Semantic Model Inheritance Mechanism for Multi-Source Data Federation

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Solution Overview

Problem

The inefficiency in reusing metadata concepts across multiple resource artifacts, lack of dynamic inheritance, and inability to share work without impacting others, along with the limitation of sourcing data from a single data source, increases the cost and resource intensity of using complex semantic models.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an inheritance mechanism that allows metadata concepts to be inherited from core resources into a semantic model, enabling the creation of a unified universe that can span multiple data sources, with customizable derived data foundations and business layers, and allowing only necessary components to be exposed, thus reducing resource usage and improving performance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If metadata concepts are duplicated in multiple resources without inheritance mechanism, then each resource can be independently modified, but resource usage and system complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveIndependent modification capabilityVSAvoidResource usage

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple duplicate metadata concepts into a single inherited concept that can be referenced across multiple resources. The inheritance mechanism allows multiple derived resources to share a common core resource, reducing duplication while maintaining the ability to independently modify derived resources without affecting others.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The core metadata concept is designed to be universal and reusable across multiple derived resources. By making the core resource publishable and inheritable, it serves multiple functions simultaneously - serving as the foundation for multiple derived resources while being independently modifiable and publishable on its own.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Stability of the object's composition

If changes are made to shared resources, then consistency across resources is improved, but it impacts the work of others working on the project

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveConsistencyVSAvoidCollaboration

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the resource hierarchy into core resources and derived resources with clear inheritance relationships. This segmentation allows teams to work on different levels independently - core resource developers can modify the foundation while derived resource developers can customize their specific needs without conflicting with each other's work.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The inheritance mechanism acts as an intermediary layer between core resources and derived resources. It automatically propagates necessary changes while allowing derived resources to maintain their own modifications, thus mediating between consistency requirements and collaborative development needs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If data is sourced from a single data source, then data management is simplified, but the ability to span multiple data sources is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveData management complexityVSAvoidMulti-source data capability

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The universe publication mechanism is designed to be universal and can publish data from multiple data sources simultaneously. The system maintains simplified data management by using a unified publication interface while adapting to federate data from multiple underlying sources through the inheritance and composition of data foundations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Adaptability or versatility

If the universe is compiled at usage time with dynamic inheritance, then flexibility is improved, but system performance decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveDynamic inheritance flexibilityVSAvoidSystem performance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by compiling the universe at publication time rather than at usage time. This pre-compilation approach prepares the inheritance structure and data federations in advance, storing the results for efficient retrieval during usage. This eliminates the need for dynamic compilation during queries while maintaining the flexibility of the inheritance model.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS9779368B2Dynamic inheritance of metadata concepts from project resources into a semantic model

Publication Date: 2017.10.03 BUSINESS OBJECTS SOFTWARE

AI summary

The present disclosure describes methods, systems, and computer program products for inheriting metadata concepts from product resources into a semantic model. One computer-implemented method includes defining a plurality of core data foundations, defining a derived data foundation by linking the plurality core data foundations to the derived data foundation, defining a plurality of core business layers, defining a derived business layer by linking the plurality of core business layers to the derived business layer, and compiling, by a computer, the derived business layer with the derived business layer as a universe.