Exchanging project-related data in a client-server architecture

• US 8,443,036 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2003
• Issued: 05/14/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Siebel Systems Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Jimin, Wiegert, Cory D., Tse, Kwong Ming, Wei, Xuan, Fong, James Gan, Grumbach, Matthew Philip
• Primary Examiner(s): Tiv, Backhean
• Application Number:
  US10/405,051
• Publication Number:
  US 20070226678A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,697 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/201, 709/203
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/252 between a Database Management System and a front-end application
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/70 Software maintenance or management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

Techniques are described for exchanging data between software applications, such as project-related data between a project management software application (“PMSA”) and an unaffiliated organizational project tracking software application (“OPTSA”). A computing architecture with multiple interacting computer systems, such as a client-server architecture, can be used to allow users of remote computing systems to access project-related data and/or functionality from other computing systems, such as a thin client computing system with limited or no local capabilities to execute software applications and/or store associated application data accessing a remote central server computing system in order to interact with a PMSA executing on the server, to interact with an OPTSA executing on the server, and/or to invoke data exchange functionality available at the server for exchanging project-related data between the PMSA and OPTSA.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing data related to a project in a first format, wherein

the data is stored in a first data file using a first software application,

the first format is compatible with the first software application, and

the data represents multiple project data entity instances for the project;

storing representations of the multiple project data entity instances in a second format, wherein

the representations are stored in a data store using a second software application,

the second format is compatible with the second software application, and

the first format and the second format are distinct from one another;

creating a second data file, wherein

the second data file is in the first format,

the second data file is created using the second software application, and

the second data file stores values for the multiple project data entity instances based on the representations stored in the data store;

modifying the representations, wherein

the modifying causes the representations to reflect changes to one or more of the multiple project data entity instances for the project, and

the representations are modified using the second software application;

updating the second data file, wherein

the second data file is updated using the first software application,

the second data file remains in the first format, and

the second data file is updated to reflect the representations after having been modified by the second software application;

performing a second update on the second data file, wherein

the second update is performed on the second data file to reflect modifications to one or more of the multiple project data entity instances performed by the first software application,

the second update is performed by the first software application, and

the second data file remains in the first format; and

providing information regarding the project based on the values stored in the second data file after the second update is performed on the second data file.

2. A server computing device comprising:

a memory in which a first software application and a second software application are executing to perform a method that comprises;

storing data in a data file, wherein

the data represents a project,

the data file is maintained at the server computing device,

the data is stored using the first software application,

the data is stored in a first format,

the first format is specific to the first software application,

multiple project data entities are defined for the project, and

the data comprises values representing each of the multiple project data entity instances;

reading stored values from the data file, wherein

the stored values represent at least some of the multiple project data entity instances,

the stored values are read using the second software application, and

the first software application and the second software application are unaffiliated with one another;

storing corresponding representations in a data store, wherein

the corresponding representations correspond to the each of the multiple project data entity instances,

the corresponding representations are stored as stored corresponding representations,

the corresponding representations are stored using the second software application,

the corresponding representations are stored in a second format, and

the second format is specific to the second software application;

modifying the stored corresponding representations, wherein

the stored corresponding representations are modified using the second software application;

generating a new data file, wherein

the new data file represents the project,

the new data file is generated based on the stored corresponding representations,

the new data file is generated using the second software application,

the new data file is generated after the modifying,

the new data file comprises new stored values, and

the new data file is in the first format; and

updating the new data file, wherein

the updating causes the new data file to reflect modifications to one or more of the multiple project data entity instances,

the new data file is updated using the first software application,

the updating produces updated new stored values by modifying at least some of the new stored values, and

the new data file remains in the first format; and

a connective interface for receiving the instructions from remote clients.

3. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions, wherein a method is implemented in response to executing the instructions, the method comprising:

storing data representing a project in a first format, wherein

the data is stored in a data file using a first software application,

the first format is compatible with the first software application, and

the data includes values representing each of multiple project data entity instances defined for the project;

reading stored values from the data file, wherein

the stored values represent at least some of the multiple project data entity instances,

the stored values are read using a second software application, and

the first software application and the second software application are unaffiliated with one another;

storing corresponding representations in a data store, wherein

the corresponding representations correspond to the each of the multiple project data entity instances,

the corresponding representations are stored as stored corresponding representations,

the corresponding representations are stored using the second software application,

the corresponding representations are stored in a second format, and

the second format is compatible with the second software application;

modifying the stored corresponding representations, wherein

the stored corresponding representations are modified using the second software application;

generating a new data file that represents the project, wherein

the new data file is generated based on the stored corresponding representations,

the new data file is generated using the second software application,

the new data file is generated after the modifying,

the new data file comprises new stored values, and

the new data file is in the first format;

updating the new data file, wherein

the new data file is updated to reflect modifications to one or more of the multiple project data entity instances,

the updating is performed by the first software application,

the updating produces updated new stored values by modifying at least some of the new stored values, and

the new data file remains in the first format; and

presenting information regarding the project based on the updated new stored values.

4. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the data file is a data file created by the first software application, and the data store is a database used by the second software application.

5. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the first software application is a project management software application, and the second software application is an organizational project tracking software application.

33. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 3, wherein the non-transitory computer-readable medium is a memory of a computing device.

6. A method comprising:

storing data in a data file, wherein

the data represents a project,

the data file is maintained at a server,

the data is stored using a first software application,

the data is stored in a first format,

the first format is specific to the first software application,

multiple project data entities are defined for the project, and

the data comprises values representing each of the multiple project data entity instances;

reading stored values from the data file, wherein

the stored values represent at least some of the multiple project data entity instances,

the stored values are read using a second software application, and

the first software application and the second software application are unaffiliated with one another;

storing corresponding representations in a data store, wherein

the corresponding representations correspond to the each of the multiple project data entity instances,

the corresponding representations are stored as stored corresponding representations,

the corresponding representations are stored using the second software application,

the corresponding representations are stored in a second format, and

the second format is specific to the second software application;

modifying the stored corresponding representations, wherein

the stored corresponding representations are modified using the second software application;

generating a new data file, wherein

the new data file represents the project,

the new data file is generated based on the stored corresponding representations,

the new data file is generated using the second software application,

the new data file is generated after the modifying,

the new data file comprises new stored values, and

the new data file is in the first format;

updating the new data file, wherein

the updating causes the new data file to reflect modifications to one or more of the multiple project data entity instances,

the new data file is updated using the first software application,

the updating produces updated new stored values by modifying at least some of the new stored values, and

the new data file remains in the first format; and

presenting information regarding the project, wherein

the information is based on the updated new stored values.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein at least one of the first and second software applications are executed on the server on behalf of a remote client, in response to a request sent from the remote client.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote client is a thin client that lacks capabilities to locally execute the first and second software applications.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote client is a thick client that possesses capabilities to locally execute the first and second software applications.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote client interacts with the server via Web browser applications executing on the remote client.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein the remote client interacts with the server via one or more software applications executing on the remote client.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

updating the corresponding representations stored in the data store, wherein

the corresponding representations are updated to reflect the updated new stored values,

the corresponding representations are updated after the new data file is updated to reflect the modifications to the one or more of the project data entity instances, and

the corresponding representations are updated using the second software application.

13. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing a second data file for the first software application that represents a prior version of the project, wherein

the second data file that represents the prior version of the project is stored on a remote client; and

updating the second data file to reflect the modified stored corresponding representations, wherein

the second data file is updated using the second software application, and

the second data file is updated after the stored corresponding representations are modified.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the storing of the corresponding representations is performed based on instructions received from a user of a remote client.

15. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

creating a local data file representing the project on a first remote client using a copy of the first software application executing on the first remote client, before the storing the data in the data file, wherein

the storing the data comprises copying at least some of the data from the local data file.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the creating the local data file is performed while the first remote client is disconnected from the server.

17. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

performing a second update to the new data file, wherein the second update is performed to reflect further modifications to the one or more of the multiple project data entity instances, the second update is performed using the first software application, and the second update is performed after the new data file is updated.

18. The method of claim 6, wherein the stored corresponding representations are modified to reflect changes indicated by a user of a first remote client.

21. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

storing second data representing a second project, wherein the second data is stored using the second software application, the second data comprises second multiple project data entity instances, and the second data is stored in the data store.

22. The method of claim 6, wherein the storing the corresponding representations in the data store and/or the generating of the new data file is based at least in part on a defined mapping that is used to determine how values stored in the data file correspond to values stored in the data store.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the defined mapping associates the first format with the second format.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein each of the stored values read from the data file is associated with a data field of the data file, and the defined mapping provides correspondences between data fields of the data file and data fields of the data store.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the defined mapping specifies ordering information for the data fields of the data file and/or the data store from which an order is determined in which values from one of the data file and the data store will be stored in the other of the data file and the data store.

26. The method of claim 6, wherein the modifying the stored corresponding representations comprises making changes to one or more defined relationships between the multiple project data entity instances.

27. The method of claim 26, wherein the changes to the defined relationships between the multiple project data entity instances comprise one or more of adding and/or deleting one or more parent/child relationships between the multiple project data entity instances, modifying one or more predecessor and/or successor relationships between the multiple project data entity instances, and adding and/or deleting stored local representations for one or more of the multiple project data entity instances.

28. The method of claim 6, wherein the data store is a database accessible by the server.

29. The method of claim 6, wherein the first software application is a project management software application.

30. The method of claim 6, wherein the second software application is an organizational project tracking software application.

31. The method of claim 6, further comprising:

managing access to the data so that incompatible changes are not made simultaneously by users of multiple remote clients.

32. The method of claim 6, wherein the multiple project data entity instances include tasks and resources.

19. The method of claim further comprising:

storing second data representing a second project, wherein the second data is stored using the first software application, and the second data comprises second multiple project data entity instances defined for the second project.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:

storing second corresponding representations for the second multiple project data entity instances, wherein the second corresponding representations for the second multiple project data entity instances are stored using the second software application.