Showing papers on "System integration published in 2004"

Universal application network architecture

Abstract: A method and system for providing an integration environment in which integration processes can be developed independent of integration servers and applications. The integration environment provides an application service interface for each application that is independent of the integration servers. An integration process that is developed to use the application service interface is compatible with any integration server that supports the applications that the integration process accesses. The integration environment provides a common service interface for each type of application. The common service interface is independent of the application that is providing the service and is also independent of the integration server. Thus, an integration process developed to use the common service interface is compatible with any application of the appropriate type and any integration server.

The Business of Systems Integration

Abstract: Preface 1. Introduction PART I: THE HISTORY OF SYSTEMS INTEGRATION 2. Inventing Systems Integration 3. Systems Integration and the Social Solution of Technical Problems in Complex Systems 4. Integrating Electrical Power Systems: From Individual to Organizational Capabilities 5. Specialization and Systems Integration: Where Manufacture and Services Still Meet PART II: THEORETICAL AND CONCEPTUAL PERSPECTIVES ON SYSTEMS INTEGRATION 6. The Economics of Systems Integration: Towards an Evolutionary Interpretation 7. Corporate Strategy and Systems Integration Capabilities: Managing Networks in Complex Systems Industries 8. The Role of Technical Standard in Coordinating the Division of Labour in Complex Systems Industries 9. The Cognitive Basis of System Integration: Redundancy of Context Generating Knowledge 10. Towards a Dynamics of Modularity: A Cyclical Model of Technical Advance PART III: COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE AND SYSTEMS INTEGRATION 11. The Geography of Systems Integration 12. Modularity and Outsourcing: The Nature of Co-Evolution of Product Architecture and Organization Architecture in the Global Automotive Industry 13. Modularization in the Car Industry: Inter-Linked Multiple Hierarchies of Product, Production, and Supplier Systems 14. Systems Integration in the US Defence Industry: Who Does It and Why Is It Important? 15. Changing Boundaries of Innovation Systems: Linking Market Demand and Use 16. Integrated Solutions: The Changing Business of Systems Integration

SOP: what is it and why? A new microsystem-integration technology paradigm-Moore's law for system integration of miniaturized convergent systems of the next decade

Abstract: In the past, microsystems packaging played two roles: 1) it provided I/O connections to and from integrated circuits (ICs) or wafer-level packaging (WLP), and 2) it interconnected both active and passive components on system level boards, referred to as systems packaging. Both were accomplished by interconnections or multilayer wiring at the package or board level. More recently, the IC devices have begun to integrate not only more and more transistors, but also active and passive components on an individual chip, leading the community to believe that someday there may be a single-chip complete system, referred to as system-on-chip (SOC). This can be called horizontal or two-dimensional (2-D) integration of IC blocks in a single-chip toward end-product systems. The community began to realize, however, that such an approach presents fundamental, engineering, and investment limits, as well as computing and communication limits for wireless and wired systems over the long run. This led to 3-D packaging approaches, often referred to as system-in-package (SIP). The SIP, while providing major opportunities in both miniaturization and integration for advanced and portable electronic products, is a subsystem, limited by the CMOS process just like the SOC. Some existing and emerging applications, however, include sensors, memory modules and embedded processors with DRAMs. More recent 3-D solutions, which incorporate stacked package approaches, offer solutions toward faster time-to-market and business impediments that have plagued MCM deployment for the past decade. There is a new emerging concept called system-on-package (SOP). With SOP, the package, not the board, is the system. As such, SOP is beginning to address the shortcomings of both SOC and SIP, as well as traditional packaging which is bulky, costly, and lower in performance and reliability than ICs, in two ways: 1) It uses CMOS-based silicon for what it is good for, namely, for transistor integration, and the package, for what it is good for, namely, RF, optical, and digital integration by means of IC-package-system codesign. The SOP package, therefore, overcomes both the computing limitations and integration limitations of SOC, SIP, MCM, and traditional system packaging. It does this by having global wiring as well as RF, digital, and optical component integration in the package, not in the chip. The SOP, therefore, includes both active and passive components in thin-film form, in contrast with indiscrete or thick-film form, including embedded digital, RF, and optical components, and functions in a microminiaturized package or board.

