Business Process Engine Uniform Addressing for Distributed Components

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional enterprise process engines lack a uniform addressing scheme to identify and refer to application components deployed across a distributed network, leading to additional computing resources and processing time due to the need for local-to-remote translation.

Innovation Solution

Implement a uniform addressing scheme that uses Uniform Resource Identifiers (URIs) to unambiguously refer to application components, including processes, sub-processes, and tasks, regardless of their location, by assigning unique identifiers and paths that can be used across different operating environments.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If conventional addressing schemes are used for distributed application components, then local component identification is simple, but additional computing resources and processing time are required for local-to-remote translation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent identificationVSAvoidcomputing resources

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal addressing scheme using URNs (Unique Names) that can identify application components across any location (local or remote) without requiring translation. The addressing scheme works uniformly for all components regardless of their deployment location, eliminating the need for separate local and remote addressing mechanisms and thus reducing computing resources for translation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary addressing layer (URN-based global identifiers) that mediates between local component references and remote component identification. This intermediary layer provides a consistent addressing format that resolves the translation overhead by serving as a common reference space for all components regardless of location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If conventional addressing schemes are used for distributed application components, then local component identification is simple, but additional processing time is required for local-to-remote translation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent identificationVSAvoidprocessing time

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent performs preliminary action by pre-defining the global addressing scheme and component registration before distribution occurs. Components are assigned unique URNs at deployment time, so that when components need to be accessed remotely, the addressing is already prepared and no translation processing is needed at runtime.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If uniform global addressing is implemented for all application components, then communication efficiency is improved, but addressing scheme complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidaddressing scheme

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the addressing scheme into hierarchical components: namespace (application identifier), name (component identifier), and optional versioning. This segmentation makes the complex global addressing manageable by breaking it into logical parts that can be independently managed and registered, reducing the operational complexity while maintaining global uniqueness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12481524B2Uniform addressing in business process engine

Publication Date: 2025.11.25 RED HAT INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for uniform addressing can include receiving a request to execute a component of an application and assigning a component identifier to the component of the application. It could also include determining a component type identifier of the component and responsive to a determination that the component is instantiated, assigning a component instance identifier to an instance of the component. It could further include invoking the component by a global address comprising the component type identifier and at least or of the component identifier and component instance identifier.