Information processing apparatus and method for managing connections

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017236085-A1
Application number	US-201715413559-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jan 24, 2017
Priority date	Feb 12, 2016
Publication date	Aug 17, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

An information processing apparatus determines human task counts each representing a number of human tasks in individual workflows. Each workflow defines a procedure of tasks to be performed on a device under management, where the tasks include human tasks to be performed by humans and automated tasks to be executed automatically with remote control via a network. The information processing apparatus then determines priorities of the workflows, based on the human task counts determined therefor, for prioritized use of a connection that is established to communicate with the device under management in order to perform automated tasks thereon.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing a program, wherein the program causes a computer to perform a process comprising:
determining human task counts each representing a number of human tasks in individual workflows, the workflows each defining a procedure of tasks to be performed on a device under management, the tasks including human tasks to be performed by humans and automated tasks to be executed automatically with remote control via a network; and determining priorities of the workflows, based on the human task counts determined therefor, for prioritized use of a connection that is established to communicate with the device under management in order to perform automated tasks thereon.

2 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the determining of human task counts includes:
determining a human task count in a specific workflow by counting unexecuted human tasks in that specific workflow.

3 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the determining of human task counts includes:
identifying all possible paths in a specific workflow, from a currently executed task to an end point of the specific workflow; calculating a number of human tasks with respect to each of the possible paths; and extracting a largest one of the calculated numbers as a human task count of the specific workflow.

4 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the determining of priorities includes:
raising priority of a workflow that has a larger human task count than other workflows.

5 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein:
the workflows include a sub-workflow called up by a calling workflow; and the process includes determining priority of the calling workflow and applying the determined priority of the calling workflow to the sub-workflow.

6 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein:
the workflows include a sub-workflow called up by a calling workflow using either a synchronous call or an asynchronous call, the synchronous call causing the calling workflow to wait for completion of the sub-workflow before proceeding to subsequent tasks, the asynchronous call permitting the calling workflow to proceed to subsequent tasks without waiting for completion of the sub-workflow; and the process further includes:
determining priority of the calling workflow and applying the determined priority of the calling workflow to the sub-workflow, when the synchronous call is used to call up the sub-workflow, and
determining priority of the sub-workflow, based on a human task count determined for the sub-workflow, when the asynchronous call is used to call up the sub-workflow.

7 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium according to claim 1 , wherein the process further includes:
comparing a number of existing connections to the device with a number of workflows including automated tasks to be performed on the device; and stopping as many connections as a difference between the number of existing connections and the number of workflows, when the number of existing connections is larger than the number of workflows.

8 . A connection management method comprising:
determining human task counts each representing a number of human tasks in individual workflows, the workflows each defining a procedure of tasks to be performed on a device under management, the tasks including human tasks to be performed by humans and automated tasks to be executed automatically with remote control via a network; and determining, by a processor, priorities of the workflows, based on the human task counts determined therefor, for prioritized use of a connection that is established to communicate with the device under management in order to perform automated tasks thereon.

9 . An information processing apparatus comprising:
a memory configured to store therein data of workflows each defining a procedure of tasks to be performed on a device under management, the tasks including human tasks to be performed by humans and automated tasks to be executed automatically with remote control via a network; and a processor configured to perform a process including: determining human task counts each representing a number of human tasks in the individual workflows; and determining priorities of the workflows, based on the human task counts determined therefor, for prioritized use of a connection that is established to communicate with the device under management in order to perform automated tasks thereon.

Assignees

• Fujitsu Ltd

Inventors

• Sezaki Yasuo
• Matsushita Yuko
• Honma Tsuyoshi
• Utsumi Toshiyuki

Classifications

• G06Q10/06316 Primary

  Sequencing of tasks or work · CPC title

• G06Q10/103

  Workflow collaboration or project management · CPC title