Canonical Model Enforcement via Automated Rule Generation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current enterprise application integration methods require manual implementation of canonical models, leading to errors, inefficiencies, and increased programming burdens due to the lack of automated enforcement of metadata constraints and transformation rules.

Innovation Solution

Automating the enforcement of canonical models by generating machine-automatable artifacts that convert into language-specific bindings, allowing for automatic validation and transformation of data to ensure conformity across enterprise applications without manual intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If manual implementation of canonical models is used, then application development teams have flexibility in implementation, but error rate increases and efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconformity to canonical modelVSAvoidapplication development efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by automatically generating validation rules and transformation rules from the canonical model before application development begins. These pre-generated rules are then reused during application development and execution, eliminating the need for manual rule creation and ensuring consistent enforcement of canonical model constraints throughout the development lifecycle.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary artifact (the generated validation rules and transformation rules) that mediates between the canonical model and the application implementation. This intermediary automatically enforces canonical model constraints during data validation and transformation operations, ensuring reliability without requiring manual intervention from developers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If manual creation of data contracts is required, then application development teams can customize implementations, but programming burden increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimplementation flexibilityVSAvoidprogramming complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system creates copies of the canonical model constraints in the form of generated validation rules and transformation rules. These copied rules can be automatically applied to multiple applications and data contracts, providing adaptability across different implementations while eliminating the need for developers to manually recreate the same validation logic repeatedly.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The generated validation rules and transformation rules serve multiple functions: they validate incoming data against the canonical model, transform data between different formats, and enforce consistency across applications. This multi-functionality reduces programming complexity by replacing multiple manual implementation tasks with a single automated rule set.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Reliability

If automated enforcement of canonical models is implemented, then data consistency improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual rule creation and enforcement with an automated information processing system. The system automatically generates validation rules and transformation rules from the canonical model and applies them during data validation and transformation operations, achieving data consistency through automated information processing rather than manual mechanical enforcement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs self-service by automatically generating the necessary validation and transformation rules from the canonical model without requiring manual intervention. The generated rules then automatically enforce data consistency during application execution, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring continuous manual configuration and monitoring.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentUS10430164B2Automation of canonical model usage in application development processes

Publication Date: 2019.10.01 UNITED PARCEL SERVICE OF AMERICAN INC

AI summary

Computer program products, methods, systems, apparatuses, and computing entities are provided for enforcing usage of a canonical model. For example, machine-automatable artifacts that express the canonical model using a set of metadata constraints and a set of transformation rules can be received from a canonical model artifact repository. These machine-automatable artifacts can be converted into language-specific bindings and applications can subsequently utilize those language-specific bindings to enforce conformity to the canonical model.