Patent Issued for Technical Building Block (USPTO 10,474,433)

2019 NOV 22 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- From Alexandria, Virginia, NewsRx journalists report that a patent by the inventors Hayen, Jon (Bloomington, IL); Tarpley, Clint (Normal, IL); Thatte, Vivek M (McKinney, TX), filed on October 16, 2018, was published online on November 25, 2019.

The patent’s assignee for patent number 10,474,433 is State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (Bloomington, Illinois, United States).

News editors obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: “Software development teams are generally responsible for creating software in support of a new product or program. For example, a corporation might offer a new device for sale to the public. The corporation might also offer technical support of the device in the form of technical documents from a website, customer representatives providing phone support, software or firmware updates, and the like. Each of these aspects may require software created by a software development team to implement them.

“Alternatively, a company, such as an insurance provider, may offer a program that provides a discount on insurance premiums to qualified customers. The insurance provider may alert customers to the existence of the program, verify the qualifications of customers, and periodically monitor customer feedback or telematics data to verify that the qualifications are maintained. These activities may also require software to be created by a software development team implement them.

“Software development teams may typically encounter several problems when working on a software creation project. First, there is often a lack of computer software tools that allow a software architect or designer to create and document the architecture of the software which will provide product or program support. Second, as a result of the first problem, there is an inability of one development team to share the software architecture with another team that may have similar software requirements. These and other problems may lead to extended development times, inefficient usage of resources, and other drawbacks.”

As a supplement to the background information on this patent, NewsRx correspondents also obtained the inventors’ summary information for this patent: “Embodiments of the present technology relate to technical building block software and/or computer interfaces for use when developing enterprise software architecture designs. The embodiments may provide for a software development interface that includes a library of symbols and a template. A software architect may utilize the symbols, at least in part, to enter a design into the template. The template specifies the design of the software at multiple levels and may be used by programmers to write code for the design. In addition, the design pattern may be reused in full, or in part, to create new design patterns.

“In a first aspect, a software development template implemented on a computing device for use when developing enterprise software architecture designs may be provided. The template may include a plurality of sections to be displayed on a computing device screen wherein each section includes blank space bounded by a frame with all of the sections being vertically aligned with one another. The sections may include: (1) a technical capabilities section configured to receive a plurality of capability components, each capability component representing a function of a software architecture design, wherein at least a portion of the capability components are positioned in separate columns within the frame; (2) an interaction sequence section configured to receive a plurality of interaction components illustrating the interaction between the capability components, each interaction component being associated with the capability components in one column of the technical capabilities section, each interaction component further being vertically aligned with its associated capability components; (3) a service topology section configured to receive a plurality of service components that represent the hardware and software performing the functions of the capability components and the interaction components, each service component being associated with the capability components and interaction components in one column, each service component further being vertically aligned with its associated capability components and interaction components; (4) an integration flow section configured to receive a plurality of integration components which represent hardware and software implementing the flow of information between a service requestor and a service provider, each integration component being associated with the capability components, interaction components, and service components in one column, each integration component further being vertically aligned with its associated capability components, interaction components, and service components; and/or (5) a logging section configured to receive a plurality of logging components which represent hardware and software indicating the occurrence of events or activities related to the function of the software design, each logging component resulting from an action of one or more of the other components and being vertically aligned therewith. The software development template may include additional, fewer, or alternative sections, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“In another aspect, a software development interface implemented on a computing device for use when developing enterprise software architecture designs may be provided. The interface may comprise a library of symbols and a template. The library of symbols may include service oriented architecture symbols and enterprise application integration symbols. The template may include a plurality of sections to be displayed on a computing device screen wherein each section includes blank space bounded by a frame with all of the sections being vertically aligned with one another. The sections may include (1) a technical capabilities section configured to receive a plurality of capability components, each capability component representing a function of a software architecture design, wherein at least a portion of the capability components are positioned in separate columns within the frame; (2) an interaction sequence section configured to receive a plurality of interaction components illustrating the interaction between the capability components, each interaction component being associated with the capability components in one column of the technical capabilities section, each interaction component further being vertically aligned with its associated capability components; (3) a service topology section configured to receive a plurality of service components that represent the hardware and software performing the functions of the capability components and the interaction components, each service component being associated with the capability components and interaction components in one column, each service component further being vertically aligned with its associated capability components and interaction components; (4) an integration flow section configured to receive a plurality of integration components which represent hardware and software implementing the flow of information between a service requestor and a service provider, each integration component being associated with the capability components, interaction components, and service components in one column, each integration component further being vertically aligned with its associated capability components, interaction components, and service components; and/or (5) a logging section configured to receive a plurality of logging components which represent hardware and software indicating the occurrence of events or activities related to the function of the software design, each logging component resulting from an action of one or more of the other components and being vertically aligned therewith. The software development interface may include additional, fewer, or alternative features, including those discussed elsewhere herein.

