Bi-directional data mapping tool

• US 20060004854A1
• Filed: 05/27/2004
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Stading, Tyron, Okunseinde, Folu
• Granted Patent: US 7,827,205 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/25 Integrating or interfacing systems involving database management systems

Abstract

A computer implemented method is provided for a bi-directional data mapping tool. The method for mapping between at least two data models comprises selecting a source including a first data model, selecting a target including a second data model and defining a relationship between the data in the source and the data in the target. The method further comprises generating a bi-directional map from at least portions of the source, the target, and the defined relationship.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for mapping between at least two data models, comprising:

selecting a source having a first data model;

selecting a target having a second data model;

defining a relationship between the first data model and the second data model; and

generating a bi-directional map from at least portions of the source, the target, and the defined relationship.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the source comprises selecting a source document.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein at least one of selecting the source and selecting the target comprises one of determining a file structure in which the source or target, respectively, resides;

entering the information in a Disk Operating System command line entering a pathname; and

selecting a name from a drop-down list.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein selecting the target comprises selecting a target format or selecting a target document.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein defining the relationship comprises:

clicking on a data element in the source and dragging the data element to the target;

entering a plurality of information in a Disk Operating System command line;

entering the information in a Common Gateway Interface box of a browser application;

or

selecting from among options presented in a drop-down list for an entry in a Wizard menu.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, wherein generating the bi-directional map comprises generating a function.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

generating a plurality of bi-directional data maps, each map mapping bi-directionally between two data models; and

storing the generated bi-directional data maps.

8. A computing system, comprising:

a processor;

a storage; and

a bi-directional map generator residing on the storage that, when invoked by the processor, performs the following method;

receiving a source selection, the source including a first data model;

receiving a target selection, the target including a second data model;

receiving a definition of a relationship between the first data model and the second data model; and

generating a bi-directional map from at least portions of the source, the target, and the defined relationship.

9. The computing system of claim 8, wherein receiving the source selection comprises receiving a source document selection.

10. The computing system of claim 8, wherein receiving the target selection in the method comprises one of receiving a target format selection and receiving a target document selection.

11. The computing system of claim 8, wherein generating the bi-directional map in the method comprises generating a function.

12. The computing system of claim 8, wherein receiving the definition of the relationship in the method comprises:

receiving a selection of a data element in the source and receiving a selection of a location for the data element in the target;

receiving a plurality of information in a Disk Operating System command line;

receiving the information in a Common Gateway Interface box of a browser application;

or

receiving a selection from among options presented in a drop-down list for an entry in a Wizard menu.

13. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the method further comprises:

generating a plurality of bi-directional data maps, each map mapping bi-directionally between two data models; and

storing the generated bi-directional data maps.

14. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the computing system comprises a single computing apparatus.

15. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the computing apparatus comprises a stand-alone computing apparatus.

16. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the processor and storage are distributed across more than one computing apparatus.

17. The computing system of claim 8, further comprising a library of bi-directional maps residing in the storage.

18. The computing system of claim 8, wherein the storage is distributed over a plurality of computing apparatuses.

19. A program storage medium encoded with instructions that, when executed by a computing apparatus, perform a method for mapping between data models, the method comprising:

receiving a source selection, the source including a first data model;

receiving a target selection, the target including a second data model;

receiving a definition of a relationship between the first and second data models; and

generating a bi-directional map from at least portions of the source, the target, and the defined relationship.

20. The program storage medium of claim 19, wherein receiving the source selection in the method comprises receiving a source document selection.

21. The program storage medium of claim 19, wherein receiving the target selection in the method comprises one of receiving a target format selection and receiving a target document selection.

22. The program storage medium of claim 19, wherein generating the bi-directional map in the method comprises generating a function.

23. The program storage medium of claim 19, wherein receiving the definition of the relationship in the method comprises:

receiving a selection of a data element in the source and receiving a selection of a location for the data element in the target;

receiving a plurality of information in a Disk Operating System command line;

receiving the information in a Common Gateway Interface box of a browser application;

or

receiving a selection from among options presented in a drop-down list for an entry in a Wizard menu.

24. The program storage medium of claim 19, wherein the method further comprises:

generating a plurality of bi-directional data maps, each map mapping bi-directionally between two data models; and

storing the generated bi-directional data maps.

25. A computer-implemented method for use in integrating a computing system, the method comprising:

accessing a bi-directional data map adapted to map between at least a first data model and a second data model; and

mapping the data in a target including the second data model into the first data model of a source.

26. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, further comprising generating the bi-directional map.

27. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein accessing the bi-directional map comprises calling a function specified by the bi-directional map.

28. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein calling the function comprises calling a function stored in a function library.

29. The computer-implemented method of claim 25, wherein accessing the bi-directional map comprises accessing a bi-directional map stored in a map library.