JP2008276510A - Service directory - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a company data access center of composite application. <P>SOLUTION: This method and apparatus provides for a dynamic view and access to data and workflows. The dynamic view and access is generated through a modeled software application based on determined authorization. The authorization enables access to the data, and is based on the context in which the data is requested or attempted to be accessed. The context includes a business role associated with the request or access. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  Embodiments of the present invention relate to modeled software applications, and more particularly to composite application enterprise data access centers.

  This application includes US provisional application No. 60 / 705,108 [Attorney Docket No. 6631.P039Z] filed on August 2, 2005, and US Provisional Application No. 60 filed on August 2, 2005. / 705,222 [Attorney Docket No. 6570.P317Z] claims the benefit of priority.

  In order to work, employees need access to resources to carry out their work. Employees who are familiar with corporate systems and operations can freely access information and resources. However, new employees may not be aware of how to access information / resources to work, or where to obtain the resources needed to work. To familiarize employees with the company's systems and operations, employees (either new or existing employees who perform new operations) have traditionally been linked to company websites, links, And instructions for accessing the storage location of the file (location). Information may be provided in a systematic manner or may not be provided in a systematic manner, but even if organized, it can be difficult for an employee to process. Thus, traditional methods of providing employees with information / resources to work are inefficient.

  Some companies provide employee websites to organize and provide work and information to employees. The traditional approach involves the development of websites with actual web addresses. The use of specially ordered and developed websites is not economical. Moreover, those websites may then need to be managed for guidance and deletion purposes and / or may result in the accumulation of a large amount of unused websites. Some enterprise implementations include the use of a website or collaboration room for the project. Project members can be set up to use a collaboration room once they are assigned to a project.

  In addition to the limitations in providing and accessing data, further inefficiencies stem from the way employees work as system users. The mechanism for working is generally an application. Traditional applications included a user interface and shareable and private logic and communicated with each other through a shared database. Traditional applications also cause application users to work by navigating between all available tasks or mechanisms. Furthermore, applications that provide users with views that allow users to access and execute tasks traditionally provide one view for all users and all tasks. Limited access to data and systems, and system inconvenience to users or related tasks, results in significant restrictions on available content that users can freely access to perform performance-level tasks. To do.

  The restrictions on available content likewise cause users to become integration mechanisms of different systems. Users are traditionally required to search among everything in the underlying system to discover what is needed to perform the task. For example, in order to perform tasks related to the hiring process, a user may traditionally have to access one or more items from a human resource system, project system, and the like.

  Providing employees with the information and resources they need to do their work is traditionally time consuming and expensive in terms of resources. The extra development required to provide access to corporate data is inefficient. Providing traditional applications as a mechanism for employees to work results in inefficient use of employee time and inefficient use of corporate resources.

  The method and apparatus provide dynamic views and access to data and workflow. Dynamic views and access are generated through a modeled software application based on the determined permissions. Authority is based on the context in which data is accessed and the data is required or attempted to be accessed. The context includes the business role associated with the request or access.

  The following description includes a discussion of various drawings with illustrations given as examples of implementations of embodiments of the present invention. The figures should be understood as an example, not as a limitation.

  As used herein, references to one or more “examples” are to be understood as indicating particular features, structures, or characteristics that are included in at least one implementation of the invention. Accordingly, phrases such as “in one embodiment” or “in an alternative embodiment” appearing herein represent various embodiments and implementations of the invention and all refer to the same embodiment. Not necessarily. However, they are likewise not necessarily mutually exclusive. As well as discussing other potential embodiments or implementations of the inventive concepts presented herein, specific details including illustrations of drawings that may depict some or all of the embodiments and A description of the implementation flow is described below. An overview of embodiments of the present invention is provided below, followed by a more detailed description with reference to the drawings.

  Composite application development provides an alternative mechanism for providing information and resources to employees to work with. Composite applications can be developed as access to data-related views and services that can dynamically provide information based on the identity of relevant users and / or projects. In one embodiment, the composite application is provided in a web browser. Thus, access to special data and work resources can be considered as a pseudo-website from one perspective. As will be shown in more detail below, a composite application is a modeled application that is generated within the framework.

  When referring to composite applications, or composite views and data access, the term “website” is a virtual concept. Rather than being a “website” in the traditional sense that content is created in a standard language for viewing by a web browser, the virtual concept of “website” refers to a view of data or services. Data and services can be provided from any number of entities in the enterprise, including files, databases, queries, applications, etc. Views are related to work roles or user roles. A job role can refer to a position or position within a company, as well as a business or purpose to be provided by the role. Job roles can be assigned or associated with jobs or tasks in a position within the company's management process. The job role can be indicated in the management process or in a central location in the enterprise data. In one embodiment, the job role can be determined, for example, from a context that determines the identity of the requester requesting a special management process. The work role can also be displayed when requesting a process (eg, a pass certificate).

  Views are similarly related to permissions. An authority is a data structure associated with a role. In general, authority is similarly related to the specific activity or work task to be performed. Enforcement or application of authority, or use of authority, provides the ability to acquire views and / or perform operations. Privileges provide access to services that view or manipulate data. Authority can include, but is not limited to, the ability to modify or change data or processes, the ability to perform processes, the ability to view data, and the ability to assign tasks related to the data or process. . In one embodiment, it is referred to herein as a new authority is provided, ie, “responsible” authority, or “responsible” authority. The responsibility authority can specify the owner of the process or data. By specifying an owner, the responsibility authority provides the ability to acquire a view, or a capability related to the process or data, even when the owner is not instructed to perform operations on the process or data Can do. Thus, views, or other rights, can be restricted to special users who have roles generally associated with working. However, due to the responsible authority, users who are not responsible for working on the process or data are still free to access the process or data.

  In addition to roles and permissions, views can relate to activities that are described in more detail below. In general, activity refers to work. The term “context” can be used herein to refer to any combination of roles, authorities, and / or activities. Thus, a context can refer to a specific role having a specific authority, a special activity having a special role, a special role, an authority, an activity, and the like. The use of context allows a composite view to provide context mapping of data objects and processes based on some combination of roles, permissions, and activities. Context mapping allows views to be dynamic in content and function.

