data are verified by a first workflow node  12 ′ of the workflow  1 ′ at first. The product development data of the workflow  1 ′ is transmitted to a second workflow node  14 ′ of a next level after finishing verification. The product development data is further transmitted to a third workflow node  16 ′ of a next level to finish the entire procedure.  
      Additionally,  FIG. 2A  is a schematic diagram illustrating a conventional parallel routing. The parallel routing  20 ′ differs from the serial routing  10 ′. The product development data of the parallel routing  20 ′ is transmitted to at least two workflow nodes simultaneously while in a level of the workflow  1 ′. A workflow node of a next level must wait until the product development data are verified by the workflow nodes in order to implement the workflow. As shown in  FIG. 2A , in a workflow  1 ′, the serial routing  10 ′ is to transmit the product development data to the first workflow node  12 ′ for verifying. Secondly, the parallel routing  20 ′ of the workflow  1 ′ is to transmit the product development data to a second workflow node  14 ′ and a third workflow node  16 ′ of a next level for verifying. Lastly, the product development data are then transmitted by the second workflow node  14 ′ and the third workflow node  16 ′ to a fourth workflow node  18 ′ of a next level for verifying in order to finish the entire procedure of verifying the product development data.  
      Although the workflow comprises the serial routing and the parallel routing, in real practice, the serial routing is in common use in the workflow due to management and verification. The serial routing means that the workflow node is used for verifying every level of the workflow without flexibility. Furthermore, to survey the current project implementation, the project implementation must cooperate with many departments simultaneously. Relatively, many workflow nodes are also used to correspond with the implementation of the project. Therefore, the parallel routing will be the future tendency in the workflow design.  
      However, the workflow planner may make a careless mistake while designing a workflow having a parallel routing.  FIG. 2B  is a schematic diagram illustrating a workflow for verifying product development data. After the product development data are verified by the first workflow node  12 ′, the product development data are then transmitted to the second workflow node  14 ′ and the third workflow node  16 ′ for verifying. Due to the careless mistake made by the workflow planner, the second workflow node  14 ′ is not connected to the fourth workflow node  18 ′. The consequence is that a verification action is implemented by the fourth workflow node  18 ′ after receiving verification documents from the third workflow node  16 ′. The second workflow node  14 ′ is then suspended in the workflow  1 ′ and the verification documents in the second workflow node  14 ′ are not transmitted to the fourth workflow node  18 ′. If a verification result verified by the second workflow node  14 ′ is to refuse the product development, the fourth workflow node  18 ′ is not planned to receive the verification documents verified by the second workflow node  14 ′ that the product which has been refused to develop is still concerned to develop and further causes implementation problems in the future. Therefore, a solution must be provided to overcome the drawbacks and disadvantages in order to verify the established workflow while planning the workflow having the parallel routing and thereby avoid the implementation problems in the future.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      Briefly, the present invention provides a workflow verification system and method that are applied for verifying a workflow having a parallel routing in order to provide a workflow planer to verify the accuracy for the workflow.  
      To achieve the object and the advantage of the mentioned above, the workflow verification system and its method are to verify the workflow. The workflow comprises a first workflow node, a second workflow node which is behind the first workflow node and a plurality of workflow nodes between the first workflow node and the second workflow node in order to calculate correspondence weight factors. A weight factor of the first workflow node is a sum of weight factors of the plurality of workflow nodes which is connected to the first workflow node and a weight factor of the second workflow node is the sum of the weight factors of the plurality of workflow nodes which is also connected to the second workflow node. Therefore, the weight factor of the first workflow node and the sum of the weight factors of the plurality of workflow nodes are compared whether they are the same. The weight factor of the second workflow node and the sum of the weight factors of the plurality of workflow nodes are compared whether they are the same. Lastly, the weight factor of the second workflow node and the weight factor of the first workflow node are verified whether they are equivalent. By the way mentioned above, the workflow planner may verify the workflow built by himself to avoid providing an error workflow while planning the workflow including the parallel routing. Furthermore, the workflow planner may plan the workflow having the parallel routing and a serial routing to design various workflows.  
