Method and system for distribution of information

• US 8,296,198 B2
• Filed: 06/28/2007
• Issued: 10/23/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Bhatt, Ankur, Kothandaraman, Ramprasadh
• Primary Examiner(s): Gart, Matthew
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hayles, Ashford S
• Application Number:
  US11/769,719
• Publication Number:
  US 20090006444A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,944 Days
• Field of Search: 705/28
• US Class Current: 705/28
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2129 Authenticate client device independently of the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising

Abstract

A method and system for distribution of information is provided. A consumer metamodel definition for a device is created, wherein the consumer metamodel definition has consumer attribute. The consumer metamodel is then customized by editing the consumer attribute. A device inventory is then generated for the device by downloading a device information from a device information store, wherein the device has at least the consumer attribute of the consumer metamodel.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method to distribute information, the method comprising:

selecting a consumer meta model definition for a set of consumer devices from a plurality of consumer meta model definitions for separate sets of consumer devices, the consumer meta model definition including a consumer device attribute definition, wherein the consumer device attribute is selected from a group consisting of standard attributes, category attributes, configuration attributes and administration attributes;

customizing the selected consumer meta model by editing the consumer device attribute definition of the consumer meta model via a tool for consumer meta model definition;

registering a plurality of devices from the set of consumer devices by assigning at least one value to the edited consumer device attribute of the customized consumer meta model for each device of the plurality of devices;

at a computing device, generating a subscription for a device of the plurality of registered devices based on the at least one value of the edited consumer device attribute and on at least one distribution rule maintained by an organization; and

distributing a subset of information collected from at least one backend data source to the device, wherein the subset of the information is indicated by the subscription.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating the consumer meta model definition for the set of consumer devices via the tool for consumer metadata model definition.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein distributing the subset of information comprises:

consolidating the information collected from the at least one backend data source into a consolidation data store; and

extracting data from the consolidated data store based on the device subscription.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the subscription for the device comprises:

creating the at least one distribution rule based upon organizational requirements and on the selected consumer meta model definition.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein customizing the selected consumer meta model comprises one or more of adding an attribute and deleting an attribute.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the plurality of devices comprises downloading organizational hierarchy information and device information from one or more of an information model store and from the at least one backend data source, where the device information is selected from a group consisting of device identifier, device category and default attributes.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the standard attributes are selected from a group consisting of a receiver identifier, a receiver category and a receiver state.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the category attributes are selected from the group consisting of a device name, a device sub category, a database identifier, a user identifier, an installed software component, an equipment number and a device framework type.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the plurality of devices comprises reading data from a data object.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein registering the plurality of devices comprises storing the at least one value assigned to the attribute for each device of the plurality of devices in a device inventory.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein selecting the consumer meta model definition comprises searching for one or more consumer devices over the consumer device attribute definition using the plurality of consumer meta model definitions.

12. A system comprising:

a consumer metamodel generator for generating a consumer metamodel definition for a set of consumer devices, the consumer metamodel definition including a consumer device attribute definition, wherein the consumer device attribute is selected from a group consisting of standard attributes, category attributes, configuration attributes and administration attributes, wherein the consumer metamodel is stored in a memory;

a consumer metamodel modeling tool provided by a distribution middleware for customizing the consumer device attribute definition of the consumer metamodel;

a consumer inventory manager for generating a registration for a plurality of devices from the set of consumer devices by downloading a device information including at least one value corresponding to the customized consumer device attribute of the consumer meta model for each device of the plurality of devices;

a rule evaluation module for generating a subscription for a device of the plurality of registered devices based on the at least one value of the customized consumer device attribute and on at least one distribution rule maintained by an organization; and

an extractor for distributing a subset of information collected from at least one backend data source to the device, wherein the subset of the information is indicated by the subscription.

13. The system of claim 12 further comprising a graphical user interface of the consumer metamodel modeling tool to receive the consumer metamodel definition for the set of consumer devices.

14. The system of claim 12 further comprising a consolidated data store to consolidate the information collected from the at least one backend data source, the consolidated data store is stored in the memory.

15. A machine-accessible medium which provides instructions that, when executed by a machine, causes the machine to perform operations comprising:

generating a plurality of consumer meta model definitions for separate sets of consumer devices, where each consumer meta model definition of the plurality of consumer meta model definitions identifies a set of consumer devices from the separate sets of consumer devices and includes a consumer device attribute definition, wherein the consumer device attribute is selected from a group consisting of standard attributes, category attributes, configuration attributes and administration attributes;

customizing a consumer device attribute definition of a consumer meta model of the plurality of consumer meta model definitions;

registering a plurality of devices from a set of consumer devices defined by the consumer meta model, wherein the registering assigns at least one value to the customized consumer device attribute of the consumer meta model for each device of the plurality of devices;

generating a subscription for a device of the plurality of registered devices based on the at least one value of the customized consumer device attribute and on at least one distribution rule maintained by an organization; and

distributing a subset of information collected from at least one backend data source to the device, wherein the subset of the information is indicated by the subscription.

16. The machine-accessible medium of claim 15, further providing instructions which when executed by the machine causes the machine to perform further operations comprising selecting the consumer meta model definition from the plurality of consumer meta model definitions by searching for one or more consumer devices using the plurality of consumer meta model definitions.

17. The machine-accessible medium of claim 16, further providing instructions which when executed by the machine causes the machine to perform further operations comprising:

consolidating the information collected from the at least one backend data source into a consolidation data store; and

extracting data from a consolidated data store based on the device subscription.

18. The machine-accessible medium of claim 16, further providing instructions which when executed by the machine causes the machine to perform further operations comprising:

identifying the at least one distribution rule based upon organizational requirements and on the selected consumer meta model definition.

19. The machine-accessible medium of claim 15, wherein the consumer device attribute includes organizational structures.

20. The machine-accessible medium of claim 15 wherein the standard attributes are selected from a group consisting of a receiver identifier, a receiver category and a receiver state, and wherein the category attributes are selected from the group consisting of a device name, a device sub category, a database identifier, a user identifier, an installed software component, an equipment number and a device framework type.