  The view on the data can include what would be referred to as a dynamic work center and service directory in one embodiment. Views are provided based on at least a portion of roles, permissions, and activities. In short, a dynamic work center here refers to the components related to the task. The service directory provides information and processes and services that can include components related to the task and components independent of the task.

  Composite views provide the ability to set up data and services for employees to be used dynamically. Data and services are dynamic because content can be assigned based on job roles and permissions and in the context of activities. The work role can be one of multiple roles of a single user, as well as referring to different user roles. In addition to providing content dynamically based on the context of the data access or request for data, changes to roles, activities, and / or permissions allow the view to change The composite view can be dynamic. In one embodiment, work centers are provided dynamically as tasks are assigned to users. When a new employee is hired, information related to the employee's work and views about the services can be provided. The composite view may reflect changes related to employee transfers. Work-related items can change automatically, but transferred employees may also choose to retain “personal” content that is not related to work, or content that is not related to roles it can. In addition, new capabilities can be emphasized to mitigate transitions to new business requirements, access to training, access to new equipment information, and the like. Thus, transferring an employee may result in a service directory and / or work center “re-provisioning”. If the employee is fired, another change occurs. In this case, the service directory or work center may be “de-provisioned” by discarding or canceling the composite view. Content can be moved directly to another employee, or content and process reassignment to another employee can occur as processes and data are assigned to another employee, and thus another employee Will be part of the composite view.

  Views can include information, processes, dashboards, and the like. The information can include work-related items, such as a list of work relationships, business plan assignments, customer lists, products, group file links, and the like. Information is not always directly related to the task, such as daily items such as parking locations, first aid measures, hazardous material warnings, cafeteria locations / business hours / menus and “full” It may be related to the name of the worker in the neighborhood, contact information, location map / layout, how to get medical assistance, IT service, HR service, etc. Composite information, or gathered information, provides benefits beyond simply directing employees towards websites, links, shared network, etc.

  Accessing the composite view can be performed through a corporate intranet. A composite view can be initiated by an employee login to any networked computer. While general discussion of composite views has taken place, specific details can also be applied to either a service directory or a dynamic work center. Note that these are just labels and can be called with different names. Further details regarding the service directory, or work center, are provided below, but it should be understood that other implementations are possible while providing an example implementation of a composite view.

  Work can be done in a dynamic work center. The work center provides an action execution environment. A dynamic work center is generated as a composite view, or composite application, for performing one or more actions related to the task. Composite applications are generated from frameworks that utilize service-oriented platforms. An enterprise can include a repository of reusable business actions and data objects that can be used to create composite applications.

  In one embodiment, a dynamic work center provides a collection of other work centers where each work center is associated with a specific action or activity and is generated for a specific action or activity. . A dynamic work center can provide access to all actions and activities of the user. A user's actions and activities refer to the work that the user needs to perform or assign. A dynamic work center includes object instances for specific objects illustrated with respect to specific actions, activities, or guided procedures. A dynamic work center application is service-oriented and has a model-based configuration based on an application framework. A dynamic work center is a modeled application, so an event processor and screen are not required to illustrate it.

  A dynamic work center provides callable services related to actions or work items and context. As a modeled application, a dynamic work center can provide callable services in addition to the cross-functional applications provided by back-end systems. Callable services can be provided at the portal. By being able to monitor the movement of data objects that can be accessed by a dynamic work center (eg, based on context), a dynamic work center can provide a trackable object. .

  A task can be associated with a special object that is initially exemplified, in which case a work center, guided procedure, action, and / or activity (set of actions) is provided from each exemplified object Can be called. Once called, a work center for an action or activity can be converted to a guided procedure through state transitions. Similarly, guided procedures can be converted into actions or activities through state transitions. Guided procedures provide a frame through which a user can be guided to work. Guided procedures can serve as a framework (design and execution phases) to support the interactive and dynamic scenarios of the composite applications described herein. In one embodiment, the guided procedure is generated by utilizing the underlying JAVA ad hoc workflow engine (JAVA adhoc workflow engine) and limiting its use to a relatively small number of patterns. Is done.

  The work center used here can refer to a view within which to perform an action on a task of a process, and may or may not refer to a dynamic work center. is there. A dynamic work center can be understood as providing an additional contextual means to previously known work centers. A dynamic work center can consolidate or have access to other work centers.

  The service directory provides a high level view to data and processes. The service directory may serve as a base for information and mechanisms for performing work. The service directory can include personal information in addition to the information described above. Information disclosure on the service directory employee website may be governed by corporate confidentiality policies and employee controls (including opt-out and opt-in on privacy). Thus, each immediately aware of a separate service directory can see a different view of the employee. Employees can add files, processes, etc. to their service directory to provide a single access to anything that is required or required at work. For others, blogs, threaded discussion groups about interests or skills, shareable files / photos, etc. may be available subject to safety privileges.

  In one embodiment, the service directory is integrated by department, building, floor, geographic location, area, etc. Service directories may be physically or logically partitioned from one another, or may not be partitioned, but may be stored individually or together in one database. Multiple service directories may be provided based on the same enterprise data. In one embodiment, all individual service directories are stored in a common database (possibly distributed) and as a view upon request (eg, by login, by a request to access data, etc.) Given. A distributed (or replicated) database may support fast access to the service directory.

  As described above, the context indicates a special environment in which data exists. Objects have “awareness” of their context and can be affected by the context. The context can be stored in metadata associated with the object. The work center provides an environment in which information is exchanged with objects (for example, access, modification, execution of operations using data, etc.). Work is done by performing actions. An action provides a mechanism for calling a service in order to perform an operation related to data. Actions provide operations in the process. A process includes one or more stages, or events, each of which includes one or more actions. Some processes have a single stage, or a single task to perform (eg, an address change). Note that certain stages of a process can be linked to one or more other processes by event. Some processes have multiple stages, or multiple tasks to perform or operations to perform, to complete the stages of the process (eg, to raise employees). A process can be considered a set of actions, where a set can include one or more actions.

  Each user can obtain permission to invoke different services and perform different actions that will appear dynamically in the work center. Special work centers include different items for which the user has permission related to the activity exhibited by the work center. An activity is a stand-alone transaction. Some of the many possible examples of activities can include budget management, hiring processes, performance review processes, or other management activities. An activity can similarly include another activity or process (eg, a management activity can include a “Budget 2006 Process”). Activities invoked within the framework described herein can accept input parameters and send feedback to their output parameters.

