Domain-oriented environment association type scene software development method and system

Abstract

The invention belongs to the technical field of software engineering, and particularly relates to a field-oriented environment association type scene software development method and system. The software development process is divided into three stages of field customization, scene configuration and application development, and a corresponding development system is provided and comprises a meta-tool environment, a field development platform and a scene application development platform. In the field customization stage, the meta-tool environment is used, and configuration is customized for a specific field to obtain a field development platform; in the scene configuration stage, environment-related scene configuration is carried out on the field development platform, intermediate representation of physical equipment is established, configuration access of various Internet of Things platforms is achieved through description, and the field development platform is configured as a scene application development platform; and in the application development stage, development of software in multiple fields is realized by multiplexing the environment-related scene. According to the method, the environment elements in the scene can be quickly configured, and the efficiency of developing and deploying customized scene software is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention belongs to the technical field of software engineering, and particularly relates to a domain-oriented environment-associated scenario software development method and system. Background Art

[0002] The concept of scenario computer was first mentioned by Academician Lv Jian at CNCC in 2018. He believes that: "The current world is a world of cyber-physical integration, a world of ternary integration of humans, machines, and things, and a world of virtual-real combination." Scenario computing generally refers to running scenario-based software, or scenario software, on a scenario computer. Developing such scenario software has strong domain characteristics and is closely related to the physical world environment. To better develop such software, a low-code development method through visual modeling and predefined module assembly is a common development means.

[0003] Low-code development was proposed by Forrester in 2014. By using a low-code development platform to provide more business description components, the amount of code to be written during development is reduced, making software development closer to business requirements so that the software development process can be quickly completed by business experts. Low-code development usually relies on a domain-specific language (DSL). DSL is used to define various business components for developers to assemble and use. In 2007, Salesforce developed the force.com application development platform for developers, providing visual tools and pre-built components in a service-oriented manner to empower developers to quickly develop customer relationship management (CRM) software systems. Microsoft launched Microsoft Power Apps in 2015, deeply integrating the platform with the Microsoft ecosystem and simplifying the threshold and cost of application development. The open-source UI open framework Flutter launched by Google in 2017 realizes hot reloading for UI development, and the Skia engine it uses ensures the consistency of UI development across different platforms and avoids compatibility issues [1]. The domestic low-code / no-code industry started to emerge in 2015 and has shown explosive growth since 2018. Giants such as NetEase, Tencent, and Huawei not only participated in investing in low-code enterprises but also launched their own low-code products, bringing new technological innovations. For example, the Codewave low-code platform launched by NetEase Youdao after 2018 is based on NetEase's self-developed large model intelligent base and can easily achieve the full-stack low-code application construction of "intelligent generation of logic" + "visual drag-and-drop generation of pages".

[0004] In recent years, with the development of the Internet of Things and the technology of human-machine-thing fusion, software development has shown a trend of being scene-based and IoT-based, and the migration of devices to the cloud is gradually replacing the traditional SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition) system. Facing the high similarity of device applications, low-code development has become a new trend in constructing application software for human-machine-thing fusion scenarios. NOOR FALIH [2] et al. combined robotic process automation (RPA), a low-code development platform (LCDP), and an integrated intelligent system platform (ISSP) to propose a new architecture that integrates RPA and LCDP as a sensing tool in the ISSP to achieve a smart city; Silviu-George Pantelimon [3] et al. designed an end-to-end low-code mechanism for managing the relationship between hardware sensors and IoT platforms. However, although low-code platforms have achieved remarkable results in Internet and informatization applications, their application support in human-machine-thing fusion scenarios is still insufficient.

[0005] Existing low-code platforms are mainly for Internet and informatization applications and still lack in-depth integration of physical environment information (such as device layout, geographical location, user behavior, etc.), and in terms of the degree of reuse, they focus more on component-level reuse and lack higher-level reuse and control. It is difficult to achieve scenario-driven application development, especially in human-machine-thing fusion scenarios involving physical resources such as sensors and intelligent devices, where the support capabilities of existing platforms are significantly insufficient. In addition, existing platforms are difficult to quickly respond to the customized requirements of different scenarios, especially in fields such as smart cities and industrial automation, lacking support for scenario-level reuse and rapid migration, with a large amount of repetitive work in the development process, making it difficult to achieve efficient development.

