Browsing meta data for an enterprise service framework

• US 20050021563A1
• Filed: 05/11/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Shaburov, Victor
• Granted Patent: US 7,890,540 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/106 Display of layout of documents; Previewing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/123 Storage facilities
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/143 Markup, e.g. Standard Generalized Markup Language [SGML] or Document Type Definition [DTD]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for browsing meta data for an enterprise service framework. An agent receives a request to retrieve information about or relating to one or more aspects in a back end system. A portion of meta data is read. The meta data is stored in a repository and represents the back end system. The portion of meta data that is read is based on the request. The agent formats the portion of the meta data to produce a response in a normalized format. The response in the normalized format is transmitted in response to the request.

Claims

1. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for browsing meta data, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to:

receive, by an agent, a request to retrieve information about or relating to one or more aspects in a back end system;

read a portion of meta data, the meta data being stored in a repository and representing the back end system, wherein the portion of meta data that is read is based on the request;

format, by the agent, the portion of the meta data to produce a response in a normalized format; and

transmit the response in the normalized format in response to the request.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the request is sent from a client.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the client is an application development tool.

4. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the request is formatted in extensible mark up language (XML) and is sent by the client using hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP.)

5. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the normalized format comprises an XML file.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the normalized format is configured to provide information about a service module associated with the back end system, a query associated with the service module, a search parameter associated with the query, a field associated with a query result aspect, a sibling aspect, a related aspect, or a query with a same result aspect.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the normalized format comprises self-describing tags.

8. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the portion of the meta data describes a service module associated with the back end system, a query associated with the service module, a search parameter associated with the query, a field associated with a query result aspect, a sibling aspect, a related aspect, or a query with a same result aspect.

9. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the portion of the meta data describes query data.

10. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the portion of the meta data comprises field definitions.

11. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the meta data is stored in the repository according to a meta model.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein the meta model comprises a service module class, a query class, or an aspect class.

13. A method for browsing meta data, the method comprising:

receiving, by an agent, a request to retrieve information about or relating to one or more aspects in a back end system;

reading a portion of meta data, the meta data being stored in a repository and representing the back end system, wherein the portion of meta data that is read is based on the request;

formatting, by the agent, the portion of the meta data to produce a response in a normalized format; and

transmitting the response in the normalized format in response to the request.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the normalized format is configured to provide information about a service module associated with the back end system, a query associated with the service module, a search parameter associated with the query, a field associated with a query result aspect, a sibling aspect, a related aspect, or a query with a same result aspect.

15. A system for browsing meta data, the system comprising:

a repository comprising meta data that represents a back end system; and

an agent in communication with the repository, wherein the browser agent is configured to;

receive a request to retrieve information about or relating to one or more aspects in the back end system;

read a portion of the meta data, wherein the portion of meta data that is read is based on the request;

format the portion of the meta data to produce a response in a normalized format; and

transmit the response in the normalized format in response to the request.

16. The system of claim 15, further comprising an enterprise service framework, wherein the agent communicates with the repository using the enterprise service framework.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising a client in communication with the agent.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the client comprises a development tool.

19. The system of claim 15, wherein the browser agent comprises a component.

20. The system of claim 15, wherein the agent comprises a set of JAVA components.

21. The system of claim 15, wherein the normalized format is configured to provide information about a service module associated with the back end system, a query associated with the service module, a search parameter associated with the query, a field associated with a query result aspect, a sibling aspect, a related aspect, or a query with a same result aspect.