Determination of a most suitable address for a master data object instance

• US 9,286,578 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2011
• Issued: 03/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP SE
• Inventors: Ritter, Gerd M., Bettin, Andreas, Neumann, Andreas, Grossmann, Toralf, Wolf, Timo
• Primary Examiner(s): OWYANG, MICHELLE N
• Application Number:
  US13/336,782
• Publication Number:
  US 20130166499A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,544 Days
• Field of Search: 705 11-500, 707600-899
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/128 Details of file system snapshots on the file-level, e.g. snapshot creation, administration, deletion use of snapshots for error detection or correction G06F11/14, G06F11/16
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24564 Applying rules; Deductive queries
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

The present disclosure involves computer-implemented methods, software, and systems for determining a most suitable address for a master data object instance for a given usage in a business transaction document, master data object, or business process. A computer-implemented method includes determining, using at least one computer, an address determination sequence, applying the address determination sequence to available address instances of a master data object instance, identifying a most suitable address from among the available instances, and retrieving an address value from the identified most suitable address instance.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

storing, by a computer, a master data object instance, wherein the master data object instance comprises of a plurality of address instances each with one or more address data;

generating, by the computer, a particular address snapshot instance for a respective particular address instance of the plurality of address instances, wherein the particular address snapshot instance is associated with the respective particular address instance through a respective unique address snapshot reference value, and the particular address snapshot instance is a data structure that comprises a root node with the respective unique address snapshot reference value, a node hosting address data of the respective particular address instance from which the particular address snapshot instance was generated, a validity period of a source object for which the particular address snapshot instance was generated, and a display name node containing a semantic name for an entity associated with the particular address snapshot instance that is filled in all address snapshot instances;

saving, by the computer, the particular address snapshot instance in a data storage following association with address data of the respective particular address instance;

rendering, by the computer, the particular address snapshot instance as immutable;

determining, by the computer, an address determination sequence;

analyzing, by the computer, the address determination sequence to the master data object instance to identify one or more address instances including the respective particular address instance;

identifying, by the computer, the respective particular address instance as a most suitable address instance from among the one or more address instances based on criteria of the address determination sequence;

returning, by the computer, the unique address snapshot reference value from the most suitable address instance; and

identifying, by the computer, the particular address snapshot instance from the returned unique address snapshot reference;

retrieving, by the computer, the address data from the particular address snapshot instance using the unique address snapshot reference value.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the address determination sequence includes at least one address determination rule.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 2, wherein the at least one address determination rule is followed in a predetermined, prioritized order determined by application knowledge related to at least one process performed by a software application.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the address determination sequence depends upon at least one received filter parameter.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 4, wherein the at least one received filter parameter includes at least one of a party role, a location role, or a validity date.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the unique address snapshot reference value is stored with the respective particular address instance.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the unique address snapshot reference value is stored remotely in relation to the respective particular address instance.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein the particular address snapshot instance is rendered as immutable following the saving of the particular address snapshot instance in the data storage.

9. A computer-program product comprising a tangible, non-transitory media storing computer-readable instructions, the instructions operable when executed by a processor to:

store a master data object instance, wherein the master data object instance comprises of a plurality of address instances each with one or more address data;

generate a particular address snapshot instance for a respective particular address instance of the plurality of address instances, wherein the particular address snapshot instance is associated with the respective particular address instance through a respective unique address snapshot reference value, and the particular address snapshot instance is a data structure that comprises a root node with the respective unique address snapshot reference value, a node hosting address data of the respective particular address instance from which the particular address snapshot instance was generated, a validity period of a source object for which the particular address snapshot instance was generated, and a display name node containing a semantic name for an entity associated with the particular address snapshot instance that is filled in all address snapshot instances;

save the particular address snapshot instance in a data storage following association with address data of the respective particular address instance;

render the particular address snapshot instance as immutable;

determine an address determination sequence;

analyze the address determination sequence to the master data object instance to identify one or more address instances including the respective particular address instance;

identify the respective particular address instance as a most suitable address instance from among the one or more address instances based on criteria of the address determination sequence;

return the unique address snapshot reference value from the most suitable address instance; and

identify the particular address snapshot instance from the returned unique address snapshot reference;

retrieve the address data from the particular address snapshot instance using the unique address snapshot reference value.

10. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the address determination sequence includes at least one address determination rule.

11. The computer-program product of claim 10, wherein the at least one address determination rule is followed in a predetermined, prioritized order determined by application knowledge related to at least one process performed by a software application.

12. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the address determination sequence depends upon at least one received filter parameter.

13. The computer-program product of claim 9, wherein the unique address snapshot reference value is stored with the respective particular address instance.

14. A computer system, comprising:

computer memory configured to store a master data object instance; and

at least one hardware processor interoperably coupled to the memory and configured to;

store the master data object instance, wherein the master data object instance comprises of a plurality of address instances each with one or more address data;

generate a particular address snapshot instance for a respective particular address instance of the plurality of address instances, wherein the particular address snapshot instance is associated with the respective particular address instance through a respective unique address snapshot reference value, and the particular address snapshot instance is a data structure that comprises a root node with the respective unique address snapshot reference value, a node hosting address data of the respective particular address instance from which the particular address snapshot instance was generated, a validity period of a source object for which the particular address snapshot instance was generated, and a display name node containing a semantic name for an entity associated with the particular address snapshot instance that is filled in all address snapshot instances;

save the particular address snapshot instance in a data storage following association with address data of the respective particular address instance;

render the particular address snapshot instance as immutable;

determine an address determination sequence;

analyze the address determination sequence to the master data object instance to identify one or more address instances including the respective particular address instance;

identify the respective particular address instance as a most suitable address instance from among the one or more address instances based on criteria of the address determination sequence;

return the unique address snapshot reference value from the most suitable address instance; and

identify the particular address snapshot instance from the returned unique address snapshot reference;

retrieve the address data from the particular address snapshot instance using the unique address snapshot reference value.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the address determination sequence includes at least one address determination rule.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the at least one address determination rule is followed in a predetermined, prioritized order determined by application knowledge related to at least one process performed by a software application.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the address determination sequence depends upon at least one received filter parameter.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the unique address snapshot reference value is stored with the respective particular address instance.

19. The system of claim 14, wherein the particular address snapshot instance is rendered as immutable following the saving of the particular address snapshot instance in the data storage.