Application business object processing

• US 7,536,673 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 05/19/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Brunswig, Frank, Brendle, Rainer
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam; Tuan Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): DAO, THUY CHAN
• Application Number:
  US10/744,245
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021354A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,974 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/102
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/541 Client-server
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/465 Distributed object oriented systems remote method invocation [RMI] G06F9/548
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/103 Workflow collaboration or project management
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99931 Database or file accessing

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, for application business object processing. Business object processing includes receiving a script including a plurality business object operations for an application, wherein at least one of input in the script comprises a multi-dimensional data type, and initiating execution of the operations. The processing also includes determining whether a result of an executed operation is input for another operation and, if a result of an executed operation is input for another operation, using the result in the input for the other operation. The processing additionally includes returning the results of the executed operations.

Claims

1. A method for application business object processing, the method comprising:

receiving a script from a processing engine proxy, the script comprising a plurality of business object operations for an application, wherein at least one input in the script comprises a multi-dimensional data type, and wherein the processing engine proxy is operable to;

prepare the script;

determine a synchronization point at which an application requested a value that was not returned;

prepare to send at least a portion of the script for processing if the synchronization point has occurred, the preparing further comprising;

serializing the script into a transportable format, wherein an obiect reference is serialized using a name reference; and

marshaling parameters of the script by mapping between a current environment and a destination environment;

determine whether processing of the script is complete; and

update return values if processing of the script is complete;

initiating execution of the operations;

determining whether a result of an executed operation is input for another operation;

if a result of an executed operation is input for another operation, using the result in the input for the other operation;

determining whether a result is relevant for the application using an identifier in the script;

if a result is not relevant for the application, refusing to return the result; and

returning the results of the executed operations.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein initiating execution of the operations comprises deserializing the script and marshaling values.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising tracking business object instances.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

monitoring performance and resources; and

creating an error log if a fatal state occurs during processing.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the script comprises strings in a hierarchical structure.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the business objects may exist on different machines.

7. An application business object processing framework tangibly embodied in a computer readable storage medium, the framework comprising:

a processing engine proxy operable to;

prepare a script;

determine a synchronization point at which an application reguested a value that was not returned;

prepare to send at least a portion of the script for processing if the synchronization point has occurred, the preparing further comprising;

serializing the script into a transportable format, wherein an obiect reference is serialized using a name reference; and

marshaling parameters of the script by mapping between a current environment and a destination environment

determine whether processing of the script is complete; and

update return values if processing of the script is complete; and

a processing engine operable to;

receive the script comprising a plurality of business object operations for an application, wherein at least one input in the script comprises a multi-dimensional data type;

initiate execution of the operations;

determine whether a result of an executed operation is input for another operation;

if a result of an executed operation is input for another operation, use the result as input for the other operation;

determine whether a result is relevant for an application using an identifier in the script;

if a result is not relevant for the application, refuse to return the result; and

return the results of the executed operations.

8. The framework of claim 7, wherein the multi-dimensional data type comprises a table.

9. The framework of claim 7, wherein the multi-dimensional data type is self-describing.

10. The framework of claim 7, wherein initiating execution of the operations comprises deserializing the script and marshaling values.

11. The framework of claim 7, wherein returning the results of the executed operations to the application comprises serializing the results.

12. The framework of claim 7, wherein the processing engine is further operable to track business object instances.

13. The framework of claim 12, wherein the business object instances are tracked in a running object table.

14. The framework of claim 7, wherein the business object operations are described in Remote Function Call transport protocol.

15. The framework of claim 14, wherein the script contains parameters and values.

16. The framework of claim 7, wherein the script comprises strings in a hierarchical structure.

17. The framework of claim 7, wherein the processing engine is further operable to:

monitor performance and resources; and

create an error log if a fatal state occurs in the processing engine.

18. The framework of claim 7, wherein the business objects may exist on different machines.

19. The framework of claim 7, wherein the engine provides an interface for creating business objects, calling methods on business objects, and releasing business objects.

20. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

determining whether a script comprising a plurality of business object operations for an application has been received from a processing engine proxy, wherein at least one input in the script comprises a multi-dimensional data set, and wherein the processing engine proxy is operable to;

prepare the script;

determine a synchronization point at which an application reauested a value that was not returned;

prepare to send at least a portion of the script for processing if the synchronization point has occurred, the preparing further comprising;

serializing the script into a transportable format, wherein an object reference is serialized using a name reference; and

marshaling parameters of the script by mapping between a current

environment and a destination environment;

determine whether processing of the script is complete; and

update return values if processing of the script is complete;

initiating execution of the operations;

determining whether a result of an executed operation is input for another operation;

if a result of an executed operation is input for another operation, using the result in the input for the other operation;

determining whether a result is relevant for the application using an identifier in the script;

if a result is not relevant for the application, refusing to return the result; and

returning the results of the executed operations.