Integration of biological sources: current systems and challenges ahead

Abstract: This paper surveys the area of biological and genomic sources integration, which has recently become a major focus of the data integration research field. The challenges that an integration system for biological sources must face are due to several factors such as the variety and amount of data available, the representational heterogeneity of the data in the different sources, and the autonomy and differing capabilities of the sources.This survey describes the main integration approaches that have been adopted. They include warehouse integration, mediator-based integration, and navigational integration. Then we look at the four major existing integration systems that have been developed for the biological domain: SRS, BioKleisli, TAMBIS, and DiscoveryLink. After analyzing these systems and mentioning a few others, we identify the pros and cons of the current approaches and systems and discuss what an integration system for biologists ought to be.

B2B integration over the Internet with XML: RosettaNet successes and challenges

Abstract: The practical experience of RosettaNet in using Web technologies for B2B integration illustrates the transformative power of Web technologies and also highlights challenges for the future. This paper provides an overview of RosettaNet technical standards and discusses the lessons learned from the standardization efforts, in particular, what works and what doesn't. This paper also describes the effort to increase automation of B2B software integration, and thereby to reduce cost.

A framework to review the information integration of the enterprise

Abstract: Organizations face the challenging task of integrating their distributed organizational units, information systems, and business processes for improved operation and attainment of organizational goals. There is the difficulty of dealing with heterogeneous applications that use different formats (syntax) and apply different meanings (semantics) to the data. There is the difficulty of coordinating the workflow so as the disparate organizational units act as a harmonious whole. The broad scope of the enterprise integration problem precludes approaches that tackle the entire problem but rather requires approaches that address a limited but useful integration type. The various information integration types and how they are related to each other is poorly defined. This article presents an enterprise information integration framework that aims to coalesce parallel approaches towards integration so that the information integration problem can be better understood as a whole. The enterprise information integration...

System and method for RFID system integration

Abstract: A robust system (10) , method, and environment for programming, collection, and manipulation, and propagation of RFID data (122) enhance the integrated RFID elements (20) into new and existing enterprise systems (45).

Justifying the decisions for EAI implementations: a validated proposition of influential factors

Abstract: Enterprise integration is considered to be of great strategic significance in the support of organisations to achieve a competitive advantage. Traditional approaches to integration such as electronic data interchange (EDI) have provided a wide range of benefits but have not managed to fully automate and integrate business processes and applications. In addressing many of the limitations of EDI to piece together disparate systems, enterprise resource planning (ERP) solutions introduced an alternative approach to integration. Although ERP systems overcome significant integration problems, they have failed to adequately support intra and inter‐organisational integration. There has been a great demand by organisations to overcome integration problems and become more competitive. In this respect, enterprise application integration (EAI) has emerged to address intra and inter‐organisational integration in a more flexible and maintainable way. The normative literature remains limited regarding this emerging area and there is consequently a need for further research and contribution in identifying influential factors for EAI adoption. In addressing this relative void in the literature, this paper proposes a model for the justification and evaluation of EAI adoptions. The proposed model can be used by organisations as a tool for decision making when considering the adoption of EAI.

Methods and systems for real time integration services

Abstract: Methods and systems for enterprise data integration are described. The methods and systems take elements of a data integration process typically operating in a batch-mode, transform the elements in real time, and expose the results as a service that can be accessed by a business enterprise in real time, and optionally also in batch mode. The service can be accessed through a graphical user interface, providing automatic data integration in real time without additional coding. The service can also operate with mobile devices.

