JP2003242127A - Business integrated system - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To solve the problem that if each business support server executes business process to a client, the client must perform an operation with consciousness of each business support server as another system. <P>SOLUTION: In this business integrated system, a business integrated server is arranged between a Web type client and various business support servers through a network, and this business integrated server cooperates with each business support server in the automatic execution of the logic of the preset business process. A business process logic execution part 2 acquires detailed information for a business support server corresponding to a business process function from a service repository management part 3, asks a service execution to the business support server through a business support server communication part 4 on the basis of the information, and stores the result of the service execution as internal data. A GUI (graphical user interface) formation part 6 dynamically forms a GUI to be transmitted to the client on the basis of a style sheet report in which the service execution result of the business support server is designated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a business integration system that causes various business support servers distributed over a network to function in an integrated manner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, due to the promotion of computerization, the improvement of network environment, and the speeding up of networks, a conventional stand-alone business support system (for example, a monitoring support system for monitoring work or a maintenance support system for maintenance work). Etc.) are becoming network compatible. In particular, in an intranet-compatible system that uses the corporate network or a system that uses a wide area network such as the Internet, it is possible to use the business support system without being restricted by time and place, and it is convenient. Is improving.

Such a network-compatible work support system comprises a client that requests work processing and a work support server that executes the requested work processing.
They communicate over the network. This communication method includes HTML format based on Web technology, X
There are ML format, SOAP format and the like.

HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language)
The format is a method of transmitting the processing result described in HTML from the business support server to the client.

The XML (Extensible Markup Language) format is a method for transmitting a processing result described in XML from a job support server to a client. XML is W3C
(World wide web consortium) is a standardized meta-language. By marking sentences and data with tags, attribute information and logical structure of data can be uniquely defined. In addition, XSL (Extensible Styleseet L), which is a style sheet language that specifies the XML display style,
peripheral technologies such as XSLT (XML Transfomations), which is a language for converting anguage) and XML structure.
It is standardized by 3C.

SOAP (Simple Object Acess Protoco)
The l) format is a communication method using a distributed object communication protocol called SOAP. An object that executes processing is placed in the business support server, and the client adds S to the method (processing function) of this object.
Accessed by OAP, the object sends the execution result of the method to the client by SOAP.

A Web browser is usually used for two clients of HTML format and XML format, and SOAP is used.
The type of client is a client application.

[0008]

Each of the current business support systems is connected to a network, but since they are independent application systems, it is difficult to link them. When operating a plurality of business support servers when executing a series of business processes (hereinafter referred to as business processes), the client must be aware of the fact that each business system is a separate system. I won't.

For example, when the processing result of the system A is used as an input parameter of the system B, the person operating the client recognizes the processing result of the system A and inputs the processing result into the input screen of the system B, Manual work such as requesting processing to the system B is required.

Therefore, although the current business system has the convenience of not being restricted by time and place, the efficiency of business processing such as automation of business processes by linking data of each business system can be realized. I can't.

An object of the present invention is to provide a business integration system that solves the above problems.

[0012]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is characterized by the following configurations.

(1) A business integration server is arranged between a Web-type client and various business support servers via a network, and while this business integration server automatically executes the logic of a preset business process, A business integration system that cooperates with each business support server, wherein the business integration server includes a client gate unit, a business process logic execution unit, a service repository management unit, a business support server communication unit, and a GUI creation unit. The client gate unit executes the logic of the business process to be executed, various parameters necessary for executing the logic, and the GUI to be created from the data transmitted from the client.
Information of the style sheet for is extracted and stored as internal data, the business process logic execution unit acquires detailed information of the business support server corresponding to the name of the business process function from the service repository management unit, and the name and Detailed information of the business support server is requested to the business support server through the business support server communication unit to execute a service, the result of the service execution is stored as internal data, and the service repository management unit stores the business process logic execution unit. Obtains detailed information of the business support server corresponding to the service name of the business process function specified by, and notifies the business process logic execution unit, and the business support server communication unit specifies the business process logic execution unit. Based on the service name and detailed information on the business support server, And communicating with the server, notifying the business process logic execution unit of the service execution result of the business support server, and the GUI creation unit is designated with the processing result of the business process logic execution unit stored in internal data. The GUI to be transmitted to the client is dynamically created based on the style sheet information.

(2) The internal data may be implemented by any one of a program structure mounting method, an XML mounting method, and a program structure and XML mounting method.

(3) The process logic is characterized in that it is implemented by a program module or by XML.

