Showing papers on "System integration published in 1999"

Python: a programming language for software integration and development.

Abstract: One of the challenges in bio-computing is to enable the efficient use and inter-operation of a wide variety of rapidly-evolving computational methods to simulate, analyze, and understand the complex properties and interactions of molecular systems. In our laboratory we investigates several areas, including protein-ligand docking, protein-protein docking, and complex molecular assemblies. Over the years we have developed a number of computational tools such as molecular surfaces, phenomenological potentials, various docking and visualization programs which we use in conjunction with programs developed by others. The number of programs available to compute molecular properties and/or simulate molecular interactions (e.g., molecular dynamics, conformational analysis, quantum mechanics, distance geometry, docking methods, ab-initio methods) is large and growing rapidly. Moreover, these programs come in many flavors and variations, using different force fields, search techniques, algorithmic details (e.g., continuous space vs. discrete, Cartesian vs. torsional). Each variation presents its own characteristic set of advantages and limitations. These programs also tend to evolve rapidly and are usually not written as components, making it hard to get them to work together.

Visual data integration system and method

Abstract: A visual data integration system architecture and methodology is disclosed. The system architecture includes a transport framework that represents a technology-independent integration mechanism that facilitates the exchange of technology-dependent data between disparate applications. A visual interface facilitates the design, deployment, and runtime monitoring of an integrated information system implementation. An integrated information system is developed visually through use of the visual interface by dragging and dropping components within a canvas area of the interface. The components are graphical representations of various telecommunications hardware and software elements, such as information stores, processors, input/output devices and the like. Various components may be packaged together as business extension modules that provide specific business integration capabilities. Interconnections between components are graphically established using a mouse to define sources and destinations of specified data. An underlying configuration/runtime information framework operating above and in concert with the transport framework effectively transforms the graphical interconnections into logical or physical interconnections, which results in the contemporaneous generation of an integrated runtime system. Format neutral data meta-models are employed to model the input and output data requirements of disparate systems and system components so as to remove any cross-dependencies that exist between the systems and technologies implicated in a data integration project. The visual interface enables runtime control and analysis of the business information and system aspects of an integrated system implementation. Visual views onto the live deployment provide consistent management and control for system integrators, business integrators, system managers, and business managers using a single visual interface.

Systems Integration and Knowledge Management

Abstract: Information technology provides knowledge management capabilities that were not possible before. Systems integration that incoporates true knowledge management thinking offers the IT department a leadership opportunity for organizationalf transformation in partnership with the rest of the enterprise.

Software architecture classification for estimating the cost of COTS integration

Abstract: The use of commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) products creates a software integration problem, whether a single COTS software component is being integrated into a software system, or the whole system is being built primarily from COTS products. This integration may require considerable effort and affect system quality. A good estimate of integration cost can help in the decision of whether or not to use a COTS solution, the selection of the best COTS products, and determine the amount and type of glueware that needs to be built, in this paper, we introduce a set of variables that have the potential to estimate the integration cost. We present a classification scheme of software architectures with respect to the integration of COTS products. The scheme is based on inter-component interactions within software architectures. The classification scheme allows the comparison of integration costs of different COTS products relative to different software architectures.

Avoiding packaging mismatch with flexible packaging

Abstract: To integrate a software component into a system, it must interact properly with the system's other components. Unfortunately, the decisions about how a component is to interact with other components are typically committed long before the moment of integration and are difficult to change. This paper introduces the flexible packaging method, which allows a component developer to defer some decisions about component interaction until system integration time. The method divides the component's source into two pieces: the ware, which encapsulates the component's functionality; and the packager, which encapsulates the details of interaction. Both the ware and the packager are independently reusable. A ware, as a reusable part, allows a given piece of functionality to be employed in systems in different architectural styles. A packager, as a reusable part, encapsulates conformance to a component standard, like an ActiveX control or an ODBC database accessor. Because the packager's source code is often formulaic, a tool is provided to generate the packager's source from a high-level description of the intended interaction, a description written in the architectural description language UniCon. The method and tools are evaluated with a series of experiments in which three wares and nine types of packaging are combined to form thirteen components.