  In one embodiment, all actions and activities are aware of the corporate framework in which they are executed (meaning a work center and a context-aware environment). In an alternative embodiment, the function or process can be invoked from a program that is not aware of the enterprise framework. An unconscious function can be invoked in an activity by identifying the activity and wrapping the external function with metadata that provides the necessary mechanism to perform the function within the enterprise framework. A metadata wrapper keeps the underlying program unchanged while allowing access to the functionality of the underlying program. The metadata can be modified for either external programs or enterprise data. Business processes and actions can affect metadata. The use of metadata may provide persistence to the external program by allowing changes from within the business process to be stored for another use of the external program.

  The work center, or service directory, can include specific standard views that can be customized or added by the user of the composite view. A view manager (view management means) may allow a view to be turned on or off and allow customization. For example, one standard view may be a view of the status of all activities or actions associated with a composite view (eg, work center). Another standard view would be a list of pending items for a special user. Another view may provide a visualization of all services available within the composite view. The view manager can provide all views in a contextual manner, taking into account special privileges or permissions. Other views can include views of activity participants, related documents, costs, special collaboration (eg, threaded discussion), and the like. View managers can be generic to allow views to be applied to any composite view application and changes based on changes in context.

  FIG. 1 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an application framework having components at the execution and design stages. In general, the framework 100 utilizes and extends an underlying enterprise-based system 180 that will include one or more elements of data and / or functionality for performing operations. Framework 100 provides a structure for generating composite applications that are software modeled / generated thereby. Composite applications can support semi-structured processes, handle event-driven and knowledge-based business scenarios, and / or support collaboration. In one embodiment, the composite application supports a JAVA stack. Composite applications can be broken down into various parts, each of which can be generated / modeled separately. The composite application part can be implemented as Enterprise Java Beans (EJBs) in one implementation, and in other implementations, the design phase component can be used to implement the implementation phase as “J2EE You can have the ability to generate on different platforms such as "," ABAP ", or" .NET ".

  Framework 100 generally enables composite applications to function within existing system environments by separating the applications from the underlying enterprise platform. Separating the application from the underlying enterprise platform can include providing communication to the backend system through a central interface and providing an independent object model for the backend. The framework 100 includes a design stage component 102 and an execution stage component 104. The design phase component 102 includes a modeling component for generating a composite application and one or more mechanisms for generating a model. In general, the design stage component 102 is responsible for developing a composite application to be executed by the execution stage component 104.

  The design stage component 102 includes a process modeler 110, a UI modeler 120, and a service modeler 130. These modelers are separate entities, but are not necessarily separate entities. In addition, additional modeling means may be provided in the design stage component 102. Generally, these modelers have the effect of integrating business objects, business services, business processes, user interfaces, and the like. The process modeler 110 has the ability to generate one or more actions 112 that represent various stages of the process. Each action 112 has an associated operation representing the work of the action 112, or a plurality of associated operations. Action 112 may be part of a generated activity or part of a guided procedure that provides interaction with the user performing the operation. In embodiments where actions 112 are part of a guided procedure, process modeler 110 includes information about each action 112 to execute the guided procedure.

  The process modeler 110 also includes a context 114 that provides awareness to the process regarding the enterprise system in which the process is operating. Where the function is used from an application that does not understand the enterprise system, the process modeler 110 can wrap the function with metadata to incorporate the function into the system.

  The user interface (UI) modeler 120 provides the ability to generate a user interface and provide a view of data / processes that can be accessed through composite applications generated by the framework 100. UI modeler 120 may generate any of a number of views 122 on the data. In one embodiment, a standard view or pattern is used for each application developed. The user interface can include specific elements provided by the template. Thus, the user interface can include certain common components and provide a well-known look and feel across multiple applications. The particular view depends on the environment in which the application is executed. View 122 can include the ability to dynamically generate views based on roles, permissions, and activities associated with the application. The pattern setting 124 of the UI modeler 120 allows the use of templates and standard UI components.

  Service modeler 130 allows composite applications to access data. Data objects are accessed by services. Thus, the service modeler 130 provides a service oriented model through which data is accessed. In one embodiment, service modeler 130 provides an enterprise service architecture (ESA) where applications are developed through a service-driven architecture rather than a model-driven architecture. To do. A service-driven architecture provides access to callable services that provide interaction with data. Service modeler 130 includes a service 132 that represents one or more services that may be executed. Services 132 may include, but are not limited to, guided procedures, object monitoring, standalone actions, programs or functions, etc. The entity 134 of the service modeler 130 provides components generated for accessing services within an enterprise or web service. The company or web service described herein is addressable and provides the capability based on request parameters and / or input parameters (eg, flight booking) in the network (in the company's network, or An entity in the Internet.

  Generator 140 represents one or more components for turning the model into an execution stage component. In one embodiment, generator 140 is a single component, while in an alternative embodiment, generator 140 is a plurality of components.

  The execution stage component 104 provides for the instantiation of items modeled by the execution stage component 102 and includes various frameworks within which objects or service instances function. Process framework 150 represents a framework under which one or more instances of the process may execute. For example, the process framework 150 can include a guided procedure 152, a universal worklist 154, and / or a workflow instance 156. As previously discussed, guided procedure 152 represents an instance of a guided procedure. Universal worklist 154 provides a list of all workflows or handles items available to the user. The workflow, or process, may be available to the user through the user's requested operation with respect to the workflow / process and / or through a user with responsibility for the workflow / process. Universal worklist 154 can be used to access the work center for each available process. The workflow instance 156 provides an example of one or more workflows that represent the user's requested work. A workflow can have one or more actions that the user performs.

  The UI framework 160 provides the ability to display views for data and processes. In one embodiment, the UI framework 160 includes a view manager (not shown) that provides dynamic management of content that will be presented / presented to the user. The UI framework 160 can include a UI component 162 that represents one or more elements of a user display. In one embodiment, UI component 162 includes elements for rendering a display in a web browser, although another environment may be used. In one embodiment, a separate application viewer will be used. The UI pattern 164 provides a pattern for drawing a user interface and standard elements. The UI pattern 164 can provide a UI component 162. The UI pattern 164 can be a template with various components 162 for providing buttons, links, text, etc., and the template can be generated or partially customized with instance specific data. Can be standard for applications.

