Communications Services Layer for Business Process Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional business process design approaches lack efficient and flexible means to incorporate generic communications flow and execution capabilities, limiting software applications in terms of communications channels, devices, or protocols they can operate with.
Innovation Solution
A business process software program identifies and initiates communications services as generic design elements, using Web Services interfaces for synchronous or asynchronous communications, allowing integration of communications tasks without specifying particular channels, devices, or protocols, and utilizing composite and primitive communications services.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional BPEL4WS approaches are used for business process design, then interaction between different business processes is facilitated, but the ability to integrate generic communications flow and execution capabilities is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communications services layer with standardized interfaces that acts as an intermediary between business processes and the underlying communications infrastructure. This layer provides generic communications flow capabilities (make call, send message, locate contact, etc.) that can be integrated into BPEL4WS business processes without requiring direct integration with specific communication channels, devices, or protocols. The standardized interface mediates between the business process logic and the diverse communications backend systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal communications services layer that provides multiple communication capabilities (voice, messaging, presence, conferencing, etc.) through a single standardized interface. This universal layer can handle various communication tasks without requiring separate integration logic for each communication type, thereby improving adaptability while reducing integration complexity.
2Adaptability or versatility
If specific communication channels, devices, or protocols are integrated into business software applications, then communication functionality is achieved, but the applications become unduly limited in terms of communications they can operate with
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal communications interface that enables business software applications to access multiple communication channels (telephony, messaging, email, presence, conferencing) through a single standardized API. This allows applications to be developed without committing to specific communication protocols or channels, thereby improving adaptability while maintaining ease of development through consistent interface patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the communications integration problem into two independent layers: a generic communications services layer with standardized interfaces, and the specific communication channel implementations. This segmentation allows application developers to work with the abstracted generic interface without needing to understand or configure specific communication protocols, thereby improving both adaptability and ease of manufacture.
3Productivity
If generic communications flow capabilities are integrated into business processes, then flexibility and efficiency are improved, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a communications services layer that mediates between business processes and communications infrastructure, providing ready-to-use generic communications capabilities (make call, send message, locate contact, etc.). This intermediary layer encapsulates the complexity of communications protocol handling, allowing business processes to efficiently invoke communications tasks without managing the underlying system complexity directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The communications services layer provides self-service capabilities where the system automatically handles communications task execution based on high-level process definitions. The generic communications flow capabilities are pre-configured and can be automatically invoked by business processes without requiring complex manual configuration or management of the underlying communications infrastructure.
Data Source
AI summary
A business process software program is executed in a processing element comprising a memory and a processor coupled to the memory. The processor is operative to identify within the software program one or more communications services inserted as generic design elements therein, and for each of the identified communications services, to initiate the execution of one or more corresponding communications tasks. At least one of the communications services may comprise a composite communications service which itself comprises a plurality of communications services.