Process management system and method
US008296170B2 O
(12) United States Patent
(10) Patent N0.:
O’Brien et a]. (54)
(45) Date of Patent:
Oct. 23, 2012
PROCESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND
2005/0267770 A1*
METHOD
2007/0067196 A1*
3/2007 Usui
2008/0133442 A1* 2009/0112666 A1
6/2008 4/2009
_
_
(75) Inventors: Jay O’Br1en,V1sta, CA (U S); Joby O’Brien, Vista, CA (US)
1926041 A1
(73) Assignee: BP Logix, Vista, CA (U S) Notice:
12/2005 Banavar et al. ................. .. 705/1
705/8
Fischer et a1. ................ .. 706/47 Guo et al.
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS EP
(*)
US 8,296,170 B2
5/2008
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Subject to any disclaimers the term Ofthis patent is extended or adjusted under 35
International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/US2010/ 049801 issued sep, 22, 2010, 9 pages,
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
iMarkup Server v6 Product Brochure, released Jan. 2006, 2 pages. O’Brien, Joby. BP LogiX Work?ow & Document Management: Col laboration and Work?oW solutions for digital content and document
(21)
Appl. No.: 12/886,270
(22)
Filed;
management, Jan. 2009, 6 pages.
Sep, 20, 2010
(65)
Work?ow Management iMarkup Server v6: Collaboration and Work?oW solutions for digital content and document management, BP LogiX, Inc., White paper, Nov. 2008, 6 pages.
Prior Publication Data
Us 2011/0071869 A1
Mar. 24, 2011
* Cited by examiner
Related U_s_ Application Data
(60)
..
Primary Examiner * Beth V Boswell
Prov1s1onal appl1cat1on No. 61/245,409, ?led on Sep.
A
2 4 2009
(74) Attorney, Agent, orFzrm * Procop1o, Cory, Hargreaves
’
.
.
'
' *W'll' “IS'tan tExammer 1. 1am B roek'mgton ,III
& Savitch LLP
(51)
Int. Cl.
(52) (58)
us. Cl. .................................... .. 705/7.12; 705/727 Field of Classi?cation Search ............... .. 705/712,
G06Q 10/00
(2012.01)
(57)
ABSTRACT
A business Process Or Project management System Provides for Creation Of a Project of Process de?nition Which includes
705/7_27
all activities required to complete the process as Well as any
See application ?le for Complete Search history
dependencies, conditions, and deadlines for each activity, and
References Cited
participants designated to carry out the activities. Once the process is started, activities are carried out in turn When the
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
When any activities are complete so that any activities depen
(56)
dependencies and conditions are met, and the system updates 7 051 036 B2
5/2006 Rosnow et a1‘
dent on completed activities can be started. A reporting mod
7,676,49() B 1 *
3/2010 Cassone et a1, ,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,, 707/30 5
ule creates status reports for each activity Which are displayed
7 962,358 B1 *
6/2011 Fernandez et al.
. 705/7.12
to a user such as an administrator on a user interface. Stored
5/2002
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 705/ 9
information on previous instances of an activity are used to
glélrhiglzyeitallll' """""" " 707/10 2/2005 Geddes etal.
predict When an activity is likely to be late and to provide 2116115 to users PH'Or to Starting the activity
2002/0065701
A1:
2005/0033600 A1 2005/0132167 A1*
2005/0234758 A1 *
6/2005
Klm et_a1~
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Longobardi ................ .. 712/201
10/2005 Nishi .............................. .. 705/8
14
40 Claims, 26 Drawing Sheets
User Device
User Device
\
11
14
/
Web Browser
I 17 \
/10
eForms
Prooessing
/ 2o
Reporting Module
Module
15 \
Process \
Automation Module/Stale Module
"\\ “c2112?” Management
‘2 \\
ssiiiizn" Module
\24 Business Rules MOdUlB
Essie‘; Integration Module
18
/“
US. Patent
Oct. 23, 2012
Sheet 1 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
14
14
User
User
\ Device
Device
/
Web Browser
A
Z10
l
/ 2O
17 \\
eForms
Processing
/
Reporting Module
Module ‘
15 \
Process
\
22 \
\
12 \
7
I
Automation
Business Rules
Module/State Module
Module
Docu ment/
Enterprise
Content
Application
Management
integration Module
Process Designer/
\ Project Definition Module
FIG. 1
Database
\ 24
18
/ 16
/
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 2 0f 26
Project /
US 8,296,170 B2
25
Definition
Q
Activity 1
Activity 2 26
Activity 1.1
Activity 1.2
Activity 2.1
\28/ Activity 1.2.1
Activity 2.2
Activity 23
\/ 28
Activity 1.2.2
i \so /
:
| Build activity tree from database
Save only the state or data changes to database
4I
i
I
l \ \ \
l I I I \
I I
\ \
I
\\\\
24 _“
Database
I’! --------- "
FIG. 2
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 3 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
Project Activity
Document
Process Director — Project Definition
Electronic Form
Timer 38
APi or
External Event
37
Step FIG. 3
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 4 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
40
42
‘7%.
k
State Machine
Email
240
\
l/
/
‘dr
5%?
