Context-driven automated transactions

• US 20050246367A1
• Filed: 04/30/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Rath, Ralf M.
• Application Number:
  US10/837,044
• Publication Number:
  US 20050246367A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24565 Triggers; Constraints
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation

Abstract

In a business environment, a method for executing context-driven transactions includes defining one or more relations among two or more objects in a semantic network, and defining one or more rules relating to the relations. The “transaction” refers to a request or a sequence of information exchanges for one or more objects. The method includes monitoring the semantic network for changes in any of the objects and relations, and upon detecting a change, automatically triggering a transaction based upon a rule in the system.

Claims

1. A computer system for context-driven automated transactions comprising:

a semantic network comprising data that forms a plurality of objects;

at least one relation between pairs of the plurality of objects, wherein each relation defines one or more rules between the pairs, and wherein the relations and objects form a context for the data; and

a monitoring system that monitors the objects and relations, and automatically triggers a transaction upon recognizing a change in any of the rules or objects, wherein the transaction includes a change to related objects based on the relations.

2. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the relations comprise any of ontologies, links, and mappings.

3. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface to notify a the system user of the transaction.

4. The system in accordance with of claim 3, wherein the graphical user interface is adapted to allow the user to define any of the objects, rules, relations, and context.

5. The system in accordance with claim 1, further comprising a graphical user interface is that allows a user to create a relation.

6. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the user is adapted to change any of the relations, objects, and context without interfering with a normal operation of the system for other system users.

7. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the semantic network comprises a search tool to allow a user to locate similar objects based on a particular context.

8. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the semantic network is adapted to allow the user to make changes without having an expertise in information technology.

9. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transaction refers to any of a computer processing action, a computer processing operation, and a sequence of information exchanges based upon a change in the system.

10. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the semantic network is adapted to operate in conjunction with one or more operational systems and database systems.

11. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the semantic network is adapted to surround a topic with the context by relating one or more objects to the topic.

12. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the semantic network automatically triggers a plurality of transactions based upon one or more changes in the system.

13. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transaction is defined with respect to one or more rules.

14. The system in accordance with claim 1, wherein the transaction is defined with respect to one or more objects.

15. A method for executing context-driven transactions comprising:

defining one or more relations among two or more objects in a semantic network;

defining one or more rules relating to the relations;

monitoring the semantic network for changes in any of the objects and relations; and

upon detecting a change, automatically triggering a transaction based upon a rule in the system, wherein the transaction refers to a request or a sequence of information exchanges for the one or more objects.

16. The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein the relations comprise any of an ontology, a link, and a mapping.

17. The method in accordance with claim 16, wherein the triggering performs any of a computer processing action, a computer processing operation, and a sequence of information exchanges based upon the change in the system.

18. The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising allowing a user to perform a change based on the triggering without affecting other users of the semantic network.

19. The method in accordance with claim 16, further comprising performing one or more changes to the semantic network without disrupting the operation of the network.

20. The method in accordance with claim 19, further comprising making a change to the network based on the triggering without a requirement for additional substantial network changes.

21. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause a machine to perform operations comprising:

defining one or more relations among two or more objects in a semantic network;

defining one or more rules relating to the relations;

monitoring the semantic network for changes in any of the objects and relations; and

upon detecting a change, automatically triggering a transaction based upon a rule in the system, wherein the transaction refers to a request or a sequence of information exchanges for the one or more objects.