System, method, and computer program product for reformatting non-XML data for use with internet based systems

• US 6,882,996 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2001
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ServiceNow Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Ryman, Arthur Gary, Preisig, Reto
• Primary Examiner(s): Robinson, Greta
• Assistant Examiner(s): Le, Debbie M.
• Application Number:
  US09/871,475
• Publication Number:
  US 20020184219A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,419 Days
• Field of Search: 707 1- 5, 707/10, 707/104.1, 707/100, 709/203, 709/217, 709/219
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/972 Access to data in other repository systems, e.g. legacy data or dynamic Web page generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation

Abstract

A client submits a service request, e.g., a SOAP request, an HTTP GET request or an HTTP POST request. If necessary, parameters within a Structured Query Language (SQL) string are replaced with corresponding values from the client service request. The SQL statement is executed at a database which, in turn, generates a response to the SQL statement. If necessary, the response is converted to XML. The response is then sent to the client.

Claims

1. A method for permitting a client to access a database system on a server via an Internet connection, comprising:

providing middleware communicating with the client and server;

the middleware including at least one file;

the file having at least one parameterized database system query language (SQL) statement;

in response to a client request for data including values and specific methods but not an SQL query, accessing the file; and

using the parameterized statement to return data satisfying the request to the client.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the data satisfying the request is sent via Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP) in Extensible Markup Language (XML).

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameterized statement facilitates a query for data.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameterized statement facilitates an update to the database system.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the parameterized statement facilitates an SQL stored procedure call.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the client request is one of the following:

a SOAP request, an HTTP GET request, or an HTTP POST request.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the middleware further comprises:

at least one router receiving the client request; and

the router including at least one servlet.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the servlet replaces at least some parameters in the parameterized statement with corresponding values from the client request to establish a fully qualified SQL statement.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the servlet sends the SQL statement to the database system for execution thereof.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the database system generates a response to the SQL statement and the method further comprises:

sending the response to the client.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the act of:

converting the response to XML.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the servlet generates documentation and a test page in HTML at least partially based on the client request.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the servlet generates a service description (WSDL file) at least partially based on the client request.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the servlet incorporates a document access definition (DAD) at least partially based on the client request.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the servlet generates Extensible Markup Language Schema data (XSD) at least partially based on the client request.

16. A computer system, comprising:

at least one client transmitting a client request including values but not a fully qualified SQL statement;

at least one middleware accessible to the client;

at least one file accessible to the middleware and containing at least one parameterized statement; and

at least one database system accessible to the middleware, wherein the middleware replaces at least some parameters in the parameterized statement corresponding values from the client to establish a fully qualified SQL statement for execution thereof by the database system.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the middleware sends the SQL statement to the database system for execution thereof.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein:

the database system generates a response to the SQL statement and the response is returned to the client.

19. The system of claim 16, wherein the client request is one of the following:

a SOAP request, an HTTP GET request, or an HTTP POST request.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the middleware generates documentation and a test page in HTML at least partially based on the client request.

21. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the middleware generates a service description (WSDL file) at least partially based on the client request.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the middleware servlet incorporates a document access definition (DAD) at least partially based on the client request.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein:

the middleware generates Extensible Markup Language Schema data (XSD) at least partially based on the client request.

24. A method for permitting a client to access a database system on a server via a wide area network, comprising:

providing a file between the client and database system, the file having at least one parameterized SQL statement;

replacing at least some parameters in the parameterized statement with corresponding values from the client request to establish a fully qualified SQL statement;

sending the SQL statement to the database system for execution thereof;

at the database system, generating a response to the SQL statement;

converting the response to XML if necessary; and

sending the response to the client.

25. A computer program device, comprising:

a computer readable means having logic means for facilitating data communication between a client and a database at a server, comprising;

logic means for receiving at least one client request for data from the client, the client request including desired values but not constituting a fully qualified SQL statement;

logic means for accessing a file having at least one parameterized SQL statement at least partially based on the client request;

means for replacing at least one parameter in the parameterized SQL statement with at least one value from the client to establish a fully qualified SQL statement; and

logic means for returning a response to the client at least partially based on the parameterized SQL statement.

26. The computer program device of claim 25, wherein the client request is one of the following:

a SOAP request, an HTTP GET request, or an HTTP POST request.

27. The computer program device of claim 26, wherein the computer readable means further comprises:

logic means for generating documentation or a test page in HTML at least partially based on the client request.

28. The computer program device of claim 26, wherein the computer readable means further comprises:

logic means for generating a service description (WSDL file) at least partially based on the parameterized SQL statement.

29. The computer program device of claim 26, wherein the computer readable means further comprises:

logic means for incorporating a DAD file at least partially based on the client request.