BPMN 2.0过程模型的语义和分析

BPMN 2.0已成为了建模业务过程事实上的标准。BPMN 2.0过程模型中建模元素的混用会产生控制流方面的语义错误。首先,建立了BPMN 2.0过程模型到工作流网的映射,并使用Petri网来形式定义过程模型的语义;其次,借助Petri网的分析技术,使用这种定义的语义对BPMN 2.0过程模型进行了合理性分析。实验结果表明,这种形式化可以识别BPMN 2.0过程模型中的语义错误。     

BPMN-based business process model feasibility analysis: a petri net approach

Business process modelling has been widely applied by many companies to support the projects such as BPR or enterprize integration. In general, business modelling technique plays the role of pre-designing and evaluating the business flow before the final implementation. However, due to certain improper situations, the developed model might not be appropriate for the final analysis and evaluation. Therefore, model feasibility should be confirmed before the formal evaluation. This research proposed a Petri-net-based approach to evaluate the feasibility of a model defined by BPMN (business process modelling notation). Two kinds of invalid situations, deadlock and infinite loops, will be defined and analysed. There are four phases in the proposed approach. In problem analysis phase, a modified business process development approach would be proposed first. Then, the invalid model would be defined and classification. In the design stage, the developed BPMN model will be transferred to Modified BPEL4WS, which is an XML based language. By applying XSLT and Java, the transferred BPEL4WS will be translated to a Petri-net model specified as CPNXML (Colored Petri-net XML). In the simulation phase, the CPNXML file can be imported into a graphical simulation package CPN Tools for further analysis. Finally, in the implementation phase, the three kinds of property analysis (deadlock, infinite loops and execution time) will be evaluated in terms of the ‘liveness’, ‘reachability’ and ‘consumed time’ of the converted Petri net model.     

基于扩展Petri网模型的BPMN形式化

BPMN(Business Process Modeling Notation)作为一个在系统开发早期阶段获取业务过程模型的标准,指导系统的设计和开发,其模型的正确性是影响软件开发质量的关键。鉴于BPMN模型的形式化可以验证模型的正确性,提出了一种利用扩展Petri网模型,应用模型驱动技术实现BPMN模型形式化自动执行的方法。该方法通过细化Petri网模型中的Transition和Place元素以及增加Organization Identifier和Group Identifier容器,使其不但能够描述BPMN模型中的动态行为,而且还能描述BPMN模型中的动态行为协作和静态组织结构。从元模型结构、语法和图标记方面详细分析了扩展的Petri网模型元素,利用模型驱动开发技术设计BPMN模型元素至扩展的Petri网模型元素的转换规则,并在Eclipse平台上使用ATL模型转换语言执行映射,实现形式化的自动执行。最后在此基础上应用Travel Agency系统演示了模型形式化插件BPMN2ExtendPetrinets的执行结果。     

基于BPMN的服务组合执行引擎的研究与实现*

业务模型和执行模型的一致性是当前服务组合研究的一个难点和热点。目前普遍采用模型转换的方式将业务模型映射为可执行模型,但由于两种模型语言的语义和语法不一致,导致了模型转换存在语义失配等缺陷。针对该问题,提出了一种基于业务流程建模标注的Web服务组合执行方案,设计了BPMN模型的解释执行算法,给出了执行引擎的原型系统,并通过具体案例验证了方案的有效性。     

建模语言DSC和BPMN的对比分析

业务流程建模是业务流程管理(Business Process Management,BPM)中最为重要的环节,一个好的建模语言对业务流程的建模和开发起到非常关键的作用。各具特色的业务过程建模语言不断出现,对语言的研究、分析和比较已经成为流程设计与流程实现之间的一个重要问题。介绍了一种新的业务流程建模语言DSC(Dynamic SystemChart),并将DSC和目前比较流行的建模语言BPMN(Business Process Modeling Notation)做了比较分析。     

Modeling languages for business processes and business rules: A representational analysis