      Other features and advantages of the present invention and variations thereof will become apparent from the following description, drawings, and claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a schematic of a conventional workflow having a serial routing;  
       FIG. 2A  is a schematic diagram of a conventional workflow having a parallel routing;  
       FIG. 2B  is a schematic diagram of a workflow with invalidity;  
       FIG. 3  is a flowchart according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 4  is a schematic diagram of a workflow according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram of a workflow with invalidity according to the present invention;  
       FIG. 6  is another schematic diagram of a workflow according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;  
       FIG. 7  is a further schematic diagram of a workflow according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; and  
       FIG. 8  is a block diagram according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      To avoid an error workflow caused by the careless mistake when a workflow planner designs a workflow, the present invention discloses a workflow verification system and a method to provide the workflow planner to verify the accuracy and the validity for the workflow.  
      Referring to  FIG. 3 , a flowchart according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. The present invention is to verify a workflow. With reference to  FIG. 4 , the workflow  1  comprises a first workflow node  10 , a plurality of workflow nodes (a third workflow node  11  and a fourth workflow node  14 ), and a second workflow node  13 . The workflow  1  is described in sequence as following. Firstly, a procedure is implemented by the first workflow node  10 . Secondly, the procedure is then transmitted to the third workflow node  11  which is connected to the first workflow node  10  and the fourth workflow node  12  which is connected to the first workflow node  10  respectively for verifying. Lastly, the procedure is then transmitted to the second workflow node  13  which is connected to both the third workflow node  11  and the fourth workflow node  12  for verifying and finishes the workflow  1 . The first workflow node  10  can be an initial workflow node. The third workflow node  11  and the fourth workflow node  12  can be middle workflow nodes. The second workflow node  13  can be an end workflow node.  
      The method of the present invention comprises the following steps. Firstly, as shown in step S 10 , a first weight factor of the first workflow node  10  is set as 1. To implement step S 11 , the weight factor  100  of the first workflow node  10  of an upper level is equally allocated to a weight factor of the third workflow node  11  and a weight factor of the fourth workflow node  12  of a lower lever to calculate a second weight factor  130  of a second workflow node  13  which corresponds to the third workflow node  11  and the fourth workflow node  12 . Suppose the third weight factor  110  and the fourth weight factor  120  are 0.5 respectively (1 (The first weight factor  100 )÷2 (The third workflow node  11  and the fourth workflow node  12 )=0.5 (The third weight factor  110  and the fourth weight factor  120 )). In another word, because of the third workflow node  11  and the fourth workflow node  12  are connected to the first workflow node  10 , the sum of the third weight factor  110  which corresponds to the third workflow node  11  (The lower level for the first workflow node  10 ) and the fourth weight factor  120  which corresponds to the fourth workflow node  12  (The lower level for the first workflow node  10 ) equals the first weight factor  100  of the first workflow node  10  (the upper level for the third workflow node  11  and the fourth workflow node  12 ). The third weight factor  110  and the fourth weight factor  120  are 0.5 respectively. On the other hand, the second workflow node  13  is connected to the third workflow node  11  and the fourth workflow node  12 . The second weight factor  130  of the second workflow node  13  (The lower level for the third workflow node  11  and the fourth workflow node  12 ) equals the sum of the third weight factor of the third workflow node  11  and the fourth weight factor of the fourth workflow node  12  (The upper level for the second workflow node  13 ). The second weight factor  130  is 1.  
      Afterward, step S 12  is implemented, the first weight factor of the first workflow node  10 , the third weight factor of the third workflow node  11 , the fourth weight factor of the fourth workflow node  12 , and the second weight factor of the second workflow node  13  are compared. The second weight factor  130  of the second workflow node  13  is verified to equal the sum of the third weight factor  110  and the fourth weight factor  120 . Because of the second workflow node  13  is behind the first workflow node  10  that also verifies if the second weight factor  130  equals the first weight factor  100 . If the second weight factor  130  equals the first weight factor  100 , the second workflow node  13  is obtained. Therefore, a verification outcome is generated to be a successful message. The workflow planner is further noticed that the workflow  1  is validity.  
