Integration framework

• US 7,290,708 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2002
• Issued: 11/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Haller, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): HESS, DANIEL A
• Application Number:
  US10/210,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20040024768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,924 Days
• Field of Search: 235/385, 235/492, 340/10.1, 340/10.4, 340/572.1, 340/572.4
• US Class Current: 235/385
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for real-time data transfer between sensor or actuator devices and higher-level applications.

In one aspect, an integration engine receives a set of rules from an external application and receives item data including item identifiers from one or more tag readers, each item identifier being read from a digital tag bound to a physical item. The integration engine uses the rules and item data to determine in real time which subset of the item data to furnish to the external application.

In another aspect, the integration engine receives from the external application configuration data for controlling an actuator device. The integration engine converts the configuration data to a format compatible with the actuator device; and furnishes the converted configuration data in real time to the actuator device.

Claims

1. A computer program product, tangibly embodied in an information carrier, the computer program product being operable to cause data processing apparatus to:

receive a set of rules, the rules specifying what data to furnish to an external application;

receive item data including item identifiers from one or more tag readers, each item identifier being read from a digital tag bound to a physical item, the item identifier uniquely identifying the item;

receive additional item data from other sensor devices, the other sensor devices being devices other than tag readers, the additional item data containing additional physical item attributes besides an item identifier, the additional item data being related to one or more items identified by the tag readers;

use the rules, item identifiers, and additional item data to determine which subset of the item identifiers and additional item data to furnish to the external application;

furnish to the external application data consisting of only the subset of the received item identifiers and additional item data;

receive data from the external application, the data including configuration data for controlling an actuator device;

convert the configuration data to a format compatible with the actuator device; and

furnish the converted configuration data to the actuator device.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the determination is made and the data is furnished in real time.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, further operable to:

aggregate an item identifier with additional item data.

4. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a set of rules, the rules specifying what data to furnish to an external application;

receiving item data including item identifiers from one or more tag readers, each item identifier being read from a digital tag bound to a physical item, the item identifier uniquely identifying the item;

receiving additional item data from other sensor devices, the other sensor devices being devices other than tag readers, the additional item data containing additional physical item attributes besides an item identifier, the additional item data being related to one or more items identified by the tag readers;

using the rules, item identifiers, and additional item data to determine which subset of the item identifiers and additional item data to furnish to the external application

furnishing to the external application data consisting of only the subset of the received item identifiers and additional item data;

receiving data from the external application, the data including configuration data for controlling an actuator device;

converting the configuration data to a format compatible with the actuator device; and

furnishing the converted configuration data to the actuator device.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the determination is made and the data is furnished in real time.

6. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

aggregating an item identifier with additional item data.

7. An integration engine, comprising:

means for receiving a set of rules, the rules specifying what data to furnish to an external application;

means for receiving item data including item identifiers from one or more tag readers, each item identifier being read from a digital tag bound to a physical item, the item identifier uniquely identifying the item;

means for receiving additional item data from other sensor devices, the other sensor devices being devices other than tag readers, the additional item data containing additional physical item attributes besides an item identifier, the additional item data being related to one or more items identified by the tag readers;

means for using the rules, item identifiers, and additional item data to determine which subset of the item identifiers and additional item data to furnish to the external application;

means for furnishing to the external application data consisting of only the subset of the received item identifiers and additional item data;

means for receiving data from the external application, the data including configuration data for controlling an actuator device;

means for converting the configuration data to a format compatible with the actuator device; and

means for furnishing the converted configuration data to the actuator device.

8. The integration engine of claim 7, wherein the determination is made and the data is furnished in real time.

9. The integration engine of claim 7, further comprising:

means for aggregating an item identifier with additional item data.