  In one embodiment, UI framework 160 includes a dynamic view 166. The dynamic view 166 represents a view that has one or more dynamic components and can change the content of the application provided to the user. The dynamic view 166 changes content based on user rights. Content can be changed dynamically to reflect personnel composition changes (eg, transfers, promotions, terminations) and changes in underlying data or service content.

  The service framework 170 performs data access through services available to the user. The user has free access to one or more of the entity service 172, application service 174, JAVA data object (JDO) service 176, and / or external service 178. The application service 174 means a service that can be used only for a composite application or can be directly accessed by the application. JDO 176 can access data 182 of enterprise base system 180. Similarly, enterprise-based system 180 can include one or more remote function calls (RFCs) 184 and remote functions accessed by one or more web services 186. External service 178 accesses the remote elements of the element (eg, RFC 184 and web service 186).

  Metadata 106 refers to an abstraction of one or more data and / or access / service resources that can be accessed and utilized by design stage component 102 and execution stage component 104. The metadata 106 is not necessarily a resource in one of the components, and it should also not be understood as only being available to the component. Metadata 106 provides a repository that includes metadata about business objects, business services, business processes, and / or other application parts for use in modeling and / or executing application parts. . Thus, the application portion can be modeled, similar to the generation of data in a local database, a remote database, or a combination of the two. In one embodiment, the content of the metadata 106 is beyond the specific implementation of the application portion. Information to be expanded. There are repositories that describe specific implementations that can be satisfied from more general repositories. Metadata 106 may be understood as including general repository information, specific repository information, or a combination of repository information.

  The composite view 190 means a composite application provided through the framework 100. Composite view 190 can be a service directory or can be a dynamic work center based on any of the embodiments described herein. Composite view 190 includes one or more elements of data 192 and one or more services 194. The execution stage component 104 creates an instance of the modeled element that is presented as a composite view 190. Composite view 190 is dominated by contextual information that provides dynamic content to composite view 190.

  FIG. 2 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an enterprise service architecture. The enterprise service architecture provides an architecture for providing dynamic content views therethrough and access through the access portal 210. The access portal 210 can be any type of network portal through which a company can be accessed.

  The system of FIG. 2 can include multiple types of sources for functionality that is combined as a composite application. For purposes of illustration and not limitation, it will be considered that the composite application includes components provided by several sources of functionality. The use of sources with different functionality should not be understood as a requirement for the evolution of the dynamic data view described herein. Examples of potential sources of functionality include modeled process 250, traditional application 260, and external functionality 270.

  Modeled process 250 includes one or more processes generated from modeled components, for example, based on the framework described in FIG. Modeled process 250 includes data 258 that represents data related to the process of modeled process 250. One element of the process is a phase 252 that may include specific actions, or activities, or guided procedures.

  The traditional application 260 further includes one or more processes generated from the traditional application. In this case, the more traditional application is an unmodeled application as opposed to the modeled process 260. Rather than the traditional application 260 being modeled and generated, the traditional application 260 includes services and data that are not based on proprietary functionality or standard components available across subsystems. be able to. Traditional application 260 includes data 268 that represents data related to the process of traditional application 260. One element of the process is a phase 262 that can include the functionality desired for a dynamic composite view. The traditional application 260 and the modeled process 250 can understand the underlying framework and system in which the composite view will be exemplified. Thus, phase 252 and phase 262 can be contextually conscious.

  External functions 270 include one or more processes that are available outside the environment of the enterprise system. For example, the external function 270 can represent a function that can be used from a third-party program related to the enterprise system. External function 270 may be a remote function that is accessed and executed. Phase 272 and phase 274 represent the phases of the external function 270 process desired for the composite application. When incorporating components provided by external functionality 270, metadata can be included that can serve as wrapping paper to incorporate external functionality.

  Service 280 represents one or more services that may provide the service to the composite process. Services 280 include services 282 that provide services to be incorporated into composite processes of composite applications.

  Selected process phases and services are pulled into the enterprise service architecture 230 through the composite application framework 240. Composite application framework 240 is a framework based on the embodiment of framework 100 of FIG. Process phases can also be generated in frameworks that are not drawn from existing processes. For example, the composite application framework can model phase 242 as an element of a composite application process. Each phase and service selected for the composite application is combined to generate a composite application 220 that includes the composite process 222 generated among the various selected elements. That is, phase 252, phase 242, phase 262, phase 272, and phase 274 are combined to form a composite process 222 that is readily available to the user through the access portal 210.

  In one embodiment, the system of FIG. 2 includes a view manager 290. View manager 290 provides management of views available to the user through access portal 210. For example, the composite application 220 may be restricted so that only users with special privileges including roles and permissions within the context of the activity can easily be used. The view manager 290 is a role module for determining what role a user has or under what role he is requesting access to the composite process 222 (e.g., “looks at”). (E.g., a user may have multiple roles, one with permission to access composite process 222 and one with no permission to access composite process 222). . View manager 290 comprises an authority module, or manager 294, to determine the authority associated with a role or special context. The view manager 290 can determine what activities are associated with the composite process 222 that can be used in determining permissions. In one embodiment, the rights module 294 of the view manager 290 provides for enforcement of rights and restricts views for which the user does not have appropriate rights. The view manager 290 further includes a view generation module 296 for generating a view based on roles and privileges related to activities and provides the view in response to a request for access.

  FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a composite application architecture. Composite application 310 is an example of a composite application or view based on any of the embodiments described herein. Composite application 310 is generated by a service-oriented architecture to provide access to components beyond the functional boundaries of the back-end system. Composite application 310 refers to a dynamic view that changes content as the underlying accessed system components change and changes content in response to different permissions used to access the composite application. A view 312 is included. The composite access view 312 includes roles, work centers, composite application specific user interfaces, and the like. In response to being activated by a user with special privileges, for dynamic views, the composite access view 312 can display specific content. In response to being activated by different users with different rights or by the same user with different rights, different content can be displayed or different access is possible.

