System and method for processing transaction data

• US 20040024626A1
• Filed: 07/21/2003
• Published: 02/05/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 08/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Original Assignee: Nederlandse Organisatie Voor Toegepast-Natuurwetenschappelijk Onderzoek Tno
• Inventors: Bruijning, Jeroen
• Granted Patent: US 7,958,202 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/04 Billing or invoicing
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/02 Banking, e.g. interest calculation or account maintenance credit or loans G06Q40/03

Abstract

Computer system provided with a software architecture for processing transaction data which comprises a platform (5) with at least one logical processing unit (21) comprising the following components: a plurality of gates (G(k)); one or more message queues (MQ(k)), these being memories for temporary storage of data; one or more databases (DB); a hierarchical structure of managers in the form of software modules for the control of the gates (G(j)), the messages queues (MQ(k)), the one or more databases, the at least one logical processing unit (21) and the platform (5), wherein the gates are defined as software modules with the task of communicating with corresponding business components (BC(j)) located outside the platform (5), which are defined as software modules for carrying out a predetermined transformation on a received set of data.

Claims

1. Data processing system comprising:

computer means (G(1 . . . 5));

one or more input interfaces (MQ(0);

I(1), I(2)) for providing an input transaction data stream to the data processing system;

one or more output interfaces (MQ(4);

O(1), O(2)) for outputting an output transaction data stream;

one or more memory units (MQ(0 . . . 4);

DB) for storage of intermediate transaction processing data;

characterized in that the computer means comprise one or more series of transaction data processing units (G(1 . . . 5)) that are arranged to continuously process available input transaction data streams.

2. Data processing system according to claim 1, wherein the data processing system comprises a platform (5) with at least one logical processing unit (21) and comprising:

said one or more series of transaction data processing units each comprising a gate (G(1 . . . 5)), there being at least an entry gate (G(1)), an exit gate (G(5);

G(3)), and zero or more intermediate gates (G(2), G(3), G(4);

G(2));

said one or more memory units each comprising either a message queue (MQ(k)), these being memories for temporary storage of data on a first-in-first-out basis, or a buffer (DB), these being memories for temporary storage on a random access basis.

3. Data processing system according to claim 2, wherein the gates are defined as software modules with at least the following tasks:

starting up a corresponding business component (BC(j)) located outside the platform (5), which is defined as a software module for carrying out a predetermined transformation on a received set of data;

sending the set of data to the corresponding business component BC(j));

receiving a transformed set of data from the corresponding business component (BC(j)), that was created by the transformation of the set of data by the corresponding business component BC(j));

the entry gate (G(1)) and each of the intermediate gates (G(2), G(3), G(4);

G(2)) being designed to retrieve the data to be transformed from one or more of the memory units and to store the received transformed set of data in one or more of the memory units.

4. Data processing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing system comprises an input message queue (MQ(0)) as input interface.

5. Data processing system according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing system comprises a hierarchical structure of managers, in the form of software modules.

6. Data processing system according to claim 4, wherein the data processing system comprises a hierarchical structure of managers, in the form of software modules for the control of the gates (G(1 . . . 5)), the message queues (MQ(0 . . . 4)), the buffer (DB), the at least one logical processing unit (21) and the platform.

7. Data processing system according to claim 6, wherein the hierarchical structure of managers comprises:

for each gate a gate manager including;

an entry gate manager for the control of the entry gate (G(1));

an exit gate manager for the control of the exit gate (G(5);

G(3));

for each intermediate gate an intermediate gate manager (Mg(2)) for the control of the corresponding intermediate gate (G(2), G(3), G(4);

(G(2));

for each message queue a message queue manager (Mq(k)) for the control of the corresponding message queue (MQ(k));

for each database (DB) a database manager;

for each logical processing unit (21) a plant manager (Mf) for the control of each gate manager, each message queue manager and each database manager;

a platform manager (Mp) for the control of the platform (5).

