Web service discovery via data abstraction model augmented by field relationship identification

• US 8,583,699 B2
• Filed: 04/30/2010
• Issued: 11/12/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dettinger, Richard D., Kulack, Frederick A., Paterson, Kevin G., Wenzel, Shannon E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chbouki, Tarek
• Application Number:
  US12/771,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20110270817A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,292 Days
• Field of Search: 707/802
• US Class Current: 707/802
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2452 Query translation

Abstract

A computer-implemented method includes receiving a selection of a particular logical field via a database query interface. The method includes querying a discovery registry associated with a data abstraction model of a database to discover one or more web services that are resolvable based on the particular logical field. The data abstraction model includes a plurality of logical fields, where each logical field corresponds to a particular data structure of the database. A web service input and a web service output of a particular discovered web service are associated with logical fields of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry. The method further includes initiating execution of a discovered web service that returns a list of values. The list of values obtained by the discovered web service may be augmented with information determined based on field relationship metadata of the data abstraction model, where the field relationship metadata corresponds to the list of values.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:

receiving a selection of a particular logical field via a database query interface;

querying a discovery registry associated with a data abstraction model of a database to discover one or more web services that are resolvable based on the particular logical field, wherein the data abstraction model includes a plurality of logical fields, wherein each logical field of the plurality of logical fields corresponds to a particular data structure of the database, wherein a web service input of a particular discovered web service is associated with a first logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry, and wherein a web service output of the particular discovered web service is associated with a second logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry;

initiating execution of a first discovered web service of the one or more discovered web services, wherein a first list of values is returned upon execution of the first discovered web service; and

augmenting the first list of values from the first discovered web service with information determined based on field relationship metadata of the data abstraction model, wherein the field relationship metadata corresponds to the first list of values, wherein the first list of values is augmented by one or more field “

IS A”

relationships that are identified via the data abstraction model, wherein the identified “

IS A”

relationships are directional and not associative.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the identified “

IS A”

relationships are used for term expansion.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein when an identified “

IS A”

relationship is such that an output of the first discovered web service is a subclass, the first list of values are used directly in a query for a user defined condition.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3, wherein the first discovered web service is a cost effectiveness service.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the information includes doctor information, and wherein a web service output associated with the cost effectiveness service includes a list of doctor identifiers that are associated with a doctor identification logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein when an identified “

IS A”

relationship is such that an output of the first discovered web service is a superclass, the first list of values are filtered to be only those values that are in a desired subclass.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 6, wherein the first discovered web service includes a service that retrieves information within a predetermined period of time.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the information includes laboratory test information, and wherein a web service output associated with the service includes a list of laboratory test identifiers that are associated with a laboratory test identification logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined period of time is a most recent 24 hour time period, and wherein the list of test identifiers corresponds to all laboratory tests performed within the most recent 24 hour time period.

10. The computer-implemented method of claim 8, wherein the predetermined period of time is a most recent 12 hour time period, and wherein the list of test identifiers corresponds to all laboratory tests performed within the most recent 12 hour time period.

11. The computer-implemented method of claim 7, wherein the service is executed without one or more user selected parameter entries.

12. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

initiating execution of a second discovered web service of the one or more discovered web services, wherein a second list of values is returned upon execution of the second discovered web service; and

augmenting the second list of values from the second discovered web service with information determined based on field relationship metadata of the data abstraction model, wherein the field relationship metadata corresponds to the second list of values.

13. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the second list of values is augmented by one or more field “

IS A”

relationships that are identified via the data abstraction model.

14. The computer-implemented method of claim 12, wherein the second discovered web service is executed based on one or more user selected parameter entries.

15. A system, comprising:

a processor;

an interface to receive a selection of a particular logical field via a database query interface; and

a computer readable storage medium configured to store;

a data abstraction model of a database, wherein the data abstraction model includes a plurality of logical fields, wherein each logical field of the plurality of logical fields corresponds to a particular data structure of the database;

a discovery registry associated with the data abstraction model of the database, wherein the discovery registry associates a plurality of web services with a plurality of logical fields of the data abstraction model;

a resolver executable by the processor to;

query the discovery registry to discover a web service of the plurality of web services that is resolvable based on the particular logical field received via the database query interface, wherein a web service input of the discovered web service is associated with a first logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry, and wherein a web service output of the discovered web service is associated with a second logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry;

initiate execution of the discovered web service, wherein a list of values is returned upon execution of the discovered web service; and

augment the list of values from the discovered web service with information determined based on field relationship metadata of the data abstraction model, wherein the field relationship metadata corresponds to the list of values, wherein the list of values is augmented by one or more field “

IS A”

relationships that are identified via the data abstraction model, wherein the identified “

IS A”

relationships are directional and not associative.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein when an identified “

IS A”

relationship is such that an output of the discovered web service is a subclass, the list of values are used directly in a query for a condition.

17. The system of claim 15, wherein when an identified “

IS A”

relationship is such that an output of the discovered web service is a superclass, the list of values are filtered to be only those values that are in a desired subclass.

18. A computer readable storage medium comprising instructions stored therein, that when executed by a processor, cause the processor to:

receive a selection of a particular logical field via a database query interface;

query a discovery registry associated with a data abstraction model of a database to discover a web service that is resolvable based on the particular logical field, wherein the data abstraction model includes a plurality of logical fields, wherein each logical field of the plurality of logical fields corresponds to a particular data structure of the database, wherein a web service input of the discovered web service is associated with a first logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry, and wherein a web service output of the discovered web service is associated with a second logical field of the data abstraction model via the discovery registry;

initiate execution of the discovered web service, wherein a list of values is returned upon execution of the discovered web service; and

augment the list of values from the discovered web service with information determined based on field relationship metadata of the data abstraction model, wherein the field relationship metadata corresponds to the list of values, wherein the list of values is augmented by one or more field “

IS A”

relationships that are identified via the data abstraction model, wherein the identified “

IS A”

relationships are directional and not associative.

19. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein when an identified “

IS A”

relationship is such that an output of the discovered web service is a subclass, the list of values are used directly in a query for a condition.

20. The computer readable storage medium of claim 18, wherein when an identified “

IS A”

relationship is such that an output of the discovered web service is a superclass, the list of values are filtered to be only those values that are in a desired subclass.