SYSTEM AND METHOD OF OBJECT SIMULATION IN AN INTERMITTENTLY CONNECTED MOBILE APPLICATION

• US 20120042241A1
• Filed: 10/27/2011
• Published: 02/16/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: LOCK, Hendrik, SMILEK, Janusz, SCHLETZ, Bernard, NETZEL, Jutta, KOTHANDARAMAN, Ramprasadh
• Granted Patent: US 8,509,751 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/255
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable

Abstract

The generation and comparison of a first time stamp and a second time stamp allows for the active operation of a mobile device that is intermittently connected to a middleware system. A document is created with a first time stamp, where this document relates to a particular activity associated with one or more objects. Affected object fields are also created to include a second time stamp. The first time stamp is updated to reflect a data request object and the second time stamp reflects when the affected object is adjusted on the back-end system. Until the second time stamp is later in time than the first time stamp, indicating successful processing of the data request object, the mobile device simulates the successful processing of the data request object to reflect the adjustment in a data object value.

Claims

1-19. -19. (canceled)

20. A method of operating a backend system via a middleware for a mobile device, wherein the mobile device generates and stores a first time stamp in response to a user request to update data stored in the backend system, and creates a data request object for updating a data field in a local document stored on the mobile device from an original value to an updated value, the method comprising:

receiving, by the backend system via the middleware, a data message including the data request object from the mobile device to correspondingly modify a data object stored on the backend system;

generating, at the backend system, a second time stamp reflecting a time at which the backend has modified the data object stored on the backend system; and

transmitting the second time stamp, from the backend system via the middleware, to the mobile device,

wherein the mobile device is configured to, in response to receiving the second time stamp,

compare the first time stamp with the second time stamp; and

if the first time stamp is an initial time stamp or later in time than the second time stamp, display on the mobile device a simulated data field for the local document, wherein the simulated data field represents the updated value.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein the mobile device is further configured to reset the first time stamp of the local document upon creation of the data request object.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein when the data object to be modified is updated on the backend system, the second time stamp is adjusted, the method further comprising:

updating the second time stamp based on a time on the backend system.

23. The method of claim 22 further comprising:

transmitting, by the backend system via the middleware, an updated time stamp for the second time stamp if the mobile device is in communication with the backend system.

24. The method of claim 20 wherein the local document on the mobile device is referenced with the modified data object using a key.

25. The method of claim 20 further comprising:

if the second time stamp is later in time than the first time stamp, referencing the data field instead of the simulated data field.

26. The method of claim 20, wherein the data request object references the data object to be modified but does not change the data object to be modified.

27. The method of claim 20 wherein the mobile device communicates with the backend system through an intermittent communication channel via the middleware.

28. A method of operating a middleware connecting between a mobile device and a backend system, wherein the mobile device generates and stores a first time stamp in response to a user request to update data stored in the backend system, and creates a data request object for updating a data field in a local document stored on the mobile device from an original value to an updated value, the method comprising:

receiving, by the middleware, a data message including the data request object from the mobile device to correspondingly modify a data object stored on the backend system;

transmitting, by the middleware, the data message to the backend system which generates a second time stamp reflecting a time at which the backend has modified the data object stored on the backend system;

receiving, by the middleware from the backend system, the second time stamp; and

transmitting, by the middleware, the second time stamp to the mobile device,

wherein the mobile device is configured to, in response to receiving the second time stamp,

compare the first time stamp with the second time stamp; and

if the first time stamp is an initial time stamp or later in time than the second time stamp, display on the mobile device a simulated data field for the local document, wherein the simulated data field represents the updated value.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile device is further configured to reset the first time stamp of the local document upon creation of the data request object.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising:

storing, on the middleware, the second time stamp;

when the data object to be modified is updated on the backend system, adjusting the second time stamp stored on the middleware based on the second time stamp on the backend system.

31. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

transmitting, by the middleware, the second time stamp to the mobile device only when a communication channel to the mobile device is available.

32. The method of claim 28, wherein the local document is referenced with the modified data object using a key.

33. The method of claim 28, further comprising:

if the second time stamp is later in time than the first time stamp, referencing the data field instead of the simulated data field.

34. The method of claim 28, wherein the data request object references the data object to be modified but does not change the data object to be modified.

35. The method of claim 28, wherein the mobile device communicates with the backend system through intermittent communication via the middleware.

36. A method of operating a middleware comprising:

receiving from a mobile device a data message including a data request object for updating a data value in a local document stored on a mobile device from an original value to an updated value, said data request object for correspondingly modifying a data object stored on a backend system;

transmitting, by the middleware, the data message to the backend system;

receiving, by the middleware, a time stamp reflecting a time at which the backend system has modified the data object stored on the backend system; and

transmitting, by the middleware, the time stamp to the mobile device, such that said time stamp is to cause the mobile device to compare the time stamp with an internally generated time stamp, and if the time stamp is an initial time stamp or later in time than the internally generated time stamp, display on the mobile device a simulated data field for the local document, wherein the simulated data field represents the updated value.