Dynamic software integration architecture

• US 7,499,899 B2
• Filed: 07/02/2004
• Issued: 03/03/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Northrop Grumman Systems Corporation (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Northrop Grumman Corporation
• Inventors: Penedo, Maria Heloisa, Siegel, Neil G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Holmes; Michael B
• Application Number:
  US10/884,071
• Publication Number:
  US 20060005204A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 706/45, 706/47, 719/313
• US Class Current: 706/47
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications

Abstract

A software integration architecture is disclosed. The architecture includes software modules operative to spontaneously integrate distributed components/systems into new integrated systems via dynamic integration connectors, with minimal or no changes to the existing software components/systems/databases. The architecture employs integration rule sets that define access and communication rules associated with a respective software component, and a negotiation engine that negotiates with the integration connectors to define data and/or control connectivity based on the integration rule sets.

Claims

1. A software integration architecture residing on a computer readable medium, the software integration architecture comprising:

an integration rule set associated with each of a plurality of software components, the integration rule set defining rules associated with access and receipt of resources for a given software component;

a negotiation engine that is executable by a processing unit to negotiate dynamically with respective connecting software components to define rules associated with integration of the software components based on the integration rule sets of the respective connecting software components; and

an integration sub-component set that provides a selection of data configuration protocols and data transfer protocols that are accessed and employed by the negotiation engine to define flow control, data conversions and communication mechanisms during transfer of data and control between respective connecting software components based on the negotiations between the respective connecting software components for integration of the respective connecting software components.

2. The architecture of claim 1, wherein an integration rule set defines rules associated with the syntax, semantics, access, communication medium and flow control of resources of an associated software component.

3. The architecture of claim 2, wherein the resources are one of data, processes, and control of a respective software component.

4. The architecture of claim 1, wherein each software component has a respective negotiation engine, the negotiation engines communicate with one another employing data selection and negotiation protocols.

5. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the negotiation engine selects from a plurality of data configuration protocols based on rules defined in the integration rule sets for at least one of translating data and control between software components.

6. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the negotiation engine selects from A plurality of data transmission protocols based on rules defined in the integration rule sets for at least one of transmitting data and control between software components.

7. The architecture of claim 1, wherein the negotiation engine includes executable code operative to spontaneously modify an integrated system in response to at least one of changes in at least one software component and an addition of a software component to the system.

8. The architecture of claim 1, wherein a negotiation profile is generated for each software component that defines at least one of data and control connectivity between a respective software component and a connecting software component based on the negotiations.

9. The architecture of claim 8, wherein the communication mechanisms comprise data access schemas that allow the negotiation engine to extract data from software components.

10. The architecture of claim 8, wherein the negotiation profiles comprise software programs and control mechanisms that implement data links, format conversions and synchronization for at least one of control and data between software components.

11. the architecture of claim 10, further comprising an integration design station that provides functionality associated with at least one of:

initiating integration between dynamic software components;

sequential control between software components;

event control between software components; and

monitoring of data and control flow processes.

12. The architecture of claim 1, further comprising an integration design station operative to compel negotiations between negotiation engines by modifying integration rule sets associated with software components.

13. A computer readable medium having computer executable components comprising:

an integration rule set that defines rules associated with access and receipt of resources for a software component;

a negotiation engine operative to negotiate dynamically with at least one other negotiation engine of a respective connecting software component to define rules associated with integration of the software components based on the integration rule set; and

an integration sub-component set that provides a selection of data configuration protocols and data transfer protocols that are employed by the negotiation engine to define flow control, data conversions and communication mechanisms for transferring data and control between the software component and at least one connecting software component based on the negotiations between the respective connecting software components for integration of the software component and the at least one connecting software component.

14. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the integration rule set defines rules associated with the syntax, semantics, access, communication medium and flow control resources of the software component.

15. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the integration sub-component set comprises at least one data selection and negotiation protocol that allows the negotiation engine to communicate with and select data from at least one other negotiation engine associated with a connecting software component.

16. The computer readable medium of claim 13, wherein the negotiation engine generates a negotiation profile that includes software programs and control mechanisms that implement data links, format conversions and synchronization for at least one of control and data between the software component and at least one other connecting software component.

17. A computer readable medium having computer executable instructions for performing a method comprising:

publishing an integration rule set associated with a software component;

subscribing to an integration rule set associated with a connecting software component;

negotiating with the connecting software component to define data access profiles, connection profiles and flow control profiles for the exchange of at least one of data and control between the software component and the connecting software component based on the published integration rule set and the subscribed to integration rule set;

building a negotiation profile that defines the at least one of data and control connectivity between the software component and the connecting software component based on the negotiations; and

exchanging at least one of data and control between the software component and the connecting software component.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the negotiating with the connecting software component comprising selecting from a plurality of data configuration protocols for at least one of translating data and control between the software component and the connecting software component.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the negotiating with the connecting software component comprising selecting from a plurality of data transmission protocols for at least one of transmitting data and control between the software component and the connecting software component.

20. The method of claim 17, further comprising modifying the negotiation profile in response to at least one of changes in at least one software component and an addition of a new connecting software component.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the building of the negotiation profile comprises generating software programs and control mechanisms that implement data links, format conversions and synchronization for at least one of control and data between the software component and the connecting software component.

22. The method of claim 17, further comprising compelling negotiations between the software component and the connecting software component by modifying integration rule sets associated with at least one of the software component and the connecting software component.

23. The method of claim 17, further comprising establishing logical and physical connections between the software component and its published integration rule set.

24. A distributed integration architecture comprising:

a plurality of software components residing on at least one computer readable medium and communicatively coupled to a communication medium; and

a plurality of integration connectors that are each associated with a respective one of the plurality of software components, each of the integration connectors being configured to publish an integration rule set associated with the respective one of the plurality of software components for access by any other one or more of the plurality of integration connectors for a negotiation of data access profiles, connection profiles, and flow control profiles for the exchange of at least one of data and control between any two or more of the plurality of software components across the communication medium based on the published integration rule sets of the any two or more of the plurality of software components.

25. The distributed integration architecture of claim 24, further comprising an integration design station configured to one of dynamically generate and modify an integration connector of the plurality of integration connectors in response to a respective one of adding and modifying a software component of the plurality of software components.

26. The distributed integration architecture of claim 24, further comprising an integration design station operative to compel negotiations between a plurality of negotiation engines that are each associated with a respective one of the plurality of software components by modifying the integration rule sets associated with each of the plurality of software components.

27. The distributed integration architecture of claim 24, wherein the plurality of software components are distributed over a plurality of computers.