Electrical computers and digital processing systems: interprogra – Interprogram communication using message – Agent
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-15
2004-05-25
Follansbee, John (Department: 2126)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: interprogra
Interprogram communication using message
Agent
C709S201000, C709S202000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06742181
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to inter-application data transmission/reception, and the embodiments of the present invention relates to a system and method for transmitting/receiving data among interconnected applications over a network, and further to a computer readable storage medium having a computer readable program code stored therein for causing data to be exchanged among various interconnected applications over the network.
2. Description of the Related Art
FIG. 17
of the accompanying drawings shows a block diagram of a conventional integrated architecture of various applications which appears in page 514 of “High-tech Software Dictionary”, Ohm Press (May 1991). Referring to
FIG. 17
, a shared user interface
1
,
6
is used by a user for entering data to gain access to a business application
2
,
7
, respectively, and receiving an output result from the business application
2
,
7
. A shared communication protocol
3
,
8
is used for communication over a network between the business applications
2
and
7
using the shared user interfaces
1
and
6
, respectively. A shared API (Application Program Interface) business program
4
,
9
is provided with a shared API for a mutual use of data/functions of the business applications
2
and
7
. A database
5
,
10
stores business data. The business application
2
,
7
includes the shared communication protocol
3
,
8
, the shared API business program
4
,
9
and the database
5
,
10
, respectively. A network
11
links the business applications
2
and
7
.
The operation of the conventional art is now described with reference to FIG.
17
.
In the case of a single or sole use of the business application
2
involving no data transmission over the network, the user gains access to the shared API business program
4
from the shared user interface
1
via the shared communication protocol
3
to request the use of the function of the shared API business program
4
. The shared API business program
4
retrieves data required from the database
5
, processes the data and outputs a processed outcome in response to the user's request at the, shared user interface
1
via the shared communication protocol
3
.
In the case of the mutual use of data/functions of the business applications
2
and
7
involving data transmission over the network, assuming that the processed result from the business application
2
is transmitted over to the business application
7
to be used, the same process as that of the aforementioned single or sole use of the business application
2
is applied to the use of the function of the business application
2
via the shared user interface
1
by the user. Thereafter, the function of the shared API business program
9
is called from the shared API business program
4
via the shared communication protocols
3
and
8
over the network
11
.
Suppose that a company A uses an X made spreadsheet software P implemented in the business application
2
, a company B uses a Y made spreadsheet software Q implemented in the business application
7
, and Internet is used as the network
11
.
In the case of data retrieved from the spreadsheet software P in the system of company A, transmitted over the Internet to the system of company B so as to be written into the spreadsheet software Q, specific programs are required for implementing such series of processing on each of the systems of companies A and B. However, the specific programs are designed only for communication between the systems of companies A and B. In other words, the specific program is not applicable to a communication between the system of company A and the system of a company C, for example, if the system of company C uses the same Y made spreadsheet software Q as that of company B. Data of the spreadsheet software P of company A can be written into the spreadsheet software Q of company B but not the spreadsheet software Q of company C. This is because the spreadsheet software Q of company B is used in a different manner from that of company C in terms of the definition of data and the use of columns. For this reason, a specific program has to be designed exclusively for connecting the systems of company A and company B.
Thus, the conventional business application system is efficient only in the single use of the business application but poses such a problem in the mutual use of data of various business applications. The problem arises when connecting the same made business applications of different types of business or different made business applications of the same type of business. Differences in data formats, communication protocols depending on communication software, functions of business applications and the like make the connection difficult. In order to connect the business applications in such a condition, changes in business programs and communication software may be involved with an increase in development cost.
The integration of the communication protocols and application program interfaces (API) which are application dependent of the conventional art is a solution to the mutual use of data among various business applications.
However, this solution of integration is applicable only to applications newly developed based upon unified standards designed for the mutual use of data. With existing systems, the rebuilding of business programs and communication protocols have to be involved with a large increase in development cost. If there is no information provided on source codes or internal logic, then nothing can be done to solve this problem.
The following examples illustrate the aforementioned problems.
Assuming that integer values stored in the database are represented to be processed in a two-bite data format and in the database
10
in a four-byte data format. In this case, data format conversion is required for a consistent performance of inputting, processing and outputting in the respective business applications.
There is usually a strong relationship between a data format to be used within a business application and control commands/instructions. The communication protocol connecting the user interface and the business application may depend on the implementing method of the user interface.
For example, a communication protocol called Telnet (Telecommunication Network) is usually used with a character-based screen terminal as the user interface for inputting/outputting data, and a communication protocol called HTTP (Hypertext Transfer Protocol) is usually used with a browser as the user interface.
For the mutual use of data of various business applications, there is a need of using the communication protocol to be shared among the various business applications so as to match the data formats and the transmission formats. For this reason, the implementing method of the user interface also has to be shared or specified among the business applications.
Thus, there is a need of matching existing communication protocols, data access APIs, data formats of data to be stored and retrieved, definition of data, user interfaces and the like between different made business applications of the same type of business to be connected for the mutual use of data exchanged. In other words, existing two different business applications in operation may be linked successfully for the mutual use of data exchanged only when some of those changes are involved in either one or both of the business programs.
When the data format of one business application is converted into that of the other, not only the business application program but also the data format of all the stored data is required conversion.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Embodiments of the present invention are directed to solving the foregoing problems. It is an object of an embodiment of the present invention to achieve the mutual use of data and functions of various business applications over the network without changing business application and communication protocol.
Further, as a transmission format to be used for da
Kino Shigenori
Koike Kazuhiro
Mizuguchi Takehisa
Mochizuki Yasuyuki
Birch & Stewart Kolasch & Birch, LLP
Follansbee John
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Nguyen V. H.
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