Message-Based Interface for Heterogeneous Business Data Exchange

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current interfaces for exchanging business information between heterogeneous systems across industries and departments are inconsistent, leading to difficulties in data exchange due to differing semantics, formatting, and lack of standardization, requiring human intervention and specific industry-specific standards.

Innovation Solution

A message-based interface system derived from a common business object model, enabling consistent semantics and hierarchical organization of messages, with universally unique identifiers and system administrative data, facilitating communication across heterogeneous applications and industries.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If heterogeneous programs are used by different businesses or business areas, then each program can handle its specific business logic and semantics, but information exchange between these programs becomes difficult and requires human interaction

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebusiness logic handlingVSAvoidinformation exchange
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a message-based interface as an intermediary layer between heterogeneous business programs. This interface uses standardized message packages with consistent semantics to mediate information exchange, allowing programs to communicate without direct human intervention while preserving their individual business logic capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The message-based interface is designed as a universal communication mechanism that can handle information exchange across different businesses, industries, and business areas. The standardized message structure and semantics enable a single interface to serve multiple heterogeneous programs simultaneously

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Adaptability or versatility

If industry-specific standards are used for information exchange, then information can be exchanged within that specific industry, but consistency across different industries and businesses is lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveindustry-specific compatibilityVSAvoidinterface consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The message-based interface employs universal message packages with consistent semantics that work across all industries and businesses. The same message structure and naming conventions are used universally, ensuring interface consistency while maintaining the ability to handle industry-specific information through the standardized framework

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Adaptability or versatility

If different semantics and formatting are used by various business entities, then each entity can represent its data in its preferred format, but data exchange requires human interaction to reconcile differences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata representation flexibilityVSAvoidautomatic data exchange
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSExtent of automation

Solution Approach 1:

The standardized message-based interface acts as an intermediary that automatically translates and reconciles different data formats and semantics. Messages are structured with consistent element names and formats, allowing automated processing while accommodating various source data representations through the standardized message structure

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS9237425B2Consistent interface for feed event, feed event document and feed event type
Publication Date: 2016.01.12 SAP SE
  • US9237425B2 patent drawing
  • US9237425B2 patent drawing
  • US9237425B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A business object model, which reflects data that is used during a given business transaction, is utilized to generate interfaces. This business object model facilitates commercial transactions by providing consistent interfaces that are suitable for use across industries, across businesses, and across different departments within a business during a business transaction. In some operations, software creates, updates, or otherwise processes information related to a feed event, a feed event document, and/or a feed event type business object.