Interfacing between a caller application and a service module

• US 8,898,679 B2
• Filed: 08/28/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hewlett-Packard Development Company, L.P. (HP Inc.)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Berry, Charles Franklin, Godoy, Glenn C., Snavely, Amy Jeanne
• Primary Examiner(s): Anya, Charles E
• Application Number:
  US13/596,396
• Publication Number:
  US 20120324474A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 719/313
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/466 Transaction processing
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/54 Interprogram communication
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/541 via adapters, e.g. between incompatible applications
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/547 Remote procedure calls [RPC]; Web services
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0633 Lists, e.g. purchase orders, compilation or processing

Abstract

A method and associated system for interfacing between a caller application and a service module. Upon receiving a request for performing a transaction that includes at least one caller application attribute describing the request, the service module builds a service module data structure pursuant to the received request. The service module data structure includes a generic service document and at least one service module attribute. Each service module attribute is stored in a relational table of the service module data structure, which includes. The request is serviced within the service module data structure, resulting in instantiating the generic service document. The generic service document is returned to the caller application. Storing each service module attribute in the relational table includes: determining a category and a level of a first service module attribute; and storing in the relational table a first container pursuant to the category and the level.

Claims

1. A method for interfacing between a caller application and a service module, said method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of a computer system, a request for performing a transaction from the caller application, wherein the request comprises at least one caller application attribute describing the request;

subsequent to said receiving, said processor building a service module data structure pursuant to the received request, wherein the service module data structure comprises a generic service document and at least one service module attribute, wherein the service module uses only the service module data structure such that the service module need not manipulate the at least one caller application attribute in performing the transaction;

subsequent to said building, said processor storing each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute in a relational table of the service module data structure;

subsequent to said storing, said processor servicing the request within the service module data structure, wherein said servicing results in instantiating the generic service document; and

subsequent to said servicing, said processor returning the generic service document to the caller application;

said service module being executed by the processor to perform said receiving the request, said building the service module data structure, said storing each service module attribute, said servicing the request, and said returning the generic service document;

said storing comprising;

determining a category of a first service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute, wherein a configuration table comprises a respective category of each service module attribute, wherein the category is either an extended-category that is recognized only by the caller application or a basic-category that is recognized by both the caller application and the service module;

subsequent to said determining the category, determining a level of the first service module attribute, wherein the configuration table further comprises a respective level of each service module attribute, wherein the level is either a header-level that is applicable for all service module attributes represented in the generic service document or an item-level that is applicable only for the first service module attribute;

subsequent to said determining the level, storing in the relational table a first container of at least one container, said first container being pursuant to the category and the level of the first service module attribute that is associated with the first container, wherein the relational table is selected from the group consisting of a first table for service module attributes determined to be in the basic-category and in the header-level, a second table for service module attributes determined to be in the basic-category and in the item-level, a third table for service module attributes determined to be in the extended-category and in the header-level, and a fourth table for service module attributes determined to be in the extended-category and in the item-level; and

subsequent to said storing the first container, repeating to perform said determining the category, said determining the level, and said storing the first container after setting the first container with a next container in the relational table until all containers are stored in the relational table.

2. The method of claim 1, said building comprising:

defining the at least one service module attribute of the service module data structure, wherein each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute either corresponds to one caller application attribute of the at least one caller application attribute or is created by the service module;

subsequent to said defining, configuring a caller identifier that uniquely identifies the caller application and the service module data structure pursuant to the received request;

subsequent to said configuring, constructing the generic service document, wherein the generic service document is configured to contain a result of the performed transaction;

subsequent to said constructing, creating one or more containers in the generic service document, wherein each container of the one or more containers is respectively associated with each service module attribute in each mapping of at least one mapping in a mapping table of the service module data structure, wherein each container comprises a data value for each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute; and

subsequent to said creating, naming each container of the one or more containers in the generic service document after each mapping of the at least one mapping in the mapping table.

3. The method of claim 1, said servicing comprising:

performing the transaction;

subsequent to said performing the transaction, retrieving each mapping from a mapping table of the service module data structure; and

subsequent to said retrieving, reloading each container of the at least one container from the relational table into respective containers of the generic service document according to each retrieved mapping.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the caller application is a member of a group comprising at least two caller applications, and wherein the service module is shared by each member of the group.