Imagene: an integrated computer environment for sequence annotation and analysis.

Abstract: Motivation To be fully and efficiently exploited, data coming from sequencing projects together with specific sequence analysis tools need to be integrated within reliable data management systems. Systems designed to manage genome data and analysis tend to give a greater importance either to the data storage or to the methodological aspect, but lack a complete integration of both components. Results This paper presents a co-operative computer environment (called Imagenetrade mark) dedicated to genomic sequence analysis and annotation. Imagene has been developed by using an object-based model. Thanks to this representation, the user can directly manipulate familiar data objects through icons or lists. Imagene also incorporates a solving engine in order to manage analysis tasks. A global task is solved by successive divisions into smaller sub-tasks. During program execution, these sub-tasks are graphically displayed to the user and may be further re-started at any point after task completion. In this sense, Imagene is more transparent to the user than a traditional menu-driven package. Imagene also provides a user interface to display, on the same screen, the results produced by several tasks, together with the capability to annotate these results easily. In its current form, Imagene has been designed particularly for use in microbial sequencing projects. Availability Imagene best runs on SGI (Irix 6.3 or higher) workstations. It is distributed free of charge on a CD-ROM, but requires some Ilog licensed software to run. Some modules also require separate license agreements. Please contact the authors for specific academic conditions and other Unix platforms. Contact imagene home page: http://wwwabi.snv.jussieu.fr/imagene

Combining artificial intelligence and databases for data integration

Abstract: Data integration is a problem at the intersection of the fields of Artificial Intelligence and Database Systems. The goal of a data integration system is to provide a uniform interfacc to a multitude of data sources, whether they are within one enterprise or on the World-Wide Web. The key challenges in data integration arise because the data sources being integrated have been designed independently for autonomous applications, and their contents are related in subtle ways. As a result, a data integration system requires rich formalisms for describing contents of data sources and relating between contents of different sources. This paper discusses works aimed at applying techniques from Artificial Intelligence to the problem of data integration. In addition to employing Knowledge Representation techniques for describing contents of information sources, projects have also made use of Machine Learning techniques for extracting data from sources and planning techniques for query optimization. The paper also outlines future opportunities for applying AI techniques in the context of data integration.

Model‐driven, component‐based approach to reconfiguring manufacturing software systems

Abstract: Current practice when specifying and developing manufacturing software leads to enterprise systems that are difficult to change. With the purpose of improving current practice a model‐driven, component‐based approach to engineering change capable manufacturing systems is described. Application of the approach is supported by a number of proof‐of‐concept system design and construction environments. Each environment organises the use of modelling tools that function to formally capture and apply the results of systems engineering activities carried out by members of project teams. In this way the development of multi‐perspective enterprise (enterprise: a group of organisations sharing a set of goals and objectives to offer products, services or both (ISO 14258)) models is enabled in a computer executable form and means are provided to reconfigure manufacturing systems by using the models to change the way that system components interoperate. Collectively the proof‐of‐concept environments have demonstrated a capability to engineer a variety of types of manufacturing system and by so doing implement a system structure that accommodates rather than inhibits subsequent change, even where that change is of an unforeseen nature.

Design of a flexible coprocessor unit

Abstract: Todays FPGA technology allows reconfigurable hardware to be integrated into standard PC hardware. A hardware like this allows for on-the-fly reconfigurable hardware. It is possible to remove and insert complete subsystems just by reinitializing the configurable components. These systems make new demands on software that often can't be fulfilled by the classical device driver concept used in todays operating systems. This paper presents a flexible and on-the-fly reconfigurable hardware subsystem for interworking systems. Furthermore, a software integration for fast and efficient reconfiguration of the hardware is introduced. It provides a flexible integration into a Unix environment.

