WO2014154652A1

WO2014154652A1 - A method for importing an object with missing data structure references

Info

Publication number: WO2014154652A1
Application number: PCT/EP2014/055889
Authority: WO
Inventors: Yuping Wang
Original assignee: Agfa Healthcare
Priority date: 2013-03-29
Filing date: 2014-03-25
Publication date: 2014-10-02
Also published as: CN104077318A

Abstract

A method for importing an object from a source system into a target system. Importing is no longer obstructed by references in the object to data structures that are missing in the target system. In the case a referenced data structure is missing from the target system, the method auto-creates for the missing data structure reference in the target system a matching data structure with minimum properties and then imports the object from the source system into the target system.

Description

A METHOD FOR IMPORTING AN OBJECT WITH MISSING DATA STRUCTURE

REFERENCES Field of the Invention

[01] The present invention generally relates to the import of an object, e.g. a database object, from a source system where the object has been developed into a target system where the object will be used. The invention in particular resolves the problem of eventual presence of references in the object to data structures that are missing in the target system at the point in time the object is imported in the target system. The presence of such references to missing data structures may obstruct successful import and proper functioning of the newly imported object in the target system.

Background of the Invention

[02] A new object like for instance a new medical report template that will be used in a medical imaging database and management system, is typically designed and created in a source system, e.g. the developers platform. Once created, the new object must be imported from the source system into one or more target systems, e.g. the various instantiations of the the medical imaging database and management system installed and running with hospitals, radiologist centres, etc.

[03] Such new object may contain references to records or data structures. The referenced data structures may for instance be files, radio buttons, drop lists, tables, attributes, a context of use, etc. References to such data structures typically make the importing of the new object into a target system complex. The data structures often must be available in the target system in order to enable successful import of the new object. As a consequence, data structures and objects must be imported in a certain order. If the prescribed order is not respected, importing the new data object containing references to missing data structures may be impossible. [04] United States Patent US 6,993,529 entitled "Importing Data Using Metadata" describes a method for importing data from various sources, e.g. websites and computer programs, into a database. US 6,993,529 tackles the problem of variety of data formats when objects from various sources are imported into a single database and teaches to make use of metadata that specify how the data objects from various types of import sources are to be imported into a single data store. Although US 6,993,529 allows to reduce the effort needed to convert data objects imported from various sources, this US patent fails to specify what to do in case an imported object contains references to data structures that must be available in the target system in order to guarantee successful import.

[05] It is consequently an objective of the present invention to disclose a computer- implemented method for importing an object from a source system into a target system, wherein the importing is no longer obstructed by references in the object to data structures that are missing in the target system. It is a further objective of the present invention to disclose such a method wherein it is no longer required to import data objects in a prescribed order guaranteeing that all referenced data structures already exist on the target system.

Summary of the Invention

[06] According to the present invention, the above identified objective is realized by the computer-implemented method for importing an object developed on a source system into a target system, said method being defined by claim 1 and comprising the steps of:

A. inspecting a metadata file of the object for presence of data structure references;

B. verifying availability in the target system of data structures that match with the data structure references;

and in case a matching data structure is available in the target system for each data structure reference of the data structure references in the metadata file: C. importing the object from the source system into the target system;

or in case no matching data structure is available in the target system for one or more data structure reference of the data structure references in the metadata file:

D1 . auto-creating for the one or more data structure reference in the target system one or more matching data structure with minimum properties; and thereafter

D2. importing the object from the source system into the target system.

[07] Thus, the invention consists in automatic detection of missing references, i.e. data structures referred to by the newly imported object that are unavailable in the target system, by inspection of a metadata file accompanying the newly imported object, and automated creation of such missing reference(s) in the target system according to the minimum properties. Thanks to the invention, it becomes possible to import any new object from a source system where the object is designed and created into any target system where the object will be used, even if not all data structures referenced by the newly imported object are available in the target system. Furthermore, new objects need not be imported in the target system in a prescribed order. Missing data structures referenced by an imported object will automatically be created with minimum properties. The automatically created data structures can then be updated later when the user of the target system is importing the objects corresponding to those data structures.

[08] Optionally, as defined by claim 2, the computer-implemented method for importing an object according to the present invention further comprises the step of: verifying if a user elects to auto-create a matching data structure for missing data structure references before executing step D1 .

