Expressive generic model technology

Abstract

Various of the disclosed embodiments concern systems and methods for constructing enterprise applications. A universal Smart Enterprise Information platform can operate as a hub for data retrieved from different internal and external sources and provide an integrated and automated way for enterprise information to be managed. More specifically, the platform is able to retrieve data from one or more sources and construct models that represent, for example, common business scenarios. The platform employs assorted software development techniques to bring together the business, design, and runtime domains. Using a unique development paradigm (“CORTEX”), the models can be used to construct an application with minimal programming efforts. The platform allows a user to construct compelling applications using preexisting structures that can be automatically converted to models, unlike conventional software development techniques that require large sections of code to be rewritten each time a new model or program is created.

1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer-implemented method for creating software applications via a development platform, the method comprising:
 acquiring data from one or more sources;   integrating the data from simulation to full integration for combination with additional data acquired from at least one other source;   creating a virtualized source from the data;   establishing a communication link with a first electronic device and a second electronic device across a network;   generating an interface that is accessible to the first electronic device and the second electronic device via the communication link;   receiving, from the first electronic device, first input indicative of a first request that the data be used to construct a normalized model that represents a business scenario;   transforming the data to construct the normalized model;   expressing the normalized model as an application programming interface (API) that can be used in the construction of software applications; and   receiving, from the second electronic device, second input indicative of a second request that the normalized model be combined with at least one other model to build a software application having a desired functionality,
 wherein the second request is based on a visual interconnection formed between the normalized model and the at least one other model via the interface. 
   
     
     
         22 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the first electronic device and the second electronic device are a same electronic device. 
     
     
         23 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 storing the virtualized source in a local repository.   
     
     
         24 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more sources are hosted locally by the development platform. 
     
     
         25 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more sources are communicatively coupled to the development platform across a network. 
     
     
         26 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 transmitting at least some of the data to a destination across a network,   wherein the destination is a repository, a tool, or a software application.   
     
     
         27 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 26 , wherein the destination is a tool adapted for business intelligence, business process management, customer relationship management, enterprise application integration, enterprise resource planning, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         28 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 applying business analytics, business intelligence, or any combination thereof to at least some of the data to identify information useful to an enterprise.   
     
     
         29 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the software application is extensible using custom code. 
     
     
         30 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 29 , wherein the interface is designed to receive the custom code as input. 
     
     
         31 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 providing a state engine for automated data processing based on events.   
     
     
         32 . The computer-implemented method of  claim 21 , wherein the software application is built by the development platform according to a case-specific compliance protocol, a defined modeling technique, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         33 . A computing device comprising:
 a processor;   a communication module configured to establish separate communication links with a data source and an electronic device; and   a memory that includes instructions for constructing software applications by adaptively integrating models corresponding to different business scenarios, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to:
 receive, from the electronic device, input indicative of a request to construct a model based on data acquired from the data source; 
 acquire the data from the source via the corresponding communication link; 
 transform the data to construct a normalized model representative of a business scenario; and 
 store the normalized model and at least some of the data in a local repository for future use,
 wherein the normalized model is one of multiple normalized models that can be used in the construction of software applications. 
 
   
     
     
         34 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 generate an interface that is accessible to a user; and   enable the user to construct a software application having a desired functionality by connecting a plurality of visual elements corresponding to a plurality of normalized models stored in the local repository.   
     
     
         35 . The computing device of  claim 33 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 receive, from the electronic device, input indicative of a request to construct a software application having a desired functionality;   identify a plurality of normalized models stored in the local repository that, when combined, offer the desired functionality; and   cause display of a plurality of interconnected visual elements corresponding to the plurality of normalized models on an interface accessible to the electronic device.   
     
     
         36 . The computing device of  claim 35 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 allow a user to modify a characteristic of a given normalized model of the plurality of normalized models; and   allow the user to change the relationships between the plurality of normalized models by altering the plurality of interconnected visual elements.   
     
     
         37 . The computing device of  claim 35 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 integrating multiple application programming interfaces (APIs) corresponding to the plurality of normalized models to construct the software application.   
     
     
         38 . The computing device of  claim 37 , wherein the instructions further cause the processor to:
 allow a user to manually code a feature that is unsupported by the multiple APIs.   
     
     
         39 . The computing device of  claim 37 , wherein the multiple APIs are automatically integrated by a development platform with no input from a user. 
     
     
         40 . A system comprising:
 a processor operable to execute a modeling module, a development module, and a virtualization module;   the modeling module configured to:
 generated a graphical modeler that is viewable on an electronic device; 
 receive, from the electronic device, input indicative of a specification of multiple business entities that are to be used in the construction of a model representative of a business scenario,
 wherein the input is based on a visualization created using the graphical modeler, the visualization including multiple visual elements corresponding to the multiple business entities; and 
 
 construct the model by connecting the multiple visual elements; 
   the development module configured to:
 express the model as at least one application programming interface (API); and 
 deploy the model in a simulation mode so that development data necessary for prototyping of a software application is stored in a local storage medium,
 wherein the development data simulates real data required by the software application upon deployment; 
 
 the virtualization module configured to:
 acquire real data specified as necessary by the model from at least one data source; 
 configure an access parameter for the real data; and 
 
   map the real data and the access parameter to the model.   
     
     
         41 . The system of  claim 40 , wherein the local storage medium is an internal smart memory object-oriented database. 
     
     
         42 . The system of  claim 40 , further comprising:
 a repository configured to host the model, the at least one API, the local storage medium, the real data, or any combination thereof.