Dynamic component management

• US 20060195473A1
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Published: 08/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Goebel, Steffen, Lin, Tao
• Granted Patent: US 7,389,921 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

An auto-identification system is described that includes a plurality of distributed auto-id nodes that are operable to track physical objects as they move through an operation of an enterprise, such as, for example, a supply chain network or a sales network. The auto-id nodes are distributed across sites of the network, and are in communication with enterprise application systems and/or data acquisition systems such as RFID readers or sensor devices. By focusing on their respective sites, the auto-id nodes minimize the amount of data tracked by their respective enterprise applications. The auto-id node may include a component manager that dynamically loads components for use in the auto-id node, without disrupting an operation of the auto-id node. For example, the component manager may be operable to add a new adaptor component that communicates with a new type of device, without needing to stop and restart the auto-id node.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

an auto-id node operable to receive item data with respect to an auto-id tracking system for tracking items;

a data processing module within the auto-id node that is operable to implement a processing component so as to process the item data during an operation of the data processing module and of the auto-id node;

a component manager operable to determine the processing component from a plurality of components, based on the item data; and

a component loader operable to load the processing component to the data processing module during the operation of the data processing module and the auto-id node.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the data processing module includes a core services module that is operable to process the item data in the auto-id tracking system.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the component loader comprises a configurations file that is operable to output instructions to the component manager for determination of the processing component, based on configuration settings associated with the processing component.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the data processing module includes an integration module that is operable to handle communications between the auto-id node and other elements of the auto-id tracking system.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein the processing component includes an adaptor that is adapted for communication with a designated element of the auto-id-tracking system.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the adaptor comprises:

a communicator that is operable to manage data transport between the adaptor and the designated element, including designated communications protocols; and

a data converter that is operable to manage data conversion between a first data format used by the processing component and a second data format used by the designated element.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the processing component is associated with an active instance for performing a first processing task that is actively being implemented, and a passive instance for performing a second processing task that is not actively being implemented.

8. The system of claim 7 comprising a pool for storing the passive instance of the processing component along with other passive instances of one or more of the plurality of processing components.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein the data processing module includes an instance manager that is operable to activate the passive instance from the pool and implement the passive instance as a second active instance, based on a determination of a change of the second processing task from not being actively implemented to being actively implemented.

10. The system of claim 9 wherein the instance manager is further operable to de-activate the active instance to the pool for storage as a second passive instance, based on a determination of a change of the first processing task from being actively implemented to being not actively implemented.

11. The system of claim 1 comprising a component repository that is operable to store the plurality of processing components for selection therefrom by the component manager or the component loader.

15. The method of claim 11 comprising:

loading an active instance of the processing component for performing a first processing task that is actively being implemented; and

storing a passive instance of the processing component for performing a second processing task that is not actively being implemented.

16. The method of claim 15 comprising:

activating the passive instance from the pool to implement the passive instance as a second active instance, based on a determination of a change of the second processing task from not being actively implemented to being actively implemented; and

de-activating the active instance to the pool for storage as a second passive instance, based on a determination of a change of the first processing task from being actively implemented to being not actively implemented.

12. A method comprising:

receiving item data at an auto-id node within an auto-id tracking system for tracking items;

analyzing the item data to determine a processing component for processing the item data, from among a plurality of components;

loading the processing component to a data processing module, during an operation of the data processing module and of the auto-id node; and

processing the item data with the processing component.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein loading the processing component to the data processing module includes loading the processing component to an integration module that is operable to handle communications between the auto-id node and other elements of the auto-id tracking system.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein loading the processing component to the data processing module includes loading an adaptor that is adapted for communication with a designated element of the auto-id-tracking system.

17. An apparatus comprising a storage medium having instructions stored thereon, the instructions including:

a first code segment for receiving item data at an auto-id node within an auto-id tracking system for tracking items;

a second code segment for analyzing the item data to determine a processing component for processing the item data, from among a plurality of components;

a third code segment for loading the processing component to a data processing module, during an operation of the data processing module and of the auto-id node; and

a fourth code segment for processing the item data with the processing component.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the third code segment includes a fifth code segment for loading the processing component to an integration module that is operable to handle communications between the auto-id node and other elements of the auto-id tracking system.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the fifth code segment includes a sixth code segment for loading an adaptor that is adapted for communication with a designated element of the auto-id-tracking system.

20. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the auto-id tracking system is operable to automatically collect the item data from a plurality of tracking devices, and is further operable to process the item data so as to make the item data available to enterprise applications and user interfaces associated with the auto-id tracking system, and to the auto-id tracking system.