Environment service architectures for netcentric computing systems

• US 7,734,687 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2005
• Issued: 06/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/01/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Accenture Global Services Limited (Accenture PLC)
• Original Assignee: Accenture LLP (Accenture PLC)
• Inventors: Sargent, Scott R.
• Primary Examiner(s): DONAGHUE, LARRY D
• Application Number:
  US11/208,491
• Publication Number:
  US 20050283518A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,751 Days
• Field of Search: 709/203, 719313-319
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/95 Retrieval from the web
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/959 Network
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/966 Distributed
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99934 Query formulation, input preparation, or translation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99935 Query augmenting and refining, e.g. inexact access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99942 Manipulating data structure, e.g. compression, compaction, compilation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

An environment services architecture for a netcentric computing system is disclosed by the present invention. The environment services architecture includes runtime services for converting non-compiled computer languages into machine code during the execution of an application on the netcentric computing system. System services perform system-level functions in the netcentric computing system are also provided that may be selected from the group consisting of system security services, profile management services, task and memory management services and environment verification services. In addition, the environment services architecture also includes application services for performing common functions in the netcentric computing system. A component framework service provides components of the netcentric computing system with a standard infrastructure for allowing an application running on components to communicate within and across applications in the netcentric computing system. Further, operating system services are provided for providing the netcentric computing system with underlying basic computing services.

Claims

1. An environment services architecture for a netcentric computing system, comprising:

a computer; and

a memory in communication with the computer, the memory including runtime services executable on the computer to convert non-compiled computer languages into machine code during the execution of an application on said netcentric computing system;

the memory including system services executable on the computer to perform system-level functions that are selected from the group consisting of system security services, profile management services, task and memory management services and environment verification services;

the memory including application services executable on a computer to perform common functions in said netcentric computing system, wherein said common functions include first services and second services,

wherein said first services are selected from the group consisting of application security services, error handling/logging services, state management services, active help services and common services, and

wherein said second services are application integration interface services that are executable on the computer to pass context and control of information to an application in said netcentric computing system that is external to said application services, said application integration interface services further executable on the computer to specify a communication path for passing information to said application external to said application services, and define an interface by which other applications can expect to receive information from said application external to said application services;

a component framework service executable on the computer to provide components of said netcentric computing system with a standard infrastructure for allowing an application running on components to communicate within and across applications in said netcentric computing system; and

operating system services executable on the computer to provide said netcentric computing system with underlying basic computing services.

2. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said runtime services include language interpreter services and virtual machine services.

3. The environment services architecture of claim 2, wherein said language interpreter services are executable with the computer to decompose a scripting language into machine code at runtime.

4. The environment services architecture of claim 2, wherein said virtual machine services include at least one virtual machine.

5. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said system security services are executable with the computer to provide applications with the ability to interact with native security mechanisms that are used by an operating system on said netcentric computing system.

6. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said profile management services are used to access and update a plurality of user or application profiles.

7. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said environment verification services are executable with the computer to monitor, identify and validate application integrity before said application is executed on said netcentric computing system.

8. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said task and memory management services are executable with the computer to allow applications or events to control individual computing tasks or processes and to manage memory resources in said netcentric computing system.

9. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said application security services are selected from the group consisting of user access services, data access services and function access services.

10. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said error handling/logging services are executable with the computer to present users of said netcentric computing system with an explanation of errors and log error events in a database.

11. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said state management services are executable with the computer to enable information to be shared between windows, web pages and applications in said netcentric computing system.

12. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said active help services are executable with the computer to enable applications to provide assistance to a user or a client for a specific task in said netcentric computing system.

13. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said file services are executable with the computer to enable applications to use, manage and write to files that are located in said netcentric computing system.

14. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said common services are executable with the computer to provide a plurality of reusable routines that may be used across a set of applications in said netcentric computing systems.

15. The environment services architecture of claim 1, wherein said common functions further include third services that are codes table services, said codes table services are configurable and executable with the computer to enable applications operable in a remote client to access and use at least one of parameters or validation rules that are stored external to said remote client.

16. The environment services architecture of claim 15, wherein said codes table services are configurable to create a code table from said at least one of parameters or rules, and are executable with the computer to cache a code table in a memory in said remote client to improve access efficiency.