  Composite application 310 includes a composite application (app) object 320 that represents objects related to composite application 310. Composite application object 320 includes a status / action management (mgt) 322 that can be used to track composite application object 320. The status / action manager 322 can manage the movement of the object and provide consistency between the instance of the composite application object 320 and the enterprise platform 330. Composite application object 320 has an associated composite application agent 314 that provides input to and output from object 320. In one embodiment, composite application agent 314 is an entity of multiple agents and can be an input agent and an output agent. Moreover, the composite application agent 314 can provide a query for or a request from the composite application object 320. In one embodiment, each object of the composite application 310 has an individual agent or a plurality of individual agents. In another embodiment, composite application agent 314 is associated with composite application 310 and provides services to multiple object instances within composite application 310.

  The enterprise platform 330 can have multiple objects 340 and 350, each of which can have an interface agent, specifically an interface agent 344 and an interface agent 354, respectively. Through the agent, object 340 and object 350 can access other components of enterprise platform 330 or be accessed by other components of enterprise platform 330. Similarly, the object 340 and the object 350 include a status / action management unit 342 and a status / action management unit 352, respectively. An object 340 and an object 350 represent objects in the composite application 310 from which specific instances can be generated.

  Enterprise platform 330 includes a back end 360 that provides back end components to the enterprise. The back end 360 can include a framework 362 that can be the composite application framework described herein to provide a framework thereby generating the composite application 310. The engine service 364 provides a back-end service that is utilized to generate the composite application 310. Dependent object 366 and master data object 368 represent object types available in backend 360.

  Similarly, the corporate platform 330 includes an information management unit 372 and a corporate server 370 that provides management functions including analysis, search, task, basic data, and the like.

  FIG. 4A is a block diagram of an embodiment of a user device having a service directory. The user device 410 means a computer device that allows a user to access a company. In one embodiment, the user device 410 includes a browser 412 representing a web browser or program thereby acting as a user agent for accessing network content. Browser 412 provides one example of a program that can be used to display a service directory, or a dynamic work center, or other composite application. In one embodiment, the browser 412 includes a service directory 420 that represents one type of composite application that can be generated from enterprise data by the framework. Service directory 420 includes work center 422, data 424, and service 426.

  Work center 422 represents one or more applications for performing work-level actions. Work center 422 may be a known work center or a dynamic work center described herein. Note that service directory 420 may activate work center 422, but service directory 420 is not required to access work center 422, which can be similarly accessed through the control center or other work centers. It is. Data 424 represents data objects and other information that may be displayed to the user in a dynamic view. Service 426 represents one or more services available to the user from service directory 420. Collectively, work center 422, data 424, and service 426 are the contents of service directory 420. The contents of the service directory 420 are dynamically provided based on the context 414. As described above, the context 414 represents any combination of roles, activities, and permissions.

  The enterprise service interface 430 represents one or more components for providing access from the user device 410 to the network and the underlying enterprise system. In one embodiment, enterprise service interface 430 includes a view manager for restricting the contents of service directory 420 according to context 414. The enterprise service interface 430 can similarly include a portal for accessing the network 440 therethrough. Network 440 can include any type of network and represents both hardware and software, or a network protocol by which user equipment 410 accesses server 450. The network 440 may include a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a virtual private communication network (VPN), a virtual LAN (VLAN), a wide area network (including the Internet), and the like.

  Server 450 includes a framework 452 for generating a service directory as a composite application. Server 450 is an enterprise server and provides access to one or more services 460 that may be incorporated into service directory 420 and one or more elements of enterprise data 470. The enterprise data 470 may include any type of data or information and may include, for example, extensible markup language (XML) data 472, enterprise resource planning database (ERP DB) 474, or other data 476. it can. As previously described, there are no restrictions on the types of data accessible to the service directory 420, except following the permissions provided by the authority.

  FIG. 4B is a block diagram of an embodiment of a user device having a dynamic work center. Similarly, in FIG. 4A, the browser 412 can include a dynamic work center 480 as a composite application. The application of the context 414 and the functionality of the enterprise service interface 430 may be the same as or similar to the service directory 420.

  Dynamic work center 480 includes data 484 and service 486 that are similar to data 424 and service 426 in service directory 420. The scope of dynamic work center content may be limited to activities or processes, or other work center launches, and may be further limited than the service directory 420. The dynamic work center 480 similarly includes a workflow 482 having one or more actions 488. In one embodiment, there is no dynamic work center 480 until the workflow 482 is assigned to the user logged on to the user device 410. Workflow 482 includes work to be performed by a user.

  FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of an embodiment of a service that can be called. As previously discussed, composite applications are generated using a framework. Service directory 512 and work center 514 are examples of composite applications that can be generated. The composite application is free to access the callable service 520 based on the authority received from the authority manager 540. Thus, data or services available through the enterprise system are visible and accessible to the composite application based on permissions associated with the authority data structure. The authority manager 540 generates or determines an authority based on the context of the data request. The view manager can work with the authority manager 540 to determine permissions by determining what roles exist and potentially what permissions are associated with the roles. Similarly, in the case of a work level composite application (eg, work center 514), authority may be determined by determining what processes are involved.

  The authority manager 540 can include a role module 542 and an authority module 544, both of which are examples of similar modules, as previously discussed. In brief, the role module 542 determines the role associated with the action to allow the rights manager 540 to provide the appropriate rights for the context. The authority module 544 allows the authority manager 540 to generate authorities. The role module 542 and the authority module 544 work with an activity manager 546 that represents one or more components that allow the authority manager 540 to determine the activities for which the callable service 520 should be invoked. With respect to specific activities and roles, permissions can be modeled. Similarly, activities can be generated for certain authorities and roles.

  Callable services 520 can be called by a composite application or can include one or more services that can be called. For example, trackable object 522 represents any object that can be monitored or whose movement is observed. Stand-alone action (SAA) 524 represents an action or activity that is a complete transaction. Some transactions access or call other processes. A stand-alone action is a transaction that is in a completed state with respect to the completion of the work associated with the work center action. Note that a stand-alone action can be part of a larger activity or process with multiple parts or stages.

  Work center 526 may be part of either service directory 512 that acts as a control center or work center 514 that may be a dynamic representation of all work. The program 528 represents a function or service provided by a software execution file or a software routine. Guided procedure 530 provides a guided process of action to help a user complete a task involving several stages. A universal resource locator (URL) 532 represents an address of a service providing a service or a website.

