Systems and methods for providing collaboration between systems

A method of providing communications between a first node and a second node, the method comprising the steps of:

• determining a common capability between the first and second nodes from a plurality of available interoperability levels;
• adjusting a level of communication between the first and second nodes to conform to the common capability;
• and
• communicating between the first and second nodes using the common capability.

A method of communicating between a first node and a second node, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request for an interaction between the first node and the second node;
• comparing a first interoperability capability associated with the first node with a second interoperability capability associated with the second node to determine a common interoperability capability;
• and
• establishing the interaction between the first and second nodes using the common interoperability capability.

An interoperability framework comprising a plurality of levels, each level defining a type of interoperability between a plurality of nodes, wherein each level comprises:

• a semantic definition providing a scheme for extracting meaning from a data set;
• a process definition providing a process for supporting interoperability between the plurality of nodes;
• an application definition providing a scheme for generating and consuming the data set;
• a digital infrastructure definition providing a scheme for transporting data between the plurality of nodes;
• and
• a quality of service definition providing a performance standard for the level.

A node for performing a role within a network-centric computing environment, the node comprising:

• a communications module configured to interface with the network-centric computing environment;
• an information core module configured to obtain data from the network-centric computing environment via the communications module;
• an application module configured to process the data to obtain information for a user;
• and
• a human-machine interface module configured to provide the information to the user;
• wherein each of the communications, information core, application and human-machine interface modules are constructed in accordance with a pre-determined interoperability framework as a function of the role.

A process of designing a node for an assured interoperability environment, the process comprising the steps of:

• establishing key performance parameters (KPP) and measures of effectiveness (MOE) for node in the interoperability environment;
• determining an intrinsic interoperability level for the node as a function of the KPP and MOE for the node;
• and
• applying a strategic architecture reference model to the node using the node's intrinsic interoperability level to produce an architecture for the node.

A process of developing an assured interoperability environment for a plurality of nodes, the process comprising the steps of:

• establishing key performance parameters (KPP) and measures of effectiveness (MOE) for each of the plurality of nodes in the interoperability environment;
• determining an intrinsic interoperability level for each node as a function of the node's KPP and MOE;
• applying a strategic architecture reference model to each node using the node's intrinsic interoperability level to produce an architecture for each node;
• and
• deploying each node to form the assured interoperability environment.

A method of providing communications between a first node and a second node, each node having a level of interoperability selected from a pre-defined plurality of levels of interoperability, the method comprising the steps of:

• obtaining the level of interoperability for the second node;
• adjusting the level of interoperability for the first node to conform to the level of interoperability for the second node;
• and
• communicating between the first and second nodes using the common level of interoperability.

A method of providing communications between a first node on a first data network and a second node on a second data network, wherein the first node comprises an intrinsic level of interoperability on the first data network selected from a pre-defined plurality of levels of interoperability, the method comprising the steps of:

• receiving a data communication from the first node using the intrinsic level of interoperability on the first network;
• establishing a data connection to the second node using the second network in response to the data communication;
• and
• interoperating with the first node on the first network as a proxy for the second node.

A data processing system facilitating communications between a first node and a second node, the data processing system comprising:

• means for determining a common capability between the first and second nodes from a plurality of available interoperability levels;
• means for adjusting a level of communication between the first and second nodes to conform to the common capability;
• and
• means for communicating between the first and second nodes using the common capability.