[09] Indeed, through an intelligent user-interface, the user may be given the choice to activate or de-activate auto-creation of missing references when importing new objects in the target system. Only when the user activates auto-creation of missing references, the method according to the invention shall automatically create data structures with minimum properties matching the missing references detected in the metadata file of the newly imported object. In case the feature is not activated, the computer-implemented method according to the invention shall import the object from the source system into the target system, also if certain data structures referenced by the newly imported object remain inexistent in the target system.

[10] According to an optional aspect of the computer-implemented method for importing an object according to the present invention, defined by claim 3, the minimum properties comprise a name of the matching data structure.

[11] Indeed, the auto-created data structure matching with a missing reference in a newly imported object, may be created with the name matching the missing reference.

[12] According to a further optional aspect of the computer-implemented method for importing an object according to the present invention, defined by claim 4, the minimum properties comprise one or more default setting of a data structure parameter.

[13] Thus, the auto-created data structure matching with a missing reference in a newly imported object, may be created with one or more parameter set to a default value. When the data structure for instance is a radio button, it will be created with the name matching the missing reference and with a default value, i.e. a default choice for the radio button value.

[14] In addition to a computer-implemented method as defined by claim 1 , the present invention also concerns a corresponding data processing system a defined by claim 5, comprising means for carrying out such method.

[15] The present invention in addition relates to a corresponding computer program as defined by claim 6, comprising software code adapted to perform such a method. [16] As further specified by claim 7, the present invention further concerns a computer readable storage medium comprising the computer program. Brief Description of the Drawings

[17] Fig. 1 is a flow diagram of an embodiment of the computer-implemented method for importing an object according to the present invention.

Detailed Description of Embodiment(s)

[18] Fig. 1 illustrates the sequential steps that are executed by an embodiment of the method according to the present invention used to import an object, e.g. a new medical report template, into a target system, e.g. an installed medical imaging database and management platform.

[19] In the first step, denoted 101 , the administrator or user selects via the administrator desktop the object that will be imported from the source system into the target system. In this specific example, the selected object is supposed to be a new medical report template, e.g. a template for the report that is used by radiologists in a hospital to report the results of an X-ray analysis. [20] In the second step, denoted 102, the object usability is verified. In this step, a basic check on the format and linguistics of the source file that corresponds with the selected object, i.e. the medical report template on the source system where it is developed, is executed. In case the object is judged to be not valid in step 103, i.e. in case the source file contains one or several format or linguistic errors, the object is considered not usable in step 104 as a result of which the object will not be imported in the target system. In case the object is found valid in step 103, the import method with auto-creation of missing references according to the present invention will be initiated. This method is represented by the steps 105-1 1 1 in Fig. 1 . [21] In step 105, references to data structures will be extracted from a metadata file accompanying the new object, and all data structures available in the target system will be checked in order to detect if the new object contains any references to data structures that do not exist in target system. The missing reference can for instance be a file, a table, a drop list, radio buttons, etc. that are used by the new object.

[22] In case all the referenced data structures exist in the target system, the new object will be imported directly, as is indicated by step 107 in Fig. 1 .

[23] In case one or more referenced data structure does not exist in target system, the computer-implemented method according to the invention shall verify in step 108 if the user has activated automatic creation of such missing data structures. Indeed, through the user-interface, the user is given the option to activate or de-activate automatic creation of missing data structures on the target system. The administrator desktop may contain a checkbox enabling the user to specify his preference: activation or de-activation of auto-creation of missing references. [24] In case the user has elected to not auto-create the missing references, the new object will be imported from the source system into the target system, as is indicated by step 109 in Fig. 1 . The new object is now imported into a system that may not contain all referenced data structures that are needed by the newly imported object in order to work successfully.

[25] On the other hand, in case the user has elected to auto-create the missing references, the missing data structures will first be created automatically in step 1 10 with minimum properties of the data structures. These minimum properties may be the name of the file as extracted from the metadata accompanying the new object, and/or they may comprise default settings like the default choice of a radio button. Only after all missing references have been created on the target system with minimum properties, the new object will be imported from the source system into the target system in step 1 1 1 . As a result, the new object will only be imported in target systems that contain all data structures referenced by the new object. This substantially increases the chances for successful import of new objects from a developer's platform where these new objects are created into tens or hundreds of installed platforms used in the field. [26] The method according to the invention shall typically be computer- implemented on a data processing system or computing device. A data processing system or computing device that is operated according to the present invention can include a workstation, a server, a laptop, a desktop, a hand-held device, a mobile device, a tablet computer, or other computing device, as would be understood by those of skill in the art.

