Attribute value derivation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10360245-B2
Application number	US-201514602844-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 22, 2015
Priority date	Jan 22, 2015
Publication date	Jul 23, 2019
Grant date	Jul 23, 2019

Abstract

A system, a method, and a computer program product for deriving target attribute values based on source attributes defined by a hierarchical data mode are disclosed. An attribute value derivation function to change a target attribute data value corresponding to a source attribute stored in a hierarchical data model and an instruction corresponding to the source attribute are provided. The attribute value derivation function is defined by an attribute value derivation header containing metadata describing hierarchical data model and an attribute value derivation instruction for deriving the target attribute based on the source attribute. Using the attribute value derivation function, a target attribute data value is derived. A user interface is generated to display the derived target attribute data value.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A computer-implemented method, comprising:
providing at least one attribute value derivation function to change at least one target attribute data value corresponding to at least one source attribute stored in a first level of a hierarchical data model and at least one instruction corresponding to the at least one source attribute, the attribute value derivation function is being defined by an attribute value derivation header containing metadata describing the hierarchical data model and at least one attribute value derivation instruction for changing the at least one target attribute data value based on the at least one source attribute;
determining whether the at least one target attribute value is based on an explicit value corresponding to a first value of the at least one source attribute, a reference value corresponding to a second value of a second source attribute, and/or a functional method;
changing, in response to the determining and based on the at least one attribute value derivation function, the at least one target attribute data value, the at least one attribute value derivation function including inheritance logic of a second instruction of a second source attribute stored in a second level of the hierarchical data model, the second level being higher than the first level of the hierarchical data model;
determining, at a use-case specific behavior component, whether the changed at least one target attribute data value comprises a valid value; and
generating a user interface for displaying the changed at least one target attribute data value;
wherein the at least one of the providing, the determining, the changing, the determining, and the generating is performed using at least one processor of at least one computing system.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the attribute value derivation header includes a metadata describing a hierarchy of source attributes, a grouping of source attributes, metadata describing target attribute data values, and/or selection criteria for a specified use of the attribute value derivation function;
wherein the selection criteria includes at least one grouping containing at least one filter for filtering derivation of the at least one target attribute data value.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute value derivation instruction is assigned to the attribute value derivation header.

4. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the attribute value derivation header includes at least one of the following methods: retrieve attribute value derivation headers and/or its components, create attribute value derivation headers, save attribute value derivation headers, modify attribute value derivation headers, copy attribute value derivation headers, delete attribute value derivation headers, activate/deactivate attribute value derivation headers, lock/unlock attribute value derivation headers, retrieve valid source attributes, retrieve valid target attributes, obtain field properties, obtain operation properties, modify a hierarchy of source attributes, modify a hierarchy of reference attributes and the source attribute descriptions, modify target attribute, modify groups and filters, check consistency of source attributes, check consistency of target attributes, check consistency of reference attributes, check consistency of groups, check consistency of filters, and/or any combination thereof.

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one attribute value derivation instruction includes at least one of the following methods: retrieve attribute value derivation instruction set(s), retrieve attribute value derivation instruction(s), create attribute value derivation instruction set(s), save attribute value derivation instruction set(s), modify attribute value derivation Instruction set(s), copy attribute value derivation instruction set(s), delete attribute value derivation instruction set(s), provide metadata for attribute value derivation header, create source attribute hierarchy, activate/deactivate attribute value derivation instruction set(s), lock/unlock attribute value derivation instruction set(s), change attribute value derivation instruction(s), retrieve source attribute value(s), retrieve required source attribute(s) for derivation, obtain field property(ies), obtain operation property(ies), cleanup data, reload data, derive target attribute value(s), expand/compress hierarchy of attribute value derivation instruction(s), value help of target attribute(s), modify target attribute(s), delete value(s) of a default instruction, reset attribute value(s) of an instructions, reset attribute value(s) to the value(s) of the corresponding upper level instruction, set attribute value(s) as explicit value(s), set attribute value(s) to an empty value, set/reset filter(s) for source attribute(s) and/or filter(s) for explicit value(s), adopt an instruction set depending on changes to the attribute value derivation header, and/or any combination thereof.

6. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the determining indicates that the target attribute data value is not based on the explicit value, the reference value, and/or the functional method.

7. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one source attribute in the hierarchical data model is defined by a source attribute value and a source attribute description, wherein the at least one attribute derivation instruction defines rules for changing the at least one target attribute data based on the source attribute value.

8. A system comprising:
at least one programmable processor; and
a machine-readable medium storing instructions that, when executed by the at least one programmable processor, cause the at least one programmable processor to perform operations comprising:
providing at least one attribute value derivation function to change at least one target attribute data value corresponding to at least one source attribute stored in a first level of a hierarchical data model and at least one instruction corresponding to the at least one source attribute, the attribute value derivation function is being defined by an attribute value derivation header containing metadata describing the hierarchical data model and at least one attribute value derivation instruction for changing the at least one target attribute data value based on the at least one source attribute;
determining whether the at least one target attribute value is based on an explicit value corresponding to a first value of the at least one source attribute, a reference value corresponding to a second value of a second source attribute, and/or a functional method;
changing, in response to the determining and based on the at least one attribute value derivation function, the at least one target attribute data value, the at least one attribute value derivation function including inheritance logic of a second instruction of a second source attribute stored in a second level of the hierarchical data model, the second level being higher than the first level of the hierarchical data model;
determining, at a use-case specific behavior component, whether the changed at least one target attribute data value comprises a valid value; and
generating a user interface for displaying the changed at least one target attribute data value.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein the attribute value derivation header includes a metadata describing a hierarchy of source attributes, a grouping of source attributes, metadata describing target attribute data values, and/or selection criteria for a specified use of the attribute value derivation function;
wherein the selection criteria includes at least one grouping con

Assignees

• Klahre Andre
• Kollmannsperger Claus
• Fischer Adelheid
• Walter Wolfgang
• Bender Thorsten
• Sap Se

Inventors

• Klahre Andre
• Kollmannsperger Claus
• Fischer Adelheid
• Walter Wolfgang
• Bender Thorsten

Classifications

• G06F16/282 Primary

  Hierarchical databases, e.g. IMS, LDAP data stores or Lotus Notes · CPC title

• G06F16/235

  Update request formulation · CPC title

• G06F16/9535

  Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation · CPC title

• G06F16/212

  with details for data modelling support · CPC title

• G06F16/288 Primary

  Entity relationship models · CPC title