      Referring to  FIG. 5 , a schematic diagram illustrates a workflow with invalidity. As shown in  FIG. 5 , a workflow  2  comprises a first workflow node  20 , a plurality of workflow nodes (A third workflow node  21  and a fourth workflow node  22 ), and a second workflow node  23 . In the workflow  2 , the third workflow node  21  is not connected to the second workflow node  23  due to a careless mistake made by a workflow planner.  
      Referring back to  FIG. 3 , from step S 10  to step S 11 , the first weight factor  200  of the first workflow node  20  is 1. The second weight factor  230  of the second workflow node  23  is 0.5. The third weight factor  210  of the third workflow node  21  is 0.5. The fourth weight factor  220  of the fourth workflow node  22  is 0.5. The third workflow node  21  is not connected to the second workflow node  23  due to the careless mistake made by the workflow planner.  
      The second weight factor  230  is an error weight factor. Therefore, the first weight factor of the first workflow node  20 , the second weight factor of the second workflow node  23 , the third weight factor of the third workflow node  21 , and the fourth weight factor of the fourth workflow node  22  are compared via step S 12  as shown in  FIG. 3 . The second weight factor  230  of the second workflow node  230  is verified to not equal the first weight factor  200  of the first workflow node  20 . A verification outcome is generated to be a failure message. The workflow planner is further noticed that the workflow  2  is invalidity.  
      By the way mentioned above, the workflow node which is behind a foresaid workflow node is then given an error weight factor when an error workflow node exists in a workflow due to the careless mistake. Therefore, the present invention uses the characteristic by comparing with weight factors to verify the validity and the accuracy for a workflow.  
      In addition, referring to  FIG. 6 , a workflow  3  comprises a first workflow node  30 , a plurality of workflow nodes and a second workflow node  35 . The plurality of workflow nodes are a third workflow node  31 , a forth workflow node  32 , a fifth workflow node  33  and a sixth workflow node  34 . The first workflow node  30  is an upper level for the third workflow node  31  and the fourth workflow node  32 . In other words, the third workflow node  31  and the fourth workflow node  32  are a lower level for the first workflow node  30 . The third workflow node  31  is an upper level for the fifth workflow node  33  and the sixth workflow node  34 . The fifth workflow node  33  and the sixth workflow node  34  are a lower level for the third workflow node  31 . The fourth workflow node  32 , the fifth workflow node  33  and the sixth workflow node  34  are an upper level for the second workflow node  35  and the second workflow node  35  is a lower level for the fourth workflow node  32 , the fifth workflow node  33  and the sixth workflow node  34 .  
      The workflow  3  is verified by the present invention as shown in  FIG. 6 , firstly, a first weight factor  300  is set to be 1, and the weight factor of each workflow node is then calculated. Secondly, the first weight factor  300  is verified to equal a sum of a third weight factor  310  and a fourth weight factor  320 . The third weight factor  310  is verified to equal a sum of a fifth weight factor  330  and a sixth weight factor  340 . The sum of the fourth weight factor  320 , the fifth weight factor  330  and the sixth weight factor  340  is verified to equal a second weight factor  350 . Lastly, the second weight factor  350  of the second workflow node  35  is verified to equal the first weight factor  300  of the first workflow node  30 . In the embodiment, the first workflow node  30  is set to be an initial workflow node. The third workflow node  31 , the fourth workflow node  32 , the fifth workflow node  33  and the sixth workflow node  34  are set to be middle workflow nodes. The second workflow node  35  is set to be an end workflow node.  
      As shown in  FIG. 7 , a workflow  4  comprises a first workflow node  40 , a second workflow node  43 , a third workflow node  41 , a fourth workflow node fifth workflow node  44 , a sixth workflow node  45  and a seventh workflow node  46 . Firstly, a fist weight factor  400  is set to be 1, a second weight factor  430  is calculated to be 1, a third weight factor  410  is 0.5, a fourth weight factor  420  is 0.5, a fifth weight factor  440  is 0.5, a sixth weight factor  450  is 0.5 and a seventh weight factor  460  is 1 when the workflow  4  is verified by the present invention as shown in  FIG. 7 .  
