Method and apparatus for locating inter-enterprise resources using text-based strings

• US 6,718,331 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2000
• Issued: 04/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Davis, Nathan Eugene, Herman, Peter W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Amsbury, Wayne
• Assistant Examiner(s): NGUYEN, CAM LINH T
• Application Number:
  US09/736,583
• Publication Number:
  US 20020078000A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,209 Days
• Field of Search: 707/3, 709/219
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/462 Lookup
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented

Abstract

A standard format is provided for a text string called an enterprise identifier, which acts as a handle to access resources from disparate sources and technologies. Enterprise identifiers use extensible markup language format to allow a resource identifier to be created manually without accessing the resource. The identifier may be passed between enterprises via business-to-business connection, e-mail, telephone, or facsimile. Data may be extracted from the identifier for display or programmatic use without accessing the resource, thus avoiding unnecessary data access and transfer

Claims

1. A method for locating a resource using a text-based string, comprising machine implemented steps of:

receiving an identification of the resource; and

creating an enterprise identifier including a name server identifier and a resource identifier for the resource, wherein the name server identifier points to a location of a name server used to resolve reference to the enterprise identifier.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise identifier comprises a text string.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the name server identifier comprises a uniform resource locator.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the resource identifier comprises a resource name and at least one primary key name-value pair.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the enterprise identifier is created without accessing the resource.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the name server converts the resource identifier for the resource to an address for the resource.

7. A method for locating a resource using a text-based string, comprising machine implemented steps of:

receiving an identification of the resource; and

creating an enterprise identifier for subsequent use in a request to locate the resource, said enterprise identifier including a name server identifier and a resource identifier for the resource, wherein the enterprise identifier comprises an object-oriented programming object.

8. A method for locating a resource using a text-based string, comprising machine implemented steps of:

receiving an identification of the resource; and

creating an enterprise identifier for subsequent use in a request to locate the resource, said enterprise identifier including a name server identifier and a resource identifier for the resource, wherein the enterprise identifier further includes at least one optional attribute of the resource.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one optional attribute comprises at least one name-value pair.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein the at least one optional attribute includes a short name.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

displaying the short name in association with an icon representing the enterprise identifier.

12. An article of manufacture for locating a resource using a text-based string, comprising:

receipt means for receiving an identification of the resource; and

creation means for creating an enterprise identifier including a name server identifier and a resource identifier for the resource, wherein the name server identifier points to a location of a name server used to resolve reference to the enterprise identifier.

13. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the enterprise identifier comprises a text string.

14. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the name server identifier comprises a uniform resource locator.

15. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the resource identifier comprises a resource name and at least one primary key name-value pair.

16. The article of manufacture of claim 12, wherein the enterprise identifier is created without accessing the resource.

17. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the name server converts the resource identifier for the resource to an address for the resource.

18. An article of manufacture for locating a resource using a text-based string, comprising:

receipt means for receiving an identification of the resource; and

creation means for creating an enterprise identifier for subsequent use in a request to locate the resource, said enterprise identifier including a name server identifier and a resource identifier for the resource, wherein the enterprise identifier comprises an object-oriented programming object.

19. An article of manufacture for locating a resource using a text-based string, comprising:

receipt means for receiving an identification of the resource; and

creation means for creating an enterprise identifier for subsequent use in a request to locate the resource, said enterprise identifier including a name server identifier and a resource identifier for the resource, wherein the enterprise identifier further includes at least one optional attribute of the resource.

20. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the at least one optional attribute comprises at least one name-value pair.

21. The article of manufacture of claim 19, wherein the at least one optional attribute includes a short name.

22. The article of manufacture of claim 21, further comprising:

means for displaying the short name in association with an icon representing the enterprise identifier.

23. A computer program product, in a computer readable medium, for locating a resource using a text-based string, comprising:

instructions for receiving an identification of the resource; and

instructions for creating an enterprise identifier including a name server identifier and a resource identifier for the resource, wherein the name server identifier points to a location of a name server used to resolve reference to the enterprise identifier.

24. The computer program product of claim 23, wherein the name server converts the resource identifier for the resource to an address for the resource.

25. An article of manufacture comprising a computer usable medium having an enterprise identifier object embodied therein for providing access to a resource instance, the enterprise identifier object comprising:

a method for creating an instance of an enterprise identifier;

a method for returning an object corresponding to the enterprise identifier object;

a method for returning an enterprise identifier text string corresponding to the enterprise identifier object;

a method for returning an attribute corresponding to the enterprise identifier object; and

a method for modifying an attribute corresponding to the enterprise identifier object.