Web Service Architecture for Dynamic Rules Table Generation

• US 20090106398A1
• Filed: 10/20/2008
• Published: 04/23/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Oracle International Corporation (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Fan, Jonathan, Seaman, Robert A.M. II, Chang, Yi
• Granted Patent: US 8,996,606 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/219
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/06 Buying, selling or leasing transactions
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0601 Electronic shopping [e-shopping]

Abstract

Various systems and methods for providing access to a dynamically generated rules table as a Web Service are disclosed. One method involves receiving a Web Service request from a requester and then dynamically generating a rules table, in response to receipt of the Web Service request. Dynamically generating the rules table includes accessing one or more matrices that store information associated with multiple different rules tables. For example, dynamic generation of the rules table can involve accessing a dimension matrix that stores information identifying one or more input criteria and one or more results included in the rules table, selecting information from a rules matrix based upon the criteria and results identified by the dimension matrix, and then storing the selected information from the rules matrix in the rules table.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

receiving a Web Service request from a requester; and

dynamically generating a rules table, in response to receipt of the Web Service request, wherein the dynamically generating the rules table comprises accessing one or more matrices, wherein the one or more matrices store information associated with a plurality of rules tables.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the Web Service request comprises a request for the rules table, wherein the method further comprises sending a Web Service response to the requester, and wherein the Web Service response comprises the rules table.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising the requester caching the rules table, in response to receiving the Web Service response.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the requester comprises a sales channel module in a first sales channel, and wherein the method further comprises:

receiving a second Web Service request from a second requester in a second sales channel; and

regenerating the rules table, in response to receipt of the second Web Service request.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a second Web Service request, wherein the second Web Service request comprises a request to modify the rules table; and

modifying the one or more matrices, in response to receipt of the second Web Service request.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dynamically generating the rules table comprises:

accessing a dimension matrix, wherein the dimension matrix stores information identifying one or more input criteria and one or more results included in the rules table; and

selecting information from a rules matrix, wherein the selected information from the rules matrix corresponds to the one or more input criteria and the one or more results; and

storing the selected information from the rules matrix in the rules table.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the dynamically generating the rules table comprises accessing a name matrix, wherein the name matrix indicates a row of the dimension matrix storing the information identifying the one or more input criteria and the one or more results included in the rules table.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the information identifying the one or more input criteria identifies a location of each of the one or more input criteria in a property set.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

maintaining a copy of the rules table, subsequent to the dynamically generating the rules table; and

invalidating the copy of the rules table, in response to detecting a modification of the one or more matrices.

10. A computer readable storage medium storing program instructions executable to:

dynamically generate a rules table, in response to receipt of a Web Service request from a requester, wherein the dynamically generating the rules table comprises accessing one or more matrices, wherein the one or more matrices store information associated with a plurality of rules tables.

11. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the Web Service request comprises a request for the rules table, wherein the program instructions are further executable to send a Web Service response to the requester, and wherein the Web Service response comprises the rules table.

12. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the requester comprises a sales channel module in a first sales channel, and wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

regenerate the rules table, in response to receipt of a second Web Service request from a second requester in a second sales channel.

13. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

modify the one or more matrices, in response to receipt of a second Web Service request, wherein the second Web Service request comprises a request to modify the rules table.

14. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions are executable to:

access a dimension matrix, wherein the dimension matrix stores information identifying one or more input criteria and one or more results included in the rules table; and

select information from a rules matrix, based on the one or more input criteria and the one or more results; and

store the selected information from the rules matrix in the rules table.

15. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the program instructions are further executable to access a name matrix, wherein the name matrix indicates a row of the dimension matrix storing the information identifying the one or more input criteria and the one or more results included in the rules table.

16. The computer readable storage medium of claim 14, wherein the information identifying the one or more input criteria identifies a location of each of the one or more input criteria in a property set.

17. The computer readable storage medium of claim 10, wherein the program instructions are further executable to:

maintain a copy of the rules table, subsequent to dynamically generating the rules table; and

invalidate the copy of the rules table, in response to detecting a modification of the one or more matrices.

18. A system comprising:

computer readable storage means for storing one or more rules matrices; and

dynamic rules table generation means for dynamically generating a rules table, in response to receipt of a Web Service request from a requester, wherein dynamically generating the rules table comprises accessing the one or more matrices, wherein the one or more matrices store information associated with a plurality of rules tables.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the Web Service request comprises a request for the rules table, wherein the dynamic rules table generation means comprise means for sending a Web Service response to the requester, and wherein the Web Service response comprises the rules table.

20. The system of claim 18, wherein the dynamic rules table generation means comprise means for modifying the one or more matrices, in response to receipt of a second Web Service request, wherein the second Web Service request comprises a request to modify the rules table.

21. The system of claim 18, wherein the dynamic rules table generation means comprises means for:

accessing a dimension matrix, wherein the dimension matrix stores information identifying one or more input criteria and one or more results included in the rules table; and

selecting information from a rules matrix, based on the one or more input criteria and the one or more results; and

storing the selected information from the rules matrix in the rules table.

22. The system of claim 21, wherein the dynamic rules table generation means comprises means for accessing a name matrix, wherein the name matrix indicates a row of the dimension matrix storing the information identifying the one or more input criteria and the one or more results included in the rules table.