Systems and methods for modeling processing procedures

• US 20070078867A1
• Filed: 09/19/2006
• Published: 04/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Westendorf, Frank
• Granted Patent: US 7,496,573 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4488 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99937 Sorting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99938 Concurrency, e.g. lock management in shared database
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99939 Privileged access

Abstract

Systems and methods are provided for implementation of a processing procedure on an object allocated to an object category as an instance of an object type. In one embodiment, a computerized method is provided. The method may include breaking the object into separately processable, hierarchically classifiable sub-objects as instances of corresponding sub-object types, processing at least a part of the sub-objects with respective predetermined partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object type. The method may further include processing results obtained from processing the sub-objects and combining the results via a functional relationship in a processing procedure of higher rank than the partial processing procedures. An object-specific processing result may then be derived for the processing procedure.

Claims

1. A method for implementation of a processing procedure on an object allocated to an object category as an instance of an object type in a computer system, comprising the steps of:

breaking the object into separately processable, hierarchically classifiable sub-objects as instances of corresponding sub-object types;

processing at least a part of the sub-objects with respective, predetermined partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object type;

processing results obtained from processing the sub-objects and combining the results via a functional relationship in a processing procedure of higher rank than the partial processing procedures; and

deriving an object-specific processing result for the processing procedure,

wherein in order to implement the partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object-type, object attributes or attributes of other sub-objects are temporarily made available.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the attributes of other sub-objects are attributes of hierarchically higher-ranking sub-objects.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein a temporary storage structure or a non-permanent object type is generated for the temporary provision of the attributes for the corresponding sub-objects to be processed, in which attributes are temporarily filed and transferred to the corresponding partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object type.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the temporary storage structure or the non-permanent object type is provided with the attributes that are required for carrying out a corresponding partial processing procedure specific to the sub-object type.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the attributes are automatically made available according to predefined rules implemented in the computer system.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the object and the sub-objects of the object are instantiated in one or more databanks of the computer system, each by way of one or more hierarchically classified directories specific to the object type or sub-object type, and further wherein the directory or directories are in each case structured in a generalized manner.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the partial processing procedures specific to the sub-object types are transferred via an interface to external processing units.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein intermediate processing results of correspondingly subordinate sub-objects are temporarily made available for the implementation of the partial processing procedures specific to the sub-object type.

9. A computerized system for managing objects and for the implementation of at least one processing procedure on at least one of the objects allocated in each case to an object category, the system comprising:

means for breaking the object down as an instance of an object type into separately processable and hierarchically organized sub-objects as instances of corresponding sub-object types;

at least one processing unit adapted to process at least some of the sub-objects with predetermined partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object type, combine the results therefrom via a functional relationship in a processing procedure of higher rank than the partial processing procedures, and derive an object-specific processing result for the processing procedure; and

a control unit that temporarily makes available in each case object attributes or attributes of other sub-objects for the implementation of the partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object type.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the control unit generates a temporary storage structure or a non-permanent object type for the temporary provision of the attributes for the corresponding sub-objects to be processed, in which the attributes are temporarily filed and can be transferred to the corresponding partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object type.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein the temporary storage structure or the non-permanent object type is provided with the attributes that are required for implementing a corresponding partial processing procedure specific to each sub-object type.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the control unit is configured to automatically make available the attributes according to predefined rules.

13. The system of claim 9, wherein the object and the sub-objects of the object are instantiated in one or more databanks, each by way of one or more hierarchically classifiable directories specific to the object type or sub-object type, wherein the directory or directories are in each case structured in a generalized way.

14. The system of claim 9, wherein interfaces are provided via which the partial processing procedures specific to the sub-objects are transferred to external processing units.

15. A computer-readable medium comprising programmable instructions adapted to perform a computer-implemented method for implementation of a processing procedure on an object allocated to an object category as an instance of an object type in a computer system, the method comprising the steps of:

breaking the object into separately processable, hierarchically classifiable sub-objects as instances of corresponding sub-object types;

processing at least a part of the sub-objects with respective predetermined partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object type;

processing results obtained from processing the sub-objects, and combining the results via a functional relationship in a processing procedure of higher rank than the partial processing procedures; and

deriving an object-specific processing result for the processing procedure,

wherein in order to implement the partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object-type, object attributes or attributes of other sub-objects are temporarily made available.

16. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the attributes of other sub-objects are attributes of hierarchically higher-ranking sub-objects.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein a temporary storage structure or a non-permanent object type is generated for the temporary provision of the attributes for the corresponding sub-objects to be processed, in which attributes are temporarily filed and transferred to the corresponding partial processing procedures specific to each sub-object type.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the temporary storage structure or the non-permanent object type is provided with the attributes that are required for carrying out a corresponding partial processing procedure specific to the sub-object type.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 17, wherein the attributes are automatically made available according to predefined rules implemented in the computer system.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the object and the sub-objects of the object are instantiated in one or more databanks of the computer system, each by way of one or more hierarchically classified directories specific to the object type or sub-object type, and further wherein the directory or directories are in each case structured in a generalized manner.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein the partial processing procedures specific to the sub-object types are transferred via an interface to external processing units.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 15, wherein intermediate processing results of correspondingly subordinate sub-objects are temporarily made available for the implementation of the partial processing procedures specific to the sub-object type.