Data processing: database and file management or data structures – Database design – Data structure types
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-09
2002-06-25
Corrielus, Jean M. (Department: 2172)
Data processing: database and file management or data structures
Database design
Data structure types
C100S010000, C100S006000, C100S003000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06411963
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to the field of interfaces between systems having data needs such as databases and input devices. Specific examples include SAP systems and bar-code readers. In general, these systems are referred to as “external systems.”
Referring now to
FIG. 1
, an interface
10
for communication with a first external system
12
and a second external system
14
is seen. External system
12
comprises a database of information housed, for example, on a SAP system. External system
12
comprises a data entry system (for example, a bar code reader). Other examples of external system
12
and external system
14
for which an interface
10
is needed include J D Edwards, Oracle, Web-based apps, and legacy systems, all of which are known to those of skill in the art.
Each external system
12
,
14
have system-specific data format and relational database management system methods designed into it. To move information from one external system to another, an interface
10
must be provided. Traditionally, such interfaces are custom designed and programmed. The work requires a large amount of expertise and knowledge about both external systems
12
and
14
. Further, an interface
10
designed for any two specific external systems
12
and
14
will not function for any other pair of external systems. This results in very large expense to move data from one external system to another.
A need exists, therefore, for a method and system for providing an interface between external systems, such that the user of the external systems can configure an interface based solely on knowledge of the data in the external systems, without a need to have an in-depth understanding of the database model and communication protocols of each of the external systems.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Various objects of the invention are addressed in one aspect by an interface for communication with a first external system and a second external system, wherein a method is provided for responding to an event the event being related to communication with at least one of the first or thee second external systems, the method comprising:
receiving a message, the message comprising a metadata event key and a session identifier, the session identifier identifying a workset database for use with the message, the workset database having a workset database structure dependent upon metadata; and
processing an action series dependent upon the metadata event key, wherein said processing is assigned to the session.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an interface for communication with a first external system and a second external system, a method for responding to an event, the event being related to communication with at least one of the first or the second external systems, the interface comprising:
means for receiving a message, the message comprising a metadata event key and a session identifier, the session identifier identifying a workset database for use with the message, the workset database having a workset database structure dependent upon metadata; and
means for processing an action series dependent upon the metadata event key, wherein the processing is assigned to the session.
According to still another aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for communicating data from a first external system to a second external system, the method comprising:
recognizing a message, comprising a event key and session identifier, the session identifier identifying a workset database for use with the message, the workset database having a workset database structure dependent upon metadata; and
processing an action series dependent upon the metadata event key, wherein said processing is assigned to the session.
According to a further aspect of the invention, a system is provided for communicating data from a first external system to a second external system, the method comprising:
means for recognizing a message, comprising a event key and session identifier, the session identifier identifying a workset database for use with the message, the workset database having a workset database structure dependent upon metadata; and
means for processing an action series dependent upon the metadata event key, wherein said processing is assigned to the session.
In even a further aspect a method is provided for selecting a group of records in a database wherein:
the database comprises a set of tables,
at least some records in any particular table are in an ordered relationship with the other records in the table,
at least one field in one of the tables consists of a join key field, the join key field being related to a field in another table, wherein a parent-child relationship between the tables is defined in which the table comprising the join key field is the child of the table comprising the field related to the join key field,
at least some of the tables in the set of tables are related to at least one other table in the set of tables in a parent-child relationship,
at least one of the records of the group carries a “current record” designation, wherein a current table is defined;
the method comprising:
designating one of the set of tables as a “reference table;”
designating one of the records of the reference table as a “reference record,” the reference record comprising a field related to a join key field of a record of a descendant table of the reference table;
designating the group of records to comprise: the reference record and all records having a field related to the reference record; and
designating a record in the reference table as the current record.
In yet another aspect, there is provided a system for selecting a group of records in a database wherein:
the database comprises a set of tables,
at least some records in any particular table are in an ordered relationship with the other records in the table,
at least one field in one of the tables consists of a join key field, the join key field being related to a field in another table, wherein a parent-child relationship between the tables is defined in which the table comprising the join key field is the child of the table comprising the field related to the join key field,
at least some of the tables in the set of tables are related to at least one other table in the set of tables in a parent-child relationship,
at least one of the records of the group carries a “current record” designation, wherein a current table is defined;
the system comprising:
means for designating one of the sets of tables as a “reference table;”
means for designating one of the records of the reference table as a “reference record,” the reference record comprising a field related to a join key field of a record of a descendant table of the reference table;
means for designating the group of records to comprise: the reference record and all records having a field related to the reference record; and
means for designating a record in the reference table as the current record.
In an even further aspect of the invention a method of querying a SAP system is provided, the method comprising:
reading a list of tables, wherein the list of tables is dependent upon user-defined metadata;
reading a list of fields, wherein the list of fields is dependent upon user-defined metadata;
reading a list of “where clauses”, wherein the list of “where clauses” is dependent upon user-defined metadata;
building a message dependent upon said reading a list of tables, fields, and “where clauses”, and upon data from a workset database; and
sending the message to the “query” function module of SAP;
running the query function module, wherein the desired results of the query are provided to the message, wherein a modified message results; and
receiving the modified message.
A system of querying a SAP system is also provided as an aspect of the invention, the system comprising:
means for reading a list of tables, wherein the list of tables is dependent upon user-defined metadata;
means for reading a list of fields, wherein the list of fields is dependent up
Burudgunte Rakesh
Phillips Darcy Wellington
Rodriguez Eric Peter
Seese David John
Tan Lee Yeh
Arnold Gordon
Arnold & Associates
Corrielus Jean M.
Junot Systems, Inc.
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