21. The article of claim 20, wherein initiating execution of the operations comprises deserializing the script and marshaling values.

22. The article of claim 20, wherein returning the results of the executed operations comprises serializing the results.

23. The article of claim 20, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising tracking business object instances.

24. The article of claim 20, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

monitoring performance and resources; and

creating an error log if a fatal state occurs during processing.

25. The article of claim 20, wherein the script comprises strings in a hierarchical structure.

26. The article of claim 20, wherein the business objects may exist on different machines.

27. A method for application business object processing, the method comprising:

preparing a script comprising a plurality of business object operations for an application, wherein at least one of the inputs for the script comprises a multi- dimensional data type;

determining whether a synchronization point defined by the application has occurred;

if a synchronization point has occurred, preparing to send at least a portion of the script to a processing enaine for processing. the preparing further comprising;

serializing the script into a transportable format, wherein an obiect

reference is serialized using a name reference; and

marshaling parameters of the script by mapping between a current environment and a destination environment,

wherein the processing engine is operable to;

receive the script;

initiate execution of the operations;

determine whether a result of an executed operation is input for another operation;

if a result of an executed operation is input for another operation. use the result as input for the other operation;

determine whether a result is relevant for an application using an identifier in the script;

if a result is not relevant for the application, refuse to return the result; and

return the results of the executed operations;

determining whether processing of the script portion is complete; and

if processing of the script portion is complete, updating return values.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein a synchronization point comprises an application requesting a value that has not been returned.

29. The method of claim 27, wherein preparing to send at least a portion of the script for processing comprises:

serializing the script; and

marshaling parameters and values.

30. The method of claim 27, further comprising determining whether a portion of the script should be sent for processing.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein determining whether a portion of a script should be sent for processing comprises determining whether a portion of the script is associated with a specific processing engine.

32. The method of claim 30, further comprising sending a second portion of the script for processing after the first portion of the script has been processed if a portion of the script should be sent for processing.

33. An article comprising a machine-readable medium storing instructions operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising:

preparing a script comprising a plurality of business object operations for an application, wherein at least one of the inputs for the script comprises a multi- dimensional data type;

determining whether a synchronization point defined by the application has occurred;

if a synchronization point has occurred, preparing to send at least a portion of the script to a processing engine for processing, the preparing further comprising;

serializing the script into a transportable format, wherein an obiect reference is serialized using a name reference; and

marshaling parameters of the script by mapping between a current environment and a destination environment,

wherein the processing engine is operable to;

receive the script;

initiate execution of the operations;

determine whether a result of an executed operation is input for another operation;

if a result of an executed operation is input for another operation, use the result as input for the other operation;

determine whether a result is relevant for an application using an identifier in the script;

if a result is not relevant for the application, refuse to return the result;

and

return the results of the executed operations;

determining whether processing of the script portion is complete; and

if processing of the script portion is complete, updating return values.

34. The article of claim 33, wherein a synchronization point comprises an application requesting a value that has not been returned.

35. The article of claim 33, wherein preparing to send at least a portion of the script for processing comprises:

serializing the script; and

marshaling parameters and values.

36. The article of claim 33, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising determining whether a portion of the script should be sent for processing.

37. The article of claim 36, wherein determining whether a portion of a script should be sent for processing comprises determining whether a portion of the script is associated with a specific processing engine.

38. The article of claim 36, wherein the instructions are further operable to cause one or more machines to perform operations comprising sending a second portion of the script for processing after the first portion of the script has been processed if a portion of the script should be sent for processing.

39. A system for application business object processing, the system comprising:

a processing engine proxy tangibly embodied in a computer readable storage medium, the processing engine proxy operable to;

interface with an application to prepare a script comprising a plurality of business object operations for the application, wherein the operations are described in Remote Function Call transport protocol and at least one of the inputs comprises a self-describing, multi-dimensional data type,

determine whether a synchronization point has occurred,

if a synchronization point has occurred, determine whether at least a portion of the script should be sent to a processing engine,

prepare to send at least a portion of the script to a processing engine, the preparing further comprising;

serializing the script into a transportable format, wherein an obiect reference is serialized using a name reference; and

marshaling parameters of the script by mapping between a current environment and a destination environment;

determine whether processing of the script portion is complete, and

if processing of the script portion is complete, update return values; and

a processing engine, the processing engine operable to;

receive the script portion,

deserialize the operations,

marshal parameters and values for the operations,

initiate execution of the operations,

determine whether a result of an executed operation is input for another operation,

if a result of an executed operation is input for another operation, use the result as input for the other operation,

determine whether a result is relevant for the application,

if a result is not relevant for the application, refuse to return the result, serialize the results for return, and

return the results of the executed operations to the processing engine proxy.