Processing business transactions using dynamic database packageset switching

• US 7,363,264 B1
• Filed: 10/27/2000
• Issued: 04/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Computer Sciences Corporation (DXC Technology Company)
• Original Assignee: Computer Sciences Corporation (DXC Technology Company)
• Inventors: Doughty, Steven G., Bobbitt, Charles P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Colbert; Ella
• Application Number:
  US09/699,058
• Time in Patent Office: 2,734 Days
• Field of Search: 707/6, 707/7, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103.Y, 707/204, 707/1, 705 35- 36, 705/38, 705 39- 45, 705/1
• US Class Current: 705/35
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/10 specially adapted for electronic funds transfer [EFT] systems; specially adapted for home banking systems
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/00 Finance; Insurance; Tax strategies; Processing of corporate or income taxes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 40/03 Credit; Loans; Processing thereof
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/20 Education

Abstract

A system and method for dynamic selection of a database identifier based on application program requirements in a Financial Service Organization (FSO) business transaction processing system. Developers may build application programs for FSO business transactions with increased flexibility to changing business requirements and reduced development time. Dynamic database packageset software may provide functionality to isolate the FSO application program source code from changes to the FSO database. A dynamic database packageset switching table may include user defined keys and their associated database identifier values. The dynamic database packageset switching software may provide functionality to build a key, in real-time with a pre-defined structure, based on application program parameter values, use the key to access the dynamic database packageset switching table to locate an associated database identifier and access an FSO database using the database identifier to retrieve requested FSO data.

Claims

1. A method performed in a Financial Service Organization (FSO) computer system, the method comprising:

building a first key value from one or more data element values stored in a first memory in the FSO computer system;

comparing the first key value to one or more key values stored in a second memory, the second memory comprising one or more database identifier values each corresponding to a respective key value of the one or more key values, the one or more key values and the one or more database identifier values stored in the second memory being entered by a user of the FSO computer system during a configuration of the FSO computer system;

writing into a third memory a first database identifier value of the one or more database identifier values stored in the second memory in response to finding a match between the first key value and one of the one or more key values stored in the second memory, the first database identifier value comprising a pointer to a database location in a first database; and

accessing the first database in response to writing the first database identifier value corresponding to the matching key value into the third memory, wherein accessing the first database comprises using the pointer associated with the first database identifier value to access a database location that is pointed to by the pointer.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the FSO computer system comprises a plurality of databases, wherein the plurality of databases includes the first database, wherein each of the plurality of databases corresponds to a respective database identifier value, wherein one of the plurality of databases is an active database, wherein an active database identifier value corresponding to the active database is stored in a fourth memory, wherein the accessing the first database in response to writing the first database identifier value into the third memory comprises:

comparing the first database identifier value in the third memory to the active database identifier value in the fourth memory; and

setting the active database to the first database in response to the first database identifier value in the third memory not matching the active database identifier value in the fourth memory.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein setting the active database to the first database comprises setting the active database identifier value stored in the fourth memory to the first database identifier value from the third memory.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the FSO computer system comprises a key definition comprising one or more data elements, wherein the first key value comprises one or more key fields, wherein the building the first key value from one or more data element values in the first memory in the FSO computer system comprises:

reading a first data element value from the first memory, wherein a location of the first data element value in the first memory is defined by a first data element from the key definition; and

storing the first data element value in a first key field in the first key value in response to reading the first data element from the first memory.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more key values and the one or more database identifier values stored in the second memory are entered by a user of the FSO computer system during initial set up of the FSO computer system for processing software transactions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the one or more key values and the one or more database identifier values stored in the second memory are entered by a user of the FSO computer system during reconfiguration of the FSO computer system.

7. A computer readable medium comprising program instructions, wherein the program instructions are executable by a FSO computer system to implement:

building a first key value from one or more data element values stored in a first memory in the FSO computer system;

comparing the first key value to one or more key values stored in a second memory, the second memory comprising one or more database identifier values each corresponding to a respective key value of the one or more key values the one or more key values and the one or more database identifier values stored in the second memory being entered by a user of the FSO computer system during a configuration of the FSO computer system;

writing into a third memory a first database identifier value of the one or more database identifier values stored in the second memory in response to finding a match between the first key value and one of the one or more key values stored in the second memory, the first database identifier value comprising a pointer to a database location in a first database; and

accessing the first database in response to writing the first database identifier value corresponding to the matching key value into the third memory, wherein accessing the first database comprises using the pointer associated with the first database identifier value to access a database location that is pointed to by the pointer.

8. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the FSO computer system comprises a plurality of databases, wherein the plurality of databases includes the first database, wherein each of the plurality of databases corresponds to a respective database identifier value, wherein one of the plurality of databases is an active database, wherein an active database identifier value corresponding to the active database is stored in a fourth memory, wherein the accessing the first database in response to writing the first database identifier value into the third memory comprises:

comparing the first database identifier value in the third memory to the active database identifier value in the fourth memory; and

setting the active database to the first database in response to the first database identifier value in the third memory not matching the active database identifier value in the fourth memory.

9. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein setting the active database to the first database comprises setting the active database identifier value stored in the fourth memory to the first database identifier value from the third memory.

10. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the FSO computer system comprises a key definition comprising one or more data elements, wherein the first key value comprises one or more key fields, wherein the building the first key value from one or more data element values in the first memory in the FSO computer system comprises:

reading a first data element value from the first memory, wherein a location of the first data element value in the first memory is defined by a first data element from the key definition; and

storing the first data element value in a first key field in the first key value in response to reading the first data element from the first memory.

11. The computer readable medium of claim 7, wherein the carrier medium is a memory medium.

12. A system for processing FSO transactions, the system comprising:

a computer program;

an FSO computer system;

wherein the computer program is executable on the FSO computer system to execute;

building a first key value from one or more data element values stored in a first memory in the FSO computer system;

comparing the first key value to one or more key values stored in a second memory, the second memory comprising one or more database identifier values each corresponding to a respective key value of the one or more key values, the one or more key values and the one or more database identifier values stored in the second memory being entered by a user of the FSO computer system during a configuration of the FSO computer system;

writing into a third memory a first database identifier value of the one or more database identifier values stored in the second memory in response to finding a match between the first key value and one of the one or more key values stored in the second memory, the first database identifier value comprising a pointer to a database location in a first database; and

accessing the first database in response to writing the first database identifier value corresponding to the matching key value into the third memory, wherein accessing the first database comprises using the pointer associated with the first database identifier value to access a database location that is pointed to by the pointer.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein the FSO computer system comprises a plurality of databases, wherein the plurality of databases includes the first database, wherein each of the plurality of databases corresponds to a respective database identifier value, wherein one of the plurality of databases is an active database, wherein an active database identifier value corresponding to the active database is stored in a fourth memory, wherein the accessing the first database in response to writing the first database identifier value into the third memory comprises:

comparing the first database identifier value in the third memory to the active database identifier value in the fourth memory; and

setting the active database to the first database in response to the first database identifier value in the third memory not matching the active database identifier value in the fourth memory.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein setting the active database to the first database comprises setting the active database identifier value stored in the fourth memory to the first database identifier value from the third memory.

15. The system of claim 12, wherein the FSO computer system comprises a key definition comprising one or more data elements, wherein the first key value comprises one or more key fields, wherein the building the first key value from one or more data element values in the first memory in the FSO computer system comprises:

reading a first data element value from the first memory, wherein a location of the first data element value in the first memory is defined by a first data element from the key definition; and

storing the first data element value in a first key field in the first key value in response to reading the first data element from the first memory.