Entity linking system

• US 20040194112A1
• Filed: 05/09/2003
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Whittenberger, Kevin, Jackson, Sonja, Nanda, Sudhir, Ladwig, Jason
• Granted Patent: US 7,614,057 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/310
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/258 Data format conversion from or to a database

Abstract

A linking system that assists in managing the linking of entities contained in messages between two business applications is disclosed. The linking system also assists in updating entities between two business applications when an entity is updated in one application. The linking system takes each entity and places identifying information for the entity in a record in a first table. The system then creates in a record in a second table indicating that the two records in the first table are linked. The linking system also can remove links or records from the tables, and can return to a user a list of records that are linked together.

Claims

7. A computer executable method for creating a link between linking an entity in a first application program with an entity in a second application program, comprising the steps of:

gathering a data source connection for each entity to be linked;

retrieving a configuration for each of the entities to be linked;

for each entity to be linked,

performing an ID check to determine if the ID is valid;

determining if a record for the entity exists in an instance table;

creating a record in the instance table for the entity if no record is found;

determining if a link record exists linking the two entities in a link table; and

creating a link record in the link table if no corresponding record is found in the link table linking the two entities.

8. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

if a record for the entity is found in the instance table, updating the record in the instance table.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein creating a record in the instance table further includes, creating a plurality of entries in the record including entries for a system ID, an entity ID, and an entity ID.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein creating a record in the instance table further includes, assigning the record a unique ID.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein creating a record in the link table further includes;

assigning the record a unique ID in a first column of the link table;

inserting the unique ID of the first record in a second column of the link table; and

inserting the unique ID of the second record in a third column of the link table.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein creating a record in the first table includes assigning a time stamp to the record indicative of when the record was created in the table.

13. The method of claim 7 wherein performing the ID check includes checking a system ID for the entity.

14. The method of claim 7 wherein performing the ID check includes checking an entity ID for the entity.

15. The method of claim 7 wherein performing the ID check includes checking both an entity ID and a system ID for the entity.

16. The method of claim 7 further comprising:

prior to the gathering step;

receiving a schema containing a plurality of entities to be linked, the plurality of entities being grouped in sets; and

validating each set of entities; and

after creating a record in the link table;

checking each set of entities for exceptions; and

returning any exceptions to a user.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein if an exception is found, writing an entry indicative of the exception to a results file;

and

wherein returning any exceptions returns the results file to the user.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein if the set of entities cannot be validated writing an error to the results file.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein checking for exceptions, checks for business exceptions.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein checking for exceptions, checks for system exceptions.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein if a system exception is found returning the results file to the user, and stopping the method.

22. A computer executable method for removing a entity link linking an entity in a first application program with an entity in a second application program, comprising the steps of:

gathering a data source connection for each entity in the entity link to be removed;

retrieving a configuration for each of the entities in the entity link to be removed;

for each entity in the entity link to be removed,

performing an ID check to determine if the ID is valid;

determining if a record for the entity exists in an instance table; and

identifying the record in the instance table for the entity;

identifying any records in a link table including the records for both entities; and

deleting the identified records from the link table.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein identifying a record in the instance table identifies a unique ID for each of the entities;

and

wherein identifying any records linking the two entities in the link table identifies those records including the unique ID for each entity appearing in the record.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein the gathering the data source connection includes receiving an indication that a record in the instance table can be removed or cannot be removed.

25. The method of claim 24 further including:

searching the link table for other records including the unique ID from the instance table for one of the entities;

if no other records are found including the unique ID for one of the entities, and the received indication indicates that the record can be removed from the instance table;

then

deleting the record associated with the unique ID for the entity from the instance table.

26. The method of claim 23 further including:

searching the link table for other records including the unique ID from the instance table for one of the entities;

if no other records are found including the unique ID for one of the entities;

deleting the record associated with the unique ID for the entity from the instance table.

27. The method of claim 26 further including:

creating a copy of the record for the deleted entity in a history table.

28. The method of claim 22 wherein the performing the ID check includes checking a system ID for the entity.

29. The method of claim 22 wherein the performing the ID check includes checking an entity ID for the entity.

30. The method of claim 22 wherein the performing the ID check includes checking both an entity ID and a system ID for the entity.

31. A computer executable method for removing a record of an entity from an instance table in an integration component, comprising the steps of:

receiving an indication of the entity to be removed;

gathering a data source connection for the entity to be removed;

retrieving a configuration for the entity to be removed;

performing an ID check to determine if the ID is valid;

identifying the record in the instance table for entity; and

deleting the record from the instance table.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein identifying the record in the instance table identifies a unique ID for the record.

33. The method of claim 31 further including:

identifying in a link table, records including the unique ID from the instance table for the entity; and

deleting each identified record in the link table.

