Object oriented based, business class methodology for performing data metric analysis

• US 7,418,459 B2
• Filed: 08/07/2007
• Issued: 08/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Gupta, Arun K.
• Primary Examiner(s): MIZRAHI, DIANE D
• Application Number:
  US11/835,081
• Publication Number:
  US 20080010312A1
• Time in Patent Office: 385 Days
• Field of Search: 707/1, 707/10, 707/100, 707/101, 707/102, 707/103.R, 707/13.Y, 707/103.X, 707/104.1, 717/101, 717/102, 717/104, 717/116, 717/148, 717/165, 717/166, 717/171, 717/176, 705/7, 705/22, 705/28, 705/29, 706/45, 706/476, 706/47, 706/50, 706/925, 709/201, 712/28, 712/29, 712/30, 712/225, 715/700, 715/744, 715/749
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/24573 using data annotations, e.g. user-defined metadata
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/2465 Query processing support for facilitating data mining operations in structured databases
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/954 Relational
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/955 Object-oriented
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99936 Pattern matching access
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99944 Object-oriented database structure
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99945 Object-oriented database structure processing

Abstract

A method for modeling business activities defines a plurality of business classes. Each business class is a generic definition of corresponding data elements of business activities. Business activities are modeled as interactions and relationships between the plurability of business classes. The business classes and data elements are stored in an operational database, in a matter enabling user-selected data elements to be retrieved. The retrieval of data elements is in accordance with a metric analysis profile.

Claims

1. A method of data retrieval employing modeled business activities, comprising steps of:

in a computer memory;

A. forming a model modeling a business activity;

B. using the model in developing a metric analysis profile;

C. retrieving data elements of interest in accordance with the metric analysis profile;

wherein forming the model in step A. comprises;

(i) in computer memory, defining a plurality of classes, each class definition having attributes, processes and sub-processes corresponding to data elements of a given business activity being modeled, wherein attributes are characteristics and data types of the class, and the class serves as a generic definition of the corresponding data elements, instances of each class being dynamically allocated and stored in memory as data objects;

(ii) in response to user input, in computer memory (a) logically grouping instances of classes to form subjects, (b) combining subjects to form a package and (c) constructing a data repository in memory based on the package, the classes, subjects, package and logical relationships therebetween modeling the given business activity;

(iii) in computer memory, enabling user definition of the logical relationships, including enabling a user to (a) provide interactions and relationships between the plurality of classes and (b) define inheritance and ownership between classes such that the interactions represent the given business activity, different business activities being representable by different interactions, each business activity being able to be modeled as an interaction between respective classes; and

(iv) storing the data repository as an operational database in a manner that enables user-selected data elements to be retrieved in accordance with the metric analysis profile;

wherein using the model in step B. includes user specifying any combination of attributes, processes, sub-processes and data elements from the model for inclusion within the metric analysis profile; and

wherein retrieving in step C. includes automatically generating executable code from the specified attributes, processes, sub-processes and data elements, the generated executable code enabling (i) retrieval of the specified data elements from the operational database and (ii) storing of the retrieved data elements in a staging database, in accordance with the metric analysis profile, and the executable code creating a populated staging database.

2. The method of claim 1, in response to a request to delete one of the plurality of classes, the method further comprising:

automatically generating executable code for deleting the specified attributes, processes and sub-processes corresponding to the requested class; and

for at least one of the plurality of classes depending from the requested class, further employing the generated code to effectively delete the at least one dependent class from the metric analysis profile including deleting both persistent and non-persistent data forming the at least one dependent class.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the code for deleting includes code for de-allocating memory storage space in the operational database associated to the deleted class.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the request for deletion is automatically generated in response to a change in the metric analysis profile.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of storing as the operational database includes storing the plurality of classes and data elements as a repository based aggregation in accordance with the modeled interactions and relationships.