8. Data processing system according to claim 7, wherein the platform manager (Mp) is also set up to carry out the following tasks:

initialisation of platform components;

dealing with error messages within the platform (5);

communicating with a configuration monitor manager (Mc) that is set up to communicate with an operator of the data processing system.

9. Data processing system according to claim 7 of 8, wherein each plant manager (Mf) is set up to carry out the following tasks:

initialisation of those components within the logical processing unit (21) associated with the plant manager (Mf) which must support a transaction on data;

closure according to predetermined rules of the logical processing unit (21) associated with the plant manager (Mf) if the plant manager (Mf) receives an instruction to this effect;

dealing with errors within the logical processing unit (21) associated with the plant manager Mf);

automatic reduction or duplication of one or more intermediate gates (G(j)) if the number of data on which a transaction must be carried out decreases or increases respectively.

10. Data processing system according to any one of claims 7-9, wherein each plant manager (Mf) is also set up to determine entry weighting factors and exit weighting factors of the logical processing unit (21), and to determine whether the logical processing unit (21) is in balance in respect of load.

11. Data processing system according to any one of claims 7-10, wherein each message queue manager (Mq(k)) is set up to carry out the following tasks:

initialisation of the message queue (MQ(k)) assigned to each message queue manager (Mq(k));

monitoring of the message queue (MQ(k)) assigned to each message queue manager (Mq(k)).

12. Data processing system according to any one of claims 7-11, wherein each message queue manager (Mq(k)) is set up to carry out the following task:

determine a weighting factor of data that are present in the message queue (MQ(k)) assigned to each message queue manager (Mq(k)).

13. Data processing system according to any one of claims 7-12, wherein each gate manager (Mg(j)) is set up to carry out the following tasks:

initiate a gate assigned to the gate manager (Mg(j)) if data arrive at the assigned gate;

collect gate statistics and send them on to a corresponding plant manager (Mf).

14. Data processing system according to any one of claims 7-13, wherein each database manager is set up to carry out the following tasks:

start up a database assigned to the database manager;

monitor the database assigned to the database manager.

15. Data processing system according to any one of claims 7-14, wherein each database manager is set up to carry out the following task:

determine a weighting factor for data that are present at a particular moment in the database assigned the database manager.

16. Data processing system according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the data processing system is implemented in the form of a plurality of personal computers communicating with one another.

17. Data processing system according to claim 16, wherein the personal computers are linked to one another by means of a network, for example a LAN or WAN.

18. Data processing system according to claim 3, wherein each business component (BC(j)) is designed to perform business and functional tasks of the data processing system, but cannot change any state of data present within the platform (5).

19. Method for processing transaction data with the aid of a data processing system comprising:

computer means (G(1 . . . 5));

one or more input interfaces MQ(0);

I(1), I(2)) for providing an input transaction data stream to the data processing system;

one or more output interfaces (MQ(4);

O(1), O(2)) for outputting an output transaction data stream;

one or more memory units (MQ(0 . . . 4);

DB) for storage of intermediate transaction processing data;

characterized in that the computer means comprise one or more series of transaction data processing units (G(1 . . . 5)) and the method includes continuously processing available input transaction data streams.

20. A transaction data processing system provided with computing means, memory means for storage of data and instructions, an input for receiving input transaction data and an output for outputting output transaction data resulting from processing said input transaction data by said computing means, the computer being programmed to add an input weighting factor to said input transaction data, to determine an output weighting factor associated with said output transaction data, and to compare the input and output weighting factors with one another to establish whether or not an error has occurred during said processing of said input transaction data.

21. A method of checking correctness of a transaction data process in a transaction data processing system provided with computing means, memory means for storage of data and instructions, an input for receiving input transaction data and an output for outputting output transaction data resulting from processing said input transaction data by said computing means, the method including the steps of adding an input weighting factor to said input transaction data, determining an output weighting factor associated with said output transaction data, and comparing the input and output weighting factors with one another to establish whether or not an error has occurred during said processing of said input transaction data.