  Data objects are accessed or affected through services that are freely accessible to the user. Through a service 520 that can be invoked, the user of the composite application can access the data object 560. A service 520 that can be invoked may similarly have an input 552, an output 554, and other interactions 556. Input 552 refers to input parameters that affect how a callable service is accessed or how it is executed. Output 554 means a result or report generated by the callable service 520 in connection with performing the data access. Other interactions 556 may be, for example, a permission decision associated with authority 540 or a company level context.

  FIG. 6 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a dynamic work center that can access multiple backend services. The role hierarchy 602 has a user context 610 that includes the context described above and affects what views and access the user has to the data or service. The control center 620 provides a container for the user to manage the work and access the work center associated with completing the work. A single user can include several roles 622-626. Roles 622-626 can similarly represent the roles of different users accessing the same process. Different roles can dynamically result in different views based on the privileges associated with the role. In one embodiment, the manager or administrator has all available permissions. Thus, one role can belong to a user as a developer who results in a special view. One role can belong to a manager that results in different views. A manager with all permissions can have a third view on the same process. Even though the underlying base system is the same, the differences are related to different roles.

  Below the role hierarchy 602 is an “xApps” hierarchy or a composite application hierarchy 604. The “xApps” hierarchy 604 includes several cross-functional elements that can be used to create dynamic composite applications. Examples of composite systems may include “composite resource planning management (xRPM)” 632, “composite mergers & acquisitions” (xMA) 634, “composite product data (xPD)” 636, and others 638. Other systems may be associated with dynamic composite applications as well or instead. These composite applications access the underlying base system at the back end 606. Examples of such back-end systems include financials 642, “HR (Human Resources)” 644, project system 646, procurement 648, and others 650.

  FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a control center having a dynamic work center. User context 710 provides the user with authority to access roles and data. The user context 710 determines what is accessible by the control center 720 that provides a view about the work. In one embodiment, the service directory operates as a control center. From control center 720, a user can access work center 730, work center 750, or work center 760, universal worklist 772, dashboard 774, favorites 776, or other views 778. Universal worklist 772 provides a view of the work (eg, workflow, action, process) to be performed by the user. Dashboard 774 provides another view to see the status of a task or task to be performed by a user. Another available view is a recent or long term for the selected preference (eg, indicating work items to be executed within 3 days) or assigned view (eg, pushed from the manager) This is a favorite view 776 that can show data based on the access history. Other views 778 are available.

  Work center 730 includes actions for performing work. Work center 730 is dynamic and provides the ability to change the content provided to the user. The user is therefore productive and can be provided with the most relevant information to get the job done. Examples of views on the content of work center 730 include activity actions 732 (individual tasks to perform), activity worklist 734 (list of all work activities), activity dashboard 736 (graphics of more spatial tasks). Layout), activity favorites 738 (eg, customized views for activities), or other views 740. Although it is not explicitly shown, work center 750 and work center 760 will have similar views. Not only can the user change between views, the content represented by any view will change dynamically as described herein.

  FIG. 8 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a dynamic work center accessed by a tab view. A dynamic work center is provided for any of many processes and will be accessed by other views, but FIG. 8 shows “Annual Raises and Bonuses (ARB)”. The following is described with respect to tabbed views for providing access to processes. The tab view 801 is provided to the user through the user interface. As previously mentioned, the user interface can be displayed through a web browser. Tab view 801 includes tabs that can be selected to provide different contextual views of information. A tab is provided by the system for each process initiated in the system for which permissions provide access to the view. Thus, the tab indicates the existence of a process that allows the authority to access it. Tab view 801 is affected based on roles and permissions. In one embodiment, the user roles and privileges in tab view 801 are free to access each category represented by each tab, so those tabs are accessible. Briefly, tabs are shown for ARB 803, reseller meeting (SR) 804, customer process (CP) 805, and performance goal setting (PTS) 806. There may be other tabs if other processes are started that allow the authority to access it. The tabs can display that the ARB 803 provides integrated access to multiple backend systems, such as the HR system 821, financial system 822, DRM system 823, and project system 824. Services in multiple systems are accessible beyond the functional boundaries through modeled software.

  Participants 810 can be individuals 811 through 814, which can be participants in the ARB 803 process (eg, human resource (HR) humans, controllers, managers, evaluated employees, approvers, etc.). including. In one embodiment, participant 810 means a role in the process, and thus an individual can have more than one participant (eg, if the manager is an advocate or similar situation). Can be represented. In addition, one individual can have different roles depending on the context of the ARB 803 process (eg, one instance is an evaluated employee and another instance is an approver). Each participant receives a dynamic work center related to the ARB 803 process that provides access to activities, guided procedures, and workflow tasks related to a particular role by each dynamic work center. Thus, multiple participants 810 will participate in the entire process, each having a different view of the same overall process, and having different activities within the role-based process.

  In one embodiment, each tab in the tab view 801 can be considered a work center that provides information and links to work. A user accesses a task through a control center 802 that integrates work centers and provides route instructions for work. The control center 802 can provide access to a universal worklist 807 that can provide a list of all tasks to a particular user in a particular role. The control center 802 similarly provides access to the service directory 808 described herein. In short, the service directory 808 can provide access to work as well as other information about the user (eg, it can provide access to a dynamic work center 830).

  The dynamic work center 830 dynamically provides access to services and views based on roles and privileges determined for special instantiations. Examples of items potentially accessible by the dynamic work center 830, which are not intended as either a complete description of the types of items available, or a restrictive description, are subsequently described.

  Dynamic work center 830 provides access to one or more callable services 840. Callable services 840, input fields, service links, or other mechanisms through which work can be accomplished can be included. Callable services include stand-alone action (SAA) 841, guided procedure 842, program 843 (eg, external application functionality), work center 844 (another work that can be invoked and accessed through dynamic work center 830). A trackable object 845, a standalone business (SA biz) process 847, and / or a uniform resource locator (URL) 848. Stand-alone action 841 and guided procedure 842 are described above. Stand-alone business process 847 is a self-contained business process similar to stand-alone action 841. Stand-alone business process 847 can be accessed and executed from within dynamic work center 830. The URL 848 can provide a locator for special services for which roles and authorities provide access to it. The traceable object 845 can be any object or service that can be monitored. In one example, trackable object 845 provides access to a plurality of different types of views 846 that may provide different ways to track the object. Callable service 840 provides functionality for executing processes related to ARB 803.