I
s5
,
\ User Action
36
1 Process
Automation / Timer
Module
3a 24 API or
Database
External Event
FIG. 4
5
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 6 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 7 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
..
. 8% 22,5om\
2298/ .o__FGEE
wg3zmw.%w
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 8 0f 26
rm
US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
Oct. 23, 2012
US 8,296,170 B2
Sheet 10 0f 26
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US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 12 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
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US. Patent
Oct. 23, 2012
US 8,296,170 B2
Sheet 13 0f 26
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US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 14 0f 26
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US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
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0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 15 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
an
.7
Sheet 16 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 17 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
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.2..QE
H
Hum.w.
US. Patent
Oct. 23, 2012
Sheet 18 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
Start
Enter deadline/time / 74
period for completing
activity Define Process Name or
Identifier
/62 \
Enter user
Define Activity Name for
Activity N+1 (N=O, 1,
/ 75
notifications
V
/64
2.....N)
\
Enter any other
/ 76
options Enter Activity Description and Instructions for
/65
Activity V
Enter Participant Names and Contact Information
Any other
/66
activities to be defined?
Yes
Enter Dependencies for Each Activity
/68 Exit
Enter conditions for
completion of activity and for termination without
compliance V
Enter conditions for
starting activity
i
/72 FIG. 14
78
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 19 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
Step 3
Step 1
_>
Step 2
Step 5
Step 4
FIG. 15A
Activity 1 ~ ~~~~~ a
i" |‘\_____ "
Activity 3
Only Needed if Result of Activity 2 is A
x ~~~~~ --
Activity 4
Only Needed if Result of Activity 2 is 5
Activity 5
FIG. 15B
(12) United States Patent
(10) Patent N0.:
O’Brien et a]. (54)
(45) Date of Patent:
Oct. 23, 2012
PROCESS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM AND
2005/0267770 A1*
METHOD
2007/0067196 A1*
3/2007 Usui
2008/0133442 A1* 2009/0112666 A1
6/2008 4/2009
_
_
(75) Inventors: Jay O’Br1en,V1sta, CA (U S); Joby O’Brien, Vista, CA (US)
1926041 A1
(73) Assignee: BP Logix, Vista, CA (U S) Notice:
12/2005 Banavar et al. ................. .. 705/1
705/8
Fischer et a1. ................ .. 706/47 Guo et al.
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS EP
(*)
US 8,296,170 B2
5/2008
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
Subject to any disclaimers the term Ofthis patent is extended or adjusted under 35
International Search Report and Written Opinion for PCT/US2010/ 049801 issued sep, 22, 2010, 9 pages,
U.S.C. 154(b) by 0 days.
iMarkup Server v6 Product Brochure, released Jan. 2006, 2 pages. O’Brien, Joby. BP LogiX Work?ow & Document Management: Col laboration and Work?oW solutions for digital content and document
(21)
Appl. No.: 12/886,270
(22)
Filed;
management, Jan. 2009, 6 pages.
Sep, 20, 2010
(65)
Work?ow Management iMarkup Server v6: Collaboration and Work?oW solutions for digital content and document management, BP LogiX, Inc., White paper, Nov. 2008, 6 pages.
Prior Publication Data
Us 2011/0071869 A1
Mar. 24, 2011
* Cited by examiner
Related U_s_ Application Data
(60)
..
Primary Examiner * Beth V Boswell
Prov1s1onal appl1cat1on No. 61/245,409, ?led on Sep.
A
2 4 2009
(74) Attorney, Agent, orFzrm * Procop1o, Cory, Hargreaves
’
.
.
'
' *W'll' “IS'tan tExammer 1. 1am B roek'mgton ,III
& Savitch LLP
(51)
Int. Cl.
