Managing consistent interfaces for internal service request business objects across heterogeneous systems

• US 8,577,991 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2008
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Rehmann, Stephan
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Thai
• Application Number:
  US12/060,149
• Publication Number:
  US 20090248698A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,045 Days
• Field of Search: 709217-219, 709/206, 709/205
• US Class Current: 709/217
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/10 Requirements analysis; Specification techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/34 Graphical or visual programming

Abstract

A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to an internal service request and/or an internal service request template business object.

Claims

1. A computer program product for providing a message-based interface for performing an internal service request, the internal service request comprising a request made by a user to perform a set of steps to carry out related data changes in a backend system by the user through a form to reply to or approve a request or change master data, the computer program product comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible, non-transitory media and operable when executed by at least one processor to:

receive via a first message-based interface derived from a common business object model, wherein the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based interfaces and message packages, wherein the common business object model is a representation of a defined business scenario including business transactions utilizing the first message-based interface, the first message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for requesting a creation of a new internal service request, the first message including a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory, the first message package including;

an internal service request message entity; and

an internal service request package comprising an internal service request entity and a property valuation package, wherein the internal service request entity includes a template ID and wherein the property valuation package includes at least one property valuation entity;

process the first message based on the hierarchical organization of the first message package, wherein processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the first message package'"'"'s structure and the first message package'"'"'s derivation from the common business object model, wherein the particular structure of the first message package is used at least in part to identify the purpose of the first message; and

send a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package.

2. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the internal service request entity further includes at least one of the following:

an ID, a template version ID, a description, and a template description.

3. The computer program product of claim 1, wherein the property valuation entity further includes at least one property valuation sub-entity.

4. A computer program product for providing a message-based interface for performing an internal service request service, the internal service request comprising a request made by a user to perform a set of steps to carry out related data changes in a backend system by the user through a form to reply to or approve a request or change master data, the computer program product comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible, non-transitory media and operable when executed by at least one processor to:

receive via a first message-based interface derived from a common business object model, wherein the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based interfaces and message packages, wherein the common business object model is a representation of a defined business scenario including business transactions utilizing the first message-based interface, the first message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for requesting an update to an existing internal service request, the first message including a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory, the first message package including;

an internal service request update request message entity; and

an internal service request package comprising an internal service request entity and a property valuation package, wherein the internal service request entity includes an internal service request ID, a template ID, and a change state ID, and wherein the property valuation package includes at least one property valuation entity;

process the first message based on the hierarchical organization of the first message package, wherein processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the first message package'"'"'s structure and the first message package'"'"'s derivation from the common business object model, wherein the particular structure of the first message package is used at least in part to identify the purpose of the first message; and

send a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package.

5. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the internal server request entity further includes at least one of the following:

a template version ID and a description.

6. The computer program product of claim 4, wherein the property valuation entity further includes at least one property valuation sub-entity.

7. A computer program product for providing a message-based interface for performing an internal service request service, the internal service request comprising a request made by a user to perform a set of steps to carry out related data changes in a backend system by the user through a form to reply to or approve a request or change master data, the computer program product comprising computer readable instructions embodied on tangible, non-transitory media and operable when executed by at least one processor to:

receive via a first message-based interface derived from a common business object model, wherein the common business object model includes business objects having relationships that enable derivation of message-based interfaces and message packages, wherein the common business object model is a representation of a defined business scenario including business transactions utilizing the first message-based interface, the first message-based interface exposing at least one service as defined in a service registry and from a heterogeneous application executing in an environment of computer systems providing message-based services, a first message for requesting a check of an existing internal service request, the first message including a first message package derived from the common business object model and hierarchically organized in memory, the first message package including;

an internal service request check query message entity; and

an internal service request package comprising an internal service request entity and a property valuation package, wherein the internal service request entity includes a template ID, and wherein the property valuation package includes at least one property valuation entity;

process the first message based on the hierarchical organization of the first message package, wherein processing the first message includes unpacking the first message package based on the first message package'"'"'s structure and the first message package'"'"'s derivation from the common business object model, wherein the particular structure of the first message package is used at least in part to identify the purpose of the first message; and

send a second message to the heterogeneous application responsive to the first message, where the second message includes a second message package derived from the common business object model to provide consistent semantics with the first message package.

8. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the internal server request entity further includes at least one of the following:

an internal service request ID, a template version ID, a change state ID, a description, and a template description.

9. The computer program product of claim 7, wherein the property valuation entity further includes at least one property valuation sub-entity.