      The first weight factor  400  is verified to equal a sum of the third weight factor  410  and the fourth weight factor  420  (The sum of the weight factors of the upper level must equal the sum of the weight factors of the lower level). The sum of the third weight factor  410  and the fourth weight factor  420  is verified to equal the second weight factor  430 . The second weight factor  430  is verified to equal a sum of the fifth weight factor  440  and the sixth weight factor  450 . The sum of the fifth weight factor  440  and the sixth weight factor  450  is verified to equal the seventh weight factor  460 . The sum of the third weight factor  410  and the fourth weight factor  420  is verified to equal the first weight factor  400  (The sum of the weight factors of the lower level must equal the sum of the weight factors of the upper level). Therefore, lastly, the first weight factor  400 , the second weight factor  430 , the third weight factor  410 , the fourth weight factor  420 , the fourth weight factor  420 , the fifth weight factor  440 , the sixth weight factor  450  and the seventh weight factor  460  are compared. The seventh weight factor  460  of the seventh workflow node  46  is verified to equal the first weight factor  400  of the first workflow node  50 . In another word, the weight factor of the end workflow node (Seventh weight factor  460 ) must equal the weight factor of the initial workflow node (The first weight factor  400 ) in order to verify the workflow  4 . In the embodiment, the first workflow node  40  is set to be the initial workflow node. The third workflow node  41 , the fourth workflow node  42 , the second workflow node  43 , the fifth workflow node  44  and the sixth workflow node  45  are set to be middle workflow nodes. The seventh workflow node  46  is set to be an end workflow node.  
      Referring to  FIG. 8 , a block diagram illustrates a workflow verification system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention. The workflow verification system  5  comprises an input unit  50 , a weight calculation unit  51 , a search unit  52 , a database  53  and a verification unit  54 . The input unit  50  is used to provide a workflow inputted by a workflow planner. For example of the workflow as shown in  FIG. 4 , the workflow comprises the first workflow node, the plurality of workflow nodes and the second workflow node. A relationship between the first workflow node and the plurality of workflow nodes: the first workflow node is the upper level for the plurality of workflow nodes and the plurality of workflow nodes are the lower level for the first workflow node. A relationship between the second workflow node and the plurality of workflow nodes: the plurality of workflow nodes are the upper level for the second workflow node and the second workflow node is the lower level for the plurality of workflow node.  
      The weight factor of each workflow node is generated by the weight calculation unit  51  based on the planned workflow after the workflow planner completed to design and plan the workflow. For example of  FIG. 4 , the weight factor of the first workflow node, the weight factors of the plurality of workflow nodes and the weight factor of the second workflow node are automatically generated. The first weight factor of the first workflow node is the sum of the weight factors of the plurality of workflow nodes. The second weight factor of the second workflow node is the sum of the weight factors of the plurality of workflow nodes.  
      The weight factor of each workflow node is recorded by the database  53 . The weight factor of the first workflow node, the weight factors of the plurality of workflow nodes and the weight factor of the second workflow node are compared by the verification unit  54 . The second weight factor of the second workflow node is verified to equal the first weight factor of the first workflow node in order to generate a verification outcome to be a successful message or a failure message that confirms validity and accuracy for the workflow.  
      A program module is composed of the weight calculation unit  51 , the search unit  52 , and the verification unit  54  and codes in the program module are implemented by a processor to achieve the goal of the mentioned above. Furthermore, the workflow having the parallel routing is connected via Internet or any transmission way.  
      To conclude the workflow verification system and the method of the present invention, the weight factors of the workflow nodes of the upper level are verified to equal the weight factors of the workflow nodes of the lower level, or the weight factors of the workflow nodes of the lower level are verified to equal the weight factors of the workflow nodes of the upper level, and the weight factors of the end workflow nodes are verified to equal the weight factors of the initial workflow nodes by calculating the weight factor to provide the workflow planner for verifying the established workflow that then avoids to implement the error workflow caused by the careless mistake in the future.  
      Although the features and advantages of the embodiments according to the preferred invention are disclosed, it is not limited to the embodiments described above, but encompasses any and all modifications and changes within the spirit and scope of the following claims.