Workflow decision management with heuristics

Abstract

Methods, systems, and computer program products are provided for workflow decision management. Embodiments typically include maintaining a device state history; identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history; identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern; and selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario. In typical embodiments, the heuristic has a tolerance. Embodiments also include identifying a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic and executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance.

1 . A method for workflow decision management, the method comprising: 
 maintaining a device state history;    identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history;    identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern;    selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario; 
 wherein the heuristic has a tolerance;  
   identifying a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic; and    executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein maintaining a device state history further comprises recording a plurality of attribute values for a device.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history further comprises comparing the device state history with a plurality of device usage patterns records.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern further comprises retrieving a derived scenario ID from a derived scenario table.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises reading a heuristic ID from a derived scenario record.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises retrieving a heuristic ID from a heuristic table.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 1  wherein identifying a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic comprises retrieving a workflow ID from a heuristic record.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises sending a message to a device.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises calling a member method in a device class.  
   
   
       10 . A system for workflow decision management, the system comprising: 
 means for maintaining a device state history;    means for identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history;    means for identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern;    means for selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario; 
 wherein the heuristic has a tolerance;  
   means for identifying a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic; and    means for executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance.    
   
   
       11 . The system of  claim 10  wherein means for maintaining a device state history further comprises means for recording a plurality of attribute values for a device.  
   
   
       12 . The system of  claim 10  wherein means for identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history further comprises means for comparing the device state history with a plurality of device usage patterns records.  
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 10  wherein means for identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern further comprises means for retrieving a derived scenario ID from a derived scenario table.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 10  wherein means for selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises means for reading a heuristic ID from a derived scenario record.  
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 10  wherein means for selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises means for retrieving a heuristic ID from a heuristic table.  
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 10  wherein means for identifying a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic further comprises means for retrieving a workflow ID from a heuristic record.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 10  wherein means for executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises means for sending a message to a device.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 10  wherein means for executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises means for calling a member system in a device class.  
   
   
       19 . A computer program product for workflow decision management, the computer program product comprising: 
 a recording medium;    means, recorded on the recording medium, for maintaining a device state history;    means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history;    means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern;    means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario; 
 wherein the heuristic has a tolerance;  
   means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic; and    means, recorded on the recording medium, for executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance.    
   
   
       20 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for maintaining a device state history further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for recording a plurality of attribute values for a device.  
   
   
       21 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying a device usage pattern in dependence upon the device state history further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for comparing the device state history with a plurality of device usage patterns records.  
   
   
       22 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying a derived scenario in dependence upon the device usage pattern further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving a derived scenario ID from a derived scenario table.  
   
   
       23 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for reading a heuristic ID from a derived scenario record.  
   
   
       24 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for selecting a heuristic in dependence upon the derived scenario further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving a heuristic ID from a heuristic table.  
   
   
       25 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for identifying a workflow in dependence upon the selected heuristic further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for retrieving a workflow ID from a heuristic record.  
   
   
       26 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for sending a message to a device.  
   
   
       27 . The computer program product of  claim 19  wherein means, recorded on the recording medium, for executing the workflow in dependence upon the tolerance further comprises means, recorded on the recording medium, for calling a member computer program product in a device class.