System and method for generating a web service definition and database schema from wireless application definition

• US 20060236306A1
• Filed: 04/18/2005
• Published: 10/19/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Malikie Innovations Limited (Key Patent Innovations Limited)
• Original Assignee: Blackberry Limited
• Inventors: Mateescu, Daniel, DeBruin, David, Goring, Bryan
• Granted Patent: US 7,747,983 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/113
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/51 Source to source

Abstract

A system and method for generating a service interface definition for a data source from an application definition. The application definition including a screen component having screen definitions expressed in a first structured definition language for defining the visualization of a data structure when displayed on a graphical user interface of a device when in communication with the data source over a network. The visualized data structure related to data content associated with the messages communicated over the network between the device and the data source via the service interface. The system and method comprising: a service interface generation engine configured for coordinating the processing of screen control mappings identified from the screen component in generation of the service interface, the screen control mappings for defining a work flow of the screen described by the screen component in the context of the application; a message definition generator module of the engine for generating a message definition set related to the identified control mappings, the message definition set for describing the data structure communicated between the device and the data source, the message definition set expressed in a second structured definition language; an operation definition generator module of the engine for generating an operation definition describing an action supported by the data source, the operation definition expressed in the second structured definition language; wherein the message definition set is assignable to the operation definition during generation of the service interface.

Claims

1. A system for generating a service interface definition for a data source from an application definition, the application definition including a screen component having screen definitions expressed in a first structured definition language for defining the visualization of a data structure when displayed on a graphical user interface of a device when in communication with the data source over a network, the visualized data structure related to data content associated with the messages communicated over the network between the device and the data source via the service interface, the system comprising:

a service interface generation engine configured for coordinating the processing of screen control mappings identified from the screen component in generation of the service interface, the screen control mappings for defining a work flow of the screen described by the screen component in the context of the application;

a message definition module of the engine for generating a message definition set related to the identified control mappings, the message definition set for describing the data structure communicated between the device and the data source, the message definition set expressed in a second structured definition language; and

an operation definition module of the engine for generating an operation definition describing an action supported by the data source, the operation definition expressed in the second structured definition language;

wherein the message definition set is assignable to the operation definition during generation of the service interface.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising selecting a script parser or an application processor for extracting the screen control mappings from the screen component.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the screen control mappings are selected from the group comprising outgoing message definitions and incoming message definitions.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the operation definition module is configured to assign a pair of associated ones of the outgoing message definitions and incoming message definitions to a common one of the operation definition.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the first definition language is the same as the second definition language.

6. The system of claim 2 further comprising a data definition module for generating database data definitions matching the message definition set used in die service interface.

7. The system of claim 2 further comprising the engine configured for coordinating the processing of the screen control mappings identified from a plurality of the screen components.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein the plurality of screen components are configured to include a described context screen and a coupled target screen.

9. The system of claim 6, wherein the data definition module is configured for processing complex type ones of the data structure.

10. The system of claim 2 further comprising a binding definition module for generating binding definitions for inclusion in the generated service interface.

11. A method for generating a service interface definition for a data source from an application definition, the application definition including a screen component having screen definitions expressed in a first structured definition language for defining the visualization of a data structure when displayed on a graphical user interface of a device when in communication with the data source over a network, the visualized data structure related to data content associated with the messages communicated over the network between the device and the data source via the service interface, the method comprising the steps of:

identifying screen control mappings from the screen component in generation of the service interface, the screen control mappings for defining a work flow of the screen described by the screen component in the context of the application;

generating a message definition set related to the identified control mappings, the message definition set for describing the data structure communicated between the device and the data source, the message definition set expressed in a second structured definition language; and

generating an operation definition describing an action supported by the data source, the operation definition expressed in the second structured definition language;

wherein the message definition set is assigned to the operation definition during generation of the service interface.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of extracting the screen control mappings from the screen component.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the screen control mappings are selected from the group comprising outgoing message definitions and incoming message definitions.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the step of assigning a pair of associated ones of the outgoing message definitions and incoming message definitions to a common one of the operation definition.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein the first definition language is the same as the second definition language.

16. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of generating database data definitions matching the message definition set used in the service interface.

17. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of coordinating the processing of the screen control mappings identified from a plurality of the screen components.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the plurality of screen components are configured to include a described context screen and a coupled target screen.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the data definition generator is configured for processing complex type ones of the data structure.

20. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step of generating binding definitions for inclusion in the generated service interface.

21. A computer program product for generating a service interface definition for a data source from an application definition, the application definition including a screen component having screen definitions expressed in a first structured definition language for defining the visualization of a data structure when displayed on a graphical user interface of a device when in communication with the data source over a network, the visualized data structure related to data content associated with the messages communicated over the network between the device and the data source via the service interface, the computer program product comprising:

a computer readable medium;

a service interface generation engine stored on the medium and configured for coordinating the processing of screen control mappings identified from the screen component in generation of the service interface, the screen control mappings for defining a work flow of the screen described by the screen component in the context of the application;

a message definition module coupled to the engine module for generating a message definition set related to the identified control mappings, the message definition set for describing the data structure communicated between the device and the data source, the message definition set expressed in a second structured definition language; and

an operation definition module coupled to the engine module for generating an operation definition describing an action supported by the data source, the operation definition expressed in the second structured definition language;

wherein the message definition set is assignable to the operation definition during generation of the service interface.