[0006] [1] C. Kirchhof, N. Jansen, B. Rumpe, A. Wortmann, “Navigating the Low-Code Landscape: A Comparison of Development Platforms,” in Proceedings of the 26th International Conference on Model Driven Engineering Languages and Systems Companion (MODELS-C), Sweden, October 1 - 6, 2023, pp. 854 - 862, doi: 10.1109 / MODELS-C59198.2023.00135.

[0007] [2]N. Falih, S. Harso Supangkat, F. Fitriyanti Lubis and O. Maherdy Prabowo, "Revolutionizing Process Automation: The Synergy of Low-Code Development Platforms, Robotic Process Automation, and Integrated Smart System Platform," in IEEE Access, vol. 12, pp. 118694-118706, 2024, doi: 10.1109 / ACCESS.2024.3447882. [3] S.-G. Pantelimon, T. Rogojanu, A. Braileanu, V.-D. Stanciu and C. Dobre, "Towards a Seamless Integration of IoT Devices with IoT Platforms Using a Low-Code Approach," 2019 IEEE 5th World Forum on Internet of Things (WF-IoT), Limerick, Ireland, 2019, pp. 566-571, doi: 10.1109 / WF-IoT.2019.8767313。 Summary of the Invention

[0008] The objective of the present invention is to provide a method and system for developing domain-oriented environment-associated scenario software, so as to further speed up the development and deployment of customized applications in combination with scenario information.

[0009] The method for developing domain-oriented environment-associated scenario software provided by the present invention specifically includes three stages: domain customization, scenario configuration, and application development, and provides corresponding development systems, including a meta-tool environment, a domain development platform, and a scenario application development platform; in the scenario application development platform, the Internet of Things (IoT) platform and its devices are represented in a low-code configuration manner, the access and interaction of IoT devices in the environment are realized during development, and the configured scenarios and devices are reused for application development in the same scenario, thereby accelerating the development and deployment of applications. The specific steps are as follows:

[0010] (1) Domain customization stage: Using the meta-tool environment, customize and configure a specific domain to obtain a domain development platform and manage it;

[0011] (2) Scenario Configuration Phase: Perform scenario configuration for environmental association of the domain development platform, establish an intermediate representation of physical devices, and use this description to achieve configuration-based access to various IoT platforms. Configure the domain development platform as a scenario application development platform and manage it.

[0012] (3) Application Development Phase: Reuse the environment-associated scenarios to configure scenario application development platforms for multiple domain software and manage them.

[0013] Among them:

[0014] The meta-tool environment is a set of development environments that uses meta-modeling technology to describe domains, scenarios, and related IoT devices. It can create a domain development platform in the form of information configuration, where the registered device templates are synchronized with the standardized models of IoT devices in the IoT platforms supported by the meta-tool environment configuration. The meta-tool environment provides the ability to abstractly describe the real world, business domains, scenarios, and various devices in the scenarios. Here, a domain is an abstraction of similar businesses, and in the same domain, there is a set of the same device types; a scenario is a subdivision and instantiation of different actual environmental areas in the domain, representing a specific spatial range and including spatial descriptions and various IoT devices in this space.

[0015] The domain development platform corresponds to a specific business domain. The domain development platform for a specific business domain is associated with the development tools, templates, and components unique to that domain; these contents can be automatically displayed and used at any time when using this domain development platform.

[0016] The scenario application development platform provides development support for application software development targeting a specified spatial range in the real world. The physical devices within this spatial range are accessed in the form of IoT device definitions and can be used during the development of different application software within this specified spatial range.

[0017] The present invention abstractly describes the environmental elements in the real world, and realizes the combination of context information such as the real environment, user behavior, and device status through the meta-tool environment, domain development platform, and scenario application development platform, providing fast and convenient personalized development services.

