Automated business software application integration

• US 7,395,540 B2
• Filed: 12/03/2003
• Issued: 07/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Rogers, Daniel J.
• Primary Examiner(s): An; Meng-Ai
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong; Lechi
• Application Number:
  US10/726,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20040181471A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,672 Days
• Field of Search: 719/310, 705/50
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/20 Software design
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/123 Tax preparation or submission

Abstract

Automatic business software application is provided. Aspects of business, including objects and activities are classified and described in a comprehensive, standard manner. When a business software component is installed, a discovery manager identifies capabilities and requirements of the software based upon information describing the software in accordance with the standardized classification. The software component is selectively bound to one or more roles of a model-driven bus. In some aspects, a standardized software adapter is able to facilitate use of embodiments of the present invention with prior art software systems. Additional software layers and overhead facilitate the management and operation of multiple software components.

Claims

1. A method of operating a plurality of business software components, the method comprising:

discovering information about a first stand-alone business software application, the first business software application having at least one first component capability or first component requirement;

binding the at least one first component capability or first component requirement to a first role in a model-driven bus;

discovering information about a second stand-alone business software application, the second business software application having at least one second component capability or second component requirement;

providing standardized messaging between the first and second stand-alone business software applications wherein the first and second stand-alone business software applications interact with the model-driven bus in the form of a publisher/subscriber model;

binding the at least one second component capability or second component requirement to a second role in a model-driven bus;

wherein at least one capability of the first stand-alone business software application overlaps at least one capability of the second stand-alone business software application and wherein the model-driven bus provides arbitration such that only one of the first and second stand-alone business software applications provides the overlapping capability; and

examining role bindings to determine if a business process can be enabled.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of discovering information about the first stand-alone business software application is performed by a discovery manager.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of discovering information about the second stand-alone business software application is performed by a discovery manager.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of discovering information about the first stand-alone business software occurs automatically.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the step of discovering information about the second stand-alone business software occurs automatically.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein the automatic discovery occurs as part of installation of the first stand-alone business software.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the information about the first stand-alone business software is metadata.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the information about the second stand-alone business application is metadata.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein examining includes comparing process role bindings to predefined process pattern information.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the predefined process pattern information is part of a pattern fitness layer.