Publish-subscribe event notifications

• US 20060070083A1
• Filed: 09/30/2004
• Published: 03/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Hartig, Martin, Brunswig, Frank, Viegener, Johannes, Falter, Timm
• Granted Patent: US 7,487,512 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/318
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/02 based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for providing notifications of events include defining a set of standard events for objects in a back end system and operating on an object in the back end system using an instance of a service provider class. Conditions corresponding to a standard event from the set of standard events are detected. The conditions corresponding to the standard event are defined by meta data stored in a repository. One or more subscribers to the standard event are notified in response to a detected condition.

Claims

1. A method for providing notifications of events, the method comprising:

defining a set of standard events for objects in a back end system;

operating on an object in the back end system using an instance of a service provider class;

detecting conditions corresponding to a standard event from the set of standard events, with the conditions corresponding to the standard event defined by meta data stored in a repository; and

notifying at least one subscriber to the standard event in response to a detected condition.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing data identifying the at least one subscriber in the repository, wherein notifying the at least one subscriber is performed using the data stored in the repository.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of standard events includes at least one standard event selected from the group consisting of modifying a business object, inserting a business object, and deleting a business object.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one subscriber comprises a client.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising maintaining a list of standard events for which the corresponding conditions have been detected.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising processing the list of standard events in accordance with a predetermined algorithm.

7. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing data defining publishing constraints in the repository, wherein the at least one subscriber is notified only if the publishing constraints are satisfied.

8. The method of claim 1 further comprising storing subscription information in the repository, the subscription information identifying subscribers based on at least one criterion selected from the group consisting of a name of an event, a unique key for an object, and an object type, wherein notifying the at least one subscriber is based on the subscription information.

9. A system for providing notifications of events, the system comprising:

a repository comprising meta data representing business objects in a back end system, definitions of conditions corresponding to events, and registrations of event subscribers; and

an enterprise service framework in communication with the repository, wherein the enterprise service framework is operable to;

detect an operation on a business object in the back end system by an instance of a service provider class;

determine whether the operation satisfies the defined conditions in the repository corresponding to a particular event;

trigger the particular event if the operation satisfies the defined conditions corresponding to the particular event; and

notify at least one event subscriber registered to receive a notification of the particular event based on the registrations in the repository.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the enterprise service framework is further operable to:

receive requests from clients; and

initiate operations by instances of service provider classes in response to the requests.

11. The system of claim 9 wherein the event subscribers comprise at least one of clients or instances of service provider classes.

12. The system of claim 9 wherein the conditions corresponding to events define standard events and the enterprise service framework is further operable to receive notifications of custom events defined for a service provider class.

13. The system of claim 9 wherein the enterprise service framework is further operable to maintain a list of events, with each event in the list including attributes selected from the group consisting of an event name, a unique key associated with the business object associated with the event, and an object type for the business object associated with the event.

14. The system of claim 13 wherein the enterprise service framework is further operable to process the list of events prior to notifying the at least one subscriber in accordance with predetermined rules stored in the repository.

15. The system of claim 13 wherein the registrations of event subscribers define event subscriptions based on attributes of the events.

16. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, for providing notifications of events, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to:

retrieve a stored set of standard events for objects in a back end system;

operate on an object in the back end system using an instance of a service provider class;

detect conditions corresponding to a standard event from the set of standard events, with the conditions corresponding to the standard event defined by meta data stored in a repository; and

notify at least one subscriber to the standard event in response to the detected conditions.

17. The computer program product of claim 16, wherein the computer program product is further operable to cause data processing apparatus to store data identifying the at least one subscriber in the repository, wherein notifying the at least one subscriber is performed using the data stored in the repository.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the computer program product is further operable to cause data processing apparatus to maintain a list of standard events for which the corresponding conditions have been detected.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the computer program product is further operable to cause data processing apparatus to store data defining publishing constraints in the repository, wherein the at least one subscriber is notified only if the publishing constraints are satisfied.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 wherein the computer program product is further operable to cause data processing apparatus to store subscription information in the repository, with the subscription information identifying subscribers based on at least one criterion selected from the group consisting of a name of an event, a unique key for an object, and an object type, wherein notifying the at least one subscriber is based on the subscription information.