(4) The service repository is CSV
The method implemented with the file described in, the method implemented with the file described in XML, the method implemented with RDB,
The present invention is characterized in that any one of a file described in XML and a method implemented by RDB is adopted.

(5) Communication with the business support server is H
It is characterized in that any one of a method of implementing communication in TML, a method of implementing communication in XML, and a method of implementing SOAP communication.

[0018]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, which is shown in comparison with a conventional system configuration diagram.

In FIG. 1, the target system form is a web type system in which the client is a web browser. The present invention basically arranges a business integration server C between a conventional client A and various business support servers B via a network, and the business integration server C has a preset logic of a business process ( Data link with each business support server B by automatically executing the business process logic).

With this configuration, the client A simply requests the business integration server C to execute the business process,
Obtain the final business process result and realize efficiency in business processing.

FIG. 2 is a S / W block diagram of the business integration server. In the figure, solid arrows indicate the flow of each block of internal data defined by the server S / W, and broken arrows indicate the flow of information between each information source and each block. Below each S
The details of the / W block will be described.

The client gate unit 1 extracts the process logic to be executed, various parameters required to execute the process logic, and the style sheet information for the GUI to be created from the data transmitted from the client A, and stores it as internal data. To do.

The business process logic execution unit 2 executes the business process based on the logic sequence of the specified business process (hereinafter referred to as process logic).
Information necessary for execution is described in advance in the process logic, and the process logic is arranged outside the S / W block. The name of the business process function (service name) to be executed is described in the process logic.

In this business process logic execution unit 2,
Detailed information (server name or IP address, parameter elements necessary for executing the service, etc.) of the business support server corresponding to the service name is acquired from the service repository management unit 3. Further, the service name and the detailed information of the work support server are passed to the work support server communication unit 4 to request communication (service execution) with the work support server B. The result of service execution is stored as internal data. All the business support servers B that describe this series of processes in the process logic
To realize cooperation between the respective business support servers.

The service repository management unit 3 details the business support server B corresponding to the name (service name) of the business process function designated by the business process logic execution unit 2 (server name or IP address, necessary for service execution). (Parameter elements, etc.) are acquired from the service repository 5 arranged outside the S / W block, and the business process logic execution unit 2 is notified.

The business support server communication unit 4 communicates with the business support server B (service execution) based on the service name designated by the business process logic execution unit 2 and the detailed information of the business support server, and the business support server B The business process logic execution unit 2 is notified of the service execution result of.

The service repository 5 stores detailed information (server name or IP address, parameter elements necessary for server execution, etc.) of the business support server corresponding to the name of the business process function (server name). It is an external resource separated from the S / W block of the business integration server C.

The GUI creation unit 6 is based on the processing result of the business process logic execution unit 2 stored in the internal data and the specified style sheet information (located outside the S / W block). , Dynamically create a GUI to be sent to client A.

From the S / W block configuration described above,
The business integration server C includes a framework-like portion that executes a process that does not depend on a specific business application,
It is characterized by being configured with external resource parts (service repository information, business support server, process logic, GUI style sheet) that depend on a specific business application.

The implementation method of the business integration server of this embodiment will be described below. This mounting method is roughly classified into four types: (1) internal data mounting method, (2) process logic mounting method, (3) service repository mounting method, and (4) business support server communication mounting method.

(1) Internal data mounting method The data items of internal data necessary for realizing the function of the business integration server are as follows.

The name of the process logic to be executed.

Various parameter information from the client necessary for executing the process logic.

Service execution result transmitted from each business support server during process logic execution.

A style sheet name for creating a GUI.

[Others]

Details of the mounting method of the internal data for storing these data will be described below.

(1a) In this embodiment, the internal data is implemented by a program structure. The implementation in the program structure is a method of expressing and holding the internal data in a data type depending on the programming language that implements the S / W of the integrated business server.

In the implementation by the program structure, since the data depending on the programming language is processed, the processing efficiency is high and the high speed data processing is possible. However,
Handling of undefined data that cannot be defined in advance, such as parameter information from the client and service execution results from the business support server, becomes complicated, and when the data type is changed to handle it in a fixed manner, etc. Robustness is low. FIG. 3 shows an example of mounting internal data by a program structure in C language.

(1b) In this embodiment, the internal data is X
This is a method implemented by ML. As described above, XML is a meta-language that allows data attribute information and logical structure to be uniquely defined by marking data with tags. The implementation in XML is a method of defining a tag indicating the structure of internal data and holding actual data corresponding to the tag.