“Advantages of these and other embodiments will become more apparent to those skilled in the art from the following description of the exemplary embodiments which have been shown and described by way of illustration. As will be realized, the present embodiments described herein may be capable of other and different embodiments, and their details are capable of modification in various respects. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.”

The claims supplied by the inventors are:

“We claim:

“1. A software development template implemented and embedded on a computing device for use when developing enterprise software architecture designs, the software development template comprising: a plurality of sections to be displayed on a computing device screen, each section including blank space bounded by a frame with all of the sections being vertically aligned with one another, the sections including: a technical capabilities section configured to receive a plurality of capability components, each capability component representing a function of a software architecture design; an interaction sequence section configured to receive a plurality of interaction components illustrating the interaction between the capability components; a service topology section configured to receive a plurality of service components that represent hardware and software performing functions of the capability components and the interaction components, each service component being associated with the capability components and interaction components in one column; an integration flow section configured to receive a plurality of integration components which represent hardware and software implementing a flow of information between a service requestor and a service provider, each integration component being associated with the capability components, interaction components, and service components in one column; and a logging section configured to receive a plurality of logging components which represent hardware and software indicating the occurrence of events or activities related to the function of the software design, each logging component resulting from an action of one or more of the capability components, interaction components, service components, and integration components.

“2. The software development template of claim 1, wherein each interaction component in the interaction sequence section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section.

“3. The software development template of claim 1, wherein each service component in the service topology section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section and interaction components in the interaction sequence section.

“4. The software development template of claim 1, wherein each integration component in the integration flow section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section, interaction components in the interaction sequence section, and service components in the service topology section.

“5. The software development template of claim 1, wherein each logging component in the logging section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section, interaction components in the interaction sequence section, service components in the service topology section, and integration components in the integration flow section.

“6. The software development template of claim 1, wherein capability components representing similar functions are positioned in a same column of the technical capabilities section.

“7. The software development template of claim 1, wherein the technical capabilities section further includes a plurality of lines, each line connecting at least two capability components to one another, each line including at least one arrowhead indicating a direction of flow of data between the capability components and the interaction sequence section further includes a plurality of lines between each pair of adjacently-positioned interaction components, the lines indicating a request, a response, and a time out, as necessary.

“8. The software development template of claim 1, wherein each interaction component includes a vertically-oriented bar and a label positioned therewith describing a specific implementation of the functions of the capability components associated with the interaction component.

“9. The software development template of claim 1, wherein the service components include service oriented architecture symbols and the integration components include enterprise application integration symbols.

“10. The software development template of claim 1, wherein the integration flow section includes a request subsection in which integration components requesting service, data, or access are placed and a response subsection in which integration components responding to requests are placed and the logging section includes a system logging subsection in which logging components log system events and an application logging subsection in which logging components log messages at an application level.

“11. A software development interface implemented and embedded on a computing device for use when developing enterprise software architecture designs, the software development interface comprising: a library of service oriented architecture symbols representing service components; a library of enterprise application integration symbols representing integration components; and a template comprising a plurality of sections to be displayed on a computing device screen, each section including blank space bounded by a frame with all of the sections being vertically aligned with one another, the sections including: a technical capabilities section configured to receive a plurality of capability components, each capability component representing a function of a software architecture design, an interaction sequence section configured to receive a plurality of interaction components illustrating the interaction between the capability components, a service topology section configured to receive a plurality of service components that represent hardware and software performing functions of the capability components and the interaction components, each service component being associated with the capability components and interaction components in one column, an integration flow section configured to receive a plurality of integration components which represent hardware and software implementing a flow of information between a service requestor and a service provider, each integration component being associated with the capability components, interaction components, and service components in one column, and a logging section configured to receive a plurality of logging components which represent hardware and software indicating the occurrence of events or activities related to the function of the software design, each logging component resulting from an action of one or more of the capability components, interaction components, service components, and integration components.

