Change management of process flow descriptions

Abstract

A computer-implemented method for managing change of sets of processing information that describe a process flow includes receiving a first activity description describing a first activity for performing a process flow, receiving a first formula description describing a first input and an output of the process flow, receiving a second formula description describing a second input and the same output of the process flow, and associating the first activity description with one of the first formula description and the second formula description.

1 - 17 . (canceled) 
     
     
         18 . A computer program product, tangibly stored on machine readable media, for managing change of a set of processing information that describe process flows, the product comprising instructions to cause a system of one or more processors to perform operations, the operations comprising:
 receiving a draft set of processing information that describes a process flow, wherein the draft set of processing information is identifiable by the system using a draft key;   updating the draft set of processing information to reflect an approach to improving the process flow or other portion of the processing information, wherein the updated draft set of processing information is identifiable by the system using the same draft key;   receiving a copy command after the updating; and   copying, in response to the receipt of the copy command, the updated draft set of processing information to create a set of processing information that includes the approach, wherein the set of processing information is identifiable by the system using a second key.   
     
     
         19 . The product of  claim 18 , wherein the
 operations further comprise updating the draft set of processing information to reflect an approach to improving an activity in the process flow.   
     
     
         20 . The product of  claim 18 , wherein the
 operations further comprise updating the draft set of processing information to reflect an improvement to an input to the process flow.   
     
     
         21 . The product of  claim 18 , wherein the
 operations further comprise identifying a relationship between the set of processing information and a second set of processing information that does not include the approach.   
     
     
         22 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving a lifespan of the set of processing information; and   identifying the relationship based upon the received lifespan.   
     
     
         23 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise
 identifying a predecessor/successor relationship between the set of processing information and the second set of processing information.   
     
     
         24 . The product of  claim 23 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 linking the set of processing information and the second set of processing information to indicate the predecessor/successor relationship.   
     
     
         25 . The product of  claim 21 , wherein the operations further comprise
 identifying the set of processing information and the second set of processing information as alternatives with a same output.   
     
     
         26 . The product of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 updating the draft set of processing information to reflect a second approach to improving the process flow or other portion of the processing information, wherein the updated draft set of processing information is identifiable by the system using the same first identifier; and   copying the updated set of processing information to create a second set of processing information that includes the second approach, wherein the second set of processing information is identifiable by the system using a third identifier.   
     
     
         27 . The product of  claim 26 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 receiving a first lifespan of the set of processing information; and   receiving a second lifespan of the second set of processing information.   
     
     
         28 . The product of  claim 27 , wherein
 the first lifespan and the second lifespan overlap in time.   
     
     
         29 . The product of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise
 specifying the second key for identifying the set of processing information, at least a portion of the second key being the same as a portion of the draft key for identifying the draft set of processing information.   
     
     
         30 . The product of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise
 updating the draft set of processing information without creating a new key for identifying the draft set of processing information.   
     
     
         31 . The product of  claim 18 , wherein the operations further comprise
 receiving the draft set of processing information that describes a conversion of material.   
     
     
         32 . A method for managing recipes using a system of one or more programmable processors and memory comprising one or more mass storage devices for storing data, the method comprising:
 maintaining, by the system, a plurality of versions of a recipe in the memory, wherein versions are different recipes with a same output or outputs, the versions being valid for different periods of time and having a chronological sequence of lifespans;   maintaining, by the system, a plurality of alternatives of the recipe in the memory, wherein alternatives are recipes that describe different process flows but have a same output;   maintaining, by the system, a plurality of variants of the recipe in the memory, wherein variants are recipes that describe similar process flows but produce slightly different outputs; and   storing, in the memory, information that specifies a default of the versions, a default alternative, and a default variant.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising
 changing, by the system, the information to specify a different default of the versions, alternatives, and variants, the change being based on a user input.   
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising
 changing, by the system, the information to specify a different default of the versions, alternatives, and variants, the change being based on resources available produce a product in accordance with the recipe.   
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising
 changing, by the system, the information to specify a different default of the versions, alternatives, and variants, the change being based on set of rules.   
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 assigning, by the system, a unique semantic key to the recipe; and   identifying, in the system, the variants of the recipe outside the unique semantic key.   
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising:
 assigning, by the system, a semantic key to the recipe; and   identifying, in the system, the variants of the recipe within the semantic key.   
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising identifying, by the system, the chronological sequence of lifespans in semantic keys of the versions of the recipe. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 32 , further comprising indicating predecessor/successor relationships between the versions of the recipe with suffixes of semantic keys of the versions of the recipe.