5. A computer program product, comprising a computer readable storage device having computer readable program code stored therein, said program code configured to be executed by a processor of a computer system to implement a method for interfacing between a caller application and a service module, said method comprising:

said processor receiving a request for performing a transaction from the caller application, wherein the request comprises at least one caller application attribute describing the request;

subsequent to said receiving, said processor building a service module data structure pursuant to the received request, wherein the service module data structure comprises a generic service document and at least one service module attribute, wherein the service module uses only the service module data structure such that the service module need not manipulate the at least one caller application attribute in performing the transaction;

subsequent to said building, said processor storing each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute in a relational table of the service module data structure;

subsequent to said storing, said processor servicing the request within the service module data structure, wherein said servicing results in instantiating the generic service document; and

subsequent to said servicing, said processor returning the generic service document to the caller application;

said service module being executed by the processor to perform said receiving the request, said building the service module data structure, said storing each service module attribute, said servicing the request, and said returning the generic service document;

said storing comprising;

determining a category of a first service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute, wherein a configuration table comprises a respective category of each service module attribute, wherein the category is either an extended-category that is recognized only by the caller application or a basic-category that is recognized by both the caller application and the service module;

subsequent to said determining the category, determining a level of the first service module attribute, wherein the configuration table further comprises a respective level of each service module attribute, wherein the level is either a header-level that is applicable for all service module attributes represented in the generic service document or an item-level that is applicable only for the first service module attribute;

subsequent to said determining the level, storing in the relational table a first container of at least one container, said first container being pursuant to the category and the level of the first service module attribute that is associated with the first container, wherein the relational table is selected from the group consisting of a first table for service module attributes determined to be in the basic-category and in the header-level, a second table for service module attributes determined to be in the basic-category and in the item-level, a third table for service module attributes determined to be in the extended-category and in the header-level, and a fourth table for service module attributes determined to be in the extended-category and in the item-level; and

subsequent to said storing the first container, repeating to perform said determining the category, said determining the level, and said storing the first container after setting the first container with a next container in the relational table until all containers are stored in the relational table.

6. The computer program product of claim 5, said building comprising:

defining the at least one service module attribute of the service module data structure, wherein each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute either corresponds to one caller application attribute of the at least one caller application attribute or is created by the service module;

subsequent to said defining, configuring a caller identifier that uniquely identifies the caller application and the service module data structure pursuant to the received request;

subsequent to said configuring, constructing the generic service document, wherein the generic service document is configured to contain a result of the performed transaction;

subsequent to said constructing, creating one or more containers in the generic service document, wherein each container of the one or more containers is respectively associated with each service module attribute in each mapping of at least one mapping in a mapping table of the service module data structure, wherein each container comprises a data value for each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute; and

subsequent to said creating, naming each container of the one or more containers in the generic service document after each mapping of the at least one mapping in the mapping table.

7. The computer program product of claim 5, said servicing comprising:

performing the transaction;

subsequent to said performing the transaction, retrieving each mapping from a mapping table of the service module data structure; and

subsequent to said retrieving, reloading each container of the at least one container from the relational table into respective containers of the generic service document according to each retrieved mapping.

8. The computer program product of claim 5, wherein the caller application is a member of a group comprising at least two caller applications, and wherein the service module is shared by each member of the group.

9. A computer system comprising a processor, a memory coupled to the processor, and a computer readable storage device coupled to the processor, said storage device containing program code configured to be executed by the processor via the memory to implement a method for interfacing between a caller application and a service module, said method comprising:

said processor receiving a request for performing a transaction from the caller application, wherein the request comprises at least one caller application attribute describing the request;

subsequent to said receiving, said processor building a service module data structure pursuant to the received request, wherein the service module data structure comprises a generic service document and at least one service module attribute, wherein the service module uses only the service module data structure such that the service module need not manipulate the at least one caller application attribute in performing the transaction;

subsequent to said building, said processor storing each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute in a relational table of the service module data structure;

subsequent to said storing, said processor servicing the request within the service module data structure, wherein said servicing results in instantiating the generic service document; and

subsequent to said servicing, said processor returning the generic service document to the caller application;

said service module being executed by the processor to perform said receiving the request, said building the service module data structure, said storing each service module attribute, said servicing the request, and said returning the generic service document;

said storing comprising;

determining a category of a first service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute, wherein a configuration table comprises a respective category of each service module attribute, wherein the category is either an extended-category that is recognized only by the caller application or a basic-category that is recognized by both the caller application and the service module;

subsequent to said determining the category, determining a level of the first service module attribute, wherein the configuration table further comprises a respective level of each service module attribute, wherein the level is either a header-level that is applicable for all service module attributes represented in the generic service document or an item-level that is applicable only for the first service module attribute;

subsequent to said determining the level, storing in the relational table a first container of at least one container, said first container being pursuant to the category and the level of the first service module attribute that is associated with the first container, wherein the relational table is selected from the group consisting of a first table for service module attributes determined to be in the basic-category and in the header-level, a second table for service module attributes determined to be in the basic-category and in the item-level, a third table for service module attributes determined to be in the extended-category and in the header-level, and a fourth table for service module attributes determined to be in the extended-category and in the item-level; and

subsequent to said storing the first container, repeating to perform said determining the category, said determining the level, and said storing the first container after setting the first container with a next container in the relational table until all containers are stored in the relational table.