On the S / W, XML is DOM (Document O
bject Model) is treated as an object that manages a set of tags and corresponding data as a character string. X
In ML implementation, it is possible to freely tag, so it is easy to handle irregular data.
Since all data is treated as a character string, it is highly robust when changing the data type of the original data. However, since all data is treated as a character string, the processing efficiency for data other than character strings such as numerical data is low, and the data processing cannot be speeded up. FIG. 4 shows an implementation example of internal data in XML.

(1c) In this embodiment, the internal data is implemented by the program structure and XML. In this mounting method, fixed data items of internal data are held in a program structure, and unfixed data items are held in XML.

In this method, the processing efficiency for fixed data is high, and the handling of irregular data is simple. However, since the two data structures are combined, the processing S / W is complicated. FIG. 5 shows an implementation example of the program structure in C language and the internal data in XML.

(2) Process Logic Mounting Method The requirements items of the process logic necessary to realize the function of the business integration server are as follows.

The execution order of the business process functions (services) to be executed is described.

It is possible to execute a plurality of business process functions (services) at the same time.

It is possible to perform mapping of input / output input data in which the result of a certain business process function (service) can be used as an input parameter of another business process function (service).

It is possible to describe the control structure such that the same business process function (service) is repeatedly executed and the business process function (service) to be executed can be selected according to a certain condition.

Others

Details of the mounting method of the process logic that realizes these requirement items will be described below.

(2a) In this embodiment, the process logic is implemented by a program module. To implement with a program module, create the business process function (service) execution order and mapping / control structure in the same programming language as the S / W block (program source file), then compile and place it on the server as an executable module. It is a method to do. The business process logic execution unit dynamically calls the process logic when the logic is executed.

In the execution method by the program module, since the process logic is executed by the same execution code (native execution code) as the business process logic execution unit, it is possible to realize a processing speed close to an ideal one. However, programming languages that have the function of dynamically calling indefinite program modules (for example, Java has this function) are limited, and when modifying or changing the process logic, edit the program source file and then re-edit it. Since it has to be compiled, it is not possible to flexibly modify / change the logic.

(2b) In this embodiment, the process logic is implemented in XML. The implementation in XML is a method of defining a tag indicating a business process function (service) execution order and a mapping / control structure, and implementing an actual logic corresponding to the tag. The process logic described in XML is placed in the server as a file. The business process logic execution unit dynamically reads the process logic from the file when the logic is executed, and executes the logic according to the tags described in the process logic.

In the implementation by XML, since the tag can be freely attached, the logic can be easily extended, and since the process logic is arranged as an XML file, the process logic can be easily modified or changed. However, XML is handled by an object called DOM on S / W, and all data is processed by character strings, so the processing speed of logic execution becomes slow. An example of the process logic implementation by XML is shown in FIG.

(3) Service Repository Mounting Method The data items of the service repository necessary for realizing the function of the business integration server are as follows.

Service name The host name or IP address of the server (business support server) that provides the service.

Parameter information (service parameters) necessary for executing the service.

Data information relating to the execution result of the service.

Others

The details of the mounting method of the service repository for storing these data will be described below.

(3a) In this embodiment, the service repository is implemented by a file described in CSV. CSV (Comma Separated Values) is a file format in which one data record is stored in one line of a file and each data field of the data record is separated by commas (“,”). Data is managed by pre-assigning data attributes in order from the head position of each data value separated by commas (for example, the first data is the service name, the second data is the IP address, etc.).

In this method, since it is a simple text file, it is possible to directly edit with an editor, and the construction of a service repository is very easy. However, since each data separated by a comma is assigned a meaning in that order, the data structure to be implemented becomes complicated when handling irregular data such as service parameters. FIG. 7 shows an implementation example of a service repository by CSV.

(3b) In this embodiment, the service repository is implemented by a file described in XML. The implementation in XML is a method of defining a tag indicating a data structure of a service repository and holding actual data corresponding to the tag.

In this XML implementation, since tagging can be freely performed, it is easy to handle unfixed data such as service parameters. However,
Since all data is handled as a character string, the processing efficiency for data search operations such as server IP address search for service names is low, and it is difficult to realize high-speed search.
FIG. 8 shows an implementation example of a service repository in XML.

(3c) In this embodiment, the service repository is implemented by RDB (relational database). In the RDB implementation, each data field of the service repository is stored in the database in a tabular format.

