Patent Application
20060085206
Embodiments of the invention generally relate to the field of data processing and, more particularly, to a system and method for a controller to define, determine, and execute cross-application processes.
In the past, enterprises were willing to reorganize their business processes to fit them into the relatively static structures of business software systems. More recently, however, enterprises have been more reluctant to reorganize their business processes for reasons such as the expense incurred by the reorganization. In addition, many enterprises are interested in retaining (rather than changing) business processes that have proved to be successful.
A conventional approach to providing more flexible business software systems involves the configuration of system process flows with parameters. The individual values of these parameters are set during customization of the software and respected by the processes during runtime. The configuration of process flows via parameters, however, is encumbered by a number of limitations. For example, the way in which certain parameter values influence the process flow within the system is not always clear to a user. This limitation can be partly addressed through thorough documentation and/or the expertise provided by consultants. Either of these partial solutions, however, increases the costs of the software implementation.
A second limitation of the conventional approach is that the complexity of the coding of business software increases disproportionately with the number of parameters. The increase in the complexity of the coding leads to a greater possibility of coding faults, especially for unusual parameter value combinations. This complexity and the resulting maintenance and support challenges cause functional extensions of the software to be developed more slowly or not at all.
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to providing flexible process configurations for software systems and to the execution of those flexible process configurations. In one embodiment, a user may use a cross-application process controller to select and arrange the methods that constitute a software system. In an embodiment, the cross-application process controller receives input and executes the selected methods based, at least in part, on the received input.
Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example, and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings in which like reference numerals refer to similar elements.
Embodiments of the invention are generally directed to providing flexible process configurations for software systems and to the execution of those flexible process configurations. In one embodiment, a user may use a cross-application process controller to select and arrange the methods that constitute a software system. In an embodiment, the cross-application process controller receives input and executes the selected methods based, at least in part, on the received input.
The illustrated embodiment of cross-application process controller 100 includes strategy 102, method(s) 104, service request 140, strategy determination logic 108, and strategy execution logic 110. In an alternative embodiment, cross-application process controller 100 may have more elements, fewer elements, and/or different elements. In an embodiment, cross-application process controller 100 (or, for ease of reference, service controller 100) provides a framework which allows the definition of various software services. These services may be based, at least in part, on a strategy 102 that is defined for each service request 140. Alternatively, service controller 100 may use strategy determination logic 108 to determine a strategy (e.g., strategy 102) for a given request (e.g., service request 140). As is further described below, service controller 100 also provides a framework to execute strategy 102.
Method 104 provides a logical processing element for a cross-application process. Method 104 may provide new functionality (e.g., a new method) or may encapsulate existing functionality from various applications. Each method 104 is designed to be as technically independent as possible to enhance the flexibility of strategy 102. In some cases, however, method 104 may share a fixed relationship with one or more other methods. For example method 104 may share coding with one or more other methods. As is further described below with reference to
Graphical User Interface (GUI) 180 provides an interface to service controller 100. In one embodiment, GUI 180 is a stand-alone GUI. The term “stand-alone” refers to a GUI that functions independently of a Web browser. GUI 180 may provide access to a service specific layer of service controller 100.
Strategy 102 groups one or more methods (e.g., method(s) 104) from the method pool. In an embodiment, strategy 102 determines the order in which the grouped methods are executed. This order may be constrained, in part, by the relationships, if any, among the methods. For example, if two methods are selected for strategy 102 and they share a predecessor/successor relationship, then that relationship may partly determine the ordering of those two methods. In addition, the predecessor/successor relationship may determine that strategy 102 should include both methods to be valid. Defining strategy 102 is further described below with reference to
In an embodiment, service request 140 is an object that represents demands placed on the implemented service. For example, the illustrated embodiment of service request 140 includes input 142 and output 144. Input 142 provides fields and/or methods describing, for example, a business problem to be solved by the implemented service. Output 144 provides fields and/or methods describing a solution to the problem. Service controller 100 constructs service request 140 and processes it. In an embodiment, processing service request 140 includes passing it to the methods of strategy 102. In an embodiment, create service requests logic 106 generates service request 140.
In an embodiment, each service request 140 is associated with a strategy 102. The association may be explicitly determined by input received through service interface 170. Alternatively, service controller 100 may use strategy determination logic 108 to select a strategy for service request 140. Strategy determination is further described below with reference to
Application classes 150 and 160 provide the methods for the method pool. Each of the methods in the method pool is associated with an application class (e.g., application class 150 and 160). In an embodiment, each method may store data that it produces in its associated application class (with reference to
Strategy execution logic 110 provides logic to execute the methods of a strategy (e.g., strategy 102). In an embodiment, strategy execution logic 110 dynamically calls the methods of strategy 102 as shown by 112. Strategy execution logic 110 may pass service request 140 to each method of strategy 102 in the order defined by strategy 102. For example, strategy 102 may dictate that strategy execution logic 110 execute methods 152, 154, 162, and 164 and may further dictate that they are executed in that order. Strategy execution logic 110 may pass service request 140 to each of methods 152, 154, 162, and 164, as it dynamically calls the methods.
