Generic device integration within an auto-id system

• US 8,417,854 B2
• Filed: 12/30/2004
• Issued: 04/09/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Weng, Jie, Lin, Tao, Mo, Brian S., Swan, Richard J., Gurram, Rama
• Primary Examiner(s): Alrobaye, Idriss N
• Assistant Examiner(s): YU, HENRY W
• Application Number:
  US11/027,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20060168363A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,022 Days
• Field of Search: 710/15, 710/29, 710/2, 710/62, 710/64, 710/105, 709/224, 709/226, 709/206, 370/353
• US Class Current: 710/64
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/08 Logistics, e.g. warehousing, loading or distribution; Inventory or stock management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks

Abstract

Systems, methods and computer program products for generic device integration within an auto-id system. The system includes an auto-id node operable to collect data emitted by one or more automatic data acquisition devices, process the data, and make the data available to one or more enterprise applications, user interfaces, or other auto-id nodes. The auto-id node includes a device integration layer that is operable to handle communication between the auto-id node and different types of automatic data acquisition devices, device controllers, or device management systems.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, at an integration layer, a connection request from an auto-id component to be connected to an auto-id node, the connection request specifying one or more communication parameters of the auto-id component;

instantiating a generic adaptor class for effecting communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component, the generic adaptor implementing functionality common to multiple different, specific adaptor classes stored in a class repository of the integration layer;

instantiating a generic communicator class for effecting a data transport aspect of the communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component, the generic communicator class implementing functionality common to multiple different, specific communicator classes stored in the class repository, and the generic communicator class being a component of the generic adaptor class;

instantiating a generic converter class for effecting a data conversion aspect of the communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component, the generic converter class implementing functionality common to multiple different, specific converter classes stored in the class repository, and the generic converter class being a component of the generic adaptor class;

identifying, from among the multiple different adaptor, communicator, and converter classes stored in the class repository, a specific adaptor, a specific communicator class, and a specific converter class, respectively, based on the specified communication parameters;

instantiating the identified specific adaptor, communicator, and converter classes;

adding the identified specific adaptor, communicator, and converter classes to an instance list and

effecting the communication between the auto-id component and the auto-id node using the instantiated generic adaptor, communicator, and converter classes and the instantiated specific adaptor, communicator, and converter classes.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the specific adaptor, communicator, and converter class further comprises searching a repository local to the auto-id node and, if a matching adapter is not found in the local repository, searching a global repository remote to the auto-id node.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication parameters comprise a communication protocol, a communication mode, a communication channel, a messaging format and a product name.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the communication parameters comprise an address for a global repository to be searched.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises a HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) or a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) adaptor class.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises a publish-subscribe channel, a point-to-point channel, or a socket channel adaptor class.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises a SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) or a JSP (Java Server Pages) adaptor class.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises an n on-line communication mode or an off-line communication mode adaptor class.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises a periodic communication or an aperiodic communication adaptor class.

10. A system comprising:

one or more computers; and

a computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more computers having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more computers, causes the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving, at an integration layer, a connection request from an auto-id component to be connected to an auto-id node, the connection request specifying one or more communication parameters of the auto-id component,

instantiating a generic adaptor class for effecting communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component, the generic adaptor implementing functionality common to multiple different, specific adaptor classes stored in a class repository of the integration layer,

instantiating a generic communicator class for effecting a data transport aspect of the communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component, the generic communicator class implementing functionality common to multiple different, specific communicator classes stored in the class repository, and the generic communicator class being a component of the generic adaptor class,

instantiating a generic converter class for effecting a data conversion aspect of the communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component, the generic converter class implementing functionality common to multiple different, specific converter classes stored in the class repository, and the generic converter class being a component of the generic adaptor class,

identifying, from among the multiple different adaptor, communicator, and converter classes stored in the class repository, a specific adaptor, a specific communicator class, and a specific converter class, respectively, based on the specified communication parameters,

instantiating the identified specific adaptor, communicator, and converter classes,

adding the identified specific adaptor, communicator class, and converter classes to an instance list, and

effecting the communication between the auto-id component and the auto-id node using the instantiated generic adaptor, communicator, and converter classes and the instantiated specific adaptor, communicator, and converter classes.

11. The system of claim 10, wherein identifying the specific adaptor, communicator, and converter class further comprises searching a repository local to the auto-id node and, if a matching adapter is not found in the local repository, searching a global repository remote to the auto-id node.

12. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication parameters comprise a communication protocol, a communication mode, a communication channel, a messaging format and a product name.

13. The system of claim 10, wherein the communication parameters comprise an address for a global repository to be searched.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises a HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) or a TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) adaptor class.

15. The system of claim 10, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises a publish-subscribe channel, a point-to-point channel, or a socket channel adaptor class.

16. The system of claim 10, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises a SOAP (Simple Object Access Protocol) or a JSP (Java Server Pages) adaptor class.

17. The system of claim 10, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises an n on-line communication mode or an off-line communication mode adaptor class.

18. The system of claim 10, wherein the specific adaptor class further comprises a periodic communication or an aperiodic communication adaptor class.

19. A non-transitory computer-readable medium encoded with a computer program comprising instructions that, when executed, operate to cause a computer to perform operations comprising:

receiving, at an integration layer, a connection request from an auto-id component to be connected to an auto-id node, the connection request specifying one or more communication parameters of the auto-id component;

instantiating a generic adaptor class for effecting communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component, the generic adaptor implementing functionality common to multiple different, specific adaptor classes stored in a class repository of the integration layer;

instantiating a generic communicator class for effecting a data transport aspect of the communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component, the generic communicator class implementing functionality common to multiple different, specific communicator classes stored in the class repository, and the generic communicator class being a component of the generic adaptor class;

instantiating a generic converter class for effecting a data conversion aspect of the communication between the auto-id node and the auto-id component, the generic converter class implementing functionality common to multiple different, specific converter classes stored in the class repository, and the generic converter class being a component of the generic adaptor class;

identifying, from among the multiple different adaptor, communicator, and converter classes stored in the class repository, a specific adaptor, a specific communicator class, and a specific converter class, respectively, based on the specified communication parameters;

instantiating the identified specific adaptor, communicator, and converter classes;

adding the identified specific adaptor, communicator class, and converter classes to an instance list; and

effecting the communication between the auto-id component and the auto-id node using the instantiated generic adaptor, communicator, and converter classes and the instantiated specific adaptor, communicator, and converter classes.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 19, wherein identifying the specific adaptor, communicator, and converter class further comprises searching a repository local to the auto-id node and, if a matching adapter is not found in the local repository, searching a global repository remote to the auto-id node.