Meta Domain Model for Cross-Application Data Synchronization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Communication between applications from different vendors is hindered by structural and content differences in their logical entities, such as database objects, making it difficult to synchronize changes across systems, especially in Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems during product development phases.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a meta domain model abstraction that allows conversion of application-specific object instances into generic representations, enabling seamless communication and synchronization across systems, along with a process chain mechanism that executes defined sequences of processes triggered by events, including external service calls, to maintain data consistency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If application-specific object structures are used for communication between different applications, then each application can maintain its own data structure integrity, but communication and synchronization between applications become difficult due to structural and content differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a meta domain model as an intermediary layer between application-specific objects. This meta domain model serves as a universal abstraction that can represent objects from different applications without requiring changes to the original application structures. The conversion process transforms application-specific objects into meta domain model objects for cross-application communication, then converts them back to the target application's object structure, thereby maintaining both data integrity and communication compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The meta domain model is designed as a universal representation that can handle multiple application-specific object types through a common structure. It provides multi-functionality by being able to represent different kinds of objects (materials, BOMs, documents, etc.) from various applications using a unified meta object framework, enabling broad communication compatibility across different PLM systems and applications.
2Reliability
If multiple external service calls are made to synchronize object changes across applications, then data consistency between applications can be maintained, but the complexity and number of process steps increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements preliminary action by pre-defining process chains that specify the sequence of service calls and processing steps required for different types of object changes. These process chains are configured in advance, containing the complete workflow from event detection through multiple service calls to final synchronization. When a change event occurs, the pre-configured process chain is automatically executed, reducing the complexity of ad-hoc process design and making the synchronization process more manageable and predictable.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the complex synchronization process into discrete, manageable process steps that can be independently defined and executed. Each process chain consists of multiple process steps, where each step performs a specific function (e.g., read object, convert to meta model, call external service, process response, update local object). This segmentation allows the system to handle complex multi-step synchronization workflows by breaking them down into smaller, more manageable units that can be individually configured, monitored, and maintained.
3Productivity
If a unified process management system is implemented to handle multiple processes per event trigger, then integration efficiency and reusability improve, but the system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The event-driven process chain system implements universality by creating a unified framework that can handle multiple types of processes (synchronization, conversion, validation, etc.) through a common event-driven architecture. The system provides multi-functionality by allowing different process chains to be triggered by various event types while using the same underlying infrastructure for event detection, process chain selection, execution, and monitoring. This universal approach improves integration efficiency by avoiding the need for separate management systems for different process types.
Solution Approach 2:
The event-driven process chain mechanism serves as an intermediary layer between event triggers and process execution. Instead of directly implementing complex process management logic in each application, the system introduces an event-driven intermediary that receives events, determines the appropriate process chain to execute, and coordinates the sequence of service calls. This intermediary abstraction simplifies the overall system architecture by centralizing process management concerns and providing a standardized interface for event handling across different applications.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods include reception of an indication of a first event associated with a first object instance. In response to the indication of the first event, a first process chain comprising a first process associated with an object instance of a first meta domain model object type, a second process associated with an object instance of a second meta domain model object type, and a first process step adapter to map a response to a request are determined, the first process is executed based on a request associated with an object instance of the first meta domain model object type to generate a first response associated with an object instance of the first meta domain model object type, the first process step adapter is executed to map the first response associated with an object instance of the first meta domain model object type to a first request associated with an object instance of the second meta domain model object type, and the second process is executed based on the first request associated with an object instance of the second meta domain model object type to generate a second response associated with an object instance of the second meta domain model object type.