Framework for a composite application and a method of implementing a frame work for a composite application

• US 20070033088A1
• Filed: 03/22/2004
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Beringer, Joerg, Aigner, Werner, Zimmermann, Juergen
• Granted Patent: US 8,069,437 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/9
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/067 Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/32 Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level

Abstract

A framework (200, 300) for a composite application, the framework (200, 300) including: an object access layer (210, 330) operable to exchange data with a plurality of enterprise base systems (290a, b . . . z, 390a, b . . . z) and to present the data to a composite application through a uniform interface; a business object modelling layer (146, 410) including a business object modeller (146, 410) operable to provide a user interface for constructing a business object; the framework (200, 300) further including: a service layer (220, 340) operable to provide services to the composite application, wherein the service layer (220, 340) includes a collaboration services module (344) operable to provide a plurality of collaboration services to the composite application, wherein the object modelling layer (146, 410) is operable to directly link at least one of the plurality of collaboration services associated with the business object to the business object.

Claims

1. A framework (200, 300) for a composite application, the framework (200, 300) including:

an object access layer (210, 330) operable to exchange data with a plurality of enterprise base systems (290a, b . . . z, 390a, b . . . z) and to present the data to a composite application through a uniform interface;

a business object modelling layer (146, 410) including a business object modeller (146, 410) operable to provide a user interface for constructing a business object;

the framework (200, 300) further including;

a service layer (220, 340) operable to provide services to the composite application,

wherein the service layer (220, 340) includes a collaboration services module (344) operable to provide a plurality of collaboration services to the composite application,

wherein the object modelling layer (146, 410) is operable to directly link at least one of the plurality of collaboration services associated with the business object to the business object.

2. A framework according to claim 1, wherein the collaboration services module (344) is operable to provide at least one generic collaboration service.

3. A framework according to claim 2, wherein the object modelling layer (146, 410) includes a module (132) operable to derive at least one object specific service from the at least one generic collaboration service.

4. A framework according to any of the preceding claims 2 or 3, wherein the framework further includes a process modeller (722) including a context modeller (724) for modelling a context, wherein the object modelling layer (146, 410) includes a module (132) arranged to derive an object specific service from the at least one generic collaboration service on the basis of the modelled context.

5. A framework according to any of the preceding claims 2-5, wherein each business object is a specific instance of an object class, and wherein the object modelling layer (146, 410) includes a module (132) operable to extend the object class by adding a generic collaboration service and operable to derive an object class specific service from the at least one generic collaboration service.

6. A framework according to claim 5, wherein the object modelling layer (146, 410) is operable to specialize the at least one generic collaboration service in accordance with the object class.

7. A framework according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the object modelling layer (146, 410) is comprised in a design time component (310).

8. A framework according to any of the preceding claims, further including a user interface layer (230, 352) operable to provide user interface patterns that facilitate information exchange between the composite application and a user.

9. A method of implementing a composite application in a framework (200, 300), the method comprising:

accessing (210, 330) an object to exchange data with a plurality of enterprise base systems (290a, b . . . z, 390a, b . . . z) and to present the data to a composite application through a uniform interface;

modelling (146, 410) a business object to provide a user interface for constructing a business object;

providing services (220, 340) to the composite application;

wherein the providing services step includes providing a plurality of collaboration services (344) to the composite application, wherein the modelling step (146, 410) includes directly linking at least one of the plurality of collaboration services associated with the business object to the business object.

10. A method according to claim 9, wherein the providing a plurality of collaboration services step (344) includes providing at least one generic collaboration service.

11. A method according to claim 10, wherein the modelling step includes deriving (132) at least one object specific service from the at least one generic collaboration service.

12. A method according to any of the preceding claims 10 or 11, wherein the method includes modelling a process (722), wherein the modelling a process step includes modelling a context (724), wherein the modelling step includes deriving an object specific service from the at least one generic collaboration service on the basis of the modelled context.

13. A method according to any of the preceding claims 10-12, wherein each business object is a specific instance of an object class, and wherein the modelling step (146, 410) includes extending (132) the object class by adding a generic collaboration service and deriving (132) an object class specific service from the at least one generic collaboration service.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the modelling step includes specializing (132) the at least one generic collaboration service in accordance with the object class.

15. A method according to any of the preceding claims 9-14, wherein the modelling step (146, 410) is carried out by a design time component (310).

16. A method according to any of the preceding claims 9-15 further including the step of:

providing a user interface layer (230, 352) operable to provide user interface patterns that facilitate information exchange between the composite application and a user.

17. A user terminal comprising means operable to perform the method of any of claims 9-16.

18. A computer readable storage medium storing a program which when run on a computer controls the computer to perform the method of any of claims 9-16.