Scheduling robots for robotic process automation

{
  "publication_number": "US11110601B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Scheduling robots for robotic process automation",
  "abstract": "Systems and methods for performing a robotic process automation (RPA) workflow are provided. An indication to execute a job scheduled for performing an RPA workflow for a user associated with a user group is received. A robot is identified from a robot group associated with the job and having the same access rights as the user group. The robot is dispatched to a computing device to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A computer-implemented method for performing a robotic process automation (RPA) workflow, comprising: receiving an indication to execute a job scheduled for performing an RPA workflow for a user, the user belonging to a user group associated with access rights; identifying a robot from a robot group, the robot group being associated with the same access rights as the user group; and dispatching the robot to a computing device to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow.",
    "2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: waking up the computing device to run the robot; and shutting down the computing device after the robot completes the job.",
    "3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein identifying a robot from a robot group comprises: identifying the robot from the robot group associated with the job.",
    "4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein identifying the robot from the robot group associated with the job comprises: transmitting a request including a job identification (ID) of the job; and receiving a robot ID of the robot from the robot group associated with the job ID.",
    "5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising: maintaining an access rights management system comprising a user group directory associated with the user group and a corresponding robot group directory associated with the robot group, the user group directory associating the user group with the access rights associated with the user group and the robot group directory associating the robot group with the same access rights as the user group.",
    "6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein receiving an indication to execute a job scheduled for performing an RPA workflow for a user comprises: receiving the indication to execute the job scheduled for performing the RPA workflow for the user in response to a triggering event.",
    "7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising scheduling the job scheduled for performing the RPA workflow by: receiving a request to perform the RPA workflow for the user; identifying the robot group as corresponding to the user group; and scheduling the job for performing the RPA workflow by the robot of the robot group.",
    "8. A system for performing a robotic process automation (RPA) workflow comprising: a memory storing computer program instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the computer program instructions, the computer program instructions configured to cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: receiving an indication to execute a job scheduled for performing an RPA workflow for a user, the user belonging to a user group associated with access rights; identifying a robot from a robot group, the robot group being associated with the same access rights as the user group; and dispatching the robot to a computing device to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow.",
    "9. The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising: waking up the computing device to run the robot; and shutting down the computing device after the robot completes the job.",
    "10. The system of claim 8, wherein identifying a robot from a robot group comprises: identifying the robot from the robot group associated with the job.",
    "11. The system of claim 10, wherein identifying the robot from the robot group associated with the job comprises: transmitting a request including a job identification (ID) of the job; and receiving a robot ID of the robot from the robot group associated with the job ID.",
    "12. The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising: maintaining an access rights management system comprising a user group directory associated with the user group and a corresponding robot group directory associated with the robot group, the user group directory associating the user group with the access rights associated with the user group and the robot group directory associating the robot group with the same access rights as the user group.",
    "13. The system of claim 8, wherein receiving an indication to execute a job scheduled for performing an RPA workflow for a user comprises: receiving the indication to execute the job scheduled for performing the RPA workflow for the user in response to a triggering event.",
    "14. The system of claim 8, the operations further comprising scheduling the job scheduled for performing the RPA workflow by: receiving a request to perform the RPA workflow for the user; identifying the robot group as corresponding to the user group; and scheduling the job for performing the RPA workflow by the robot of the robot group.",
    "15. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for performing a robotic process automation (RPA) workflow, the program configured to cause at least one processor to perform operations comprising: receiving an indication to execute a job scheduled for performing an RPA workflow for a user, the user belonging to a user group associated with access rights; identifying a robot from a robot group, the robot group being associated with the same access rights as the user group; and dispatching the robot to a computing device to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow.",
    "16. The computer program of claim 15, the operations further comprising: waking up the computing device to run the robot; and shutting down the computing device after the robot completes the job.",
    "17. The computer program of claim 15, wherein identifying a robot from a robot group comprises: identifying the robot from the robot group associated with the job.",
    "18. The computer program of claim 17, wherein identifying the robot from the robot group associated with the job comprises: transmitting a request including a job identification (ID) of the job; and receiving a robot ID of the robot from the robot group associated with the job ID.",
    "19. The computer program of claim 15, the operations further comprising: maintaining an access rights management system comprising a user group directory associated with the user group and a corresponding robot group directory associated with the robot group, the user group directory associating the user group with the access rights associated with the user group and the robot group directory associating the robot group with the same access rights as the user group.",
    "20. The computer program of claim 15, wherein receiving an indication to execute a job scheduled for performing an RPA workflow for a user comprises: receiving the indication to execute the job scheduled for performing the RPA workflow for the user in response to a triggering event.",
    "21. The computer program of claim 15, the operations further comprising scheduling the job scheduled for performing the RPA workflow by: receiving a request to perform the RPA workflow for the user; identifying the robot group as corresponding to the user group; and scheduling the job for performing the RPA workflow by the robot of the robot group.",
    "22. A computer-implemented method for scheduling a job for performing a robotic process automation (RPA) workflow, comprising: receiving a request to perform an RPA workflow for a user, the user belonging to a user group associated with access rights; identifying a robot group corresponding to the user group, the robot group being associated with the same access rights as the user group; and scheduling a job for performing the RPA workflow on a robot of the robot group.",
    "23. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, further comprising: maintaining an access rights management system comprising a user group directory associated with the user group and a corresponding robot group directory associated with the robot group, the user group directory associating the user group with the access rights associated with the user group and the robot group directory associating the robot group with the same access rights as the user group.",
