Workflow Buffer Scheduler Decouples Activation from Data Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing workflow process modeling techniques are inefficient and inflexible when handling activities that require multiple executions or iterative processing of data items, as they often necessitate repeated activation for each data item, leading to inefficiencies and a lack of flexibility in processing multiple data items.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising a buffer and a scheduler with an activity manager that allows activities to access a buffer based on buffer access characteristics, enabling flexible and efficient execution of activities by decoupling activation from data flow, allowing activities to process multiple data items concurrently and independently, and manage buffer access through a buffer access manager.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If activities are activated multiple times for each data item to be processed, then each data item can be processed individually, but the processing efficiency deteriorates due to repeated activation overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the processing of multiple data items into a single activity activation by introducing view-specific iterators that independently traverse different portions of the same buffer. This allows one activity activation to handle multiple data items through coordinated buffer access patterns, eliminating repeated activation overhead while maintaining individual processing capability.
2Productivity
If multiple instances of an activity are spawned to process data items in parallel, then processing speed improves, but the system complexity and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple activity instances into a single activity activation by coordinating buffer access through view-specific iterators. Multiple iterators can simultaneously access the same buffer from different views (e.g., read view, write view, intermediate view) without requiring separate activity instances, thus achieving parallel processing efficiency while reducing system complexity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If existing techniques are used to process multiple data items, then basic processing functionality is provided, but flexibility in processing subsets of data items or forgoing processing is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamic control over data item processing through view-specific iterators that can be independently configured and terminated. Activity profiles specify buffer access characteristics that allow dynamic adjustment of processing behavior, enabling flexible subset processing or early termination while maintaining efficient single-activation operation through coordinated buffer access.
Data Source
AI summary
A buffer may be configured to store a plurality of items, and to be accessed by one or more activities of an instance of a process model. A scheduler may be configured to schedule execution of each of a plurality of activities of the process model, and to determine an activation of an activity of the plurality of activities. The scheduler may include an activity manager configured to access an activity profile of the activity upon the determining of the activation, the activity profile including buffer access characteristics according to which the activity is designed to access the buffer. A process execution unit may be configured to execute the activity and may include a buffer access manager configured to access the buffer according to the buffer access characteristics of the activity profile, and to thereby facilitate an exchange of at least one item between the buffer and the activity.