[0018] Furthermore:

[0019] In step (1), during the process of customizing and configuring the domain development platform, one can choose to configure from scratch or start from an existing domain template. The configured information includes: basic information of the domain (including domain name, description, industry classification, etc.), the toolset used for platform development (such as code editors and model editors), the DSL (Domain Specific Language) standard used for storing configuration information, and the device templates of the devices required in the domain. It should be noted that the registered device templates need to be synchronized with the standardized models of IoT devices in the IoT platform supported by the meta-tool environment configuration. After completion of the configuration, the platform automatically generates and deploys a domain development platform with the characteristics of this domain based on the configured domain information.

[0020] In step (2), during the process of configuring the domain development platform as a scenario application development platform, one configures either from scratch or starts from an existing scenario template; the configuration information includes basic scenario information (such as scenario name, description, geographical location, etc.), the basic operating framework required for generating the platform, etc. In addition, according to the scenario reality, the scenario layout information and the specific devices in the scenario need to be entered and bound. The scenario layout is designed through a drag-and-drop interface according to the requirements of the actual physical environment, and the specific devices in the scenario are selected from the device list of the IoT platform and ensured to conform to the device template information of the corresponding domain. After completion of the configuration, the platform automatically generates and deploys a scenario application development platform with the characteristics of this scenario based on the configured scenario platform information.

[0021] In step (3), the configured scenario application development platform generates applications for all the real devices and the platform in the current scenario; specifically, in terms of IoT platform and device access application development, the scenario application development platform accesses different IoT platforms through configuration, sets the access methods and access restrictions for different models of IoT devices, and realizes device access and access. In the aspect of using IoT devices during the development process, the scenario devices are set and the development of application functions is managed in the way of information configuration. The specific process includes: entering application information, managing all the scenario-available devices of this application, setting the global variables and business processes required for device collaboration, designing the display interface of the application and the jump logic between interfaces, analyzing and checking the defects and errors in the application design and orchestration. During the application development process, the platform provides a visual programming interface, and the customized development of the application can be quickly completed by dragging and dropping components, customizing logic, etc.

[0022] The way of configuring the information described in steps (2) and (3) refers to filling in the required attributes given by the platform, such as the scenario information of the next-level scenario, the operating framework and DSL standard used for generating the next-level platform.

[0023] In steps (1) and (2), the template configuration described refers to directly using the configuration information of the domain or scenario saved in the template library to create a new domain or template. The platform supports saving the configuration information as a template each time a new development platform is configured, thereby improving the speed of platform configuration.

[0024] The registration of device templates described in step (1) is to register a class of devices in an abstract way of templates, which is used to instantiate corresponding device instances in step (2). The device template itself carries the basic information of the device type and the supported device capabilities, covering all attributes, commands, and events that this type of device may use.

[0025] The binding of device instances described in step (2) corresponds to the devices in the real world and participates in collaborative operations and scheduling activities in the scenario in the scenario application development platform. Device binding needs to specify the basic information of the device and the access method of the device, and supports adding and binding devices from existing Internet of Things platforms. It should be noted that the device instances bound to the scenario need to conform to the device template information of the domain where the scenario is located, and Internet of Things devices beyond the capabilities defined by the device template cannot be called in subsequent application development.

[0026] In step (3), the way for the scenario application development platform to access devices is to access and access different real devices by interacting with the configured IoT platform. The platform can meet the access requirements of different devices by accessing different IoT platform instances, and realize the isolation, switching, and management of different device groups in the scenario.

[0027] In step (3), the scenario application development platform can meet the needs of different applications generated for scenario devices through device management and device permission allocation.

[0028] In step (3), the created application is associated with the specific devices in the scenario, and the devices are logically orchestrated using business processes, enabling it to support the interaction and collaboration between user behaviors and specific devices, thereby meeting the needs of complex scenario applications.

[0029] The present invention also includes a domain-oriented environment-associated scenario software development system constructed in the above software development method process, including a meta-tool environment, a domain development platform, and a scenario application development platform.