This RDBMS (RDB Managment Syst
By using (em), the processing efficiency for data search operation is improved and high-speed search can be realized. However, since a fixed area in the database is allocated to the stored data, the data structure to be implemented becomes complicated when dealing with irregular data such as service parameters. FIG. 9 shows an implementation example of a service repository by RDB.

(3d) In this embodiment, the service repository is managed by files described in XML and RDB. This implementation method is a method in which fixed data items of service repository data are held in RDB and unfixed data items are held in XML.

In this method, the processing efficiency of data retrieval for fixed data is high (effective because the retrieval key is a fixed data item), and the handling of irregular data is simple. . However, since the two data structures are combined, the processing S / W is complicated. FIG. 10 shows an example of implementation of a service repository by XML and RDB.

(4) Implementation method of business support server communication unit In order to realize the function of the business integration server, it is necessary to communicate (service execution) with various business support servers and acquire the service execution result of the business support server. is there. The S / W block of the business support server communication unit communicates with the business support server (service execution) based on the service name specified by the business process logic execution unit and the detailed information of the business support server.
To do. The implementation method of the work support server communication unit that implements these communications will be described in detail below.

(4a) In this embodiment, the communication with the business support server is executed by HTML. In HTML communication, the static / dynamic information of the business support server is HT.
It can be obtained in ML format. The static information is arranged as an HTML file on the business support server, and the business support server communication unit requests the URL (Unifom Resource Locator) of the file specified by the business process logic execution unit from the business support server, and the contents of the file. To receive. For dynamic information, the business support server uses CGI (Common Gateway
y Interface) to execute the application,
The execution result is described in HTML.

The business support server communication unit transmits the URL of the application designated by the business process logic execution unit and the parameter information necessary for executing the application to the business support server, causes the application to be executed, and then receives the resulting HTML.

In this HTML communication, most of the business support servers are compatible with the HTML format, so that there is an advantage that communication can be realized easily, but the obtained HT
There is a disadvantage that the process of extracting desired data from the ML format service result becomes complicated. (HTML format is
It is difficult to extract only the data part. (4b) In the present embodiment, communication with the business support server is performed by X.
This is a method executed by ML. In XML communication, static / dynamic information of the business support server can be obtained in XML format. The static information is arranged in the business support server as an XML file, and the business support server communication unit requests the business support server for the URL of the file designated by the business process logic execution unit, and receives the contents of the file. The dynamic information is information in which the business support server executes an application by a method such as CGI and the execution result is described in XML.

The business support server communication unit transmits the URL of the application designated by the business process logic execution unit and the parameter information (service parameters) necessary for executing the application to the business support server, causes the application to be executed, and then outputs the resulting XML. To receive.

In this XML communication, the obtained XM
It is easy to extract the desired data from the L format service result (the XML format stores the tag indicating the attribute of the data and the data corresponding to the tag, so the data can be extracted by identifying the tag. Can be extracted).

(4c) In the present embodiment, SOAP is used for communication with the business support server. In SOAP communication, static / dynamic information of the business support server can be acquired as distributed object communication. SOAP
The dynamic information in the communication by is the object information obtained by executing the method (processing function) of the application object (service object) arranged in the business support server. The business support server communication unit provides the IP address of the SOAP server (business support server) specified by the business process logic execution unit, the method name (service name) of the application object to be executed, and the parameter information (service parameter) necessary for executing the application. After sending to the support server and executing the method of the application object, the resulting object is received.

In this SOAP communication, from the viewpoint of the business process logic execution unit, it becomes possible to execute the object method of the business support server as if the method of the local application object is being executed. It is possible to improve the sex.

[0077]

As described above, according to the present invention, the Web
A business integration server between a type client and various business support servers via a network, and this business integration server cooperates with each business support server while automatically executing the logic of a preset business process. As a result, the final result of the business process can be obtained only by requesting the business integration server to execute the business process, so that the efficiency of the business process can be realized.

Further, the business integration server includes a framework-like portion for executing processing independent of a specific business application and an external resource portion (service repository information, business support server, process) dependent on a specific business application. Since it is composed of a logic and a GUI style sheet), when it is applied to various business applications, only the external resource portion depending on the application needs to be constructed, so that the application construction becomes simple.

