System and method for utilizing event templates in an event manager to execute application services

• US 20080021990A1
• Filed: 07/20/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/20/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Charles Schwab & Company Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Charles Schwab & Company Incorporated (Charles Schwab Corporation)
• Inventors: Mansilla, Denny
• Granted Patent: US 8,572,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A method and apparatus in a distributed processing system for implementing different business function applications. A plurality of common utility systems which provide for performing different operations can be utilized by different event manager modules which operate to implement the different business function application. The development and implementation of new business function applications can be streamlined by using the common utility systems across a number of different event manager modules which implement different business function applications. Additionally, various event manager modules, and event templates within the event manager modules can operate in a recursive manner to generate responses to events, which then generate subsequent events and subsequent responses between the event manager modules and their event templates.

Claims

1. A data processing system for running a plurality of business function applications, the system including:

a first event manager module configured to manage the invoking of a first plurality of different service utilities;

wherein a first business function application of the plurality of business function applications includes a first plurality of different service elements, and each of these service elements has a corresponding service utility selected from the first plurality of different service utilities;

wherein the first event manager module includes a first plurality of different event templates, and an event template is provided for each of the first plurality of different service elements; and

wherein the first event manager module operates to receive a first plurality of events, and to identify a first event template which corresponds to a first received event, and based on the operation of the first event template, the first event manager module will operate to initiate the operation of a first service utility following receipt of the first event.

2. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the first event manager module includes a property identifier module which operates to identify the resources available to a processor in which the event manager module is instantiated.

3. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the event manager module includes a container component, which operates to store a plurality of instructions identifying different event handler components which are to be utilized to invoke different service utilities.

4. The computer system of claim 1, wherein the event manager module includes an operating thread initializer component, and the operating thread initializer component operates to initiate the running of operational threads of the event manager module upon instantiation of the event manager module.

5. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the operational thread initializer component operates to initiate a first thread for sensing events on an inbound port of the event manager module.

6. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the operational thread initializer component operates to initiate a first thread for reading information received on a message queue.

7. The computer system of claim 4, wherein the operational thread initializer component operates to initiate a first thread for reading files posted in a shared data storage system.

8. The computer system of claim 1 wherein each of the first plurality of different event templates includes a dependencies component which operates to determine if dependency conditions have occurred, and wherein each of the event templates operates to initiate a call to an event handler for invoking a service utility which corresponds to it, when the dependency conditions have occurred.

9. A method of implementing a plurality of business function applications in a data processing system, the method comprising:

providing a plurality of service utilities;

identifying a first plurality of service elements, in a first business function application, wherein each of the first plurality of service elements has a corresponding service utility selected from the plurality of service utilities, which performs an operation required by the corresponding service element;

providing a first plurality of event templates wherein each of the first plurality of service elements has a corresponding event template, and each event template has a corresponding triggering event, and each event template has a corresponding service utility which is the same service utility which corresponds to service element which corresponds to the event template, and upon receipt of its corresponding triggering event the event template operates to determine if a dependency condition of the event template has been met;

initiating operation of a service utility after an event template which corresponds to the service utility has received its corresponding trigger event and determined that a dependency condition has been met.

10. The method of claim 9 further including:

providing a first event manager module which includes the first plurality of event templates, and operates to receive a plurality of different triggering events and to pass each triggering event to an event template of the first plurality of event templates which corresponds to the received trigger event.

11. The method of claim 9 further including:

identifying a second plurality of service elements, in a second business function application, wherein each of the second plurality of service elements has a corresponding service utility selected from the plurality of service elements, which performs an operation called for by the corresponding service element of the second plurality of service elements;

providing a second plurality of event templates wherein each of the second plurality of service elements has a corresponding event template, and each event template of the second plurality of event templates has a corresponding triggering event, and each event template of the second plurality of event templates has a corresponding service utility which is the same service utility which corresponds to the service element which corresponds the event template of the second plurality of event templates, and upon receipt of its corresponding triggering event the event template of the second plurality of event templates operates to determine if a dependency condition of the event template of the second plurality of event templates has been met;

initiating operation of a service utility after an event template of the second plurality of event templates which corresponds to the service utility has received its corresponding trigger event and determined that its dependency conditions have been met; and

wherein at least a first service utility is used to perform an operation for both one of the first plurality of service elements, and one of the second plurality of service elements.

12. The method of claim 9, further including:

providing for each of the first plurality of event templates in XML code.

13. The method of claim 10, further including:

providing for each of the first plurality of event templates in XML code; and

providing for the first the event manager module in Java code.

14. The method of claim 10 further including:

providing an event container module in the event manager module;

storing an indication that the first service utility should be initiated in the event container module, after an event template which corresponds to the first service utility has received its corresponding trigger event and determined that its dependency conditions have been met.

15. The method of claim 10 further including:

providing the event manager module with a properties identifier component which operates to identify available resources to the first event manager module upon instantiation of the first event manager module.

16. The method of claim 9 further including:

providing each of the event templates with an identifier which identifies its triggering event.

17. The method of claim 9 further including:

providing each of the event templates with a dependencies component which identifies dependency conditions which must be met prior to initiating the service utility which corresponding to the event template.

18. The method of claim 10 further including:

including a web server component in the event manager component which provides an administrator with information regarding the operation of the event manager component.

19. The method of claim 10 further including:

sensing a remote triggering event which is generated by a service utility, and passing the remote triggering event to an event template.