INFORMATION PROCESSING APPARATUS AND METHOD

Abstract

An information processing apparatus, which executes a processing flow that defines cooperation processing of a plurality of tasks, determines, for each task, whether it can be executed in the current environment and executes the tasks determined to be executable, and, based on that, executes the processing flow within the executable range while saving the output data of the executed tasks. If, as a result of execution, it is impossible to complete a processing flow, the processing flow, along with inexecution information describing an unexecuted task, is registered as paused. The registered paused processing flow is then resumed based on the inexecution information and output data.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram used to explain an editing application for task cooperation processing flows according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary user interface used for configuring the parameters of tasks contained in the task cooperation processing flow depicted in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary hardware configuration of an information processing apparatus used to execute task cooperation processing flows according to an embodiment.

FIG. 3B is a diagram illustrating an example of the data structure of media used to store task cooperation processing flows in an embodiment.

FIG. 3C is a diagram illustrating an example of a memory map produced by loading a task cooperation processing flow in an embodiment.

FIG. 3D is a diagram illustrating an example of a structure used when saving the data of a task cooperation processing flow in an embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary configuration of a system for executing task cooperation processing flows. This diagram illustrates an exemplary system configuration for flow execution.

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating the execution processing of a task cooperation processing flow according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a flow chart explaining discovery processing according to an embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary user interface used for selecting devices executing tasks in a task cooperation processing flow.

FIG. 8 is a flow chart explaining task execution processing according to an embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a flow chart explaining the suspension processing of a task cooperation processing flow according to an embodiment.

FIG. 10 is a diagram providing examples of output data obtained during the course of execution of a task cooperation processing flow.

FIG. 11 is a flow chart explaining flow completion processing according to an embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a diagram illustrating an exemplary method for saving data in a system used for executing task cooperation processing flows.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating an example of a flow management interface used for task cooperation processing flows.

Claims

1. An information processing apparatus executing a processing flow that defines cooperation processing of a plurality of tasks, the apparatus comprising: a determination unit adapted to determine, for each task, whether it can be executed in the current environment or not;an execution unit adapted to execute the processing flow within the executable range by executing a task determined to be executable by the determination unit;a save unit adapted to save output data from the task executed in the execution unit;a registration unit adapted to register the processing flow, along with inexecution information describing an unexecuted task, as paused if the execution unit could not complete the processing flow; anda resume unit adapted to resume the paused processing flow registered by the registration unit using the inexecution information and output data.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resume unit renders the determination unit, execution unit, save unit, and registration unit operational with respect to a task identified based on the inexecution information in the paused processing flow.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resume unit provides an interface allowing the user to select the processing flow to be resumed from among the paused processing flows registered by the registration unit.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the determination unit comprises a search unit which is adapted to search for a device capable of task execution for each task, and determines that the task can be executed if an execution-capable device is located by the search unit.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the determination unit provides a user interface allowing the user to select the device to be used for task execution by the execution unit with respect to a task, for which a plurality of execution-capable devices are located by the search unit.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the saving of the output data by the save unit and the registration of the processing flow and inexecution information by the registration unit are carried out on a portable-type storage medium connected to the information processing apparatus.

7. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the saving of the output data by the save unit and the registration of the processing flow and inexecution information by the registration unit are carried out on an external server unit, to which the information processing apparatus is connected.

8. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resume unit collectively resumes paused processing flows registered by the registration unit.

9. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the resume unit periodically and automatically attempts to resume the paused processing flow registered by the registration unit.

10. An information processing method based on an information processing apparatus executing a processing flow that defines cooperation processing of a plurality of tasks, the method comprising the steps of: determining, for each task, whether it can be executed in the current environment or not;executing the processing flow within the executable range by executing a task determined to be executable in the determination step;saving output data from the task executed in the execution step;registering the processing flow, along with inexecution information describing an unexecuted task, as paused if it is impossible to complete the processing flow in the execution step; andresuming the paused processing flow registered in the registration step using the inexecution information and output data.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the resumption step carries out the determination, execution, saving, and registration steps with respect to a task identified based on the inexecution information in the paused processing flow.

12. The method according to claim 10, wherein the resumption step provides an interface allowing the user to select the processing flow to be resumed from among the paused processing flows registered in the registration step.

13. The method according to claim 10, wherein the determination step comprises a step of searching for a device capable of task execution for each task, and determines that the task can be executed if an execution-capable device is located in the search step.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the determination step provides a user interface allowing the user to select the device to be used for task execution in the execution step with respect to a task, for which a plurality of execution-capable devices are located in the search step.

15. The method according to claim 10, wherein the saving of the output data in the saving step and the registration of the processing flow and inexecution information in the registration step are carried out on a portable-type storage medium connected to the information processing apparatus.

16. The method according to claim 10, wherein the saving of the output data in the saving step and the registration of the processing flow and inexecution information in the registration step are carried out on an external server unit connected to the information processing apparatus.

17. The method according to claim 10, wherein the resumption step collectively resumes paused processing flows registered in the registration step.

18. The method according to claim 10, wherein in the resumption step, periodic and automatic attempts are made to resume the paused processing flow registered in the registration step.

19. A control program used to execute the information processing method according to claim 10 on a computer and stored on a computer-readable storage medium.

20. A computer-readable medium, which stores a control program used to execute the information processing method according to claim 10 on a computer.