System and method for operating a networked software application on a network with sporadic connectivity

• US 7,716,343 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2006
• Issued: 05/11/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: S, Sudhir Krishna
• Primary Examiner(s): Ly; Cheyne D
• Application Number:
  US11/481,606
• Publication Number:
  US 20070043691A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,406 Days
• Field of Search: 709/218, 709/228, 709/227, 709/229, 713/200, 707/203
• US Class Current: 709/227
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/1095 Replication or mirroring of data, e.g. scheduling or transport for data synchronisation between network nodes
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/56 Provisioning of proxy services store-and-forward switching systems in data switching networks H04L12/54
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/568 Storing data temporarily at an intermediate stage, e.g. caching
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/59 Providing operational support to end devices by off-loading in the network or by emulation, e.g. when they are unavailable

Abstract

A system and method for operating a networked software application on a network with sporadic connectivity is disclosed. A user may create in a client application on a user device business data transmission. The client application may transmit the order to a proxy module. A network detection module may check whether a network connection to a backend software application is available. If the network connection is available, the proxy module may transmit the order to a backend software application. The business data may be saved in the persistency module as it is being transmitted to the server. Otherwise, the proxy module may save the order in a persistency module. A middleware application may create a client specific subset of a set of master data stored with the backend software application. The middleware application may send the client specific subset to the proxy module. The proxy module may store the client specific subset in the persistency module to be used by the user in creating the order.

Claims

1. A method of managing data that is received on a client device from a server device over a sporadic network connection, wherein the client device is configured to support a client application, a proxy module, a network detector, and a persistency module, and the server device is configured to support a backend software application and a middleware application, the method comprising:

receiving user input for creating an order in the client application;

creating a business data transmission using the client application based on the user input;

transmitting the business data transmission from the client application to the proxy module that emulates the backend software application;

determining using the network detector whether the network connection to the server device is available;

if the network connection is available, transmitting the business data transmission from the proxy module to the backend software application via the network; and

otherwise, saving the business data transmission from the proxy module in the persistency module;

receiving, by the network detector from the server device, data representing a client specific subset, the client specific subset having been culled by the middleware from a set of master data using a set of distribution rules;

storing the data representing the client specific subset in the persistency module; and

presenting through the proxy module and the client application the client specific subset to the user to assist the creation of the order.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving in the proxy module the client specific subset of the set of master data stored with the backend software application; and

storing the client specific subset in the persistency module to be used to create the business data transmission.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the middleware application synchronizes the business data transmission with a business data process stored in the backend application.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein:

a routing module determines whether the business data transmission is an altered version of the business data process; and

if the business data transmission is an altered version of the business data process, sending the business data transmission to the middleware application to be synchronized with the business data process;

or

else sending the business data transmission to the backend software application to be processed.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising bypassing the proxy module to send the business data transmission from the client application to the back end software application if the client application is connected by a dedicated network connection.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the set of master data is stored with the backend software application.

6. Computer readable medium stored thereon a set of program instructions that, when executed by a client device, cause the client device to:

receive user input for creating an order in a client application;

create a business data transmission using the client application based on the user input;

transmit the business data transmission from the client application to a proxy module that emulates the backend software application;

determine using a network detector whether a network connection to a server device from the client device is available;

if the network connection is available, transmit the business data transmission from the proxy module to the backend software application via the network; and

otherwise, save the business data transmission from the proxy module in the persistency module,

receive, by the network detector from the server device, data representing a client specific subset, the client specific subset having been culled by a middleware on the server device from a set of master data using a set of distribution rules;

store the data representing the client specific subset in the persistency module; and

present through the proxy module and the client application the client specific subset to the user to assist the creation of the order.

7. The set of program instructions of claim 6, further comprising:

receiving in the proxy module the client specific subset of the set of master data stored with the backend software application; and

storing the client specific subset in the persistency module to be used to create the business data transmission.

8. The set of instructions of claim 6, wherein the middleware application synchronizes the business data transmission with a business data process stored in the backend application.

9. The set of instructions of claim 8, wherein:

a routing module determines whether the business data transmission is an altered version of the business data process; and

if the business data transmission is an altered version of the business data process, sending the business data transmission to the middleware application to be synchronized with the business data process;

or

else sending the business data transmission to the backend software application to be processed.

10. The set of instructions of claim 6, further comprising bypassing the proxy module to send the business data transmission from the client application to the back end software application if the client application is connected by a dedicated network connection.

11. A user device comprising:

a transceiver to connect to a server via a network connection;

a user interface to receive user input;

a client application to create a business data transmission based on the user input;

a network detection module to check whether the network connection to a server executing a backend software application is available;

a persistency module to store the business data transmission if no network connection is available; and

a proxy module to receive the business data transmission and transmit the business data transmission to the backend software application if the network connection is available and otherwise to the persistency module, wherein the proxy module emulates the backend software application,

wherein responsive to user input for creating an order and transmission of the business data transmission to the backend software application,

the network detection module receives from the server data representing a client specific subset, the client specific subset having been culled by a middleware on the server from a set of master data using a set of distribution rules,

the persistency module stores the data representing the client specific data; and

the client application through the proxy module presents the client specific subset to the user to assist the creation of the order.

12. The user device of claim 11, wherein the proxy module receives from the middleware application the client specific subset of the set of master data stored with the backend software application and stores the client specific subset in the persistency module to be used to create the business data transmission.

13. The user device of claim 11, wherein a middleware application to synchronize the business data transmission with a business data process stored in the backend application.

14. The user device of claim 13, wherein a routing module determines whether the business data transmission is an altered version of the business data process and sends the business data transmission to the middleware application to be synchronized with the business data process if the business data transmission is an altered version of the business data process or else sends the business data transmission to the backend software application to be processed.

15. The user device of claim 11 wherein the client application sends the business data transmission to the back end software application bypassing the proxy module if the client application is connected by a dedicated network connection.

16. A computer network comprising:

a server to execute;

a backend software application that is stored with a master data; and

a middleware application to cull a client specific subset from the master data using a set of distribution rules;

a user device to execute;

a client application to create a business data transmission based on user input;

a network detection module to check whether a network connection to the server is available;

a persistency module to store the business data transmission if no network connection is available; and

a proxy module to receive the business data transmission and transmit the business data transmission to the backend software application if the network connection is available and otherwise to the persistency module, wherein the proxy module emulates the backend software application,

wherein responsive to user input for creating an order and transmission of the business data transmission to the backend software application,

the network detection module receives from the server data representing the client specific subset,

the persistency module stores the data representing the client specific data; and

the client application through the proxy module presents the client specific subset to the user to assist the creation of the order.

17. The computer network of claim 16, wherein a middleware application creates the client specific subset of the master data stored with the backend software application and transmits the client specific subset to the proxy module to be stored in the persistency module to be used by the user in creating the business data transmission.

18. The computer network of claim 16, wherein the server executes the middleware application to synchronize the business data transmission with a business data process stored in the backend application.

19. The computer network of claim 18, wherein the server executes a routing module to determine whether the business data transmission is an altered version of the business data process and to send the business data transmission to the middleware application to be synchronized with the business data process if the business data transmission is an altered version of the business data process or else to the backend software application to be processed.

20. The computer network of claim 16, wherein the client application sends the business data transmission to the back end software application bypassing the proxy module if the client application is connected by a dedicated network connection.