Modular Prescriptive SOA Architecture for Enterprise Systems

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing software project architectures face ambiguity and misinterpretation due to informal specifications, leading to erroneous implementations, and current Architecture Description Languages (ADLs) fail to capture all required concepts of enterprise systems effectively.

Innovation Solution

A modular prescriptive architecture based on Service-Oriented Architectural (SOA) standards, utilizing a five-tier system (client, presentation, business logic, integration, data, and infrastructure service layers) with well-defined syntax and semantics, incorporating design patterns and separation of concerns, to provide reusable services and flexible, scalable solutions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If informal box and line diagrams with textual annotations are used for architecture specification, then the specification process is simple and quick, but the implementation suffers from ambiguity, misinterpretation and erroneous implementation

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveSpecification process simplicityVSAvoidImplementation accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces informal graphical notation with a formal domain-specific language (ADL) that uses structured syntax and semantics. This substitution transforms the ambiguous visual specification into a precise, machine-readable formal language that eliminates interpretation errors while maintaining specification capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces formal parameters and constraints into the architecture specification through ADL. By defining explicit syntax rules, semantic meanings, and validation constraints, the specification transitions from informal text descriptions to a rigorously parameterized formal representation that prevents misinterpretation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Reliability

If existing Architecture Description Languages (ADLs) are used to standardize system architectures, then formal semantics are provided, but they fail to capture all required concepts of enterprise systems

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveFormal semanticsVSAvoidEnterprise system concept coverage

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal ADL that integrates multiple enterprise system concepts (business processes, services, components, deployments) into a single formal language. This multi-functional ADL can represent diverse enterprise architecture elements while maintaining formal semantics, unlike existing specialized ADLs that only handle specific aspects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the enterprise architecture specification into distinct formal constructs within the ADL, including business process definitions, service interfaces, component models, and deployment configurations. Each segment is formally defined with its own syntax and semantics, allowing comprehensive coverage while maintaining structured organization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Adaptability or versatility

If manual development process is used to transform architecture specification to implementation, then flexibility in interpretation is allowed, but people related and project-specific idiosyncrasies lead to ambiguity and misinterpretation

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveInterpretation flexibilityVSAvoidImplementation consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements automated validation and transformation mechanisms within the ADL framework. The system automatically checks specification consistency, validates syntax and semantics, and generates implementation artifacts without manual intervention, eliminating human idiosyncrasies while maintaining specification integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent incorporates feedback loops in the specification-to-implementation transformation process. The ADL includes validation rules that provide immediate feedback on specification errors, and the automated transformation process iteratively refines the implementation based on specification compliance, ensuring consistency while reducing manual interpretation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS7823125B2Electronic enabler and prescriptive modular service oriented architecture

Publication Date: 2010.10.26 WORKDAY INC

AI summary

A system and application design model deploys self-describing modules (e.g., COTS-component off the shelf) of code or services that can be reused on-demand and composed into multiple processes and composite solutions. Also described herein is a method of providing a modular prescriptive architecture for a user of a business process to obtain reusable services which are composed into service oriented multiple processes and composite solutions on a web-application. The prescriptive architecture is SOA oriented and uses a plurality of tiers including a client tier, a presentation tier, a business logic tier, an integration tier, and a data tier, as well as an infrastructure service layer designed across and interacting with the plurality of tiers. Each tier may have further layers. The prescriptive architecture provides data integrity, is scalable, flexible, and extensible, and can be internationalized. A method of designing a software prescriptive architecture is also included.