17. A method of providing an environment services architecture for a netcentric computing system, comprising the steps of:

converting non-compiled computer languages into machine code during the execution of an application on said netcentric computing system with at least one runtime service located on a client and a server;

performing system-level functions on said netcentric computing system with at least one system service located on said client and said server, wherein said system services are selected from the group consisting of system security services, profile management services, task and memory management services and environment verification;

performing common functions in said netcentric computing system with common services located on said client and said server,

wherein first common services are selected from the group consisting of application security services, error handling/logging services, state management services, active help services and common services;

enabling an application on a remote client to access externally stored parameters and validation rules in said netcentric computing system with second common services that are codes table services;

selectively caching in application related memory on said remote client at least a portion of a code table created using said codes table services, wherein said code table is created from said externally stored parameters and validation rules that are accessed using said codes table services;

passing context and control of information to an external application in said netcentric computing system with third common services that are application integration interface services, wherein said external application is external to said remote client;

using component framework services located on said client and said server for providing a standard infrastructure for components to communicate within and across applications in said netcentric computing system; and

providing basic computing system services to said client and said server with operating system services.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein said runtime services include language interpreter services and virtual machine services.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein said language interpreter services decompose a scripting language into machine code at runtime.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein said virtual machine services include at least one virtual machine.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein said system security services provide applications with the ability to interact with native security mechanisms that are used by an operating system on said netcentric computing system.

22. The method of claim 17, wherein said profile management services are used to access and update a plurality of user or application profiles.

23. The method of claim 17, wherein said environment verification services monitor, identify and validate application integrity before an application is executed on said netcentric computing system.

24. The method of claim 17, wherein said task and memory management services allow applications or events to control individual computing tasks or processes and manage memory resources in said netcentric computing system.

25. The method of claim 17, wherein said application security services are selected from the group consisting of user access services, data access services and function access services.

26. The method of claim 17, wherein said error handling/logging services present users of said netcentric computing system with an explanation of errors and logs error events in a database.

27. The method of claim 17, wherein said state management services enable information to be shared between windows, web pages and applications in said netcentric computing system.

28. The method of claim 17, wherein said active help services enable applications to provide assistance to a user or a client for a specific task in said netcentric computing system.

29. The method of claim 17, wherein said file services enable applications to use, manage and write to files that are located in said netcentric computing system.

30. The method of claim 17, wherein said common services provide a plurality of reusable routines that may be used across a set of applications in said netcentric computing system.

31. The method of claim 17, wherein passing context and control of information comprises specifying with said application integration interface services the communication path over which the information will be passed, and defining with said application integration interface services the interface by which other applications can expect to receive information from said external application.

32. An environment services architecture for a netcentric computing system, comprising:

at least one web server connected with a remote client;

wherein said client and said web server include runtime services, system services, application services, a component framework service and operating system services,

wherein said application services include codes table services and application integration interface services,

said codes table services are configured to enable applications on said remote client to use parameters and validation rules stored in said netcentric computing system external to said web server and said remote client, and

said application integration interface services are configured to provide a gateway to pass context and control of information to an application in said netcentric computing system that is external to said web server and said remote client.

33. The environment services architecture of claim 32, wherein said runtime services convert non-compiled computer languages into machine code during the execution of an application on said netcentric computing system.

34. The environment services architecture of claim 32, wherein said system services perform system-level functions that are selected from the group consisting of system security services, profile management services, task and memory management services and environment verification services on said netcentric computing system.

35. The environment services architecture of claim 32, wherein said application services also perform other common functions in said netcentric computing system, wherein said other common functions are selected from the group consisting of application security services, error handling/logging services, state management services, active help services and common services.

36. The environment services architecture of claim 32, wherein said component framework service provides components of said netcentric computing system with a standard infrastructure for allowing an application running on components to communicate within and across applications in said netcentric computing system.

37. The environment services architecture of claim 32, wherein said operating system services provide said netcentric computing system with underlying basic computing services.

38. The environment services architecture of claim 32, wherein said application integration interface services are further configured to specify a communication path by which information will be passed.

39. The environment services architecture of claim 32, wherein said application integration interface services are further configured to define the interface by which other applications can expect to receive information from said application external to said web server and said remote client.

40. The environment services architecture of claim 32, wherein said codes table services are further configured to enable selective caching in a memory of said remote client at least a portion of a code table to be created by said codes table services using said parameters and validations rules.

41. The environment services architecture of claim 40, wherein said codes table services is configured with a plurality APIs that are useable to create a code/decode table.

42. The environment services architecture of claim 32, wherein said application in said netcentric computing system that is external to said web server and said remote client comprises at least one of an integrated performance support system, an ERP system or a custom application, or combinations thereof.