Composite application modeling

• US 8,321,832 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Prigge, Uta, Freund, Jens, Kaetker, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): Khatri, Anil
• Application Number:
  US11/397,026
• Publication Number:
  US 20070234282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,433 Days
• Field of Search: 717104-110, 717120-122, 707/203, 709203-204
• US Class Current: 717/104
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/00 Arrangements for software engineering testing or debugging G06F11/36; administrative, planning or organisation aspects of software project management G06Q10/06
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, to realize a software model are described. A user-centric modeling component is defined, the user-centric modeling component modeling an interactive software system and including a plurality of process steps, the plurality of process steps defining a business scenario. For each process step in the plurality of process steps one or more service requirements are identified, where a service requirement represents functionality necessary to accomplish a step. For each service requirement a process component capable of providing the service requirement is identified, the process component modeling software implementing a business process and defining a service operation for providing the service requirement and for interacting with other process components.

Claims

1. A composite application modeling system comprising at least one memory storing a composite application modeling tool and at least one processor executing the application modeling tool to perform operations, the operations comprising:

processing at least one input defining a user-centric modeling component, the user-centric modeling component modeling an interactive software system and including a plurality of process steps, the plurality of process steps defining a business scenario;

processing at least one input identifying for each process step in the plurality of process steps one or more service requirements, where a service requirement represents functionality necessary to accomplish a step;

processing at least one input identifying for each service requirement a process component capable of providing the service requirement, the process component modeling software implementing at least one process and defining a service operation for providing the service requirement and for interacting with other process components, each process component belonging to exactly one deployment unit and comprising a pair-wise interaction with another process component in another deployment unit, each deployment unit characterizing independently operable software deployable on a separate computer hardware platform; and

generating at least one process component interaction model with a plurality of identified process components.

2. The system of claim 1, where:

the plurality of process steps are defined by a composite pattern.

3. The system of claim 1, where:

the one or more service requirements are defined by a service pattern.

4. The system of claim 1, where:

the plurality of services are defined by a service pattern.

5. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

defining a new process component to provide a service requirement.

6. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

modifying an existing process component to provide a service requirement.

7. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or more decision points.

8. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or more user interface screens, one or more user roles, and one or more departments.

9. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or tasks to be accomplished by a department or user role.

10. The system of claim 1, where:

a process component models software implementing a distinct process.

11. The system of claim 1, where:

the user-centric modeling component is part of a composite integration scenario; and

the composite integration scenario comprises a plurality of logically associated process components to realize a business scenario.

12. The system of claim 1, the operations further comprising:

defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or more of;

a decision point, an event, a workflow, an assigned department or a role.

13. A composite application modeling system comprising at least one memory storing a composite application modeling tool and at least one processor executing the application modeling tool to perform operations, the operations, comprising:

processing at least one input defining a user-centric modeling component including a plurality of process steps, the plurality of process steps defining a business scenario;

processing at least one input identifying for each process step in the plurality of process steps one or more service requirements for each step;

processing at least one input identifying for each service requirement a process component capable of providing the service requirement, the process component defining a service interface for providing the service requirement and for interacting with other process components, each process component belonging to exactly one deployment unit and comprising a pair-wise interaction with another process component in another deployment unit, each deployment unit characterizing independently operable software deployable on a separate computer hardware platform;

processing at least one input defining a detailed process step model, the detailed process step model including one or more decision points; and

generating at least one process component interaction model with a plurality of identified process components.

14. A composite application modeling system comprising at least one memory storing a composite application modeling tool and at least one processor executing the application modeling tool to perform operations, the operations comprising

displaying, in a first view, a composite catalog illustrating composite integration scenarios, each of the composite integration scenarios characterizing software implementing a respective and distinct business scenario;

displaying, in a second view, a composite integration scenario illustrating a user-centric component and one or more process components, where a process component characterizes software implementing a respective and distinct process and belongs to exactly one deployment unit, each deployment unit characterizing independently operable software deployable on a separate computer hardware platform;

displaying, in a third view, a process step model corresponding to the user-centric component, the process step model illustrating one or more process steps in a business scenario; and

receiving a user-initiated selection of a first graphical user interface associated with a single composite integration scenario in the first view, and wherein the second view is displayed in response to the selection of the first graphical user interface element.

15. The system of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

receiving a user-initiated selection of a second graphical user interface associated with the user-centric component in the second view, and wherein the third view is displayed in response to the selection of the second graphical user interface element.

16. The computer program product of claim 15, the instructions operable to cause the data processing apparatus to perform further operations comprising:

receiving a user-initiated selection of a second graphical user interface associated with the user-centric component in the second view, and wherein the third view is displayed in response to the selection of the second graphical user interface element.

17. The system of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

displaying, in a fourth view, a process component model illustrating one or more process interfaces and a business object.

18. The system of claim 14, the operations further comprising:

receiving a user-initiated selection of a third graphical user interface associated with a process component in the second view, and wherein the fourth view is displayed in response to the selection of the third graphical user interface element.

19. A composite application modeling system including at least one memory storing a model design component and at least one processor executing the model design component, the system comprising:

a user interface, the model design component coupled to the user interface and configured to perform operations comprising;

displaying on the user interface, in a first view, a composite integration scenario catalog illustrating one or more composite integration scenarios, each of the composite integration scenarios characterizing software implementing a respective and distinct business scenario;

displaying on the user interface, in a second view, a composite integration scenario illustrating a user-centric component and one or more process components, where a process component characterizes software implementing a respective and distinct process and belongs to exactly one deployment unit, each process component comprising a pair-wise interaction with another process component in another deployment unit, each deployment unit characterizing independently operable software deployable on a separate computer hardware platform;

displaying on the user interface, in a third view, a process step model corresponding to the user-centric component, the process step model illustrating one or more process steps in a business scenario; and

generating at least one process component interaction model with a plurality of identified process components.

20. A computer program product comprising instructions encoded on a tangible computer-readable storage medium, the instructions operable when executed to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

displaying, in a first view, a composite integration scenario catalog illustrating one or more composite integration scenarios, each of the composite integration scenarios characterizing software implementing a respective and distinct business scenario;

displaying, in a second view, a composite integration scenario illustrating a user-centric component and one or more process components, where a process component characterizes software implementing a respective and distinct process, each process component belonging to exactly one deployment unit, each deployment unit characterizing independently operable software deployable on a separate computer hardware platform; and

displaying, in a third view, a process step model corresponding to the user-centric component, the process step model illustrating one or more process steps in a business scenario; and

receiving a user-initiated selection of a first graphical user interface associated with a single composite integration scenario in the first view, and wherein the second view is displayed in response to the selection of the first graphical user interface element.