Methods, systems, and software for providing service integration framework

• US 20050204048A1
• Filed: 03/12/2004
• Published: 09/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bank of America Corp., Gerson Lehrman Group
• Original Assignee: Merrill Lynch & Co. Incorporated (Bank of America Corp.)
• Inventors: Pujol, Guy R., Bass, Rondney, Nair, Suresh, Bauer, Albert, Mazboudi, Wissam D., Gurrala, Shashidhar, Lawal, Gafar, Dashfield, Carl
• Granted Patent: US 7,574,511 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/46 Multiprogramming arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/04 Trading; Exchange, e.g. stocks, commodities, derivatives or currency exchange

Abstract

A preferred embodiment of the subject invention comprises a system for implementing computer network services and applications, comprising a front-end component comprising one or more applications; a back-end component comprising one or more services; and an abstraction layer component operable to communicate with the front-end and back-end components. In another preferred embodiment, the subject invention comprises a system for linking applications and services, comprising: a vendor connectivity component; a business integration component; a security component; a utility component; and a back end connectivity component.

Claims

1. A system for implementing computer network services and applications, comprising:

a front-end component comprising one or more applications;

a back-end component comprising one or more services; and

an abstraction layer component operable to communicate with said front-end component and said back-end component.

2. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component is operable to provide de-coupling of services provided by said back-end component.

3. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component is operable to provide de-coupling of applications in said front-end component.

4. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component is operable to provide single sign on for substantially all of said applications.

5. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component is operable to provide built-in entitlements.

6. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component is operable to provide system wide error reporting.

7. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component comprises a business integration component.

8. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component comprises a vendor connectivity component.

9. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component comprises a security component.

10. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component comprises a utility component.

11. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component comprises a back end connectivity component.

12. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component uses application templates to provide standardization of business services.

13. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component is operable to provide one or more standardized interfaces to back end services.

14. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component is operable to provide standardization of back end services.

15. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component is operable to provide one or more standardized interfaces to external consumers and providers.

16. A system as in claim 1, wherein said abstraction layer component comprises a single deployment platform.

17. A system for linking applications and services, comprising:

a vendor connectivity component;

a business integration component;

a security component;

a utility component; and

a back end connectivity component.

18. A system as in claim 17, wherein said vendor connectivity component is operable to standardize exposure of said applications to said services.

19. A system as in claim 17, wherein said vendor connectivity component is operable to provide a consistent abstraction between a user interface and a middle tier.

20. A system as in claim 17, wherein said vendor connectivity component is operable to use standardized headers to provide substantially seamless system management integration between a caller and said applications.

21. A system as in claim 17, wherein said vendor connectivity component is operable to provide automatically generated service entry points.

22. A system as in claim 17, wherein said vendor connectivity component is operable to provide service location and activation capabilities using one or more standard interfaces.

23. A system as in claim 22, wherein said one or more standard interfaces comprise a Universal Discovery Description and Integration interface.

24. A system as in claim 17, wherein said business integration component is operable to provide call context information.

25. A system as in claim 17, wherein said business integration component is operable to provide identity context information.

26. A system as in claim 17, wherein said business integration component is operable to provide application context information.

27. A system as in claim 17, wherein said security component is operable to provide distributed security.

28. A system as in claim 17, wherein said security component is operable to provide single sign on.

29. A system as in claim 17, wherein said security component is operable to provide entitlement management.

30. A system as in claim 17, wherein said security component is operable to provide identity management.

31. A system as in claim 17, wherein said utility component is operable to enable said applications to access utilities using a standardized application program interface.

32. A system as in claim 17, wherein said utility component is operable to provide centralized end-to-end system management with an ability to correlate information across a plurality of parameters.

33. A system as in claim 17, wherein said utility component is operable to enable auditing at system boundaries to manage service level agreements and method level metering.

34. A system as in claim 17, wherein said back end connectivity component is operable to enable said applications to access said services via one standardized application program interface.

35. A system as in claim 17, wherein said back end connectivity component is operable to provide access to back end data sources without changing a back end system.

36. A system as in claim 17, wherein said back end connectivity component is operable to enable de-coupling of said applications from said services.