User interfaces and software reuse in model based software systems

• US 20050203942A1
• Filed: 02/24/2005
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ramco Systems Limited
• Original Assignee: Ramco Systems Limited
• Inventors: Sundararajan, Parthasarathy, Ramaswamy, Srinivasan, Devalla, Raghuram, Sethuraman, Rajagopalan
• Granted Patent: US 8,307,339 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/36 Software reuse

Abstract

In a model based software system, a set of business rules is scanned, and patterns are identified. The patterns are then compared, and similarities identified which indicate that software can be reused in the system. In one embodiment, identifiers of the rules are scanned. In another embodiment, usage patterns are used for designing a middle layer and generating code. In another embodiment of the invention, a data model is generated by capturing data from a user interface for a business document.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

providing a set of business rules for a software system;

scanning said set of business rules;

forming a first pattern signature based on said scanning; and

determining if said pattern signature is present in other portions of said software system.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said scanning is sequential.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising recording occurrences of said first pattern signature.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising identifying a second pattern signature that is a subset of said first pattern signature.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising recording a hierarchy of said first pattern signature and said second pattern signature.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising forming a set of pattern signatures for said software system.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising

analyzing said set of pattern signatures;

identifying similarities in said set of pattern signatures; and

identifying software that can be reused in said system based on said similarities in said pattern signatures.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising selecting from said set of pattern signatures a fourth pattern signature with a maximum size, thereby maximizing reuse of said business rules.

9. The method of claim 7, further comprising selecting a fifth pattern signature covering a maximum number of actions in said software system.

10. A method comprising:

providing a set of business rules for a software system;

scanning said set of business rules;

extracting descriptions of said set of business rules from said scanning;

forming a first pattern signature based on said descriptions of said set of business rules; and

determining if said descriptions are present in other portions of said software system.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said scanning is sequential.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising recording occurrences of said first pattern signature.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising identifying a second pattern signature that is a subset of said first pattern signature.

14. The method of claim 13, further comprising recording a hierarchy of said first pattern signature and said second pattern signature.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising forming a set of pattern signatures for said software system.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

analyzing said set of pattern signatures;

identifying similarities in said set of pattern signatures; and

identifying software that can be reused in said systems based on said similarities in said pattern signatures.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting a fourth pattern signature with a maximum size, thereby maximizing reuse of said business rules.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising selecting a fifth pattern signature covering a maximum number of actions in said software system.

19. A method comprising:

capturing user interface data from business documents;

mapping user interface elements to said business documents, and

forming a data model for said business documents;

wherein said business documents are represented by business objects; and

wherein said business documents from which said interface data is acquired is represented by interface business objects.

20. The method of claim 19,

wherein said business objects and said interface business objects comprise data segments;

and

further wherein said data segments comprise a hierarchy.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein said data segments have a data identifier that identifies an instance of data in said data segment.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising forming a hierarchy of data segments.

23. The method of claim 19, wherein said business documents comprise various sections that capture data at various stages in the lifecycle of said business documents.

24. The method of claim 19, further comprising using said business objects and said interface business objects to derive a database schema, wherein said schema comprises a user interface.

25. A method comprising:

capturing user interface and user action data for a system in a specification repository;

abstracting user interface and user action sequences based on an expected response of said system; and

capturing said expected response of said system as a set of specification data for each said user action.

26. The method of claim 25, further comprising:

specifying a type of said user action;

specifying user interface controls that are involved in said user action;

specifying a second expected response of said system; and

storing said second expected response into a model.

27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:

using said model to generate service interfaces and method interfaces; and

generating a sequence of method calls.

28. A computer readable medium comprising instructions available thereon for executing a method comprising:

receiving a set of business rules for a software system;

scanning said set of business rules;

forming a first pattern signature based on said scanning; and

determining if said pattern signature is present in other portions of said software system.

29. The computer readable medium of claim 28, wherein said scanning is sequential.

30. The computer readable medium of claim 28, further comprising instructions for recording occurrences of said first pattern signature.

31. The computer readable medium of claim 28, further comprising instructions for identifying a second pattern signature that is a subset of said first pattern signature.

32. The computer readable medium of claim 31, further comprising instructions for recording a hierarchy of said first pattern signature and said second pattern signature.

33. The computer readable medium of claim 28, further comprising instructions for forming a set of pattern signatures for said software system.

34. The computer readable medium of claim 33, further comprising instructions for

analyzing said set of pattern signatures;

identifying similarities in said set of pattern signatures; and

identifying software that can be reused in said system based on said similarities in said pattern signatures.

35. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further comprising instructions for selecting from said set of pattern signatures a fourth pattern signature with a maximum size, thereby maximizing reuse of said business rules.

36. The computer readable medium of claim 34, further comprising instructions for selecting a fifth pattern signature covering a maximum number of actions in said software system.

37. A computer readable medium comprising instructions available thereon for executing a method comprising:

receiving a set of business rules for a software system;

scanning said set of business rules;

extracting descriptions of said set of business rules from said scanning;

forming a first pattern signature based on said descriptions of said set of business rules; and

determining if said descriptions are present in other portions of said software system.

38. The computer readable medium of claim 37, wherein said scanning is sequential.

39. The computer readable medium of claim 37, further comprising instructions for recording occurrences of said first pattern signature.

40. The computer readable medium of claim 37, further comprising instructions for identifying a second pattern signature that is a subset of said first pattern signature.

41. The computer readable medium of claim 40, further comprising instructions for recording a hierarchy of said first pattern signature and said second pattern signature.

42. The computer readable medium of claim 37, further comprising instructions for forming a set of pattern signatures for said software system.

43. The computer readable medium of claim 42, further comprising instructions for

analyzing said set of pattern signatures;

identifying similarities in said set of pattern signatures; and

identifying software that can be reused in said systems based on said similarities in said pattern signatures.

44. The computer readable medium of claim 43, further comprising instructions for selecting a fourth pattern signature with a maximum size, thereby maximizing reuse of said business rules.

45. The computer readable medium of claim 43, further comprising instructions for selecting a fifth pattern signature covering a maximum number of actions in said software system.

46. A computer readable medium comprising instructions available thereon for executing a method comprising:

capturing user interface data from business documents;

mapping user interface elements to said business documents, and

forming a data model for said business documents;

wherein said business documents are represented by business objects; and

wherein said business documents from which said interface data is acquired is represented by interface business objects.

47. The computer readable medium of claim 46,

wherein said business objects and said interface business objects comprise data segments;

and

further wherein said data segments comprise a hierarchy.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 47, wherein said data segments have a data identifier that identifies an instance of data in said data segment.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 48, further comprising instructions for forming a hierarchy of data segments.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 46, wherein said business documents comprise various sections that capture data at various stages in the lifecycle of said business documents.

51. The computer readable medium of claim 46, further comprising instructions for using said business objects and said interface business objects to derive a database schema, wherein said schema comprises a user interface.

52. A computer readable medium comprising instructions available thereon for executing a method comprising:

capturing user interface and user action data for a system in a specification repository;

abstracting user interface and user action sequences based on an expected response of said system; and

capturing said expected response of said system as a set of specification data for each said user action.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 52, further comprising instructions for

receiving a type of said user action;

receiving user interface controls that are involved in said user action;

receiving a second expected response of said system; and

storing said second expected response into a model.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 53, further comprising instructions for

using said model to generate service interfaces and method interfaces;

and

generating a sequence of method calls.