The computer integration of the enterprise

Abstract: Although the idea of computer integration of the enterprise has existed for a long time, still the domain is not at all well mastered. In the first part of this article, a number of definitions and specifications are proposed which are aimed at remedying this situation. A distinction is first made between enterprise integration, computer integration of the enterprise and the implementation of computer systems which contribute to the integration of the enterprise, and then between systems integration and the implementation of integrating systems. A detailed definition of integrating systems follows and the process of integration to which integrating systems give rise is explained. It is finally shown that computer integration of the enterprise is fundamentally different from organizational integration of the enterprise. The second part of the article is devoted to demonstrating the theoretical as well as the practical utility of these proposals. In particular, a case study illustrates the new way in which the computer systems in an enterprise can be viewed.

Agent-based approach for manufacturing integration: The CIIMPLEX experience

Abstract: The production management system used by most manufacturers today consists of disconnected planning and execution processes and lacks the support for interoperability and collaboration needed for enterprise-wide integration. This situation often prevents the manufacturer from fully exploring market opportunities in a timely fashion. To address this problem, we are exploring an agent-based approach to intelligent enterprise integration. In this approach, a set of agents with specialized expertise can be quickly assembled to help with the gathering of relevant information and knowledge, to cooperate with each other and with other parts of the production management system and humans to arrive at timely decisions in dealing with various enterprise scenarios. The proposed multiagent system, including its architecture and implementation, is presented and demonstrated through an example integration scenario involving real planning and execution software systems.

The new ontario bridge management system

Abstract: Ontario's Ministry of Transportation (MTO) is responsible for the management of approximately 3000 bridges on the provincial highway network. The MTO in recent years has been evaluating developments in Bridge Management Systems (BMSs) in relation to its own requirements. The Ministry decided to develop an all-new system, similar in network-level functionality to modern systems developed in other countries, but more detailed in its project-level capabilities than any existing system. It would build on a substantial body of research conducted by the Ministry over the past decade in the subjects of treatment selection, effectiveness, and costing. The Ministry engaged ITX Stanley, Ltd., to provide this tool, to be called OBMS, in a project which began in January of 1998 and is due to be completed by the end of 1999. Written in Visual Basic for client-server deployment, OBMS is a completely new system from the ground-up, and not an adaptation of any existing system. It features a knowledge-based approach to treatment selection, and a tender item basis for direct and indirect cost estimation, for project-level decision support to the Ministry's engineer-inspectors in the field. Fully integrated into the engineer's OBMS desktop are electronic maps of bridge and non-bridge data from the Ministry's geographic information system; input and output of electronic documents, including inspection photographs; and historical data on maintenance and rehabilitation. Object-oriented methods for design and development have provided innovative approaches to user interface design, system integration, and rapid analyst-in-the-loop optimization at both the project and network levels.

Integration of quality, environmental and health and safety management systems: An examination of the key issues:

Abstract: This paper reports the main findings of a study of five manufacturing companies in relation to their attitudes to the integration of quality, environmental and occupational health and safety management systems. It was found that less interest is shown in occupational health and safety management systems, ISO 14001 is preferred to EMAS and those organizations that have embraced the principles and mechanisms of total quality management are more likely to pursue integration than those that have not. Integration of management systems is also seen more readily by those organizations that have operations involving high hazards. It is also pointed out that system integration can be achieved in a number of ways and at different levels which are explored in the paper.

Resolving packaging mismatch

Abstract: To integrate a software component into a system, the component must interact properly with the system’s other components. Unfortunately, the decisions about how a component is to interact with other components are typically committed long before the moment of integration and are difficult to change. As a result, system integrators often face mismatches between their system’s interaction commitments and those of a compo nent to be integrated. How a component interacts with other compo nents is called its packaging; hence these mismatches are called packaging mismatches. Packaging mismatches are typically resolved by introducing so-called glue code, which is costly to produce and main tain. In this dissertation, I introduce a software development method, called Flexible Packaging, which allows a component developer to defer many decisions about component interaction until system integration. Using this method, a system integrator first selects a component, called a ware, with few interaction commitments and then writes a packaging description, which captures how the ware is to interact with other com ponents. Given a ware and a packaging description, the Flexible Packag ing system automatically produces the source code, non-code artifacts, and construction and installation steps needed for the component to exhibit the described form of interaction. By writing a packaging description, the system integrator tailors the component’s interaction to the system at hand, and the component can be readily integrated. I have validated the feasibility of the Flexible Packaging method and its tools with several case studies, which involve a wide range of interaction: com servers (ActiveX controls); com clients; Netscape plug-ins; Windows applications with guis; odbc-based database accessors; filters; cgi scripts; and tcp socket clients.

