Software, method and system for data connectivity and integration having transformation and exchange infrastructure

• US 7,908,398 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2007
• Issued: 03/15/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Vorro, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Object Innovation, Inc. (The Cigna Group)
• Inventors: Beck, Paul Robert Jr., Sirdevan, Scott Michael, Ludke, Edward Reed, Sisco, Paul Allan, Grow, John Darwin, Calderaro, Matthew Aloysius
• Primary Examiner(s): BARQADLE, YASIN M
• Application Number:
  US11/947,804
• Publication Number:
  US 20080133768A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,201 Days
• Field of Search: 709201-205, 709217-219, 709227-234, 709/246
• US Class Current: 709/246
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/563 Data redirection of data network streams
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/565 Conversion or adaptation of application format or content adding application control or application functional data H04L67/561
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/62 Establishing a time schedule for servicing the requests
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/75 Indicating network or usage conditions on the user display
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/08 Protocols for interworking; Protocol conversion

Abstract

Software, methods, and system for data connectivity and integration having a transformation and exchange gateway are provided. The transformation and exchange gateway software is stored in a memory and has a mapper to map connection data path instructions, a plurality of inbound templates each to provide inbound data processing instructions for an inbound data set having an inbound data interchange protocol, at least one outbound template to provide outbound data processing instructions for an outbound data set having an outbound date interchange protocol different from the inbound data interchange protocol, and a data transformation and exchange engine in communication with the mapper to locate a data path and determine a select one of the plurality of inbound templates to use for inbound data processing instructions, in communication with the select one of the plurality of inbound templates to process the inbound data set responsive to the inbound data processing instructions of the select one of the plurality of inbound templates and thereby transform the inbound data set to the outbound data set, and in communication with the at least one outbound template to send the outbound data set with the outbound data interchange protocol responsive to the outbound data processing instructions of the at least one outbound template.

Claims

1. A computer memory storing transformation and exchange gateway software for execution by a computer, the software comprising:

a mapper to map connection data path instructions;

a plurality of inbound templates each to provide inbound data processing instructions for an inbound data set having one of a plurality of inbound data interchange protocols, each of the plurality of inbound templates defining an input positioned in communication with at least one server to selectively define a respective one of the inbound data interchange protocols prior to receiving the inbound data;

at least one outbound template to provide outbound data processing instructions for an outbound data set having one of a plurality of outbound data interchange protocols different from the inbound data interchange protocols, the at least one outbound template defining an output positioned in communication with at least one remote terminal to selectively define a respective one of the output data interchange protocols prior to sending the outbound data; and

a data transformation and exchange engine in communication with the mapper to locate a data path and determine a select one of the plurality of inbound templates to use for inbound data processing instructions, in communication with the select one of the plurality of inbound templates to process the inbound data set responsive to the inbound data processing instructions of the select one of the plurality of inbound templates and thereby transform the inbound data set to the outbound data set, and in communication with the at least one outbound template to send the outbound data set with the one of the plurality of outbound data interchange protocols responsive to the outbound data processing instructions of the at least one outbound template.

2. The computer memory as defined in claim 1, further comprising a scheduler in communication with the mapper to schedule timing for making a connection to an entity having the inbound data set and connection instructions to connect to the entity having the inbound data set.

3. The computer memory as defined in claim 1, further comprising a set of graphical user interface (GUI) tools in communication with the data transformation and exchange engine to interface with a user, the GUI tools including an inbound template GUI to select the inbound data processing instructions and thereby define parameters for the inbound data set and an outbound template GUI to select the outbound data processing instructions and thereby define parameters for the outbound data set.

4. The computer memory as defined in claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of inbound templates comprises:

template header information;

a plurality of inbound records each including create header information, new body record information, and create trailer information;

data type information; and

root element name information.

5. The computer memory as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least one outbound template comprises:

template header information;

data type information;

field delimiter information; and

record delimiter information.

6. The computer memory as defined in claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of inbound templates comprises:

template header information;

a plurality of inbound records each including create header information, new body record information, and create trailer information;

data type information; and

root element name information.

7. The computer memory as defined in claim 3, wherein the information provided for each of the plurality of inbound templates is utilized by the set of GUI tools to create a display of the respective inbound templates on a display for viewing by a user.

8. The computer memory as defined in claim 3, wherein at least one of the plurality of inbound templates is utilized to build a root query to query a database.

9. The computer memory as defined in claim 8, wherein, based on the root query, the data transformation and exchange engine determines whether or not a matching record exists in the database, and if so, a record count is incremented, and if not, an outbound record is created.

10. A method for data connectivity, the method comprising:

mapping, utilizing a mapper, connection data path instructions;

utilizing a plurality of inbound templates each to provide inbound data processing instructions for an inbound data set having one of a plurality of inbound data interchange protocols, each of the plurality of inbound templates defining an input positioned in communication with at least one server to selectively define a respective one of the inbound data interchange protocols prior to receiving the inbound data;

utilizing at least one outbound template to provide outbound data processing instructions for an outbound data set having one of a plurality of outbound data interchange protocols different from the inbound data interchange protocols, the at least one outbound template defining an output positioned in communication with at least one remote terminal to selectively define a respective one of the output data interchange protocols prior to sending the outbound data;

locating, using a data transformation and exchange engine in communication with the mapper, a data path and determining a select one of the plurality of inbound templates to use for inbound data processing instructions, in communication with the select one of the plurality of inbound templates to process the inbound data set responsive to the inbound data processing instructions of the select one of the plurality of inbound templates, and thereby transforming the inbound data set to the outbound data set; and

in communication with the at least one outbound template, sending the outbound data set with the one of the plurality of outbound data interchange protocols responsive to the outbound data processing instructions of the at least one outbound template.

11. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

utilizing a scheduler in communication with the mapper to schedule timing for making a connection to an entity having the inbound data set and connection instructions to connect to the entity having the inbound data set.

12. The method as defined in claim 10, further comprising:

utilizing a set of graphical user interface (GUI) tools in communication with the data transformation and exchange engine to interface with a user, the GUI tools including an inbound template GUI to select the inbound data processing instructions and thereby define parameters for the inbound data set and an outbound template GUI to select the outbound data processing instructions and thereby define parameters for the outbound data set.

13. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein each of the plurality of inbound templates comprises:

template header information;

a plurality of inbound records each including create header information, new body record information, and create trailer information;

data type information; and

root element name information.

14. The method as defined in claim 10, wherein the at least one outbound template comprises:

template header information;

data type information;

field delimiter information; and

record delimiter information.

15. The method as defined in claim 12, wherein each of the plurality of inbound templates comprises:

template header information;

a plurality of inbound records each including create header information, new body record information, and create trailer information;

data type information; and

root element name information.

16. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein the information provided for each of the plurality of inbound templates is utilized by the set of GUI tools to create a display of the respective inbound templates on a display for viewing by a user.

17. The method as defined in claim 15, wherein at least one of the plurality of inbound templates is utilized to build a root query to query a database.

18. The method as defined in claim 17, wherein, based on the root query, the data transformation and exchange engine determines whether or not a matching record exists in the database, and if so, a record count is incremented, and if not, an outbound record is created.