Service interface 170 is an input/output interface. In an embodiment, service interface 170 is a service-specific interface. The term “service-specific” refers to an implementation that is specific to a particular cross-application process.
In one embodiment, a service controller includes parameter database 206. Parameter database 206 provides a source of information with which the service controller can define parameters in a logical way. This information includes parameter types that define the syntactic and semantic properties of operational parameters. The parameter types may be, generally, available to the methods of the service provider. For example, the methods executed in the service controller may use parameters that are defined in parameter database 206.
In one embodiment, the service controller includes method database 208. Method database 208 provides a source of information with which the service controller can define methods in a logical way. This information includes method types that define the syntactic and semantic properties of operational methods. The method types may be, generally, available to the strategies of the service provider. For example, the methods executed in the service controller may be defined in method database 208.
In one embodiment, the service controller includes strategy database 210. Strategy database 210 provides a source of information with which the service controller can define strategies in a logical way. This information includes strategy types that define the syntactic and semantic properties of operational strategies. The strategy types may be, generally, available to the service provider. For example, the strategies executed in the service controller may be defined in strategy database 210.
In an embodiment, method parameter database 212 includes method parameters based on parameter types from parameter database 206 that work with methods based on method types from method database 208. Similarly, strategy method database 214 includes methods that are based on the method types of method database 208. Default values may be assigned to a combination of the method parameters of method parameter database 212 and the strategy methods of strategy method database 214 in strategy method parameter database 216. In an embodiment, application class 204 includes one or more methods available to one or more strategies.
User interface 218 is an interface that allows a user to maintain (and/or define) the data of the various databases shown in
Methods 320 are drawn from method pool 340. In an embodiment, for each method 342, method pool 340 includes information such as type 344, implementation 346, and/or class name 348 (e.g., the information to support a dynamic call). Method parameter 350 is a parameter of a method in method pool 340 and is based on parameter definition 370. Method pool text 360 provides text (e.g., method descriptions, method names, etc.) for one or more methods of method pool 340.
In one embodiment, method pool 410 is displayed in a first window of GUI 400 and strategy 420 is displayed in a second window of GUI 400. In an alternative embodiment, method pool 410 and strategy 420 may be displayed (or partly displayed) in more windows and/or fewer windows of GUI 400. The term “window” refers to a scrollable viewing area on a screen.
In an embodiment, a user selects one or more methods from method pool 410 for inclusion in strategy 420. For example, the user may drag and drop a method from method pool 410 to strategy 420. Alternatively, the user may provide another indication to assign a method to strategy 420 such as right clicking on the method, left clicking on the method, and the like. In addition, the user may arrange the selected methods in a particular order or otherwise specify a sequence in which the methods are to be executed. Strategy 420 is stored in memory 440 which may be, for example, one or more hard disks, floppy disks, ZIP disks, compact disks (e.g., CD-ROM), digital versatile/video disks (DVD), magnetic random access memory (MRAM) devices, and other system-readable media that store instructions and/or data. In an embodiment, one or several strategies may be stored in memory 430 as shown by 440.
In one embodiment, the validity of strategy 420 is checked before saving it to memory 440. For example, validity logic may determine whether any method of strategy 420 shares a predecessor/successor relationship with another method. If a method of strategy 420 does share a predecessor/successor relationship with another method, the validity logic may ensure that the sequence of the methods of strategy 420 does not conflict with the relationship. The validity logic may also ensure that strategy 420 includes all of the methods that are part of the relationship.
In an embodiment, a user may provide new functionality to the strategies of a service controller by defining a new method and adding it to a method pool.
In an embodiment, request 714 includes both a data object describing the problem and a data object for storing solutions to the problem. In one embodiment, a strategy of service controller 701 passes method parameter(s) 712 and requests 714 to method 706. Method 706 processes requests 714 based, at least in part, on parameters 712 and returns requests 714 to service controller 701 through output structure 710. Service controller 700 has access to the data of method 706 and determines whether to pass the data back through the service interface.
As described above, service controller 701 includes one or more application classes (e.g., application classes 150 and 160) to provide methods for the service controller. Each method is associated with a particular application class. The data that method 706 produces may be stored in its associated application class instance. In addition, the associated application class may have one or more application attributes 716 that define global application data. In an embodiment, the behavior of method 706 is based, partly, on application attributes 716.
In one embodiment, method 706 accesses external systems and/or services 718 to obtain data. The behavior of method 706 may also be based, partly, on the data obtained from external systems and/or services 718. For example, method 706 may access external systems and/or services 718 to calculate a cost and then process request 714 based, partly, on the result of the cost calculation.
Service independent layer 810 includes abstract application class 812, abstract controller class 814, and abstract request class 824. An abstract class is a superclass in which not all class members are implemented. Consequently, it cannot have any objects. But references to objects of non-abstract subclasses may be used in order to implement functionality (e.g., to implement some of its methods). In addition, like other superclasses, it provides class members (e.g., fields and/or methods) for one or more subclasses. In the illustrated embodiment, abstract application class 812 includes one or more abstract application fields and/or methods. Similarly, abstract request class 824 includes one or more abstract request fields and/or methods.