10. The computer system of claim 9, said building comprising:

defining the at least one service module attribute of the service module data structure, wherein each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute either corresponds to one caller application attribute of the at least one caller application attribute or is created by the service module;

subsequent to said defining, configuring a caller identifier that uniquely identifies the caller application and the service module data structure pursuant to the received request;

subsequent to said configuring, constructing the generic service document, wherein the generic service document is configured to contain a result of the performed transaction;

subsequent to said constructing, creating one or more containers in the generic service document, wherein each container of the one or more containers is respectively associated with each service module attribute in each mapping of at least one mapping in a mapping table of the service module data structure, wherein each container comprises a data value for each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute; and

subsequent to said creating, naming each container of the one or more containers in the generic service document after each mapping of the at least one mapping in the mapping table.

11. The computer system of claim 9, said servicing comprising:

performing the transaction;

subsequent to said performing the transaction, retrieving each mapping from a mapping table of the service module data structure; and

subsequent to said retrieving, reloading each container of the at least one container from the relational table into respective containers of the generic service document according to each retrieved mapping.

12. The computer system of claim 9, wherein the caller application is a member of a group comprising at least two caller applications, and wherein the service module is shared by each member of the group.

13. A process for supporting computer infrastructure, said process comprising providing at least one support service for at least one of creating, integrating, hosting, maintaining, and deploying computer-readable code in a computer system, wherein the code in combination with the computer system is configured to perform a method for interfacing between a caller application and a service module, said method comprising:

receiving, by a processor of the computer system, a request for performing a transaction from the caller application, wherein the request comprises at least one caller application attribute describing the request;

subsequent to said receiving, said processor building a service module data structure pursuant to the received request, wherein the service module data structure comprises a generic service document and at least one service module attribute, wherein the service module uses only the service module data structure such that the service module need not manipulate the at least one caller application attribute in performing the transaction;

subsequent to said building, said processor storing each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute in a relational table of the service module data structure;

subsequent to said storing, said processor servicing the request within the service module data structure, wherein said servicing results in instantiating the generic service document; and

subsequent to said servicing, said processor returning the generic service document to the caller application;

said service module being executed by the processor to perform said receiving the request, said building the service module data structure, said storing each service module attribute, said servicing the request, and said returning the generic service document;

said storing comprising;

determining a category of a first service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute, wherein a configuration table comprises a respective category of each service module attribute, wherein the category is either an extended-category that is recognized only by the caller application or a basic-category that is recognized by both the caller application and the service module;

subsequent to said determining the category, determining a level of the first service module attribute, wherein the configuration table further comprises a respective level of each service module attribute, wherein the level is either a header-level that is applicable for all service module attributes represented in the generic service document or an item-level that is applicable only for the first service module attribute;

subsequent to said determining the level, storing in the relational table a first container of at least one container, said first container being pursuant to the category and the level of the first service module attribute that is associated with the first container, wherein the relational table is selected from the group consisting of a first table for service module attributes determined to be in the basic-category and in the header-level, a second table for service module attributes determined to be in the basic-category and in the item-level, a third table for service module attributes determined to be in the extended-category and in the header-level, and a fourth table for service module attributes determined to be in the extended-category and in the item-level; and

subsequent to said storing the first container, repeating to perform said determining the category, said determining the level, and said storing the first container after setting the first container with a next container in the relational table until all containers are stored in the relational table.

14. The process of claim 13, said building comprising:

defining the at least one service module attribute of the service module data structure, wherein each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute either corresponds to one caller application attribute of the at least one caller application attribute or is created by the service module;

subsequent to said defining, configuring a caller identifier that uniquely identifies the caller application and the service module data structure pursuant to the received request;

subsequent to said configuring, constructing the generic service document, wherein the generic service document is configured to contain a result of the performed transaction;

subsequent to said constructing, creating one or more containers in the generic service document, wherein each container of the one or more containers is respectively associated with each service module attribute in each mapping of at least one mapping in a mapping table of the service module data structure, wherein each container comprises a data value for each service module attribute of the at least one service module attribute; and

subsequent to said creating, naming each container of the one or more containers in the generic service document after each mapping of the at least one mapping in the mapping table.

15. The process of claim 13, said servicing comprising:

performing the transaction;

subsequent to said performing the transaction, retrieving each mapping from a mapping table of the service module data structure; and

subsequent to said retrieving, reloading each container of the at least one container from the relational table into respective containers of the generic service document according to each retrieved mapping.

16. The process of claim 13, wherein the caller application is a member of a group comprising at least two caller applications, and wherein the service module is shared by each member of the group.