Method and apparatus for a business applications server

• US 7,089,583 B2
• Filed: 01/12/2001
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/14/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Saba Software Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Saba Software Incorporated
• Inventors: Ellinger, Rich, Damania, Tejas M., Jain, Deepak, Mehra, Gaurav, Dufner, Michael L.
• Primary Examiner(s): JUNG, DAVID YIUK
• Application Number:
  US09/759,497
• Publication Number:
  US 20020049603A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,034 Days
• Field of Search: 213/150, 213/155, 213/182, 213/202, 713200-202, 713150-152, 726 1- 36
• US Class Current: 726/3
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4488 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548

Abstract

The present invention provides a solution to the needs described above through a system and method for a business applications server. The automated system of the present invention uses a persistence framework to provide a process for saving and restoring state of business objects and for performing operations thereon, and metadata driven processes to dynamically define class properties and behavior for each class of business object, in order to control the execution of the required tasks with minimum use of redundant data input to the several applications, thereby minimizing the use of hardware resources and user input and programming effort.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for automated processing of applications by a business applications server comprising the acts of:

receiving a method call relating to a business object at the business application server;

performing core services, in response to the method call, to permit performance of operations on the business object, the core services including at least an auditing service, an internationalization service, and a security service;

applying metadata to define properties and behavior of the business object; and

utilizing a persistence framework to affect a state of the business object.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the method call is based on an Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) entity beans model.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the method call is based on an Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) session beans model.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the method call is based on an XML-based model.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the persistence framework is configured to save or restore the state of the business object.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the security service controls user access to perform operations on the business object.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the core services include event monitoring and notification services.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the core services include mechanisms for enabling and disabling business rules that affect workflow and behavior of the business object.

9. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the metadata define class properties and behavior for each class of business object and wherein the metadata are stored as distinct, editable information.

10. The computer implemented method of claim 9 wherein the class properties and behavior for each class of business object which can be dynamically modified comprise labels used to display object information, type of data validation to be performed and amount of custom information associated with a given object.

11. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein a code path defined by the persistence framework comprises code to create new objects, restore and update existing objects, delete objects and find objects.

12. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein a code path defined by the persistence framework comprises a set of Java code and database stored procedures to construct and verify object data.

13. The computer implemented method of claim 12 wherein the code path defined by the persistence framework farther comprises SQL commands to save and restore information using a relational database.

14. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the auditing service tracks changes to the business object.

15. The computer implemented method of claim 1 wherein the internationalization service manages culture specific data associated with the business object.

16. A computer implemented method for automated processing of applications by a business applications server comprising the acts of:

receiving a method call relating to a business object from a first server;

performing core services, in response to the method call, to permit performance of operations on the business object by the business applications server;

using metadata to define properties and behavior of the business object; and

utilizing a persistence framework to affect a state of the business object, wherein operations on the business object is prevented based on the performed core services.

17. The computer implemented method of claim 16 wherein the persistence framework is part of the metadata.

18. The computer implemented method of claim 16 wherein the core services include at least an auditing service, an internationalization service, and a security service.

19. The computer implemented method of claim 18 wherein the auditing service tracks changes to the business object.

20. The computer implemented method of claim 18 wherein the internationalization service manages culture specific data associated with the business object.

21. The computer implemented method of claim 18 wherein the security service controls user access to perform operations on the business object.

22. An apparatus for implementing a business application comprising:

a business application server adapted to receive a method call relating to a business object from a first server;

a first processor mechanism in the business applications server configured to perform core services, in response to the method call, to permit performances of operations on the business object, the core services including at least an auditing service, an internationalization service, and a security service;

a second processor mechanism in the business applications server configured to apply metadata to define properties and behavior of the business object; and

a third processor mechanism in the business applications server configured to process the business object using a code path defined by a persistence framework.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the method call is based on an Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) entity beans model.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein method call is based in an Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) session beans model.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the method call is based on an XML-based model.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the persistence framework is configured for saving and restoring state of the business object.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the security service controls user access to perform operations on the business object.

28. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the core services include event monitoring and notification services.

29. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the core services include mechanisms for enabling and disabling business rules that affect workflow and behavior of the business object.

30. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the metadata define class properties and behavior for each class of business object and wherein the metadata are stored as distinct, editable information.

31. The apparatus of claim 30 wherein the class properties and behavior for each class of business object which can be dynamically modified comprise labels used to display object information, type of data validation to be performed and amount of custom information associated with a given object.

32. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the code path defined by the persistence framework comprises code to create new objects, restore and update existing objects, delete objects and find objects.

33. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the code path defined by the persistence framework comprises a set of Java code and database stored procedures to construct and verify object data.

34. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein the code path defined by the persistence framework further comprises SQL commands to save and restore information using a relational database.

35. A computer program product stored on a computed readable medium, comprising:

a first computer readable program mechanism for receiving a method call relating to a business object from a first server;

a second computer readable program mechanism for performing core sservices, in response to the method call, to permit performance of operations on the business object by a business applications server, wherein the core services include at least an auditing srvice, an internationalization service, and a security service;

a third computer readable code mechanism for applying metadata to define properties and behavior of the business object; and

a fourth computer readable code mechanism for affecting a state of the business object using a code path defined by a persistence framework.

36. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the method call is based on an Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) entity beans model.

37. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the method call is based on an Enterprise JavaBean (EJB) session beans model.

38. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the method call is based on an XML-based model.

39. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the persistence framework is configured for saving and restoring state of the business object.

40. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the core services security service controls user access to perform operations on the business object.

41. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the core services include event monitoring and notification services.

42. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the core services include mechanisms for enabling and disabling business rules that affect workflow and behavior of the business object.

43. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the metadata define class properties and behavior for each class of business object and wherein the metadata are stored as distinct, editable information.

44. The computer program product of claim 43 wherein the class properties and behavior for each class of business object which can be dynamically modified comprise labels used to display object information, type of data validation to be performed and amount of custom information associated with a given object.

45. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the code path defined by the persistence framework comprises code to create new objects, restore and update existing objects, delete objects and find objects.

46. The computer program product of claim 35 wherein the code path defined by the persistence framework comprises a set of Java code and database stored procedures to construct and verify object data.

47. The computer program product of claim 46 wherein the code path defined by the persistence framework further comprises SQL commands to save and restore information using a relational database.