Process modeling and rule modeling languages are both used to document organizational policies and procedures. To date, their synergies and overlap are under-researched. Understanding the relationship between the two modeling types would allow organizations to maximize synergies, avoid content duplication, and thus reduce their overall modeling effort. In this paper, we use the Bunge–Wand–Weber (BWW) representation theory to compare the representation capabilities of process and rule modeling languages. We perform a representational analysis of four rule modeling specifications: The Simple Rule Markup Language (SRML), the Semantic Web Rules Language (SWRL), the Production Rule Representation (PRR), and the Semantics of Business Vocabulary and Business Rules (SBVR) specification. We compare their BWW representation capabilities with those of four popular conceptual process modeling languages. In our analysis, we focus on the aspects of maximum ontological completeness and minimum ontological overlap. The outcome of this study shows that no single language is internally complete with respect to the BWW representation model. We also show that a combination of two languages, in particular SRML and BPMN, appears to be better suited for combined process and rule modeling than any of these modeling languages used independently.     

Smart contract generation for inter-organizational process collaboration

Currently, inter-organizational process collaboration (IOPC) has been widely used in the design and development of distributed systems that support business process execution. Blockchain-based IOPC can establish trusted data sharing among participants, attracting more and more attention. The core of such study is to translate the graphical model (e.g., BPMN) into program code called smart contract that can be executed in the blockchain environment. In this context, a proper smart contract plays a vital role in the correct implementation of block-chain-based IOPC. In fact, the quality of graphical model affects the smart contract generation. Problematic models (e.g., deadlock) will result in incorrect contracts (causing unexpected behaviors). To avoid this undesired implementation, this article explores to generate smart contracts by using the verified formal model as input instead of graphical model. Specifically, we introduce a prototype framework that supports the automatic generation of smart contracts, providing an end-to-end solution from modeling, verification, translation to implementation. One of the cores of this framework is to provide a CSP#-based formalization for the BPMN collaboration model from the perspective of message interaction. This formalization provides precise execution semantics and model verification for graphical models, and a verified formal model for smart contract generation. Another novelty is that it introduces a syntax tree-based translation algorithm to directly map the formal model into a smart contract. The required formalism, verification, and translation techniques are transparent to users without imposing additional burdens. Finally, a set of experiments shows the effectiveness of the framework.     

智慧家庭服务系统过程建模与设计

智慧家庭服务系统是现代服务计算和云计算环境下服务系统的新形态和新应用,对智慧家庭服务业务过程的分析、建模与设计问题进行了研究。介绍了智慧家庭的新理念,提出了智慧家庭服务系统的体系结构。在详细分析家庭服务业务过程基础上,提出了基于BPMN建模语言的智慧家庭服务过程建模方法。最后以具有典型性的采购服务为例,建立了服务过程模型,并给出了设计与实现方案。     

BPMN到BPEL2.0的模型转换方法

随着WSBPEL2.0规范标准的提出,现有的BPMN到BPEL的组件转换方法已不再适用。为了适应BPEL的变化,对组件的转换进行改动和扩展,对错误处理活动在语义上提供支持,并且提供了显式的事务特性支持。这种设计已经在中国科学院软件研究所软件工程中心研制的OnceBPD建模工具中得到实现,并在实际运用中检验了其可用性。     

Introducing decision-aware business processes

Business processes are designed to smoothly operate under multiple contexts (or business situations). Each context technically implies taking a different course of action. Be that as it may, going for the most appropriate action is still left up to the business process participant without any kind of assistance. Such a situation demonstrates that there is a lack of a context-aware decision-making feature. This paper addresses the issue of enabling a context-aware decision-making within the frame of business processes. We combine the concepts of business process, context-awareness and decision-making to introduce a new concept of Decision-Aware Business Processes in which decision partitions are the cornerstones. A decision partition reacts to the collected contextual parameters by selecting or recommending the most appropriate decision(s). In fact, the focus of this research is to introduce a new formalism for designing these partitions by means of patterns. Throughout our approach, each proposed pattern leads to building decision partitions in a straight-forward fashion. An overall example is proposed to illustrate our approach. It is inspired from the banking industry and introduces a decision-aware business process that handles loan applications. To sum up, whether seasoned, novice or in-between, business process participants will be able to save time in taking action(s). Moreover, the workflow becomes no longer stagnant across the business process. Instead, it dynamically adapts itself to each new set of business requirements imposed by the collected contextual input(s).