Method, apparatus, and computer program product for simulating client and application interface integration

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018285490-A1
Application number	US-201715475979-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 31, 2017
Priority date	Mar 31, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method is provided for simulating communication between a client system and application entity via an application interface, thereby enabling integration testing with a simulation apparatus. Data is transmitted from the simulation apparatus to the application entity via the application interface, and the simulation apparatus records outputs along with contexts and respective latencies. The client system transmits requests to the simulation apparatus which returns simulated responses based on the stored outputs having similar contexts, and with artificial latencies replicating the previously recorded latencies. Other events generated in the application entity may also be recorded and simulated accordingly. Reporting and analytical data may be provided to identify potential performance issues and other errors prior to direct integration of the client system and application interface.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1 . A method for simulating communication between a client system and an application entity via an application interface, the method comprising:
accessing a set of input parameters and a scheduling configuration; transmitting a plurality of requests to the application entity via the application interface according to the scheduling configuration, wherein the plurality of requests comprise respective input parameters; monitoring for responses from the application interface, storing received output data and respective latency times in association with respective request records, wherein the request records correspond to requests and comprise at least the input parameters and context data; projecting the application interface for access by the client system; in response to a client request from the client system, identifying at least one request record as a representative record; and causing a simulated response to be provided to the client system based on the stored received output and the respective latency time associated with the at least one representative record.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
tracking events triggered by performance of requests by the application entity; and further in response to the client request from the client system, simulating at least one event.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the context data comprises a temporal characteristic, and the at least one representative record is identified based on the temporal characteristic.

4 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an artificial latency based on average latency times of a plurality of representative records, wherein the simulated response is provided based on the artificial latency.

5 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
determining an artificial latency based on a highest latency time of a plurality of representative records, wherein the simulated response is provided based on the artificial latency.

6 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing reporting and analytics data.

7 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
performing anonymization of at least one of the output data.

8 . A computer program product for simulating communication between a client system and an application entity via an application interface, the computer program product comprising at least one non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable program instructions stored therein, the computer-readable program instructions comprising instructions, which when performed by an apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
access a set of input parameters and a scheduling configuration; transmit a plurality of requests to the application entity via the application interface according to the scheduling configuration, wherein the plurality of requests comprise respective input parameters; monitor for responses from the application interface, store received output data and respective latency times in association with respective request records, wherein the request records correspond to requests and comprise at least the input parameters and context data; project the application interface for access by the client system; in response to a client request from the client system, identify at least one request record as a representative record; and cause a simulated response to be provided to the client system based on the stored received output and the respective latency time associated with the at least one representative record.

9 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise instructions, which when performed by an apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
track events triggered by performance of requests by the application entity; and further in response to the client request from the client system, simulate at least one event.

10 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the context data comprises a temporal characteristic, and the at least one representative record is identified based on the temporal characteristic.

11 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise instructions, which when performed by an apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
determine an artificial latency based on average latency times of a plurality of representative records, wherein the simulated response is provided based on the artificial latency.

12 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise instructions, which when performed by an apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
determine an artificial latency based on a highest latency time of a plurality of representative records, wherein the simulated response is provided based on the artificial latency.

13 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise instructions, which when performed by an apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
provide reporting and analytics data.

14 . The computer program product of claim 8 , wherein the computer-readable program instructions further comprise instructions, which when performed by an apparatus, are configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
perform anonymization of at least one of the output data.

15 . An apparatus for simulating communication between a client system and an application entity via an application interface, the apparatus comprising processing circuitry configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
access a set of input parameters and a scheduling configuration; transmit a plurality of requests to the application entity via the application interface according to the scheduling configuration, wherein the plurality of requests comprise respective input parameters; monitor for responses from the application interface, store received output data and respective latency times in association with respective request records, wherein the request records correspond to requests and comprise at least the input parameters and context data; project the application interface for access by the client system; in response to a client request from the client system, identify at least one request record as a representative record; and cause a simulated response to be provided to the client system based on the stored received output and the respective latency time associated with the at least one representative record.

16 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
track events triggered by performance of requests by the application entity; and further in response to the client request from the client system, simulate at least one event.

17 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the context data comprises a temporal characteristic, and the at least one representative record is identified based on the temporal characteristic.

18 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , wherein the processing circuitry is further configured to cause the apparatus to at least:
determine an artificial latency based on average latency times of a plurality of representative records, wherein the simulated response is provided based on the artificial latency.

19 . The apparatus according to claim 15 , w

Assignees

• Change Healthcare Holdings Llc

Inventors

• Wong Eldon
• Alon Eyal
• Genshaft Mark
• Wong Sam

Classifications

• H04W24/06 Primary

  Testing, {supervising or monitoring} using simulated traffic · CPC title

• G06F30/20 Primary

  Design optimisation, verification or simulation (optimisation, verification or simulation of circuit designs G06F30/30) · CPC title

• G06F9/542

  Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications · CPC title

• G06F17/5009 Primary

  Physics · mapped topic