System-on-a-chip bus architecture for embedded applications

Abstract: Increasing levels of on-chip system integration means that more functional units need to be interconnected. To limit design effort and to allow for future reuse, this interconnection should be kept as simple and generic as possible. The need to limit clock cycle times and power consumption means that bus capacitance must be as low as possible. This can be done effectively by partitioning functional units onto discrete bus connections that are jointed by bus bridges. The paper describes the evolution of ARM system chip architectures of steadily increasing complexity and details a state-of-the-art design.

A WWW computer integrated manufacturing environment for rapid prototyping and education

Abstract: This paper describes an overview of a system integration project in which the development of a multimedia educational tool for designing simple mechanical parts has resulted in new procedures for Computer Integrated Manufacturing (CIM). The new procedures utilize the Internet for seamless integration of Computer Aided Design (CAD), Computer Aided Process Planning (CAPP), and Computer Aided Manufacturing (CAM). The result is a WWW-based CIM environment that not only promotes Design for Manufacturability, but seeks to decrease manufacturing time in a rapid prototyping service based on milling (Sarma 1995, Sarma et al., 1996). Furthermore, the environment utilizes multimedia to display process histories which are generated through the feedback of sensor data collected during fabrication. Remote designers can use this knowledge to monitor the manufacturing process and to redesign if necessary. The paper begins with the description of a specific case study called Reuleaux! , which allows students to design int...

Using mobile agents to improve the alignment between manufacturing and its IT support systems

Abstract: This paper proposes the notion that mobile agent technology can improve the alignment between IT systems and the real world processes they support. This can aid enterprise agility, particularly where distributed information is a feature, as in the virtual enterprise. A model of the manufacturing sales/order process is proposed. The sales order is shown to be a naturally mobile element of the model. The subsequent decomposition of the agent types during detailed design and implementation reveals an abstract pattern for database query using agent technology. Finally, an overview of the security issues associated with mobile agents is discussed.

Integrating GIS and Data Visualization Tools for Distributed Hydrologic Modeling

Abstract: Distributed hydrologic models are an integral component of spatial decision support systems for watershed management. At these basin (and larger) scales, a common problem in hydrology and other environmental sciences arises from the need to cope with the increasingly sophisticated models and software tools that are used in the management, processing, and analysis of large volumes of data collected from advanced in situ and remote monitoring instruments. The diversity of these tools, and the need for experts and non-experts alike to be able to easily use them, suggests a non-trivial integration problem of building customized systems from disparate (and in many cases proprietary) components. In this paper we address the systems integration problem within the context of a study of surface-subsurface-atmosphere interactions involving soil moisture remote sensing and hydrologic simulation. The simple early steps that were taken highlight the role of the different components and tools in the integration effort. An alternative approach is presented for creating an integrated system, based on a data flow model with the modular components linked within a flexible framework. An example is developed based on established systems integration techniques from the field of computer aided design.

Incorporating Process Planning Into Conceptual Design

Abstract: This paper describes recent developments in the Design and Process Planning Integration (DPPI) project at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The project addresses the need for improved communication between design and process planning in the early product design stage. Since major manufacturing costs are committed during product specification and design, it is critical to successfully assess manufacturability and cost as early as possible in the design process. Documenting the DPPI foundation, this paper reviews industry needs for an integrated design and manufacturing environment for rapid product development. Additionally, this paper describes the project’s approach and the current status. Conceptual design and process planning prototype systems, that have been implemented, are also described. Finally, it describes the future direction for developing mechanisms to enable the integration of design and process planning, including information models and language interface specifications.

Information systems integration in radiology.

