Systems and methods for digital workflow and communication
Systems and methods for authoring and performing procedural workflows, and engaging in multimedia communication, remote assistance, training, data entry, inventory management, authentication, and secure networking using a hands-free or substantially hands-free wearable digital device are described. In one implementation, a user logs into a secure network using existing credentials, and a Quick Response Code is generated to temporarily authorize the user's wearable device within the secure network. In another implementation, information is encrypted and transferred between a computing device and a remote system, and the computing device is verified as being connected to a particular network and located within a particular geofence. In a further implementation, an interface for authoring a procedural workflow includes defining workflow steps based on selected primitives, and displaying rendered previews of the workflow as it would appear on different user devices.
1. A method performed by a computing device, the method comprising:
providing an authoring interface for authoring a procedural workflow;
providing a scheme that defines a plurality of primitives and how subsets of the primitives can be combined to form steps of a procedural workflow, wherein each primitive comprises an element of interaction between a user and a data item;
displaying visual depictions of the primitives in the authoring interface;
receiving, via the authoring interface, a selection of one or more of the primitives, wherein the one or more of the primitives comprises a first primitive comprising an element to scan, by a user device, a coded image;
combining the selected primitives based on the scheme to define a step of the procedural workflow;
displaying, via the authoring interface, a plurality of different views, each view comprising a rendering preview of the procedural workflow on a different user device; and
deploying the procedural workflow to the user device for execution on the user device, wherein execution of the procedural workflow on the user device comprises (i) execution of the first primitive to scan, by the user device, a coded image provided by an authorization system for authorizing a temporary session for the user device, and (ii) receipt by the user device of an encrypted payload from the authorization system, the encrypted payload being encoded in the coded image or a second coded image presented to the user device, the encrypted payload comprising data in an encrypted form, the data being specific to an operator of the user device, the operator's session, the operator's workspace and/or the operator's tasks, the encrypted payload having been generated by applying an encryption key to the data, the encryption key having been generated based on a password used as input into a key derivation function, the password having been provided by the user device and input into the authorization system.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the procedural workflow in an XML-based format.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein a particular primitive comprises one of an element for capturing, using a device executing the procedural workflow, one of an image, a text input, an option input, a voice input, a video, a bar code, a Quick Response Code, and a beacon signal.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein a particular user device comprises a tablet, a smartphone, smart glasses, or a smart watch.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising storing the defined step in a step library for reuse in other procedural workflows.
6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising receiving a definition, via the authoring interface, of an approval flow for the procedural workflow, wherein the approval flow comprises a plurality of approval stages in which the procedural workflow is approved or rejected prior to deployment.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein defining the step of the procedural workflow comprises receiving, via the authoring interface, an ordering of the selected primitives, and defining the step based further on the ordering.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising defining a plurality of steps of the procedural workflow based on sets of primitives selected and configured via the authoring interface.
9. A system comprising:
one or more computing devices programmed to perform operations comprising:
providing an authoring interface for authoring a procedural workflow;
providing a scheme that defines a plurality of primitives and how subsets of the primitives can be combined to form steps of a procedural workflow, wherein each primitive comprises an element of interaction between a user and a data item;
displaying visual depictions of the primitives in the authoring interface;
receiving, via the authoring interface, a selection of one or more of the primitives, wherein the one or more of the primitives comprises a first primitive comprising an element to scan, by a user device, a coded image;
combining the selected primitives based on the scheme to define a step of the procedural workflow;
displaying, via the authoring interface, a plurality of different views, each view comprising a rendering preview of the procedural workflow on a different user device; and
deploying the procedural workflow to the user device for execution on the user device, wherein execution of the procedural workflow on the user device comprises (i) execution of the first primitive to scan, by the user device, a coded image provided by an authorization system for authorizing a temporary session for the user device, and (ii) receipt by the user device of an encrypted payload from the authorization system, the encrypted payload being encoded in the coded image or a second coded image presented to the user device, the encrypted payload comprising data in an encrypted form, the data being specific to an operator of the user device, the operator's session, the operator's workspace and/or the operator's tasks, the encrypted payload having been generated by applying an encryption key to the data, the encryption key having been generated based on a password used as input into a key derivation function, the password having been provided by the user device and input into the authorization system.
10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise storing the procedural workflow in an XML-based format.
11. The system of claim 9 , wherein a particular primitive comprises one of an element for capturing, using a device executing the procedural workflow, one of an image, a text input, an option input, a voice input, a video, a bar code, a Quick Response Code, and a beacon signal.
12. The system of claim 9 , wherein a particular user device comprises a tablet, a smartphone, smart glasses, or a smart watch.
13. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise storing the defined step in a step library for reuse in other procedural workflows.
14. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise receiving a definition, via the authoring interface, of an approval flow for the procedural workflow, wherein the approval flow comprises a plurality of approval stages in which the procedural workflow is approved or rejected prior to deployment.
15. The system of claim 9 , wherein defining the step of the procedural workflow comprises receiving, via the authoring interface, an ordering of the selected primitives, and defining the step based further on the ordering.
16. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further comprise defining a plurality of steps of the procedural workflow based on sets of primitives selected and configured via the authoring interface.