[0030] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages and positive effects:

[0031] The present invention improves the pertinence and development efficiency of customized applications, and at the same time supports the scenario-level reuse of the physical world and the rapid migration of applications, and can meet the development needs in diverse real scenarios. Description of the Drawings

[0032] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the basic process of the environment-related scenario software development method for the field of the present invention. Among them, three steps are shown: configuring the field development platform, configuring the scenario application development platform, and scenario application development.

[0033] Figure 2 This is an example diagram of the implementation process of the basic process schematic. Taking the intelligent mine as an example, it shows the entire creation process from the meta-tool environment to the final scenario application. The relevant parameters generated and transmitted during this entire process are introduced, and the specific process of the scenario application development platform accessing the scenario device is shown. Specific implementation manner

[0034] The present invention will be further introduced below through embodiments in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Figure 2 Taking the scenario-based application software development in the field of intelligent mines as an example, it shows a specific process from the meta-tool environment of the present invention to the final generation of the application platform corresponding to the scenario. In the meta-tool environment of the present invention, by configuring the field information, multiple field development platforms for specific fields are created. The process of field customization is divided into configuring from scratch or creating based on an existing field template.

[0036] The field information that needs to be configured when creating from scratch includes: basic field description information (field name, field description, code-model editor required for the field platform, running basic framework, DSL standard); available component information in the field (device components, UI components, business flow components, etc.); basic terms managed by the field (declaration of some possible scenarios in the field); deployment routing of the field development platform. These field information will be saved in a json file with the field name as the file name, here it is intelligent_mine.json. The user can choose to save the configuration information as a configuration template to reduce the overhead caused by repeated configuration. To save the template, the name of the template, the code identifier of the template, the icon of the template, and the save path of the template need to be provided.

[0037] When creating based on an existing template, the user needs to select a template from the field configuration templates for configuration, and the meta-tool environment supports additional modifications based on the original template. In this example, the final configuration information will also be saved in the format of intelligent_mine.json. After completing the configuration, select "Start Platform", and the built-in generator in the meta-tool environment will generate the corresponding code of the intelligent mine field development platform based on the intelligent_mine.json file, package the code, and deploy it to the corresponding location on the server according to the provided routing. At this point, we can access the platform by visiting the corresponding routing.

[0038] In the development platform in the field of intelligent mines, a similar method is adopted to select to configure the scenario information from scratch or select a template from the existing scenario application development platform templates to start the configuration, and the configuration information is saved as a scenario.json file. Subsequently, the corresponding platform code is generated based on the file and packaged and deployed to the corresponding route of the server, thereby obtaining multiple lower-level scenario application development platforms

[0039] Configuring the scenario application development platform from scratch requires configuring information in the form of: scenario description information (scenario name, scenario type, scenario description, physical address of the scenario, built-in basic IDE in the scenario application development platform, platform basic operation framework, DSL standard), scenario layout (specific spatial conditions inside the scenario), device instances in the scenario (intelligent devices that can interact in the scenario), and routing path for platform deployment.

[0040] The domain development platform also supports users to select appropriate templates from the scenario configuration templates for configuration, and the domain development platform supports adding additional modifications on the basis of the original templates. These scenario information will be saved in a json file with the scenario name as the file name. In this example, it is saved as intelligent mine.json. The domain development platform will generate the corresponding code based on the intelligent mine.json file, and package and deploy it under the corresponding route of the server. Finally, the intelligent mine scenario application development platform is obtained.

[0041] In the intelligent mine scenario application development platform, multiple application platforms for the current scenario can be generated through configuration and orchestration.

[0042] On the one hand, the application platform needs to interact with the intelligent devices in the scenario, so it is necessary to connect to various devices in the scenario. In the scenario application development platform, users can use the capabilities of different IoT platforms to connect to various devices with access standards in the scenario, which is equivalent to having the access capabilities of multiple IoT platforms at the same time. For example Figure 2 in, intelligent monitoring supports multiple protocol access and can be connected through Alibaba Cloud or Inspur IoT platform. Intelligent fans and coffee machines currently only support Inspur IoT platform, so they are connected to the scenario through this platform. For the mine monitoring application, the intelligent coffee machine is not needed in this scenario. Therefore, users can set the permissions of this application during configuration to make this application only visible to intelligent monitoring and intelligent fans. Based on this, we can achieve that the platform is compatible with various scenario resources, different applications under the same scenario are independent of each other, and different applications can reuse the real resources in the scenario.