Abstract: Advances in information systems and technology in conjunction with outside forces requiring improved reporting are driving sweeping changes in the practice of radiology. In most academic radiology departments, there can be at least five separate information systems in daily use, a clinical picture archiving and communication system (PACS), a hospital information system (HIS), a radiology information system (RIS), a voice-recognition dictation system, and an electronic teaching/research file system. A PACS will have incomplete, incorrect, and inconsistent data if manual data entry is used. Correct routing of studies for diagnostic reporting and clinical review requires accurate information about the study type and the referring physician or service, often not easily entered manually. An HIS is a hospital-wide information system used to access patient information, reports from various services, and billing information. The RIS is typically a system specifically designed to place radiology orders, to receive interpretations, and to prepare bills for patients. Voice-recognition systems automatically transcribe the radiologist’s dictation, eliminating transcription delays. Another system that is needed in a teaching hospital holds images and data for research and education. Integration of diverse systems must be performed to provide the functionality required by an electronic radiology department and the services it supports. Health Level 7 (HL7) and Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) have enabled sharing of data among systems and can be used as the building blocks for truly integrated systems, but the user community and manufacturers need to specify the types of functionality needed to build clinically useful systems. Although technology development has produced the tools for interoperability for clinical and research/educational use, more work needs to be done to define the types of interaction that needs to be performed to realize the potential of these systems.

Workflow analysis and evidence-based medicine: towards integration of knowledge-based functions in hospital information systems.

Abstract: The large extent and complexity of scientific evidence described in the concept of evidence-based medicine often overwhelms clinicians who want to apply best external evidence Hospital Information Systems usually do not provide knowledge-based functions to support context-sensitive linking to external information sources Knowledge-based components need specific data, which must be entered manually and should be well adapted to clinical environment to be accepted by clinicians This paper describes a workflow-based approach to understand and visualize clinical reality as a preliminary to designing software applications, and possible starting points for further software development

Development of a collaborative and event-driven supply chain information system using mobile object technology

Abstract: Information integration of the supply chain for the manufacturing industry is essential because a competent and promising company needs an efficient information system to communicate with its customers, supplies, and partners within the entire supply chain. In this research, a collaborative and event-driven supply chain information system (SCIS) is developed by using mobile object technology. The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is applied to analyze and design the SCIS Framework which contains two major components: information coordinator component (ICC) and agent component (AC). The ICC acts as the information integration manager. It manages all the ACs and establishes proper event channels for them to exchange information. Each member within the supply chain needs to possess an AC such that it can utilize the SCIS to exchange information with the other members. An application example is constructed and its corresponding system integration and testing procedure is demonstrated. From this demonstration result, it is believed that this SCIS framework provides a collaborative, event-driven, object-oriented, and agent-based infrastructure for the supply chain members to mutually exchange information efficiently.

System integration analysis of a large commercial aircraft engine

Abstract: Thesis (S.M.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, System Design and Management Program, 1999.

A VRML integration methodology for manufacturing applications

Abstract: This paper describes several methods for using the Virtual Reality Modeling Language (VRML) as the visualization integration technology for manufacturing simulation systems. One of our goals was to develop an integration methodology based on the use of VRML translators to produce reusable VRML components. The use of readily available off-the-shelf VRML models and systems was a major requirement. In addition to the component libraries we also wanted to add a significant analytic system to demonstrate potential application in a real-world manufacturing simulation system. This resulted in the integration of a near real-time dynamics engine with the VRML world. The production and use of intermediate component worlds demonstrates the potential for component libraries of visual manufacturing elements that can be integrated into larger simulation and visualization environments. CR

The MediaXact† system — A framework for personalized electronic commerce services

Abstract: The rapid growth of the World Wide Web has created new industries and extended the reach of existing businesses. One of the areas on the verge of expansion is electronic commerce (EC). While still in its infancy, EC is forecasted to increase by over an order of magnitude over the next several years. Notable success stories of selling over the Web — such as those of amazon.com and Dell Computer — are often touted today. A major concern with the creation of EC systems today is the large amount of customization and systems integration work required. We present here the MediaXact† system, a solution to this dilemma that provides a framework separating the service presentation and service logic from the functions that make up the service. This greatly simplifies customization and eases the integration with existing legacy systems and business logic.