    "24. The computer-implemented method of claim 23, wherein identifying a robot group corresponding to the user group comprises: transmitting a request including a user identification (ID) of the user to the access rights management system; and receiving a robot group ID of the robot group corresponding to the user ID from the access rights management system.",
    "25. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, further comprising dispatching the robot to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow by: receiving an indication to execute the job scheduled for performing the RPA workflow for the user; identifying the robot from the robot group; and dispatching the robot to a computing device to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow.",
    "26. A system for scheduling a job for performing a robotic process automation (RPA) workflow comprising: a memory storing computer program instructions; and at least one processor configured to execute the computer program instructions, the computer program instructions configured to cause the at least one processor to perform operations comprising: receiving a request to perform an RPA workflow for a user, the user belonging to a user group associated with access rights; identifying a robot group corresponding to the user group, the robot group being associated with the same access rights as the user group; and scheduling a job for performing the RPA workflow on a robot of the robot group.",
    "27. The system of claim 26, the operations further comprising: maintaining an access rights management system comprising a user group directory associated with the user group and a corresponding robot group directory associated with the robot group, the user group directory associating the user group with the access rights associated with the user group and the robot group directory associating the robot group with the same access rights as the user group.",
    "28. The system of claim 27, wherein identifying a robot group corresponding to the user group comprises: transmitting a request including a user identification (ID) of the user to the access rights management system; and receiving a robot group ID of the robot group corresponding to the user ID from the access rights management system.",
    "29. The system of claim 26, the operations further comprising dispatching the robot to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow by: receiving an indication to execute the job scheduled for performing the RPA workflow for the user; identifying the robot from the robot group; and dispatching the robot to a computing device to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow.",
    "30. A computer program embodied on a non-transitory computer-readable medium for scheduling a job for performing a robotic process automation (RPA) workflow, the program configured to cause at least one processor to perform operations comprising: receiving a request to perform an RPA workflow for a user, the user belonging to a user group associated with access rights; identifying a robot group corresponding to the user group, the robot group being associated with the same access rights as the user group; and scheduling a job for performing the RPA workflow on a robot of the robot group.",
    "31. The computer program of claim 30, the operations further comprising: maintaining an access rights management system comprising a user group directory associated with the user group and a corresponding robot group directory associated with the robot group, the user group directory associating the user group with the access rights associated with the user group and the robot group directory associating the robot group with the same access rights as the user group.",
    "32. The computer program of claim 31, wherein identifying a robot group corresponding to the user group comprises: transmitting a request including a user identification (ID) of the user to the access rights management system; and receiving a robot group ID of the robot group corresponding to the user ID from the access rights management system.",
    "33. The computer program of claim 30, the operations further comprising dispatching the robot to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow by: receiving an indication to execute the job scheduled for performing the RPA workflow for the user; identifying the robot from the robot group; and dispatching the robot to a computing device to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow.",
    "34. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the receiving, the identifying, and the dispatching are performed by one or more computing devices implemented in a cloud computing system.",
    "35. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the computing device is a cloud based computing device.",
    "36. The system of claim 8, wherein the system is implemented in a cloud computing system.",
    "37. The system of claim 8, wherein the computing device is a cloud based computing device.",
    "38. The computer program of claim 15, wherein the at least one processor is implemented in one or more computing devices and the one or more computing devices are implemented in a cloud computing system.",
    "39. The computer program of claim 15, wherein the computing device is a cloud based computing device.",
    "40. The computer-implemented method of claim 22, wherein the receiving, the identifying, and the scheduling are performed by one or more computing devices implemented in a cloud computing system.",
    "41. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein the computing device is a cloud based computing device.",
    "42. The system of claim 26, wherein the system is implemented in a cloud computing system.",
    "43. The system of claim 29, wherein the computing device is a cloud based computing device.",
    "44. The computer program of claim 30, wherein the at least one processor is implemented in one or more computing devices and the one or more computing devices are implemented in a cloud computing system.",
    "45. The computer program of claim 33, wherein the computing device is a cloud based computing device."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates generally to robotic process automation, and more particularly to scheduling robots for robotic process automation.\n\nRobotic process automation (RPA) is a form of process automation that uses software robots to automate workflows and processes. RPA may be implemented in an organization to automate repetitive and/or labor-intensive tasks, thereby reducing costs and increasing productivity.\n\nTypically, RPA is implemented in an organization by provisioning a number of robots for that organization. The robots are utilized by different teams within the organization to perform various processes. However, utilizing the same robot for different teams may lead to privacy issues, as data from one team may then be accessible to another team. Conventionally, to address these privacy issues, dedicated robots are provisioned for each team in the organization. However, this conventional approach requires that these robots to be in an on state, even if not performing a process. This conventional approach results in wastage of resources in the form of licensing cost per robot, power requirements, and computational resources.\n\nIn accordance with one or more embodiments, systems and methods for performing a robotic process automation (RPA) workflow are provided. An indication to execute a job scheduled for performing an RPA workflow for a user associated with a user group is received. A robot is identified from a robot group associated with the job and having the same access rights as the user group. The robot is dispatched to a computing device to execute the job for performing the RPA workflow.",
  "cpc": [
    "B25J 9/1661",
    "B25J 9/1689",
    "G05B 19/042",
    "G05B 19/41865",
    "G05B 2219/39167",
    "G06F 21/30",
    "G06F 21/44",
    "G06F 21/602",
    "G06F 21/604",
    "G06F 2221/2141",
    "G06F 9/46",
    "G06F 9/4843",
    "G06Q 10/0631",
    "G06Q 10/10",
    "H04L 67/125"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "B25J 9/16",
    "G05B 19/042",
    "H04L 29/08"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "UiPath Inc"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Daniel Bannoura"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2019-11-20",
  "publication_date": "2021-09-07",
  "grant_date": "2021-09-07",
  "priority_date": "2019-11-20",
  "application_number": "US-201916689193-A",
  "family_id": "75908481",
  "cited_by_count": 3,
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}