[27] The data processing system or computing device can include a bus or network for connectivity between several components, directly or indirectly, a memory or database, one or more processors, input/output ports, a power supply, etc. One of skill in the art will appreciate that the bus or network can include one or more busses, such as an address bus, a data bus, or any combination thereof, or can include one or more network links. One of skill in the art additionally will appreciate that, depending on the intended applications and uses of a particular embodiment, multiple of these components can be implemented by a single device. Similarly, in some instances, a single component can be implemented by multiple devices.

[28] The data processing system or computing device can include or interact with a variety of computer-readable media. For example, computer-readable media can include Random Access Memory (RAM), Read Only Memory (ROM), Electronically Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technologies, CDROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical or holographic media, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices that can be used to encode information and can be accessed by the data processing system or computing device.

[29] The memory can include computer-storage media in the form of volatile and/or nonvolatile memory. The memory may be removable, non-removable, or any combination thereof. Exemplary hardware devices are devices such as hard drives, solid-state memory, optical-disc drives, or the like. The data processing system or computing device can include one or more processors that read data from components such as the memory, the various I/O components, etc. [30] The I/O ports can allow the data processing system or computing device to be logically coupled to other devices, such as I/O components. Some of the I/O components can be built into the computing device. Examples of such I/O components include a microphone, joystick, recording device, game pad, satellite dish, scanner, printer, wireless device, networking device, or the like.

[31] Although the present invention has been illustrated by reference to specific embodiments, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the details of the foregoing illustrative embodiments, and that the present invention may be embodied with various changes and modifications without departing from the scope thereof. The present embodiments are therefore to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. In other words, it is contemplated to cover any and all modifications, variations or equivalents that fall within the scope of the basic underlying principles and whose essential attributes are claimed in this patent application. It will furthermore be understood by the reader of this patent application that the words "comprising" or "comprise" do not exclude other elements or steps, that the words "a" or "an" do not exclude a plurality, and that a single element, such as a computer system, a processor, or another integrated unit may fulfil the functions of several means recited in the claims. Any reference signs in the claims shall not be construed as limiting the respective claims concerned. The terms "first", "second", third", "a", "b", "c", and the like, when used in the description or in the claims are introduced to distinguish between similar elements or steps and are not necessarily describing a sequential or chronological order. Similarly, the terms "top", "bottom", "over", "under", and the like are introduced for descriptive purposes and not necessarily to denote relative positions. It is to be understood that the terms so used are interchangeable under appropriate circumstances and embodiments of the invention are capable of operating according to the present invention in other sequences, or in orientations different from the one(s) described or illustrated above.

Claims

1 . A computer-implemented method for importing an object developed on a source system into a target system, said method comprising the steps of:

A. inspecting (105) a metadata file of said object for presence of data structure references;

B. verifying (106) availability in said target system of data structures that match with said data structure references;

and in case a matching data structure is available in said target system for each data structure reference of said data structure references in said metadata file:

C. importing (107) said object from said source system into said target system; or in case no matching data structure is available in said target system for one or more data structure reference of said data structure references in said metadata file:

D1 . auto-creating (1 10) for said one or more data structure reference in said target system one or more matching data structure with minimum properties; and thereafter

D2. importing (1 1 1 ) said object from said source system into said target system.

2. A computer-implemented method for importing an object according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of:

verifying (108) if a user elects to auto-create a matching data structure for missing data structure references before executing said step D1 .

3. A computer-implemented method for importing an object according to claim 1 , wherein said minimum properties comprise a name of said matching data structure.

4. A computer-implemented method for importing an object according to claim 1 , wherein said minimum properties comprise one or more default setting of a data structure parameter.

5. A data processing system comprising means for carrying out the method of any of claims 1 to 4.

6. A computer program comprising software code adapted to perform the method of any of claims 1 to 4.

7. A computer readable storage medium comprising the computer program of claim 6.