(52) (58)
us. Cl. .................................... .. 705/7.12; 705/727 Field of Classi?cation Search ............... .. 705/712,
G06Q 10/00
(2012.01)
(57)
ABSTRACT
A business Process Or Project management System Provides for Creation Of a Project of Process de?nition Which includes
705/7_27
all activities required to complete the process as Well as any
See application ?le for Complete Search history
dependencies, conditions, and deadlines for each activity, and
References Cited
participants designated to carry out the activities. Once the process is started, activities are carried out in turn When the
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
When any activities are complete so that any activities depen
(56)
dependencies and conditions are met, and the system updates 7 051 036 B2
5/2006 Rosnow et a1‘
dent on completed activities can be started. A reporting mod
7,676,49() B 1 *
3/2010 Cassone et a1, ,,,,,,,,,,,,, ,, 707/30 5
ule creates status reports for each activity Which are displayed
7 962,358 B1 *
6/2011 Fernandez et al.
. 705/7.12
to a user such as an administrator on a user interface. Stored
5/2002
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 705/ 9
information on previous instances of an activity are used to
glélrhiglzyeitallll' """""" " 707/10 2/2005 Geddes etal.
predict When an activity is likely to be late and to provide 2116115 to users PH'Or to Starting the activity
2002/0065701
A1:
2005/0033600 A1 2005/0132167 A1*
2005/0234758 A1 *
6/2005
Klm et_a1~
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Longobardi ................ .. 712/201
10/2005 Nishi .............................. .. 705/8
14
40 Claims, 26 Drawing Sheets
User Device
User Device
\
11
14
/
Web Browser
I 17 \
/10
eForms
Prooessing
/ 2o
Reporting Module
Module
15 \
Process \
Automation Module/Stale Module
"\\ “c2112?” Management
‘2 \\
ssiiiizn" Module
\24 Business Rules MOdUlB
Essie‘; Integration Module
18
/“
US. Patent
Oct. 23, 2012
Sheet 1 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
14
14
User
User
\ Device
Device
/
Web Browser
A
Z10
l
/ 2O
17 \\
eForms
Processing
/
Reporting Module
Module ‘
15 \
Process
\
22 \
\
12 \
7
I
Automation
Business Rules
Module/State Module
Module
Docu ment/
Enterprise
Content
Application
Management
integration Module
Process Designer/
\ Project Definition Module
FIG. 1
Database
\ 24
18
/ 16
/
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 2 0f 26
Project /
US 8,296,170 B2
25
Definition
Q
Activity 1
Activity 2 26
Activity 1.1
Activity 1.2
Activity 2.1
\28/ Activity 1.2.1
Activity 2.2
Activity 23
\/ 28
Activity 1.2.2
i \so /
:
| Build activity tree from database
Save only the state or data changes to database
4I
i
I
l \ \ \
l I I I \
I I
\ \
I
\\\\
24 _“
Database
I’! --------- "
FIG. 2
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 3 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
Project Activity
Document
Process Director — Project Definition
Electronic Form
Timer 38
APi or
External Event
37
Step FIG. 3
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 4 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
40
42
‘7%.
k
State Machine
240
\
l/
/
‘dr
5%?
I
s5
,
\ User Action
36
1 Process
Automation / Timer
Module
3a 24 API or
Database
External Event
FIG. 4
5
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 6 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 7 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
..
. 8% 22,5om\
2298/ .o__FGEE
wg3zmw.%w
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 8 0f 26
rm
US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
Oct. 23, 2012
US 8,296,170 B2
Sheet 10 0f 26
.4.
2..0E
, .
s“iv M, $2“ w“ . myw,“
\“gag
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 12 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
w
»
v
0:.0E mom
US. Patent
Oct. 23, 2012
US 8,296,170 B2
Sheet 13 0f 26
2
D:.OE
wow.
w.
a
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 14 0f 26
a?
W wow
m
US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
a w
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 15 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
an
.7
Sheet 16 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 17 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
2.. .
mmmw m
.2..QE
H
Hum.w.
US. Patent
Oct. 23, 2012
Sheet 18 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
Start
Enter deadline/time / 74
period for completing
activity Define Process Name or
Identifier
/62 \
Enter user
Define Activity Name for
Activity N+1 (N=O, 1,
/ 75
notifications
V
/64
2.....N)
\
Enter any other
/ 76
options Enter Activity Description and Instructions for
/65
Activity V
Enter Participant Names and Contact Information
Any other
/66
activities to be defined?
Yes
Enter Dependencies for Each Activity
/68 Exit
Enter conditions for
completion of activity and for termination without
compliance V
Enter conditions for
starting activity
i
/72 FIG. 14
78
US. Patent
0a. 23, 2012
Sheet 19 0f 26
US 8,296,170 B2
Step 3
Step 1
_>
Step 2
Step 5
Step 4
FIG. 15A
Activity 1 ~ ~~~~~ a
i" |‘\_____ "
Activity 3
Only Needed if Result of Activity 2 is A
x ~~~~~ --
Activity 4
Only Needed if Result of Activity 2 is 5
Activity 5
FIG. 15B