34. The method of claim 33 further including:

creating a copy of the record for the deleted entity in a history table.

35. The method of claim 31 wherein performing the ID check includes checking a system ID for the entity.

36. The method of claim 31 wherein performing the ID check includes checking an entity ID for the entity.

37. The method of claim 31 wherein performing the ID check includes checking both an entity ID and a system ID for the entity.

38. The method of claim 31 further including prior to deleting the record from the instance table:

checking in a link table, records including the unique ID from the instance table for the entity; and

if no record is found in the link table then deleting the record from the instance table.

39. A computer executable method for returning to a user a list of entities that are linked to a first entity comprising the steps of:

receiving the first entity at a linker component;

gathering a datasource connection for the entity;

receiving a configuration for the entity;

verifying that an ID for the entity is valid retrieving a unique ID for the entity from an instance table;

identifying a link table for records that contain the unique ID for the entity; and

returning to the user a list of records from the link table that contain the unique ID for the entity.

40. The method of claim 39 wherein verifying the ID includes verifying a system ID for the entity.

41. The method of claim 39 wherein verifying the ID includes verifying an entity ID for the entity.

42. The method of claim 39 wherein verifying the ID includes verifying both an entity ID and a system ID for the entity.

43. The method of claim 39 wherein returning to the user the list of records includes returning a unique ID of the record in the link table.

44. The method of claim 39 wherein the link table includes two unique ID'"'"'s representing two entities that are linked together;

and

wherein returning to the user the list of records includes returning the unique ID in the link table that does not represent the received entity.

45. The method of claim 39 further comprising:

receiving a second entity at the linker component, the second entity representing an entity being linked to the first entity;

executing the gathering, receiving, verifying and retrieving steps for the second entity;

wherein identifying in the link table identifies records that contain both the unique ID for the first entity and the unique ID for the second entity; and

wherein returning to the user a list of records returns records containing both unique IDs.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein returning to the user the list of records includes returning a unique ID for each record in the link table identified.

47. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving at an integration component a document including information contained in a first entity representing an entity in a first application program;

receiving at the integration component information contained in a second entity representing an entity in a second application program;

creating a first record in an instance table for the first entity, and a second record in the instance table for the second entity; and

creating a link record in a link table including an entry for the first record and an entry for the second record.

48. The computer readable medium of claim 47 wherein creating the first and second records in the instance table further includes creating an entry in the instance table including a source system ID, an entity ID, and an entity type.

49. The computer readable medium of claim 48 wherein creating the first and the second records in the instance table further includes assigning a unique ID in the instance table to each record.

50. The computer readable medium of claim 49 wherein creating a link record in the link table further includes assigning a unique ID for the link record, assigning the entry for the first record the unique ID of the first record, and assigning the entry for the second record the unique ID of the second record.

51. The method of claim 49 wherein if the source system ID is provided as a source system name further performing the steps of:

querying the application program that generated the entity;

searching a system table for the system name;

identifying a corresponding system ID for the system name in the system table; and

returning to the integration controller the system ID.

52. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving an indication of two entities that are to be linked;

for each entity to be linked,

performing an ID check to determine if the ID is valid;

determining if a record for the entity exists in an instance table;

creating a record in the instance table for the entity if no record is found;

determining if a link record exists linking the two entities in a link table; and

creating a link record in the link table if no corresponding record is found in the link table linking the two entities.

53. The computer readable medium of claim 52 further containing instructions to perform the steps of:

gathering a data source connection for each entity to be linked; and

retrieving a configuration for each of the entities to be linked.

54. The computer readable medium of claim 52 further containing instructions to perform the steps of:

if a record for the entity is found in the instance table, updating the record in the instance table.

55. The computer readable medium of claim 52 wherein creating a record in the instance table further includes, creating a plurality of entries in the record including entries for a system ID, an entity ID, an entity ID and a time stamp indicative of when the record was created in the table.

56. The computer readable medium of claim 55 wherein creating a record in the instance table further includes, assigning the record a unique ID.

57. The computer readable medium of claim 56 wherein creating a record in the link table further contains instructions to perform the steps of;

assigning the record a unique ID in a first column of the link table;

inserting the unique ID of the first record in a second column of the link table; and

inserting the unique ID of the second record in a third column of the link table.

58. The computer readable medium of claim 55 wherein performing the ID check includes checking a system ID for the entity.

59. The computer readable medium of claim 55 wherein performing the ID check includes checking an entity ID for the entity.

60. The computer readable medium of claim 52 further containing instructions to perform the steps of:

wherein receiving an indication receives a schema containing a plurality of entities to be linked, the plurality of entities being grouped in sets;

validating each set of entities; and

after creating a record in the link table;

checking each set of entities for exceptions;

writing any exceptions to a results file; and

returning the results file to a user.

