Framework for supporting business software applications

• US 20040181771A1
• Filed: 03/12/2003
• Published: 09/16/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Anonsen, Steven P., Brookins, Timothy James
• Granted Patent: US 7,577,934 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design

Abstract

A business software framework supports business software applications. The framework includes a class library component that has a plurality of class libraries of business components, including business entities and business processes. The framework also includes an application framework that has a programming model, the programming model providing a set of application services for relating the business components to one another, and for providing desired services relative to the business components in order to obtain the business application.

Claims

1. A framework for supporting a business application, comprising:

a class library component including a plurality of class libraries of business components, the business components including business entities and business processes; and

an application framework including a programming model, the programming model providing a set of application services for relating the business components to one another and providing desired services relative to the business components to develop the business application.

2. The framework of claim 1 wherein application framework further comprises:

metadata describing the business components.

3. The framework of claim 2 wherein the business entities represent data stored in a data storage system and wherein the application services include data accessing services invokable to access the data stored in the data storage system by reference to the business entities.

4. The framework of claim 2 wherein the application services include customization services invokable to customize the business components.

7. The framework of claim 2 wherein the application services include user interface (UI) services for rendering a representation of the business components.

8. The framework of claim 2 wherein the application services include user interface (UI) services for user manipulation of the business components.

9. The framework of claim 2 wherein the application services include implementation of security policies relative to the business components.

10. The framework of claim 2 wherein the application services include process execution services invokable to execute the business processes on data represented by the business entities.

11. The framework of claim 1 wherein the business components include data types represented in the business entities.

12. The framework of claim 1 wherein the business processes include business rules associated with business entities.

5. The framework of claim 5 wherein the customization services can be invoked to customize business processes by customizing metadata corresponding to the business processes.

6. The framework of claim 5 wherein the customization services can be invoked to customize a business entity by creating an extension entity, related to the business entity to be customized, indicative of a desired customization.

13. A framework for supporting business software applications, comprising:

a design component including a plurality of class libraries of business components and a programming component, the business components including business entities and business processes, and the programming component configured to be invoked to relate the business components to one another.

14. The framework of claim 13 and further comprising:

a runtime component configured to provide desired services to the business components.

15. The framework of claim 14 wherein the runtime component comprises:

a metadata subsystem configured to maintain metadata describing the business components.

16. The framework of claim 14 wherein the design component includes a customization design component configured to receive a customization input, from a customizable subsystem, indicative of a desired customization.

17. The framework of claim 16 wherein the runtime component includes a customization runtime component configured to apply the desired customization to the customizable subsystem.

18. The framework of claim 14 wherein the business entities represent data stored in a data store and wherein the runtime component includes a data accessing subsystem invokable to access the data by reference to the entities.

19. The framework of claim 18 wherein the runtime component includes a process execution subsystem configured to execute the processes on the data represented by the entities.

20. The framework of claim 14 wherein the runtime component includes a user interface subsystem configured to manipulate the business components and render a representation of the business components based on user inputs.