As the internal data mounting method, since the data dependent on the programming language is processed by mounting the program structure, the processing efficiency is high and high-speed data processing is possible. Also, since it is possible to tag freely by implementing it in XML, it is easy to handle irregular data, and when all data is handled as a character string, when changing the data type of the original data. It has high robustness. Also, by implementing the program structure and XML, the processing efficiency for fixed data is high, and the handling of irregular data becomes easy.

Since the process logic is implemented by the program module as the implementation method of the process logic, the process logic is executed by the same execution code as the business process logic execution unit, it is possible to realize a processing speed close to ideal.
Further, since the tag can be freely attached by implementing it in XML, the logic can be easily expanded, and since the process logic is arranged as an XML file, the process logic can be easily modified or changed.

As a method of implementing the service repository, by implementing the file described in CSV, since it is a simple text file, it is possible to directly edit with an editor, and the construction of the service repository is very easy. is there. In addition, since the tags can be freely attached by implementing the files described in XML, it is easy to handle unfixed data such as service parameters. Further, by implementing the RDB, the processing efficiency for the data search operation becomes high, and it becomes possible to realize high-speed search. Further, by implementing the file described in XML and the RDB, the processing efficiency of the data search for the fixed data is high, and the handling of the irregular data becomes easy.

As the business support server communication method, H
By implementing TML communication, most business support servers support the HTML format, so communication can be easily realized. Further, by implementing communication in XML, it becomes easy to extract desired data from the obtained service result in XML format. Also, by implementing SOAP communication, from the perspective of the business process logic execution unit,
The object method of the business support server can be executed as if the method of the local application object is being executed, and the maintainability of the program can be improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of a business integration server showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a S / W configuration diagram of the business integration server according to the embodiment.

FIG. 3 is an example of mounting internal data by a program structure according to the embodiment.

FIG. 4 is an exemplary implementation of internal data in XML according to the embodiment.

FIG. 5 is an example of mounting a program structure and internal data in XML according to an embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an example of a process logic implementation using XML according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is an implementation example of a service repository using CSV according to the embodiment.

FIG. 8 is an implementation example of a service repository using XML according to the embodiment.

FIG. 9 is an implementation example of a service repository by RDB in the embodiment.

FIG. 10 is an implementation example of a service repository using XML and RDB in the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Client Gate 2 ... Business process logic execution unit 3 ... Service repository management department 4 ... Business support server communication unit 5 ... Service repository 6 ... GUI creation unit A ... Client B: Business support server C ... Business integration server

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Yasuyuki Hoshi             2-17 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Stock market             Shameidensha (72) Inventor Yuzu Funatsu             2-17 Osaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo Stock market             Shameidensha F term (reference) 5B045 GG06                 5B089 GA11 HB10 JA11 JA16 JB02                       JB08 KA05 KB10 KE09

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A business integration server is arranged between a Web-type client and various business support servers via a network, and each business integration server automatically executes a preset business process logic. A business integration system that cooperates with a business support server, wherein the business integration server includes a client gate unit, a business process logic execution unit, a service repository management unit, a business support server communication unit, and a GUI creation unit, The client gate unit extracts the logic of the business process to be executed, various parameters required to execute the logic, and the style sheet information for the GUI to be created from the data transmitted from the client, and stores it as internal data. , The business process logic execution part is The detailed information of the corresponding business support server is acquired from the service repository management unit, and the name and the detailed information of the business support server are requested to the business support server through the business support server communication unit to execute the service. The result is stored as internal data, the service repository management unit acquires detailed information of the business support server corresponding to the service name of the business process function designated by the business process logic execution unit, and the business process logic execution unit The business support server communication unit communicates with the business support server based on the service name designated by the business process logic execution unit and the detailed information of the business support server, and the service execution result of the business support server. To the business process logic execution unit, and the GUI creation unit Business integration system for the processing result of the business process logic execution unit is stored in the data, on the basis of the specified style sheet information, characterized in that dynamically create GUI to be transmitted to the client. 2. The internal data is one of a mounting method of a program structure, a mounting method of XML, and a mounting method of a program structure and XML. Business integration system described in. 3. The business integration system according to claim 1, wherein the process logic is implemented by a program module or XML. 4. The service repository is implemented by a file described in CSV, a method implemented by a file described in XML, a method implemented by RDB, and an XM.
The method according to any one of the file described in L and the method implemented in RDB is used.
Item 3. The business integration system according to any one of items 3. 5. The communication with the business support server is HTM.
5. A method for implementing L communication, a method for implementing XML communication, and a method for implementing SOAP communication, wherein the method is any one of the mounting methods. Business integration system described in.