Service provisioning

• US 8,423,514 B2
• Filed: 12/31/2007
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: AirBNB Incorporated
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Goldenberg, Glenn, Woods, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Vital, Pierre
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rahman, Sabana
• Application Number:
  US11/967,735
• Publication Number:
  US 20110010728A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,933 Days
• Field of Search: 707/999.1, 707/999.2, 707/999.001, 707/673, 707/696, 719/329
• US Class Current: 707/673
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2428 Query predicate definition using graphical user interfaces, including menus and forms G06F16/2423 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 50/20 for computer-aided diagnosis, e.g. based on medical expert systems

Abstract

Embodiments disclosed herein provide systems and methods that can bridge the gap between business operations and data management operations. An interface layer provides customizable interfaces for interactions with a master entity index (MEI) system to accomplish association, storage, management or processing of data records based on user-defined business service operations. The interface layer allows a user to define business services, operations, and logical procedures according to a desired data model such that the inputs and outputs for each operation of the service correspond to the particular needs of the user and allow different terminology to be employed by the user.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a processor; and

one or more computer readable storage media accessible by the processor and storing computer instructions executable by the processor to implement an interface layer between one or more users and a master entity index (MEI) system employing a first data model, the interface layer receiving a query for the MEI system and interacting with the MEI system based on the query to provide desired information, the interface layer comprising a set of interfaces and business services, wherein each of the business services is defined according to a second different custom data model created by the one or more users with elements mapped to elements of the first data model, is associated with one of the interfaces, and comprises one or more operations, wherein each of the one or more operations is associated with a logical procedure that when executed interacts with the MEI system based on the query and in accordance with the first data model and provides the desired information according to the second data model from information from the MEI system in the first data model;

wherein the logical procedure is defined by the one or more users via a set of graphical objects on a graphical interface representing functional operations for the logical procedure, and wherein the graphical interface enables the one or more users to select and arrange the graphical objects to graphically define operational logic flow of the logical procedure for providing the desired information according to the second data model;

wherein the logical procedure invokes a service function of the MEI system to obtain outputs defined for a particular operation by the one or more users.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical procedure is mapped to a service function provided by the MEI system, to a different business service operation, or to another logical procedure.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the set of interfaces allows queries from the one or more users to be submitted utilizing Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).

4. The system of claim 1, wherein a graphical representation of the logical procedure includes at least two nodes and one route connecting the at least two nodes.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical procedure is persisted as an XML file.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the logical procedure interacts with the MEI system via an application programming interface (API) provided by the MEI system.

7. A computer readable memory device including a non-transitory storage medium carrying computer instructions executable by a processor to implement an interface layer between one or more users and a master entity index (MEI) system employing a first data model, the interface layer receiving a query for the MEI system and interacting with the MEI system based on the query to provide desired information, the interface layer comprising a set of interfaces and business services, wherein each of the business services is defined according to a second different custom data model created by the one or more users with elements mapped to elements of the first data model, is associated with one of the interfaces, and comprises one or more operations, wherein each of the one or more operations is associated with a logical procedure that when executed interacts with the MEI system based on the query and in accordance with the first data model and provides the desired information according to the second data model from information from the MEI system in the first data model;

wherein the logical procedure is defined by the one or more users via a set of graphical objects on a graphical interface representing functional operations for the logical procedure, and wherein the graphical interface enables the one or more users to select and arrange the graphical objects to graphically define operational logic flow of the logical procedure for providing the desired information according to the second data model;

wherein the logical procedure invokes a service function of the MEI system to obtain outputs defined for a particular operation by the one or more users.

8. The computer readable memory device of claim 7, wherein the logical procedure is mapped to a service function provided by the MEI system, to a different business service operation, or to another logical procedure.

9. The computer readable memory device of claim 7, wherein the set of interfaces allows queries from the one or more users to be submitted utilizing Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).

10. The computer readable memory device of claim 7, wherein a graphical representation of the logical procedure includes at least two nodes and one route connecting the at least two nodes.

11. The computer readable memory device of claim 7, wherein the logical procedure is persisted as an XML file.

12. A method for service provisioning, comprising:

enabling a user to define, via a graphical interface, business service operations according to a custom business service model created by the user, wherein inputs and outputs to each of the business service operations are defined in the business service model, wherein the business service operations reside within an interface layer implemented between one or more users and a master entity index (MEI) system employing a data model different than the business service model with elements mapped to elements of the business service model, and wherein the interface layer receives a query for the MEI system and interacts with the MEI system based on the query to provide desired information;

enabling the user to define and edit a logical procedure for each of the business service operations that when executed interacts with the MEI system based on the query and in accordance with the different data model and provides the desired information according to the business service model from information from the MEI system in the different data model, wherein the logical procedure is defined by the one or more users via a set of graphical objects on the graphical interface representing functional operations for the logical procedure, and wherein the graphical interface enables the one or more users to select and arrange the graphical objects to graphically define operational logic flow of the logical procedure for providing the desired information according to the business service model;

mapping the logical procedure to a service function provided by the master entity index (MEI) system; and

invoking the service function to obtain the outputs for the business service operations.

13. The method of claim 12, further comprising returning the outputs to the user via the graphical interface.

14. The method of claim 12, further comprising enabling the user to assign the mapping via the graphical interface.

15. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically creating a flow file corresponding to each of the business service operations.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising automatically providing one or more predefined mapping functions for each of the business service operations.