Method, apparatus, system, and computer readable medium for universal device participation in business process and workflow application

摘要

A method, apparatus, system, and computer readable medium for hosting an application participating in a workflow communication which generates a workflow step and translates the workflow step into a device instruction, the device instruction being based on device specifications and instructing the device to perform a function. The device instruction is sent to the device and feedback is received from the device, the feedback corresponding to the device instruction. The feedback is then processed and the workflow communication is updated based on the processed feedback.

主权项

1. A system for communicating between an apparatus hosting a workflow application and a device, the system comprising:
a processor, at the apparatus, configured to
extract information from a first device output, received from the device,send, via a communication unit, the extracted information to an external apparatus, the external apparatus, the device, and the apparatus being different from and external to one another, andtransition to a workflow step in response to receiving a response from the external apparatus, a workflow translator, at the apparatus, configured to translate the workflow step into a device instruction, the device instruction being based on device specifications and instructing the device to modify configuration parameters previously set in the device and to perform a function with the modified configuration parameters at the device, and configured to send the device instruction from a workflow engine that contains the workflow step to the device; and the workflow engine, which is at the apparatus and is configured to directly receive a second device output from the device, the second device output corresponding to the function instructed by the device instruction and being different from the first device output.