Message-Based Business Process Monitoring via Content-Routed Network
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing business process management systems (BPM) struggle with monitoring long-running overall business processes across multiple IT systems and human-driven activities, as they require explicit process models and electronic integration, which is not feasible for complex, scalable, and disconnected processes.
Innovation Solution
A data-centric process monitoring system that uses a content-routed network, message brokers, and content management platforms to monitor business processes by identifying process-instances from message-instance content, without the need for explicit process models or electronic integration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional BPM systems use explicit process models and workflow-based execution, then process control and monitoring can be achieved, but the system becomes inapplicable to complex, scalable, and disconnected processes across multiple IT systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a message broker as an intermediary component that mediates between multiple IT systems and processes. The message broker receives messages from various sources (order management system, warehouse management system, customer relationship management system), processes them through a unified message processing engine, and routes them to appropriate destinations. This intermediary approach enables the system to handle complex, disconnected processes without requiring direct integration between all systems, thereby reducing overall integration complexity while maintaining versatility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal message processing engine that can handle multiple types of messages from different IT systems through a single unified platform. The engine provides multi-functional capabilities including message routing, process monitoring, performance tracking, and coordination across diverse processes. This universal approach eliminates the need for system-specific processing logic, enabling the BPM system to adapt to complex and disconnected processes while maintaining consistent control and monitoring mechanisms.
2Measurement precision
If BPM systems monitor processes at macro level through KPIs, then high-level performance can be evaluated, but single process instance level monitoring is not enabled
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism that continuously monitors individual process instances at the message level and aggregates this information to provide both micro-level process state tracking and macro-level performance metrics. The system captures detailed feedback from each message processing step, including timing information, status changes, and process transitions, enabling precise tracking of single process instances. Simultaneously, this granular feedback data is aggregated to generate KPIs and performance reports, maintaining the ability to evaluate high-level performance without sacrificing instance-level detail.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the monitoring function into multiple levels: message-level monitoring for individual process instances, process-level monitoring for specific business processes, and organizational-level monitoring for KPIs. The message processing engine maintains separate monitoring contexts for each process instance while simultaneously contributing to aggregate statistics. This segmentation allows the system to provide precise single process instance monitoring without overwhelming complexity, as each monitoring level operates independently with its own data structures and processing logic.
3Adaptability or versatility
If BPM systems require electronic integration of all business processes, then comprehensive monitoring is possible, but human-driven and unstructured processes cannot be monitored
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses the message broker as an intermediary that can capture messages from both electronic IT systems and human-driven processes. The message processing engine is designed to handle diverse message formats including structured electronic messages and unstructured human communications. By positioning the message broker as a universal intermediary, the system can monitor human-driven activities without requiring direct electronic integration, maintaining reliability through standardized message processing while expanding coverage to include all process types.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the monitoring parameters from strict electronic integration requirements to message-based capture capabilities. Instead of requiring all processes to be electronically integrated, the system monitors based on message parameters such as message content, timing, and flow. This parameter change allows the system to reliably monitor both electronic and human-driven processes, as the monitoring mechanism adapts to the nature of the message rather than requiring the process to be electronically integrated. The system can capture and process messages regardless of their source or structure.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for monitoring and controlling a business process involving a plurality of workstations or/and computerized services, the system comprising apparatus for receiving messages exchanged between the plurality of workstations or computerized services and having content, and for deriving from the content of the messages, monitoring information regarding the single business process.