Composition model and composition validation algorithm for ubiquitous computing applications

• US 20070168925A1
• Filed: 12/01/2005
• Published: 07/19/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Bornhoevd, Christof, Avanes, Artin, Ziekow, Holger
• Granted Patent: US 7,779,383 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/40 Network security protocols

Abstract

Modeling a component-based application includes modeling communication capabilities of components of the application, modeling a plan for interlinking components of the application, modeling communications capabilities of a compound component composed of a plurality of constituent components, and determining if interlinked components are compatible to communicate validly in the application.

Claims

1. A method of modeling a component-based application, the method comprising:

modeling communication capabilities of components of the application;

modeling a plan for interlinking components of the application;

modeling communications capabilities of a compound component composed of a plurality of constituent components; and

determining if interlinked components are compatible to communicate validly in the application.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the components comprise software modules.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the components comprise heterogeneous computational devices.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the heterogeneous computational devices comprise RFID devices.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining if the compound component is well-formed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein modeling communication capabilities of components of the application comprises mapping a communication concept to a property associated with the component.

7. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

modeling end-to-end communications concepts of components at ends of a communications pathway through interlinked components; and

determining if the end-to-end communications concepts of the components at the ends of the pathway are compatible.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein modeling communication capabilities of components of the application comprises generating a model of an interface port of the component.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein modeling communications capabilities of a compound component composed of a plurality of constituent components comprises merging models of interface ports of the constituent components.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein

modeling communication capabilities of components of the application comprises modeling communication capabilities of types of components;

and

wherein determining if interlinked components are compatible to communicate validly in the application comprises determining if the communication technologies modeled by the types of components are compatible.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein

modeling communication capabilities of components of the application comprises modeling communication capabilities of instances of components;

and

wherein determining if interlinked components are compatible to communicate validly in the application comprises determining if the instances of components are compatible.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising associating a communication capability with an OSI layer.

13. A system for modeling a component-based application, the system comprising:

a storage device comprising;

models of communication capabilities of components of the application, and

a model of a plan for interlinking components of the application; and

a processor, wherein the processor is configured to;

model communications capabilities of a compound component composed of a plurality of constituent components, and

determine if interlinked components are compatible to communicate validly in the application.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein the components comprise heterogeneous computational devices.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the heterogeneous computational devices comprise RFID devices.

16. The system of claim 13, wherein the processor is further configured to determine if the compound component is well-formed.

17. The system of claim 13, wherein

the storage device further comprises models of end-to-end communications concepts of components at ends of a communications pathway through interlinked components, and wherein

the processor is further configured to determine if the end-to-end communications concepts of the components at the ends of the pathway are compatible.

18. The system of claim 13,

wherein the processor is further configured to generate a model of an interface port of the component, and

wherein the processor is further configured to merge models of interface ports of the constituent components to model communications capabilities of the compound component.

19. The system of claim 13,

wherein the processor is configured to model communication capabilities of types of components to model communication capabilities of the components of the application;

and

wherein the processor is configured to determine if the types of components are compatible to determine if the interlinked components are compatible to communicate validly in the application.

20. The system of claim 13,

wherein the processor is configured model communication capabilities of instances of components to model communication capabilities of components of the application;

and

wherein the processor is configured to determine if interlinked components are compatible to communicate validly to determine if the instances of components are compatible.