  A dynamic work center 830 can similarly provide access to a status 850 that can provide a view of one or more processes in a manner to allow status to be determined. In one example, instead of or in addition to the input field, status 850 may provide a table, graph, and / or other view to determine process status. In one embodiment, status 850 includes a thumbnail view of the process. Those views may be high-level and capable of being drilled down, or they may be detailed displays, or some combination. Status 850 may include a briefing book 851, a key performance indicator (KPI) 852, and / or a process dashboard 853. Briefing book 851 provides automated status reporting according to planned criteria (weekly, specific days, etc.) or asynchronously (eg, the user can choose to update the “now” status) A report can be provided. KPI 852 may provide an overview of the process and allow access to more detailed information through drilling down. The process dashboard 853 can provide an integrated view of multiple processes and can be integrated, for example, by process type, domain, or other integration factor. The status 850 may provide information regarding the increase generated by evaluating the employee for salary increases and / or bonuses.

  Work center work list 860 provides a work list of tasks for a particular workflow, rather than an overall view of the tasks provided by universal work list 807. The work center work list 860 is specific to the process or activity selected or viewed in the dynamic work center 830 and can include a pending workflow 861. In the ARB 803 example, the work center work list 860 may provide a list of all workflows (corresponding to work centers) that have tasks related to annual pay raises and bonus roles.

  The dynamic work center 830 similarly provides access to other views 870 that can provide other views for work related to the authority with which the dynamic work center 830 is instantiated. Other views 870 can include anything related to the process. For example, other views 870 can provide access to process context 871, document 872, details 873, cost 874, and template 875. Document 872 can be any document added to the process. Details 873 may include a list of participants or other parameters of the process. Cost view 874 can show spending and comparisons to other processes or to objects. Template 875 can be any form of customized view associated with a process.

  FIG. 9 is a flowchart of an embodiment for generating a composite application. The composite application controller instantiates the data object (step 902). The controller controls the generation of the composite application. The controller determines the authority to access the data object (step 904). The authority can be determined in response to a request to access the data object. Authority provides permission to access data and services. The controller may determine what services and data are associated with the authority (step 906). Services and data associated with permissions will be accessible in the composite application.

  The controller can model the design phase components of the composite application for services and data determined to be accessible by authority (step 908). The composite application is modeled software and is generated based on authority. In one embodiment, a composite application is generated for each data access. When authority or other context changes, it can be regenerated or modified.

  A view on the data to be provided by the composite application can be similarly modeled (step 910). The composite application controller may generate a runtime component of the composite application from the composite application model to instantiate the composite application (step 912). Note that some of the discussed operations may be a single operation, while others may involve multiple operations. The order of operations is not necessarily limited to the example provided in FIG. 9 and will vary in other implementations.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart of an embodiment of data access in a composite view. The enterprise interface receives a request for data (step 1002). A request for data presents a view in a process or service directory that explicitly subscribes to the data or subscribes and subsequently provides a work center or user with a view of the data and work. Can be generated by the user. The interface identifies the role associated with the request (step 1004). In one embodiment, the role can be specifically selected within a service directory or work center. In alternative embodiments, the role can be determined contextually, for example, by determining what type of process is being viewed, or by username and password.

  In one embodiment, the interface identifies an activity associated with the role (step 1006). For specific data and specific authority, the relevant activities are not related to authorization. Identifying the activity with respect to other data or views is a key part of determining whether a requested view or data request can be provided. From the role and potentially activity, the interface may determine the role and authority based on the activity (step 1008). The authority can depend on what views can be provided within a particular role for a particular activity.

  The interface determines the access associated with the authority (step 1010). Access can be read by the user, can be manipulated by the user, can be “involved” by the user, or other permission to access the data in some way. The allowed access can determine what services will be provided in the view. The interface determines a view on activity among roles and authorities (step 1012). The interface may determine a view for data that is not associated with a workflow or data associated with a special workflow process. In one embodiment, a special requested view can be provided, but there are limitations regarding what data or processes are accessible by the user from within the view. Special views can be denied because the user does not have permission to access them. With the access-based views and services known, the composite application manager can generate a composite application to provide the determined view (step 1014).

  Various descriptions herein refer to managers or modules that include hardware, software, and / or combinations thereof. Where the components for performing the functions described herein include software, the software data, instructions, and / or settings can be provided through a mechanical / electronic device / hardware product. The product can include a machine readable medium having contents for providing instructions, data, and the like. The contents may result in the electronic devices described herein performing the various operations or executions described. A machine-readable medium provides any mechanism for providing (ie, storing and / or transmitting) information / content in a form accessible by a machine (eg, computing device, electronic device, electronic system / subsystem, etc.). Including. For example, machine readable media include recordable / non-recordable media (eg, read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash Memory devices, etc.). The machine-readable medium can further include an electronic device having code loaded into a storage device that can be executed when the electronic device is in operation. Thus, providing an electronic device with such a code can be understood as providing such content as described herein for the product. Further, storing code in a database or other memory location and providing code for download via a communication medium is understood as providing such content as described herein to a product. obtain.

  In addition to those described herein, various modifications can be made to the disclosed embodiments and implementations of the invention without departing from their scope. Accordingly, the examples and examples herein should be construed as illustrative rather than restrictive. The scope of the invention should be evaluated solely by reference to the appended claims.

FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of an application framework having an execution stage component and a design stage component. It is a block diagram of the Example of an enterprise service architecture. It is a block diagram of the Example of a composite application architecture. It is a block diagram of the Example of the user apparatus which has a service directory. It is a block diagram of the Example of the user apparatus which has a dynamic work center. It is a block diagram of the Example of the service which can be called. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an embodiment of a dynamic work center that can access multiple backend services. It is a block diagram of the Example of the control center which has a dynamic work center. FIG. 3 is a block diagram of an example of a dynamic work center accessed by a tab view. It is a flowchart of the Example which produces | generates a composite application. FIG. 6 is a flowchart of an example of data access in a composite view. FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Framework 102 Design stage component 104 Execution stage component 106 Metadata 110 Process modeler
112 Action 114 Context 120 User Interface Modeler (UI modeler)
122 views 124 pattern settings 130 service modeler
132 Services 134 Entity 140 Generator 150 Process Framework 152 Guided Procedure 154 Universal Worklist
156 Workflow Instance 160 UI Framework 162 UI Component 164 UI Pattern 166 Dynamic View 170 Service Framework 172 Entity Service 174 Application Service 176 JAVA Data Object (JDO) Service 178 External Service 180 Enterprise Base System 182 Data 184 Remote function call (RFC)
186 Web Service 190 Composite View 192 Data 194 Service 210 Access Portal 220 Composite Application 222 Composite Process 230 Enterprise Service Architecture 240 Composite Application Framework 242 Phase 250 Modeled Process 252 Phase
258 data 260 traditional application 262 phase 268 data 270 external functionality 272 phase 274 phase 278 data 280 service 282 service 290 view manager 292 role module 294 authority module 296 view generation module 310 composite application 312 composite access view 314 composite application agent 320 composite application object 322 status / action management (mgt)
330 Enterprise Platform 340 Object 342 Status / Action Manager 344 Interface Agent 350 Object 352 Status / Action Manager 354 Interface Agent 360 Backend 362 Framework 364 Engine Service 366 Dependent Object 368 Master Data Object 370 Enterprise Server 372 Information Manager 410 User Device 412 browser 414 context 420 service directory 422 work center 424 data 426 service 430 enterprise service interface 440 network 450 server 452 framework 460 service 470 enterprise data 472 extensible markup language (XML) data 474 enterprise resources Image database (ERP DB)
476 Other Data 480 Dynamic Work Center 482 Workflow 484 Data 486 Service 488 Action 512 Service Directory 514 Work Center 520 Callable Service 522 Trackable Object 524 Standalone Action (SAA)
526 Work Center 528 Program 530 Guided Procedure 532 Universal Resource Locator (URL)
540 Authority Manager 542 Role Module 544 Authority Module 546 Activity Manager 560 Data Object 552 Input 554 Output 556 Other Interactions 602 Role Hierarchy 604 xApps Hierarchy 606 Backend 610 User Context 620 Control Center 622 Role 624 Role 626 Role 632 xRPM
634 xMA
636 xPD
638 Others 642 Financials
644 HR (Human Resources)
646 Project System 648 Procurement 650 Other 710 User Context 720 Control Center 730 Work Center 732 Activity Action 734 Activity Work List 736 Activity Dashboard 738 Activity Favorites 740 Other Views 750 Work Center 760 Work Center 772 Universal Work List ( worklist)
774 Dashboard 776 Favorites 778 Other views 801 Tab view 802 Control center 803 ARB
804 Dealer Meeting (SR)
805 Customer process (CP)
806 Performance target setting (PTS)
807 Universal Worklist 808 Service Directory 810 Participants 811-814 Individual 821 HR System 822 Financial System 823 DRM System 824 Project System 830 Dynamic Work Center 840 Callable Service 841 Standalone Action (SAA)
842 Guided Procedures 843 Programs 844 Work Center 845 Traceable Objects 846 Views 847 Standalone Business Processes 848 Uniform Resource Locator 850 Status 851 Briefing Book 852 Key Performance Indicators 853 Process Dashboard 860 Work Center Worklist 861 Pending Workflow 870 Other Views 871 Context 872 Document 873 Details 874 Cost 875 Template

Claims (20)

Identifying the job role associated with the request for data;
Determining access rights to the requested data;
Generating a view to provide access to the data through the modeled software application,
The authority is based at least in part on the context of the work role;
The method wherein the view is based on at least a portion of the determined authority. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the authority comprises determining a responsible authority representative of a data owner's role. Determining the responsibility authority that represents the role of the data owner allows the view to provide access to the data regardless of whether the job role has work to be performed on the data 3. The method of claim 2, including the step of determining a responsible authority to perform. Determining access authority to the requested data includes determining access authority to data that includes one or more of company information, work-related information, or work-related information. The method of claim 1, characterized in that: The method of claim 1, wherein generating the view includes determining a work dashboard. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the view includes generating a work center in a service directory. The method of claim 1, further comprising: automatically changing the generated view in response to a change in work role. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein automatically changing a generated view in response to the change includes decommissioning the generated view when a job role is terminated. the method of. A product comprising a machine readable medium having contents for providing said instructions stored thereon to cause a machine to execute instructions,
The instruction is
Receiving a request for data indicating the work role associated with the request;
Determining access rights to the requested data;
Generating a view to provide access to the data through the modeled software application,
The authority is based at least in part on the context of the work role;
A product wherein the view is based on at least a portion of the determined authority. The product of claim 9, wherein the instructions for receiving a request for data include an instruction for receiving a request to view a work center associated with a workflow associated with the data. The product of claim 9, wherein the instructions for receiving a request for data include an instruction for receiving a request to provide an initial view associated with a login. Instructions for receiving a request to indicate the job role identify a workflow associated with the requested data, identify a system credential associated with the request, and trust the system for the workflow The product of claim 9 including instructions for determining a job role from a certificate. A business role module for receiving a request for data and identifying a job role associated with the request for data;
An authorization module to determine the authority to access the requested data;
A view generation module for generating a modeled software view for providing access to data through a modeled software application;
The authority is based at least in part on the context of the work role;
View management means, wherein the software view is based on at least a portion of the determined authority. 14. The view management unit according to claim 13, wherein the view generation module generates a view including personal data. 14. The view management unit according to claim 13, wherein the view generation module generates a view including a general standard view. 14. The view management unit according to claim 13, wherein the view generation module generates a view including a work center in a service directory. A business role module that determines work role changes and directs the change to the authorization module;
14. The view management unit according to claim 13, further comprising a view generation module that dynamically changes a view. A web browser,
A business role module for receiving a request for data and identifying a job role associated with the request for data, an authority module for determining authority to access the requested data, and modeled software A view management means having a view generation module for generating a view to be displayed in a browser through an application;
The authority is based at least in part on the context of the work role;
A system, wherein the view is based on at least a portion of the determined authority to provide access to data through a modeled software application. The system of claim 18, wherein the modeled software application comprises a composite application. 19. The system of claim 18, wherein the view management means generates a view through a modeled software application by utilizing a service-oriented composite application framework.

Images