Object oriented based methodology for modeling business functionality for enabling implementation in a web based environment

• US 20050060684A1
• Filed: 09/27/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ginegar LLC (K.Mizra LLC)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Uppal, Rajiv K., Parikh, Devang I., Gupta, Arun K.
• Granted Patent: US 7,533,366 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/105
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/24 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

A computer method and apparatus defining Business Classes for modeling business activities comprising the steps of representing business activities as the interaction between one or more Business Classes, and entering into a computer and storing in an electronic format the Business Classes and the relationships existing between the Business Classes.

Claims

1. (original) a computer method of modeling a business activity, comprising the steps of:

(a) defining one or more business classes including storing in a digital electronic format said one or more business classes as well as the relationships existing between said one or more business classes;

(b) representing a subject business activity as an interaction between one or more business classes; and

(c) tying business rules or methods to individual instances of the business classes such that two instances of a same class can respond differently to a given business activity.

2. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of defining includes the steps of:

(a) defining one or more business states indicative of the status of a business class; and

(b) defining one or more business methods to logically define the steps required to move a business class between one or more business states.

3. A method as claimed in claim 1 further comprising the step of auto deleting a business class.

4. A method as claimed in claim 3 further comprising auto deallocating memory space storing business class data.

5. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the business classes form templates of run-time business objects, each business object being an instance of a respective business class.

9. A method as claimed in claim 1 wherein the step of tying business rules includes allowing a business rule of an instance of a business class to reference an external code portion, the external code portion being executable to provide functionality specific to the instance and different from other instances of said business class.

10. A method as claimed in claim 9 wherein the external code portion is stored in a database organized according to defined attributes of the business class.

6. Computer apparatus for modeling a business activity, comprising:

definitions of one or more business classes stored in a digital electronic format including indications of relationships existing between said one or more business classes;

corresponding business objects of the business classes, for each business object the respective business class forming a template of a run-time instance of the business object; and

respective business rules or methods tied to individual instances of the business classes such that two instances of a same business class can behave differently.

7. Apparatus as claimed in claim 6 further comprising means for auto deleting a business class.

8. Apparatus as claimed in claim 7 further comprising automatic memory deallocation for deallocating memory space storing subject business class data.

11. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 6 wherein the business rules of an instance of a business class include references to respective external code portions, each external code portion being executable to provide functionality specific to the instance and different from other instances of said business class.

12. Computer apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the external code portion is stored in a database organized according to defined attributes of the business class.

13. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable medium for modeling a business activity; and

a set of computer program instructions embodied on the computer usable medium, including instructions for

(a) defining one or more business classes including storing in a digital electronic format said one or more business classes as well as the relationships existing between said one or more business classes;

(b) representing a subject business activity as an interaction between one or more business classes; and

(c) tying business rules or methods to individual instances of the business classes such that two instances of a same class can respond differently to a given business activity.

14. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the instructions for defining further include:

(a) defining one or more business states indicative of the status of a business class; and

(b) defining one or more business methods to logically define the steps required to move a business class between one or more business states.

15. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 further comprising instructions for auto deleting a business class.

16. A computer program product as claimed in claim 15 further comprising instructions for auto deallocating memory space storing business class data.

17. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the business classes form templates of run-time business objects, each business object being an instance of a respective business class.

18. A computer program product as claimed in claim 13 wherein the business rules of an instance of a business class include references to respective external code portions, each external code portion being executable to provide functionality specific to the instance and different from other instances of said business class.

19. A computer program product as claimed in claim 18 wherein the external code portion is stored in a database organized according to defined attributes of the business class.