Patent ID: 6973638

Claim:
A method for modeling a process including an ordered sequence of actions, each associated with one or more triggering events and exit events, the method comprising: graphically representing the sequence of actions and associated trigger and exit events for the process with graphical elements such that the graphical elements are organized to express the process, where functions within the process are represented as action nodes having associated therewith entry and exit criteria and an executable function; entry and exit criteria for functions within the process are represented as event links having associated therewith a conditional expression that must be satisfied if entry or exit from an action node is to commence; generation of two or more parallel events within the process is represented by split nodes with two or more asynchronous exit conditions; synchronization of two or more asynchronous events within the process is represented by join nodes with two or more asynchronous entry conditions; and repetitive functions are represented within the process as repetition nodes characterized by entry and exit criteria and an executable function that includes a repeatable function and repetition factor for controlling a number of repetitions for the repeatable function.