Establishing business networks using a shared platform

• US 9,256,840 B2
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Issued: 02/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Said, Bare, Eberlein, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Chan, Wing F
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thieu, Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US13/309,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20130144945A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 709/204, 709/231, 709/205, 709/237, 707/792, 707/10
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/00 Commerce
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/01 Social networking

Abstract

The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for establishing business networks based on shared usage of a common platform. One process includes receiving a set of registry data associated with a collaboration system from a first network participant executing a first application based on a first application platform. A request from a second network participant executing a second application on a compatible platform to the first application platform to access the set of registry data from the first network participant is received. Access is provided to the second network participant of a subset of data shared by the first network participant for collaboration. In some instances, providing access to the second network participant can include identifying a user associated with the second network participant to provide data access with the first network participant and assigning corresponding access authorizations to development entity instances associated with the identified user.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for establishing business network on shared usage, the method comprising:

receiving a set of registry data associated with a collaboration system from a first network participant, wherein the set of registry data automatically publishes a set of preliminary data of each network participant, wherein the set of preliminary data includes a description of the each network participant and data related to each network participant, and wherein at least a portion of the set of registry data published in a collaboration registry is used to identify data to be shared through the collaboration system by the first network participant, the first network participant executing a first application based on a first application platform and sending invitations to one or more other network participants responsive to searching preliminary data in the collaboration registry published by the other network participants and discovering information suitable for establishing a collaborative relationship with the one or more other network participants;

receiving a request from a second network participant to access the set of registry data from the first network participant, the second network participant executing, based on a second application platform compatible with the first application platform, on a second application; and

providing access to the second network participant of at least a subset of data shared by the first network participant for collaboration.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application platform provides an on-demand service.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein providing access to the second network participant comprises:

identifying at least one user associated with the second network participant to provide data access with the first network participant; and

assigning corresponding access authorizations to development entity instances associated with the at least one identified user.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the development entity instances includes at least one of work center view, a report, a business object core service, and an interface.

5. The method of claim 3, where assigning corresponding access authorizations is based on pre-defined roles for the second network participant.

6. The method of claim 3, where assigning corresponding access authorizations is defined by the first network participant using an authorization mechanism provided by the first application platform.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the first network participant selects a subset of information associated with the first application to share with the second network participant.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the subset of information associated with the first application is defined via a user authorization mechanism associated with an on-demand service of the first and the second application platforms.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein receiving a set of registry data comprises publishing metadata models pre-defined by the first network participant.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application platform and the second application platform are the same.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application platform and the second application platform are different versions of a one application platform.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second application platform is derived from the first application platform.

13. A computer program product encoded on a non-transitory, tangible storage medium, the product comprising computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving a set of registry data associated with a collaboration system from a first network participant, wherein the set of registry data automatically publishes a set of preliminary data of each network participant, wherein the set of preliminary data includes a description of the each network participant and data related to each network participant, and wherein at least a portion of the set of registry data published in a collaboration registry is used to identify data to be shared through the collaboration system by the first network participant, the first network participant executing a first application based on a first application platform and sending invitations to one or more other network participants responsive to searching preliminary data in the collaboration registry published by the other network participants and discovering information suitable for establishing a collaborative relationship with the one or more other network participants;

receiving a request from a second network participant to access the set of registry data from the first network participant, the second network participant executing, based on a second application platform compatible with the first application platform, on a second application; and

providing access to the second network participant of at least a subset of data shared by the first network participant for collaboration.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein providing access to the second network participant comprises:

identifying at least one user associated with the second network participant to provide data access with the first network participant; and

assigning corresponding access authorizations to development entity instances associated with the at least one identified user.

15. The computer program product of claim 14, wherein the development entity instances includes at least one of work center view, a report, a business object core service, and an interface.

16. The computer program product of claim 14, where assigning corresponding access authorizations is based on pre-defined roles for the second network participant.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the first network participant selects a subset of information associated with the first application to share with the second network participant.

18. The computer program product of claim 17, wherein the subset of information associated with the first application is defined via a user authorization mechanism associated with an on-demand service of the first and the second application platforms.

19. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein receiving a set of registry data comprises publishing metadata models pre-defined by the first network participant.

20. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein the first application platform and the second application platform are the same.

21. A system, comprising:

one or more computers; and

a computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more computers having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising;

receiving a set of registry data associated with a collaboration system from a first network participant, wherein the set of registry data automatically publishes a set of preliminary data of each network participant, wherein the set of preliminary data includes a description of the each network participant and data related to each network participant, and wherein at least a portion of the set of registry data published in a collaboration registry is used to identify data to be shared through the collaboration system by the first network participant, the first network participant executing a first application based on a first application platform and sending invitations to one or more other network participants responsive to searching preliminary data in the collaboration registry published by the other network participants and discovering information suitable for establishing a collaborative relationship with the one or more other network participants;

receiving a request from a second network participant to access the set of registry data from the first network participant, the second network participant executing, based on a second application platform compatible with the first application platform, on a second application; and

providing access to the second network participant of at least a subset of data shared by the first network participant for collaboration.