System and method using a connector architecture for application integration

• US 20030093402A1
• Filed: 10/15/2002
• Published: 05/15/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: BEA Systems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Upton, Mitch
• Granted Patent: US 7,546,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/544 Remote
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

Functionality can be built upon the J2EE Connector architecture when integrating applications. Bi-directional communication can be added to the system, and a common protocol can be used so that each application does not need to be integrated with every other application. A common protocol can be used, such as by application view components, to allow applications having different protocols to communicate with each other, as well as with components such as enterprise system and integration system components. The applications do not have to know the other protocols, or even that they exist.

This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention. Other features, aspects, and objects of the invention can be obtained from a review of the specification, the figures, and the claims.

Claims

1. A system for integrating applications, comprising:

an application view component adapted to provide an interface to an enterprise system;

a resource adapter adapted to invoke functionality in the enterprise system and expose that functionality to the application view component; and

a common protocol implemented on top of the J2EE connector architecture, the common protocol capable of being used by the application view component to allow a first application having a first protocol and a second application having a second protocol to communicate with the enterprise system using the common protocol.

2. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a J2EE Connector architecture implementation adapted to provide a standardized approach for the development of the resource adapter.

3. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a J2EE-compliant application server adapted to contain the resource adapter and the application view component.

4. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an application integration framework built on top of the J2EE Connector architecture and adapted to provide a standards-based architecture for hosting the resource adapter.

5. A system according to claim 3, further comprising:

an enterprise system capable of being connected to the application server by the resource adapter.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an event generator adapted to communicate an event in the enterprise system to a client application.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a transport system adapted to allow the transporting of messages to and from the application view component.

8. A system according to claim 4, wherein:

the application integration framework is further adapted to provide for high availability, scalability, clustering, and resource pooling.

9. A system according to claim 4, wherein:

the application integration framework is further adapted to provide for universal connectivity by enabling the construction of XML-based application adapters that can connect to any legacy and packaged application.

10. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an adapter development kit adapted to allow users to quickly develop J2EE connector architecture-compliant and application integration framework-based adapters.

11. A system according to claim 4, further comprising:

a business-process engine adapted to allow users to graphically construct and maintain business processes using the application integration framework.

12. A system according to claim 4, wherein:

the application integration framework is further adapted to implement a common model on top of the J2EE Connector architecture that is focused on business-level concepts.

13. A system according to claim 12, wherein:

the common model includes XML-encoded events and services that allow for the management of a consistent integration environment, regardless of the interface required between a resource adapter and a target application.

14. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a J2EE connector adapted to get a connection to an application for the application view component in response to an invoke request.

15. A system according to claim 14, wherein:

the invoke request triggers an interaction whereby the J2EE connector gets the connection.

16. A system according to claim 15, further comprising:

a J2EE connector architecture component adapted to provide connection pulling, transaction management, and security services for resource adapters.

17. A system according to claim 15, wherein:

the interaction is adapted to invoke functionality in the enterprise system and hide that functionality behind standard APIs.

18. A system according to claim 1, wherein:

the common protocol is based on events and services in the enterprise system that are represented by XML documents.

19. A system for integrating applications, comprising:

an first application view component adapted to provide a first interface to an enterprise system for a first application having a first protocol;

a second application view component adapted to provide a second interface to an enterprise system for a second application having a second protocol; and

a common protocol capable of being used by the first application view component and second application view component to allow the first application and the second application to communicate with the enterprise system using the common protocol.

20. A system for integrating applications, comprising:

an first application view component adapted to provide a first interface to an integration system for a first application having a first protocol;

a second application view component adapted to provide a second interface to an integration system for a second application having a second protocol; and

a common protocol capable of being used by the first application view component and second application view component to allow the first application to communicate with the second application using the common protocol.

21. A method for integrating applications, comprising:

receiving a request from a client application having a client protocol;

converting the request to have a common protocol;

sending the request having a common protocol to an enterprise system;

receiving a response having a common protocol from the enterprise system;

converting the response to have the client protocol; and

sending the response having the client protocol to the client application.

22. A method for integrating applications, comprising:

receiving a request from a first application having a first protocol;

converting the request to have a common protocol;

sending the request having a common protocol to an enterprise system;

receiving a response having a common protocol from the enterprise system;

converting the response to have a second protocol; and

sending the response having the second protocol to a second application.

23. A method for integrating applications, comprising:

using a common protocol built on top of the J2EE Connector architecture to allow a first application having a first protocol and a second application having a second protocol to communicate through the common protocol.

24. A method for integrating applications, comprising:

converting a request from a client application having a client protocol to a request to having a common protocol;

forwarding the request having the common protocol;

receiving a response having the common protocol; and

converting the response to have the client protocol.

25. A computer-readable medium, comprising:

means for converting a request from a client application having a client protocol to a request to having a common protocol;

means for forwarding the request having the common protocol;

means for receiving a response having the common protocol; and

means for converting the response to have the client protocol.

26. A computer program product for execution by a server computer for integrating applications, comprising:

computer code for converting a request from a client application having a client protocol to a request to having a common protocol;

computer code for forwarding the request having the common protocol;

computer code for receiving a response having the common protocol; and

computer code for converting the response to have the client protocol.

27. A system for invoking business functionality, comprising:

means for converting a request from a client application having a client protocol to a request to having a common protocol;

means for forwarding the request having the common protocol;

means for receiving a response having the common protocol; and

means for converting the response to have the client protocol.

28. A computer system comprising:

a processor;

object code executed by said processor, said object code configured to;

convert a request from a client application having a client protocol to a request to having a common protocol;

forward the request having the common protocol;

receive a response having the common protocol; and

convert the response to have the client protocol.

29. A computer data signal embodied in a transmission medium, comprising:

a code segment including instructions to convert a request from a client application having a client protocol to a request to having a common protocol;

a code segment including instructions to forward the request having the common protocol;

a code segment including instructions to receive a response having the common protocol; and

a code segment including instructions to convert the response to have the client protocol.