Process management using representation state transfer architecture

摘要

Process management techniques using a representation state transfer architecture include, for example, a method of managing a given process in a data-centric manner in a client/server environment, comprising at least one client and at least one server. In an exemplary method, the server obtains from the client at least one request associated with the given process. In response to the request obtained from the client, the server generates an entity, wherein the generated entity is represented in terms of a data model and a lifecycle model associated therewith, wherein the lifecycle model comprises states and state transitions with each transition caused by one or more activities in the given process, and wherein the given process is represented as a collection of communicating entities. The server sends a response to the at least one request to the client, wherein the response is based at least in part on the generated entity.

主权项

1. A method of managing a given process in a data-centric manner in a client/server environment comprising at least one client and at least one server, comprising the steps of:
obtaining from the client at the server at least one request associated with the given process; in response to the request obtained from the client, the server dynamically generating a business entity that is used to formulate a response message in response to the at least one request, wherein the generated business entity is a data entity having a data model and a lifecycle model, wherein the lifecycle model comprises states and state transitions with each state transition caused by one or more activities in the given process, and wherein the given process is a business process model represented as a collection of communicating business entities; wherein dynamically generating a business entity that is used to formulate a response message in response to the at least one request comprises:
updating information content of the business entity using information input from the at least one request;performing a state transition of the lifecycle of the business entity with the updated information content to obtain a current state of the business entity; andgenerating a response message to the at least one request, wherein the response message is a representation of the current state of the business entity; and sending the response message from the server to the client to respond to the at least one request obtained from the client.