Metadata Repository Transitive Shell Generation
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In business software systems, maintaining current instances of extended metadata objects across multiple tenants in a multi-tenant system is challenging due to the complexity of interdependencies between software components, especially when consumer-added extensions are used to enhance objects from their global templates for specific use.
Innovation Solution
A method is implemented to store binary relationships defining enhancements to standard meta-object instances in a metadata repository, allowing for the generation of a transitive shell at runtime by traversing these relationships and applying meta-object instance extensions, which creates a custom data structure instance that includes features from both the core software platform and external components, providing a seamless user experience across multiple tenants.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If consumer-added extensions are used to enhance meta-object instances for specific tenant use, then adaptability and customization capability are improved, but device complexity and difficulty of managing interdependencies worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the meta-object instance into multiple independent components: the standard meta-object instance provided by the core software platform, and separate extension instances provided by external software components. Each extension instance is stored as an independent object in the metadata repository with its own binary relationships, rather than merging all extensions into a single complex structure. This segmentation allows each component to be managed, versioned, and modified independently, reducing the complexity of interdependencies while maintaining full customization capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a composition mechanism that acts as an intermediary between the standard meta-object instance and multiple extension instances. This composition mechanism traverses the binary relationships to identify and combine the standard instance with relevant extensions, creating a dynamic view that reflects the current state of all dependencies. The intermediary handles the complexity of resolving interdependencies automatically, allowing service consumers to access customized meta-object instances without directly managing the complex network of relationships.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple extensions are merged with standard meta-object instances to create customized views, then adaptability is improved, but loss of information and difficulty of tracking dependencies worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a feedback mechanism through the composition process that automatically traverses binary relationships to identify which extension instances are currently active and how they relate to the standard meta-object instance. The composition mechanism queries the metadata repository to retrieve the current state of all extensions and their relationships, ensuring that the service consumer receives an up-to-date view that reflects all current dependencies. This feedback loop prevents information loss by continuously verifying the state of extensions and their relationships.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composited view or copy of the meta-object instance that combines the standard instance with active extensions, rather than modifying the original standard instance or extension instances directly. This copying approach preserves the integrity of source objects while creating a customized representation that includes all necessary dependency information. The composited copy contains embedded information about the source objects and their relationships, allowing the service consumer to access customized functionality without losing track of the underlying dependency structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If meta-object instances are dynamically composed from multiple sources at runtime, then adaptability and user experience are improved, but processing time and computational resources worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-defining extension instances and their binary relationships with the standard meta-object instance at design time, storing them in the metadata repository. The extension instances are created, validated, and registered before runtime, establishing the dependency structure in advance. At runtime, the composition mechanism only needs to traverse these pre-established relationships and retrieve the current state of extensions, rather than creating and validating the entire structure from scratch. This preliminary preparation significantly reduces runtime processing time while maintaining dynamic composition capability.
Data Source
AI summary
At least one binary relationship defining an enhancement to a standard meta-object instance can be stored in a meta-data repository. The at least one binary relationship can be specified at design time and can define a dependency required to create an enhanced meta-object instance that includes the standard meta-object instance and the enhancement. The standard meta-object instance can be provided by a core software platform. The enhanced meta-object can include at least one additional feature relating to an external software component integrated into the core software platform. At run time, a request for a custom instance of a data structure based on the enhanced meta-object instance can be received. The custom instance can include a meta-object instance extension specified at design time by a service consumer of the core software platform. Also at run time, a transitive shell representing the custom instance of the data structure can be generated.