Methods and systems for ambistateful backend control

• US 8,091,094 B2
• Filed: 10/10/2007
• Issued: 01/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Boeckenhauer, Jens, Bohle, Holger
• Primary Examiner(s): Ho, Andy
• Application Number:
  US11/907,189
• Publication Number:
  US 20090100443A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,546 Days
• Field of Search: 719/320, 719/330
• US Class Current: 719/320
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/451 Execution arrangements for user interfaces

Abstract

Methods, computer-readable media, and systems control a backend. In one implementation, a method controls a backend by executing, at the backend, at least one command. The method may determine, by applying a set of ambistateful criteria, whether to place the backend under stateless control or stateful control, upon completion of executing the at least one command.

Claims

1. A method for using functionality from a second application based on input from a first application, comprising:

receiving input at a frontend, the input comprising at least a trigger action, wherein the frontend comprises a user interface of the first application;

transmitting the input from the frontend to a controller;

mapping, at the controller, the input to an action script comprising a set of commands corresponding to the input, the action script being executable at a backend, wherein the backend comprises a user interface of the second application;

executing, at the backend, at least one action script based on the mapping at the controller; and

determining, by applying a set of ambistateful criteria at the controller, whether to place the backend under stateless control or stateful control, upon completion of execution of the at least one action script.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising switching dynamically between stateful control or stateless control of the backend.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the action script comprises a set of commands enriched with input data.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of ambistateful criteria comprises criteria for determining a backend control state based on configuration data.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of ambistateful criteria comprises criteria for determining a backend state based runtime optimization.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of ambistateful criteria comprises criteria for placing the backend under stateless control in at least one of the following circumstances:

the input comprises an undo trigger action;

the input comprises a start-over trigger action;

or

the backend may be released early.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the set of ambistateful criteria comprises criteria for placing the backend under stateful control in at least one of the following circumstances:

a costly initial load;

navigation to previous states is necessary;

a data change is detected in a persistency layer;

or

the input does not correspond to any commands to be executed at previous backend screens.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein if the data change is detected in the persistency layer, the backend remains under stateful control.

9. A system for using functionality from a second application based on input from a first application, the system comprising:

a frontend for receiving input, the input comprising at least a trigger action, wherein the frontend comprises a user interface of the first application;

a backend for executing at least one action script; and

a controller for handling communication between the frontend and the backend;

wherein the controller maps the input to an action script, the action script comprises a set of commands corresponding to the input and the action script is executable at the backend; and

wherein the controller determines, by applying a set of ambistateful criteria, whether to place the backend under stateful control or stateless control, upon completion of execution of at least one action script.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the controller can dynamically switch between stateful control or stateless control of the backend.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the action script comprises a set of commands enriched with input data.

12. The system according to claim 9, wherein the set of ambistateful criteria comprises criteria for determining a backend control state based on configuration data.

13. The system according to claim 9, wherein the set of ambistateful criteria comprises criteria for determining a backend control state based on a runtime optimization mechanism.

14. The system according to claim 9, wherein the set of ambistateful criteria comprises of criteria for placing the backend under stateless control in at least one of the following circumstances:

the input comprises an undo trigger action;

the input comprises a start-over trigger action;

or

the backend may be released early.

15. The system according to claim 9, wherein the set of ambistateful criteria comprises criteria for placing the backend under stateful control in at least one of the following circumstances:

a costly initial load;

navigation to previous states is necessary;

a data change is detected in a persistency layer;

or

the input does not correspond to any commands to be executed at previous backend screens.

16. The system according to claim 15, wherein if the data change is detected in the persistency layer, the backend remains under stateful control.

17. A computer-readable media storing a program for causing a computer to perform a method for using in a first application existing functionality of a second application, the method comprising:

receiving input at a frontend, the input comprising at least a trigger action, wherein the frontend comprises a user interface of the first application;

transmitting the input from the frontend to a controller;

mapping, at the controller, the input to an action script, comprising a set of commands corresponding to the input, the action script being executable at a backend, wherein the backend comprises a user interface of the second application;

executing, at the backend, at least one action script based on the mapping at the controller; and

receiving, at the controller, field values and messages displayed at the backend; and

determining, by applying a set of ambistateful criteria at the controller, whether to place the backend under stateless control or stateful control, upon completion of execution of the at least one action script.

18. The computer-readable media according to claim 17, wherein the method further comprises switching dynamically between stateful control or stateless control of the backend.

19. The computer-readable media according to claim 17, wherein if a data change is detected in a persistency layer the backend can only remain under stateful control.

20. A computer-implemented method for controlling a backend, comprising:

executing, at the backend by a processor, at least one command; and

determining, by applying a set of ambistateful criteria, whether to place the backend under stateless control or stateful control, upon completion of execution of at least one command.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising switching dynamically between stateful control or stateless control of the backend.

22. The method according to claim 20, wherein if a data change is detected in a persistency layer, the backend remains under stateful control.

23. A system for controlling a backend, comprising:

a processor;

a backend for executing, by the processor, at least one command; and

a controller for determining, by applying a set of ambistateful criteria, whether to place the backend under stateful control or stateless control, upon completion of execution of at least one action script.

24. The system according to claim 23, further comprising switching dynamically between stateful control or stateless control of the backend.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein if a data change is detected in a persistency layer, the backend remains under stateful control.