Metadata Engine Customization Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metadata-driven software applications face challenges in customization, including the need for frequent reimplementation and retesting of modifications with each metadata upgrade, inability to implement conditional customizations, and increased complexity and costs due to predefined customizations.
Innovation Solution
A self-contained metadata engine generates customized metadata documents from base metadata and customizations, with a customization syntax, creation/update component, restriction mechanism, and memory/caching optimizations to support arbitrary customizations and efficient storage/lookup.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If direct modifications are made to base metadata, then customization flexibility is improved, but maintenance complexity increases due to reimplementation and retesting requirements with each upgrade
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides customization into separate customization documents that are independent from the base metadata. These customization documents are applied to the base metadata to generate customized metadata, allowing modifications to be segmented from the base structure. This enables customization flexibility while reducing maintenance complexity by isolating changes in separate documents that don't require reimplementation with each base metadata upgrade.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces customization documents as intermediary elements between the base metadata and the final customized metadata. These intermediary customization documents act as a layer that can be applied, updated, or removed without affecting the base metadata structure. This intermediary layer resolves the contradiction by enabling flexible customization while simplifying maintenance through independent updatability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If predefined customizations are implemented directly in application metadata, then customization capability is improved, but application complexity increases resulting in higher development and maintenance costs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts customization logic from the application metadata and into separate customization documents. This extraction removes the complexity of embedding multiple customization scenarios within the base metadata structure. By taking out customization capabilities into independent documents, the application maintains high customization capability while reducing its own structural complexity and development/maintenance costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal customization mechanism where a single base metadata structure can support multiple customization scenarios through separate customization documents. This multi-functional approach allows the same base metadata to be customized for different needs without increasing application complexity, as all customizations are handled through the standardized customization document framework rather than requiring complex predefined implementations.
3Reliability
If base metadata is upgraded, then application functionality is improved, but customization validity is compromised requiring reimplementation and retesting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the metadata into base metadata and customization documents, allowing the base metadata to be upgraded independently of customizations. The customization documents remain valid and can be reapplied to the new base metadata version without reimplementation. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by maintaining customization validity during upgrades, eliminating the time-consuming reimplementation and retesting process while preserving application functionality improvements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the base metadata to be discarded (upgraded to a new version) while the customization documents are recovered and reused. The customization documents are designed to be version-independent and can be applied to different base metadata versions. This discarding and recovering mechanism allows rapid upgrades of base functionality while preserving customization investments, eliminating the need to reimplement customizations with each upgrade.
4Ease of manufacture
If customizations are stored separately from base metadata, then maintenance flexibility is improved, but storage and lookup complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses copying mechanisms where customization documents reference and apply to base metadata structures. The customization documents contain copies of the necessary modification information in a standardized format. This copying approach enables separate storage of customizations for maintenance flexibility while managing storage and lookup complexity through efficient referencing and application mechanisms that don't require complex storage structures.
Data Source
AI summary
Embodiments of the present invention provide techniques for customizing aspects of a metadata-driven software application. In particular, embodiments of the present invention provide (1) a self-contained metadata engine for generating customized metadata documents from base metadata documents and customizations; (2) a customization syntax for defining customizations; (3) a customization creation/update component for creating and updating customizations; (4) a customization restriction mechanism for restricting the creation of new customizations by specific users or groups of users; and (5) memory and caching optimizations for optimizing the storage and lookup of customized metadata documents.