[0043] On the other hand, in the process of creating a mine monitoring platform, the intelligent mine scenario application development platform needs to involve multiple steps. First, the basic information of the application itself (application name, application introduction, application deployment path) and the attributes of the application itself such as relevant global variables involved in application development will be saved in the json file named after the application name, here it is mine monitoring.json. The backend service logic of the application itself (background operations of the application, interaction logic between the application and devices) will be organized and arranged in the business logic orchestration interface in the scenario application development platform by dragging and dropping components, and the orchestration result will be saved in business logic.json. For the monitoring, management, and data processing logic of the connected devices, such as the high-temperature monitoring and alarm logic for intelligent thermometers in the mine monitoring application, the scenario application development platform provides corresponding device logic orchestration functions, and the final result is stored in device logic.json.

[0044] The front-end page of the application itself is also configured through the scenario application development platform, which includes the settings of the application menu (the structural hierarchy of different interfaces in the application), the application page (the UI interface in actual use of the application), and the application page flow (the jump logic between different pages). Among them, the application menu is set up in a configuration-based manner to build the page structure of the current application, while the application page and page flow are set up by dragging and dropping components and component settings in their respective orchestration interfaces. In addition to specifying the placement position and component style of each UI component, the application page also binds the backend service logic for specific UI components (such as buttons, dropdown boxes, hyperlinks) to implement their operations. These configuration information will be saved in application page.json, application page flow.json, and application menu.json respectively.

[0045] Finally, the intelligent mine scenario application development platform generates the corresponding front-end and back-end codes of the platform using the above configuration files, and packages them into corresponding software packages, which are deployed under the application deployment route configured in the application information of the intelligent mine scenario application development platform before. Thus, the construction of the scenario application platform is completed.

[0046] The advantages of adopting this solution are that the development platform realizes multi-level abstraction of the real environment, adopts a low-code configuration-based development method, and reduces the difficulty of application development in different dimensions. Moreover, the domains and scenarios are saved and reused in the form of configuration files, enabling the development platform to meet the development needs in different domains and scenarios, greatly improving the development flexibility. The configuration-based resource access method also enables the developed applications to reuse different real resources in the scenario, truly realizing scenario-oriented application development.

Claims

1. A domain-oriented environment-associated scenario software development method, characterized in that The specific process is divided into three stages: domain customization, scenario configuration, and application development, and corresponding development systems are provided, including a meta-tool environment, a domain development platform, and a scenario application development platform. In the scenario application development platform, the Internet of Things (IoT) platform and its devices are represented in a low-code configuration manner, the access and interaction of IoT devices in the development environment are realized, and the configured scenarios and devices are reused for application development in the same scenario, so as to accelerate the development and deployment of applications. The specific steps are as follows: (1) Domain customization: Use the meta-tool environment to customize and configure a specific domain to obtain a domain development platform and manage it; (2) Scenario configuration: Perform scenario configuration associated with the environment on the domain development platform, establish an intermediate representation of physical devices, and use this description to achieve configuration-based access to various IoT platforms. Configure the domain development platform as a scenario application development platform and manage it; (3) Application development: Reuse the environment-associated scenarios to configure scenario application development platforms for multiple domain software and manage them; The meta-tool environment is a set of development environments that use meta-modeling technology to describe domains, scenarios, and related IoT devices; Among them, the registered device templates are synchronized with the standardized models of IoT devices in the IoT platforms supported by the meta-tool environment configuration. The meta-tool environment provides the ability to abstractly describe the real world, business domains, scenarios, and various devices in the scenarios; Here, a domain is an abstraction of similar businesses, and there is a set of the same device types in the same domain; A scenario is a subdivision and instantiation of different actual environmental areas in a domain, representing a specific spatial range and including spatial descriptions and various IoT devices in this space; The domain development platform corresponds to a specific business domain. The domain development platform for a specific business domain is associated with the development tools, templates, and components unique to that domain; These contents can be automatically displayed and used at any time when using this domain development platform; The scenario application development platform provides development support for application software development for a specified spatial range in the real world. Physical devices within this spatial range are accessed in the form defined by IoT devices and are used during the development of different application software within this specified spatial range.

