Computer program product and method for sharing information between multiple computer applications using a grafted model network

• US 8,086,588 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2009
• Issued: 12/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2009
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: One Network Enterprises, Inc.
• Original Assignee: One Network Enterprises, Inc.
• Inventors: Notani, Ranjit, Merrill, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): Wong, Don
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Merilyn
• Application Number:
  US12/511,313
• Publication Number:
  US 20110029577A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 707/705, 707/636, 707/703, 707/756, 707/793, 707/803, 707/804, 707806-810
• US Class Current: 707/705
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application

Abstract

A computer program product and method for sharing information between multiple computer applications using a grafted model network. The method includes creating a first model having one or more pre-defined fields, defining one or more application-defined fields, associating the first model with the first application project, associating the one or more application-defined fields with the second application project, grafting the one or more application-defined fields to the first model, building the first and second application projects, and dynamically installing the first and second application projects on a software platform. Building the first application project comprises creating a first database table having one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model in a database. Building the second application project comprises adding one or more table columns to the first database table corresponding to the application-defined fields in the database. Dynamically installing the first application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model to be accessed via the software platform by the first computer application upon execution on a computer, and dynamically installing the second application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model and the application-defined fields to be accessed via the software platform by the second computer application upon execution on the computer.

Claims

1. A computer program product embodied on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium for sharing information between multiple computer applications using a grafted model network, the computer program product comprising:

a first computer code for creating first and second application projects having a plurality of user-defined application details, wherein the first application project is associated with a first computer application, and the second application project is associated with a second computer application;

a second computer code for creating a first model having one or more pre-defined fields;

a third computer code for defining one or more application-defined fields;

a fourth computer code for associating the first model with the first application project;

a fifth computer code for associating the one or more application-defined fields with the second application project;

a sixth computer code for grafting the one or more application-defined fields to the first model;

a seventh computer code for building the first application project, wherein building the first application project comprises creating a first database table having one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model in a database;

an eighth computer code for building the second application project, wherein building the second application project comprises adding one or more table columns to the first database table corresponding to the application-defined fields in the database; and

a ninth computer code for dynamically installing the first and second application projects on a software platform, wherein dynamically installing the first application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model to be accessed via the software platform by the first computer application upon execution, and dynamically installing the second application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model and the application-defined fields to be accessed via the software platform by the second computer application upon execution.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

a tenth computer code for creating a third application project having one or more of user-defined application details, wherein the third application project is associated with a third computer application;

an eleventh computer code for creating a second model having one or more pre-defined fields;

a twelfth computer code for associating the second model with the third application project;

a thirteenth computer code for defining a user-defined dependency from the second model to the first model;

a fourteenth computer code for building the third application project, wherein building the second application project comprises adding one or more table columns to a second database table corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the second model in the database; and

a fifteenth computer code for dynamically installing the third application project on the software platform, wherein dynamically installing the second application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first and second models to be accessed via the software platform by the third computer application upon execution.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising:

a tenth computer code for creating a third model having first and second levels, each level one or more pre-defined fields;

an eleventh computer code for associating the third model with the first application project; and

a twelfth computer code for rebuilding the first application project, wherein rebuilding the first application project comprises creating second and third database tables, each having one or more table columns corresponding respectively to the pre-defined fields of the first and second levels of the third model in the database; and

a thirteenth computer code for dynamically reinstalling the first application project on a software platform, wherein dynamically reinstalling the first application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model and the first and second levels of the third model to be accessed via the software platform by the first computer application upon execution.

4. The computer program product of claim 1, further comprising a tenth computer code for dynamically uninstalling the first and second application projects on a software platform.

5. The computer program product of claim 2, wherein the first and second models are stored in respective first and second model files, and the first and second application projects are built using the respective first and second model files.

6. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first and second computer applications were developed by different computer software vendors.

7. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the first and second computer applications maintain a single version of the truth with respect to the shared information.

8. A method for sharing information between multiple computer applications using a grafted model network, the method comprising:

creating first and second application projects having a plurality of user-defined application details, wherein the first application project is associated with a first computer application, and the second application project is associated with a second computer application;

creating a first model having one or more pre-defined fields;

defining one or more application-defined fields;

associating the first model with the first application project;

associating the one or more application-defined fields with the second application project;

grafting the one or more application-defined fields to the first model;

building the first application project, wherein building the first application project comprises creating a first database table having one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model in a database;

building the second application project, wherein building the second application project comprises adding one or more table columns to the first database table corresponding to the application-defined fields in the database; and

dynamically installing the first and second application projects on a software platform, wherein dynamically installing the first application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model to be accessed via the software platform by the first computer application upon execution on a computer, and dynamically installing the second application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model and the application-defined fields to be accessed via the software platform by the second computer application upon execution on the computer.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

creating a third application project having one or more of user-defined application details, wherein the third application project is associated with a third computer application;

creating a second model having one or more pre-defined fields;

associating the second model with the third application project;

defining a user-defined dependency from the second model to the first model;

building the third application project, wherein building the second application project comprises adding one or more table columns to a second database table corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the second model in the database; and

dynamically installing the third application project on the software platform, wherein dynamically installing the second application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first and second models to be accessed via the software platform by the third computer application upon execution.

10. The method of claim 8, further comprising:

creating a third model having first and second levels, each level one or more pre-defined fields;

associating the third model with the first application project; and

rebuilding the first application project, wherein rebuilding the first application project comprises creating second and third database tables, each having one or more table columns corresponding respectively to the pre-defined fields of the first and second levels of the third model in the database; and

dynamically reinstalling the first application project on a software platform, wherein dynamically reinstalling the first application project enables the one or more table columns corresponding to the pre-defined fields of the first model and the first and second levels of the third model to be accessed via the software platform by the first computer application upon execution.