6. A system which when executed by computer memory retrieves data using a model of business activities, comprising:

a computer memory;

a graphical user interface (i) defining in the computer memory, a plurality of classes, each class definition having attributes, processes and sub-processes corresponding to data elements of a given business activity, wherein attributes are characteristics and data types of the class and the class serves as a generic definition of the corresponding data elements, instances of each class being dynamically allocated and stored in memory as data objects,

(ii) obtaining user input, in computer memory, to (a) logically group instances of classes to form subjects, (b) combine subjects to form a package and (c) construct a data repository in memory based on the package, and the classes, subjects, package and logical relationships therebetween modeling the given business activity,

and (iii) enabling user definition of the logical relationships, including enabling a user, in the computer memory, to (a) provide interactions and relationships between the plurality of classes, and (b) define inheritance and ownership between classes such that the interactions represent the given business activity, different business activities being representable by different interactions, each business activity being able to be modeled as an interaction between respective classes, and said graphical user interface enabling a user to select any combination of attributes, processes, sub-processes and data elements from the modeled given business activity for inclusion within a metric analysis profile; and

an operational database storing said data repository in a manner that enables user-selected data elements to be retrieved in accordance with the metric analysis profile, wherein executable code is automatically generated from the user selected attributes, processes, sub-processes and data elements, the executable code enabling (i) retrieval of the selected data elements from the operational database and (ii) storing of the retrieved data elements in a staging database, in accordance with the metric analysis profile, and the executable code creating a populated staging database.

7. The system of claim 6, further comprising executable code automatically generated upon receipt of a request to delete one of said plurality of classes, said executable code for deleting said specified attributes , processes and sub-processes corresponding to said requested class.

8. The system of claim 7 wherein at least one of said plurality of classes depends from said requested class, said executable code includes logic for applying to said at least one dependent class and deleting persistent and non-persistent data of said at least one dependent class.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein said request for deletion is automatically generated in response to a change in said metric analysis profile.

10. Computer-based method for modeling business activities in connection with data retrieval, the method comprising the steps of:

defining in computer memory, a plurality of classes, each class definition having attributes, processes and sub-processes corresponding to data elements of business activities, wherein attributes are characteristics and data types of the class and the class serves as a generic definition of the corresponding data elements;

modeling in computer memory business activities as interactions and relationships between the plurality of classes, said plurality of classes enabling various business activities to be modeled as interactions between classes;

for each instance of a class, dynamically allocating and storing in memory a respective data object;

in computer memory, logically relating and hierarchically grouping instances of classes to form a package, the package and logical relationships between classes in the package modeling a given business activity;

in computer memory, enabling user definition of the logical relationships, including enabling a user to (a) provide interactions and relationships between the plurality of classes and (b) define inheritance and ownership between classes such that the interactions represent the given business activity; and

based on the package, storing the plurality of classes, the user-defined logical relationships and the data elements in an operational database in a manner that enables user-selected data elements to be retrieved in accordance with a metric analysis, wherein user specifying any combination of attributes, processes, sub-processes and data elements from the modeled given business activity for inclusion within the metric analysis automatically generates executable code, the generated executable code enabling (i) retrieval of the specified data elements from the operational database and (ii) storing of the retrieved data elements in a staging database, in accordance with the metric analysis, and the executable code creating a populated staging database.

11. Computer-based method of claim 10 further including in response to a request to delete one of the plurality of classes,

automatically generating executable code for deleting the attributes, processes and sub-processes corresponding to the requested class;

and

for at least one of the plurality of classes depending from the requested class, further employing the generated code to effectively delete the at least one dependent class including deleting both persistent and non-persistent data forming the at least one dependent class.

12. Computer-based method of claim 11 wherein the code for deleting includes code for de-allocating memory storage space in the operational database associated to the deleted class.

13. Computer-based method of claim 11 wherein the request for deletion is automatically generated in response to a change in the metric analysis profile.

14. Computer-based method of claim 10 wherein the storing in the operational database includes storing the plurality of classes and data elements as a repository based aggregation in accordance with the modeled interactions and relationships.