Database Views Decouple Generic Applications From Client Data Models
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Solution Overview
Problem
Software vendors face high development and maintenance costs when creating generic software systems that cater to multiple clients and industries with different database structures and formats, as existing methods either require industry-specific coding or data replication, which are costly and inefficient.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a generic application using database views that replicate client-specific or industry-specific database tables, allowing users to define generic field roles for customizable user interfaces, thereby decoupling the application from industry-specific data models and reducing development costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a software system is designed to cater to multiple clients and industries with different database structures, then the software's versatility and adaptability improve, but the development and maintenance costs increase due to the need for industry-specific coding or data replication
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces database views as an intermediary layer between the generic software application and the client-specific database tables. These views act as mediators that translate between the universal software interface and diverse database structures, allowing the software to adapt to multiple clients without requiring industry-specific coding. The views serve as the intermediary that resolves the contradiction by providing a standardized access layer while maintaining compatibility with various underlying data structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a universal database view structure that can serve multiple clients and industries through configuration rather than customization. The same software application and view framework can be applied universally across different clients by simply configuring different database views to map to their specific table structures. This universal approach maintains software adaptability while avoiding the complexity of developing separate industry-specific versions.
2Ease of operation
If database views are implemented to replicate client-specific tables, then the ease of operation and customization improve, but the device complexity increases due to the need to manage multiple views and mappings
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-defining a standardized view structure and field role framework before implementing client-specific customizations. The generic application comes pre-configured with expected view structures, field roles, and mapping templates. This preliminary setup enables easy client-specific customization through simple configuration of view mappings rather than complex development work, as the foundational structure is already in place to guide the customization process.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent manages view complexity through parameter changes by allowing the system to dynamically adjust view configurations, field mappings, and role assignments based on client-specific requirements. Rather than managing multiple fixed view structures, the system uses parameterized views that can be configured with different table mappings, field names, and relationships. This parameter-driven approach simplifies view management by providing a unified configuration mechanism that handles diversity through adjustable parameters rather than structural complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer system is operable to receive a plurality of database tables from a plurality of clients, and store the database tables. The system permits a user to create a plurality of views for the database tables. Each of the plurality of views includes a plurality of fields. The system associates the plurality of views with a generic application, and presents to a user one or more configuration options. The configuration options include the plurality of fields. The system permits a user to define a generic field role for one or more of the plurality of fields. Finally, the system executes the generic application using the configuration options selected by the user and the defined generic field roles to create a user interface for a particular client.