“12. The software development interface of claim 11, wherein each interaction component in the interaction sequence section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section, each service component in the service topology section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section and interaction components in the interaction sequence section, each integration component in the integration flow section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section, interaction components in the interaction sequence section, and service components in the service topology section, and each logging component in the logging section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section, interaction components in the interaction sequence section, service components in the service topology section, and integration components in the integration flow section.

“13. The software development interface of claim 11, wherein capability components representing similar functions are positioned in a same column of the technical capabilities section.

“14. The software development interface of claim 11, wherein the technical capabilities section further includes a plurality of lines, each line connecting at least two capability components to one another, each line including at least one arrowhead indicating a direction of flow of data between the capability components and the interaction sequence section further includes a plurality of lines between each pair of adjacently-positioned interaction components, the lines indicating a request, a response, and a time out, as necessary.

“15. The software development interface of claim 11, wherein each interaction component includes a vertically-oriented bar and a label positioned therewith describing a specific implementation of the functions of the capability components associated with the interaction component.

“16. The software development interface of claim 11, wherein the integration flow section includes a request subsection in which integration components requesting service, data, or access are placed and a response subsection in which integration components responding to requests are placed and the logging section includes a system logging subsection in which logging components log system events and an application logging subsection in which logging components log messages at an application level.

“17. The software development interface of claim 11, wherein the service components include service oriented architecture symbols and the integration components include enterprise application integration symbols.

“18. A software development interface implemented and embedded on a computing device for use when developing enterprise software architecture designs, the software development interface comprising: a library of service oriented architecture symbols representing service components; a library of enterprise application integration symbols representing integration components; and a template comprising a plurality of sections to be displayed on a computing device screen, each section including blank space bounded by a frame with all of the sections being vertically aligned with one another, the sections including: a technical capabilities section configured to receive a plurality of capability components, each capability component representing a function of a software architecture design, an interaction sequence section configured to receive a plurality of interaction components illustrating the interaction between the capability components, a service topology section configured to receive a plurality of service components that represent hardware and software performing functions of the capability components and the interaction components, each service component being associated with the capability components and interaction components in one column, wherein the service components include service oriented architecture symbols, an integration flow section configured to receive a plurality of integration components which represent hardware and software implementing a flow of information between a service requestor and a service provider, each integration component being associated with the capability components, interaction components, and service components in one column, wherein the integration components include enterprise application integration symbols, and a logging section configured to receive a plurality of logging components which represent hardware and software indicating the occurrence of events or activities related to the function of the software design, each logging component resulting from an action of one or more of the capability components, interaction components, service components, and integration components.

“19. The software development interface of claim 18, wherein the technical capabilities section further includes a plurality of lines, each line connecting at least two capability components to one another, each line including at least one arrowhead indicating a direction of flow of data between the capability components, each interaction component includes a vertically-oriented bar and a label positioned therewith describing the specific implementation of the function of the capability component associated with the interaction component, the interaction sequence section further includes a plurality of lines between each pair of adjacently-positioned interaction components, the lines indicating a request, a response, and a time out, as necessary, the integration flow section includes a request subsection in which integration components requesting service, data, or access are placed and a response subsection in which integration components responding to requests are placed, and the logging section includes a system logging subsection in which logging components log system events and an application logging subsection in which logging components log messages at an application level.

“20. The software development interface of claim 18, wherein each interaction component in the interaction sequence section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section, each service component in the service topology section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section and interaction components in the interaction sequence section, each integration component in the integration flow section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section, interaction components in the interaction sequence section, and service components in the service topology section, and each logging component in the logging section is vertically aligned with its associated capability components in the technical capabilities section, interaction components in the interaction sequence section, service components in the service topology section, and integration components in the integration flow section.”

For additional information on this patent, see: Hayen, Jon; Tarpley, Clint; Thatte, Vivek M. Technical Building Block. U.S. Patent Number 10,474,433, filed October 16, 2018, and published online on November 25, 2019. Patent URL: http://patft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO1&Sect2=HITOFF&d=PALL&p=1&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsrchnum.htm&r=1&f=G&l=50&s1=10,474,433.PN.&OS=PN/10,474,433RS=PN/10,474,433

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