Abstract controller class 814 provides an abstract class upon which concrete controller subclasses may be based. The class members of abstract controller class 814 may be based, at least in part, on abstract application class 812 and abstract request class 824. For example, strategies 816, methods 818, and requests 820 of abstract controller class 814 may be based, at least in part, on the members of abstract classes 812 and 824.
Service specific layer 830 includes classes that may be instantiated to provide functionality for a specific service (e.g., a routing service in a transportation management program). For example, application class 832 may be a concrete class derived from abstract application class 812. Similarly, service controller class 838 may be a concrete class derived from abstract controller class 814.
Application class 832 includes one or more attributes 834 that define global application data for the methods 836. Strategy determination logic 840 includes service specific strategy determination logic for service controller 838. Similarly, method 842 provides logic to create requests for service controller class 838. Request class 844 provides logic to define requests including, for example, input components and output components of the request.
The flexible framework of service 800 enables a customer to extend the functionality of the controller. Customer specific layer 850, for example, includes new application class 852 and enhanced application class 854. New application class 852 is a new application class derived from abstract application class 812. Enhanced application class 854 is a customer specific class that includes new method(s) 856.
In an alternative embodiment, service 800 is not (or, at least, is not completely) based on object-oriented classes and methods. For example, in an embodiment, service 800 is based (or is partly based) on an interpretable programming language such as ABAP. In such an embodiment, anonymous method execution is supported by features such as dynamic function calling.
Turning now to
Referring to process block 920, one or more methods are selected for the strategy. In one embodiment, a user interface (e.g., user interface 1012, shown in
Referring to process block 930, the selected method(s) are assigned to the strategy. In one embodiment, assigning the methods includes assigning the methods to a strategy method database (e.g., strategy method database 214, shown in
Referring to process block 970, the service controller determines a strategy for the service request. The phrase “determining a strategy” broadly refers to selecting a defined strategy to process the service request. In one embodiment, the strategy can be determined based, at least in part, on the requirements of a problem description provided in the service request. In such an embodiment, the service controller has the flexibility to determine the best available strategy to process the service request. For example, the service controller may apply strategy determination logic (e.g., strategy determination logic 520, shown in
Referring to process block 980, the strategy may be executed based, at least in part, on the service request. For example, the service controller may pass the service request to each method of the strategy. In one embodiment, each method of the strategy is anonymously executed. The term “anonymously executed” indicates that the service controller calls the methods without knowing which methods are actually invoked. In an embodiment, each method implements the same interface to facilitate anonymous method execution.
In an embodiment, the strategy definition management logic can define parameters and methods as well as strategies. In such an embodiment, the functionality of a strategy may be extended (or altered) based on new method(s) and/or new parameter(s). The new method may be based, at least in part, on a method type in a method database (e.g., method database 208, shown in
Elements of embodiments of the present invention may also be provided as a machine-readable medium for storing the machine-executable instructions. The machine-readable medium may include, but is not limited to, flash memory, optical disks, compact disks-read only memory (CD-ROM), digital versatile/video disks (DVD) ROM, random access memory (RAM), erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), electrically erasable programmable read-only memory (EEPROM), magnetic or optical cards, propagation media or other type of machine-readable media suitable for storing electronic instructions. For example, embodiments of the invention may be downloaded as a computer program which may be transferred from a remote computer (e.g., a server) to a requesting computer (e.g., a client) by way of data signals embodied in a carrier wave or other propagation medium via a communication link (e.g., a modem or network connection).
In one embodiment, user interface 1012 provides a service independent interface to manage the definition of one or more strategies. User interface 1012 may be a graphical user interface, a command line driven interface, and the like. The management of strategies includes, for example, defining parameters, methods, strategies, and the like.
Service interface 1032 is an input/output (I/O) interface to a service controller. Service interface 1032 may be, for example, a simple I/O interface. Method interface 1034 represents the common interface shared among the methods of a service. In an embodiment, method interface 1034 includes a set of requests and a set of values to overwrite one or more standard values of one or more corresponding method parameters.
It should be appreciated that reference throughout this specification to “one embodiment” or “an embodiment” means that a particular feature, structure or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Therefore, it is emphasized and should be appreciated that two or more references to “an embodiment” or “one embodiment” or “an alternative embodiment” in various portions of this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures or characteristics may be combined as suitable in one or more embodiments of the invention.
Similarly, it should be appreciated that in the foregoing description of embodiments of the invention, various features are sometimes grouped together in a single embodiment, figure, or description thereof for the purpose of streamlining the disclosure aiding in the understanding of one or more of the various inventive aspects. This method of disclosure, however, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that the claimed subject matter requires more features than are expressly recited in each claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in less than all features of a single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the detailed description are hereby expressly incorporated into this detailed description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment of this invention.