61. The computer readable medium of claim 60 wherein if the set of entities cannot be validated writing an error to the results file.

62. The computer readable medium of claim 60 wherein checking for exceptions, checks for business exceptions.

63. The computer readable medium of claim 60 wherein checking for exceptions, checks for system exceptions.

64. The computer readable medium of claim 63 wherein if a system exception is found returning the results file to the user, and stopping the method.

65. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving an indication of two entities whose link is to be removed;

for each entity in the entity link to be removed;

performing an ID check to determine if the ID is valid;

determining if a record for the entity exists in an instance table; and

identifying the record in the instance table for the entity;

identifying any records in a link table including the records for both entities; and

deleting the identified records from the link table.

66. The computer readable medium of claim 65 further containing instructions to perform the steps of:

gathering a data source connection for each entity in the entity link to be removed; and

retrieving a configuration for each of the entities in the entity link to be removed.

67. The computer readable medium of claim 65 wherein identifying a record in the instance table identifies a unique ID for each of the entities;

and

wherein identifying any records linking the two entities in the link table identifies those records including the unique ID for each entity appearing in the record.

68. The computer readable medium of claim 67 further containing instructions to perform the steps of:

searching the link table for other records including the unique ID from the instance table for one of the entities;

if no other records are found including the unique ID for one of the entities;

deleting the record associated with the unique ID for the entity from the instance table.

69. The computer readable medium of claim 68 further including:

creating a copy of the record for the deleted entity in a history table.

70. The computer readable medium of claim 65 wherein the performing the ID check includes checking both an entity ID and a system ID for the entity.

71. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving an indication of an entity to be removed;

gathering a data source connection for the entity to be removed;

retrieving a configuration for the entity to be removed;

performing an ID check to determine if the ID is valid;

identifying the record in the instance table for entity; and

deleting the record from the instance table.

1. A computer executable method of linking an entity in a first application program with an entity in a second application program, comprising the steps of:

receiving at an integration component information contained in a first entity representing the entity in the first application program;

receiving at the integration component information contained in a second entity representing an entity in the second application program;

creating a first record in an instance table for the first entity, and a second record in the instance table for the second entity; and

creating a link record in a link table including an entry for the first record and an entry for the second record.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

receiving at the integration component a document including the first entity;

posting the document to the second application program;

receiving at the integration component the second entity from the second application program.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein creating the first record in the instance table and creating the second record in the instance table further includes creating an entry in the instance table including a source system ID, an entity ID, and an entity type.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein creating the first and the second records in the instance table further includes assigning a unique ID in the instance table to each record.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein creating a link record in the link table further includes assigning a unique ID for the link record, assigning the entry for the first record the unique ID of the first record, and assigning the entry for the second record the unique ID of the second record.

6. The method of claim 3 wherein if the source system ID is provided as a source system name further performing the steps of:

querying the application program that generated the entity;

searching a system table for the system name;

identifying a corresponding system ID for the system name in the system table; and

returning to the integration controller the system ID.

72. The computer readable medium of claim 71 wherein identifying the record in the instance table identifies a unique ID for the record.

73. The computer readable medium of claim 71 further containing instructions to perform the steps of:

identifying in a link table, records including the unique ID from the instance table for the entity; and

deleting each identified record in the link table.

74. The computer readable medium of claim 73 further containing instructions to perform the steps of:

creating a copy of the record for the deleted entity in a history table.

73-1. The computer readable medium of claim 71 wherein the link table includes two unique ID'"'"'s representing two entities that are linked together;

and

wherein returning to the user the list of records includes returning the unique ID in the link table that does not represent the received entity.

75. A computer readable medium containing computer executable instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to perform the steps of:

receiving a first entity at a linker component;

gathering a datasource connection for the entity;

receiving a configuration for the entity;

verifying that an ID for the entity is valid retrieving a unique ID for the entity from an instance table;

identifying a link table for records that contain the unique ID for the entity; and

returning to the user a list of records from the link table that contain the unique ID for the entity.

76. The computer readable medium of claim 75 wherein returning to the user the list of records includes returning a unique ID of the record in the link table.

78. The computer readable medium of claim 75 further containing instructions to perform the steps of:

receiving a second entity at the linker component, the second entity representing an entity being linked to the first entity;

executing the gathering, receiving, verifying and retrieving steps for the second entity;

wherein identifying in the link table identifies records that contain both the unique ID for the first entity and the unique ID for the second entity; and

wherein returning to the user a list of records returns records containing both unique IDs.

79. The computer readable medium of claim 78 wherein returning to the user the list of records includes returning a unique ID for each record in the link table identified.