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (1), during the customization and configuration process of the domain development platform, choose to configure from scratch or start from an existing domain template. The configured information includes: basic information of the domain, including domain name, description, and industry classification; the toolset used for platform development, including a code editor and a model editor, the DSL standard used for storing configuration information, and the device templates of the devices required in the domain. Among them, the registered device templates are synchronized with the standardized models of IoT devices in the IoT platforms supported by the meta-tool environment configuration. After the configuration is completed, the platform automatically generates and deploys a domain development platform with the characteristics of this domain based on the configured domain information.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that, In step (2), during the process of configuring the domain development platform as a scenario application development platform, the configuration starts from scratch or uses an existing scenario template; the configuration information includes: basic scenario information, including scenario name, description, and geographical location, to generate the basic operating framework required by the platform; in addition, according to the scenario reality, the scenario layout information and the specific devices in the scenario are entered and bound; the scenario layout is designed through a drag-and-drop interface according to the requirements of the actual physical environment, and the specific devices in the scenario are selected from the device list of the Internet of Things platform and ensured to conform to the device template information in the corresponding domain; after the configuration is completed, the platform automatically generates and deploys a scenario application development platform with the characteristics of the configured scenario based on the configured scenario platform information.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein In step (3), for all the real devices and platforms in the current scenario, the configured scenario application development platform generates applications; specifically: in terms of IoT platform and device access application development, the scenario application development platform accesses different IoT platforms through configuration, sets the access methods and access restrictions for different models of IoT devices, and realizes device access and access; in the process of using IoT devices during development, the scenario devices are set and the development of application functions is managed in the way of information configuration; the specific process includes: entering application information, managing all the scenario-available devices of the application, setting the global variables and business processes required for device collaboration, designing the display interface of the application and the jump logic between interfaces, and analyzing and checking the defects and errors in the application design and orchestration; during the application development process, the platform provides a visual programming interface, and the customized development of the application can be quickly completed by dragging components and customizing logic.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: The way of configuring the information in steps (2) and (3) is to fill in the required attributes given by the platform, including the scenario information of the next-level scenario, to generate the operating framework and DSL standard used by the next-level platform. The configuration from the template described in steps (1) and (2) is to directly use the configuration information of the domain or scenario saved in the template library to create a new domain or template; the platform supports saving the configuration information as a template every time a new development platform is configured, so as to improve the speed of platform configuration. The registration of the device template described in step (1) is to register a class of devices in the way of template abstraction for instantiating corresponding device instances in step (2); the device template itself has the basic information of the device type and the supported device capabilities, covering all the attributes, commands, and events that may be used by this class of devices. The binding of the device instance corresponds to the device in the real world and participates in the collaborative operation and scheduling activities in the scenario in the scenario application development platform; the device binding needs to specify the basic information of the device and the access method of the device, and supports adding and binding devices from the existing Internet of Things platform.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: In step (3), the scenario application development platform accesses devices by interacting with the configured IoT platform to access and visit different real devices; the platform meets the access requirements of different devices by accessing different IoT platform instances, and realizes the isolation, switching, and management of different device groups in the scenario. In step (3), the scenario application development platform meets the requirements of different generated applications for scenario devices through device management and device permission allocation. In step (3), the created application is associated with specific devices in the scenario, and the business process is used to logically orchestrate the devices so that they can support the interaction and collaboration between user behavior and specific devices, thereby meeting the requirements of complex scenario applications.

7. A domain-oriented environment-associated scenario software development system constructed by the method according to any one of claims 1-6, comprising a meta-tool environment, a domain development platform, and a scenario application development platform.

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