US 7,680,945 B2 · Messaging protocol in enterprise applications

Abstract

Methods and apparatus, including computer systems and program products implementing a messaging protocol. The messaging protocol may be a messaging protocol for transporting a message across a messaging landscape in a collaborative network. Techniques include sending a message that is defined to include a structured message header with information related to at least one component from a set of components defined by a protocol, including protocol version information in a message such that a component of a messaging landscape can interpret the message based on the version information, defining a message as one of a class of messages, end-to-end acknowledgement for messages, and security for headers and payloads of messages.

Drawings

Drawings are temporarily unavailable. Open the PDF at USPTO

Drawings

Claims20

Dependent claims

A method of transporting a message from a sending application to a receiving application, across a messaging landscape in a collaborative network, the method comprising:

defining an application message having a structured application message header, the structured message header being defined in accordance with a message class of the application message determinative of content and configuration of the message header and in accordance with a messaging protocol of a business application of a collaborative business enterprise, the structured message header comprising one or more components defined by the protocol and based on the message class with each of the one or more components relating to a corresponding set of attributes of the message, at least one of the one or more components of the structured header including information related to:
a processing mode for the message, the processing mode having one of a multiple of values indicative of whether a reply responsive to the application message is to be transmitted to the sending application upon processing of the application message by the receiving application,
a modifiable hop-list to record the identity of the intermediate components through which the application message passes en route to the receiving application, and
security for components of the message;
sending the message according to the protocol, from the sending application;
and
receiving, at the receiving application, the message;
wherein the message class having one of multiple possible values including:
a first value representative of an application-message class associated with application messages that cause specified operations to be performed at the receiving application, a second value representative of an application-response class associated with messages responsive to the application messages of the application-message class, a third value representative of an application-error class associated with error messages indicative of errors occurring at the receiving application processing the application messages and a fourth value representative of a system-acknowledge class associated with acknowledgement messages indicative that one or more application messages have been received by the receiving application.

6 more elements

A system to transport a message from a sending application to a receiving application across a messaging landscape in a collaborative network, the system comprising:

at least one processor connected to the network;
and
at least one storage device coupled to the at least one processor, the at least one storage device storing computer instructions that, when executed on the at least one processor, cause the at least one processor to:
define an application message having a structured application message header, the structured message header being defined in accordance with a message class of the application message determinative of content and configuration of the message header and in accordance with a messaging protocol of a business application of a collaborative business enterprise, the structured message header comprising one or more components defined by the protocol and based on the message class with each of the one or more components relating to a corresponding set of attributes of the message, at least one of the one or more components of the structured header including information related to:
a processing mode for the message, the processing mode having one of a multiple of values indicative of whether a reply responsive to the application message is to be transmitted to the sending application upon processing of the application message by the receiving application,
a modifiable hop-list to record the identity of the intermediate components through which the application message passes en route to the receiving application, and
security for components of the message;
and
send the message from the sending application according to the protocol, the message being received at the receiving application;
and
wherein the message class having one of multiple possible values including:
a first value representative of an application-message class associated with application messages that cause specified operations to be performed at the receiving application, a second value representative of an application-response class associated with messages responsive to the application messages of the application-message class, a third value representative of an application-error class associated with error messages indicative of errors occurring at the receiving application processing the application messages and a fourth value representative of a system-acknowledge class associated with acknowledgement messages indicative that one or more application messages have been received by the receiving application.

9 more elements

A computer program product residing on at least one computer readable storage device and comprising computer instructions that when executed on at least one processor-based device cause the at least one processor-based device to:

define an application message having a structured application message header, the structured message header being defined in accordance with a message class of the application message determinative of content and configuration of the message header and in accordance with a messaging protocol of a business application of a collaborative business enterprise, the structured message header comprising one or more components defined by the protocol and based on the message class with each of the one or more components relating to a corresponding set of attributes of the message, at least one of the one or more components of the structured header including information related to:
a processing mode for the message, the processing mode having one of a multiple of values indicative of whether a reply responsive to the application message is to be transmitted to the sending application upon processing of the application message by the receiving application,
a modifiable hop-list to record the identity of the intermediate components through which the application message passes en route to the receiving application, and
security for components of the message;
and
send the message from the sending application according to the protocol, the message being received at the receiving application;
and
wherein the message class having one of multiple possible values including:
a first value representative of an application-message class associated with application messages that cause specified operations to be performed at the receiving application, a second value representative of an application-response class associated with messages responsive to the application messages of the application-message class, a third value representative of an application-error class associated with error messages indicative of errors occurring at the receiving application processing the application messages and a fourth value representative of a system-acknowledge class associated with acknowledgement messages indicative that one or more application messages have been received by the receiving application.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description7,228 words

Summary1,338 words

#Companies face an increasing need for integration of, and collaboration among, their information and enterprise software systems and with their business partners. In many software system landscapes, application components are directly connected in a one-to-one relationship with other application components, and integration capabilities are hardwired into the application components. Under these conditions, upgrades, changes, or extensions to an information and enterprise software system is challenging and resource-intensive, and adversely affects collaborative sharing of information.

#New electronic business collaboration typically demands connectivity among applications inside and outside of company boundaries. Networks such as the Internet provide opportunities for systems to communicate almost instantaneously with other systems or individuals. Business processes that once were restricted to intranets and their users are now moving to the Internet to become an effective composition of Web services. A Web service is a programmable, self-contained, self-describing, modular application that can be published, discovered or invoked through an open Internet standard.

#Processes such as supply chain planning, sourcing, and demand forecasting are automated across enterprises and within regions, and might be implemented across systems with only marginal communication costs. To achieve this result, components from different vendors might be integrated into a consistent infrastructure. And, in order to achieve an integrated infrastructure, technical connectivity might be provided among the different components of the system.

Brief description of the drawings5 figures

#These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.

#FIG. 1 is a diagram of a message header.

#FIG. 2 is a diagram of a main header.

Detailed description5,826 words

#Like reference numerals and designations in the drawings indicate like elements.

#The systems and techniques described here relate to a messaging protocol for enterprise systems and business partners.

#Implementations of the messaging protocol include a message header that specifies attributes of the message. Attributes may include a description of message content, or a specification of how the message is to be handled and/or processed. The message header may be divided into multiple sections (i.e. components or sub-headers), each of which specifies various attributes of the message. For example, a message header may include a main header section and a reliable messaging header section. The messaging protocol may further define the use of a number of processing modes, such as asynchronous or synchronous communications, for transmission of a message in accordance with one or more of those processing modes.

Facts

Application

10/816,445Filed 31 Mar 2004

Published

US 2005/0226240 A113 Oct 2005

Granted

16 Mar 2010

Term ends

17 May 2027

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 1,142 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification4 codes

G06Q 10/107
Office automation; Time management: computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
H04L 67/02
Protocols: based on web technology, e.g. hypertext transfer protocol [HTTP]
G06Q
Information and communication technology [ict] specially adapted for administrative, commercial, financial, managerial
H04L
Digital communication

Timeline

31 Mar 2004Application filedUS 10/816,445
18 Jun 2004Assigned to Sap Aktiengesellschaftassignment of assignor's interest
13 Oct 2005PublishedUS 2005/0226240 A1
16 Mar 2010GrantedUS 7,680,945 B2
26 Aug 2014Assigned to Sap SEchange of name
12 Oct 2026TodayWithin its term
17 May 2027Term endsEstimated, includes 1,142 days of adjustment

Messaging protocol in enterprise applications

Life of this patent

Messaging protocol in enterprise applications

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims20

Description7,228 words

Drawings

Classification4 codes

Life of this patent

Description7,228 words