Meta model for an enterprise service architecture

• US 20050021557A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Remmel, Juergen, Brunswig, Frank, Dietl, Josef, Viegener, Johannes, Fiedler, Thomas, Brendle, Rainer, Krane, Rolf, Ritter, Stephan
• Granted Patent: US 8,122,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for using a meta model for an enterprise service architecture. The meta model includes a first class to represent data organization in a back end data store. The first class includes a data type identifier attribute to permit meta data to identify a data type. The meta model also includes a second class associated with the first class. The second class includes a field identifier attribute to permit meta data to identify fields for a particular data type. The meta model also includes a third class associated with the first class. The third class includes an action identifier attribute to permit meta data to identify an action. In some examples, there is a service provider identifier to permit meta data to identify a service provider class that can effect the action.

Claims

1. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for using a meta model for an enterprise service architecture, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to interact with data conforming to a data model, the data model comprising:

a first class to represent data organization in a back end data store, the first class including a data type identifier attribute to permit meta data to identify a data type;

a second class associated with the first class, the second class including a field identifier attribute to permit meta data to identify fields for a particular data type;

a third class associated with the first class, the third class including an action identifier attribute to permit meta data to identify an action; and

a service provider identifier to permit meta data to identify a service provider class that can effect the action.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first class further comprises an association to a fourth class representing a structure of fields included in the particular data type.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the data model further comprises a fourth class representing a service module that combines a group of data types.

4. The computer program product of claim 3, wherein the data model further comprises a fifth class associated with the fourth class, the fifth class including a query identifier attribute to permit meta data to identify a query associated with the service module.

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first class further comprises a key identifier to represent a key for the data type.

6. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for using a meta model for an enterprise service architecture, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to interact with data conforming to a data model, the data model comprising:

an aspect class including a key identifier, the aspect class representing data types in a back end data store;

a structure class associated with the aspect class, the structure class representing structures included in the data types of the aspect class, the structure class including an aggregation of a field class;

an aspect action class associated with the aspect class, the aspect action class representing actions associated with the data types of the aspect class; and

a relation class associated with the aspect class, the relation class representing a relation between instances of the aspect class.

7. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the aspect class has an association to a service provider class.

8. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the data model further comprises a service module class associated with the aspect class.

9. The computer program product of claim 8, wherein the data model further comprises a query class associated with the service module class.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein the association between the query class and the service module class is an aggregation.

11. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the association between the aspect class and the relation class is an aggregation.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the aggregation is by a source aspect.

13. The computer program product of claim 6, wherein the association between the aspect class and the aspect action class is an aggregation.

14. A method for storing meta data conforming to a meta model in a repository used by an enterprise service architecture, the method comprising:

defining a first meta data element associated with an aspect class representing a data type in a back end data store;

defining a second meta data element associated with a field class representing an attribute of the data type in the back end data store;

defining a third meta data element associated with an action class representing an action associated with the data type in the back end data store;

defining an identifier identifying a service provider class to effect the action defined by the third meta data element; and

storing the meta data elements and the identifier in the repository.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising verifying the first, second, and third meta data elements conform to the aspect class, the field class, and the action class, respectively.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising querying the repository to access the meta data elements to determine organization of data in the back end data store.

17. A system for using a meta model for an enterprise service architecture, the system comprising a repository including data conforming to a data model, the data model comprising:

an aspect class including a key identifier, the aspect class representing data types in a back end data store;

a structure class associated with the aspect class, the structure class representing structures included in the data types of the aspect class, the structure class including an aggregation of a field class;

an aspect action class associated with the aspect class, the aspect action class representing actions associated with the data types of the aspect class; and

a relation class associated with the aspect class, the relation class representing a relation between instances of the aspect class.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the aspect class has an association to a service provider class.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the data model further comprises a service module class associated with the aspect class.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the data model further comprises a query class associated with the service module class.