Information Integration or Process Integration? How to Achieve Interoperability in Administration

Abstract: IT managers in administration must decide how to contribute to cross-organisational integration and what strategy and means to choose for achieving interoperability. Comparing the frameworks and guidelines provided by central European and U.S. governmental units, we find information integration and process integration as prominent concepts to guide interoperability efforts, but they seem to point to different directions. This paper aims at contrasting the different characteristics of both approaches and concludes with recommendations according to the intended organisational scope of integration. To be successful in these efforts it is important to understand that (a) interoperability requires a guiding vision of integration, (b) each type of integration points to a different set of interrelated ideas, assumptions and technical means, and (c) integration implies a strategic commitment to explicit forms of cross-organisational cooperation and their implementation.

Policy based networking in the integration effort of 4G networks and services

Abstract: We present system integration requirements and provide a new framework to support the integration of 4G networks and services. This framework uses a policy based networking concept in order to provide the unified control in the oncoming 4G networks and services. We also provide an analysis of the candidate signaling protocols in this framework. Two approaches are described: i) the unified QoS, mobility, and security signaling and ii) the heterogeneous QoS, mobility, and security signaling. In addition, we introduce user, terminal, network and service profiles and management in order to provide a user centric approach and consider different user, terminal, network, and service constraints in order to better adapt the user service as well as the network configuration to these constraints. Finally, we give a short estimation on the composition of exchanged signaling data with respect to the aspired level of integration.

Vertical system integration by using inter-chip vias and solid-liquid interdiffusion bonding

Abstract: A new approach for 3D system integration, called Inter Chip Via-Solid Liquid Interdiffusion (ICV-SLID) is introduced. This is a new chip-to-wafer stacking technology which combines the advantages of the Inter Chip Via (ICV) process and the solid-liquid-interdiffusion technique (SLID) of copper and tin. The fully modular ICV-SLID concept allows the formation of multiple device stacks. A test chip was designed and the total process sequence of the ICV-SLID technology for the realization of a three-layer chip-to-wafer stack was demonstrated. The proposed wafer-level 3D integration concept has the potential for low cost fabrication of multi-layer high-performance 3D-SoCs and is well suited as a replacement for embedded technologies based on monolithic integration.

System Integration and Operation of a Research Unmanned Aerial Vehicle

Abstract: Published in Journal of Aerospace Computing, Information, and Communication, Vol. 1, Issue 1, January 2004.

HIS/RIS/PACS integration: getting to the gold standard.

Abstract: The technology for acquiring, storing, retrieving, displaying, and distributing images has advanced dramatically in recent years. The push is toward enterprise-wide image management solutions, where digital images from radiology, cardiology, and other "ologies" are seamlessly linked with information from clinical information systems and other databases, and they are accessed seamlessly from a single point of end-user interaction. The "gold standard" of system integration would provide the platform for improved workflow, patient throughput and patient safety, as well as decreased cost. Unfortunately, the gold standard remains elusive in most healthcare environments, even those with new systems. One of the earliest issues that plagued the progress of hospital information system/radiology information systems/picture archiving and communication systems (HIS/RIS/PACS) integration was a matter of language between Health Level-7 (HL7) and DICOM. This barrier was solved by the broker--a software and hardware device that accepts HL7 messages from the RIS then translates, or maps, the data to produce DICOM messages for transmission to the PACS. Technologist workflow requires patient and exam information from the RIS to flow to the modality. The broker provides support for this by taking advantage of the DICOM Modality Worklist (DMWL). Two primary problems are inherent in most brokered configurations. Workflow is driven by paper, and RIS information flows in 1 direction only, which leads to duplicative databases. Overcoming the limitations of HIS/RIS/PACS connectivity requires industry accepted communication protocols/rules. To facilitate this, the Integrating the Health Care Enterprise (IHE) initiative was developed. The goal of IHE is to provide end-users improved access to critical patient and clinical information across all systems within the healthcare delivery network. While the IHE initiative began to facilitate more efficient, predictable, and functional integration between disparate systems, vendors still had technology hurdles to overcome. System integration continues to be significantly hampered, not by technology limitations, but instead by business and political issues. In response to these challenges, several vendors have begun to offer consolidated RIS/PACS solutions and/or HIS/RIS/PACS solutions. Consequently, the prospect of the gold standard appears to be on the horizon. Single vendor consolidated systems are not, however, feasible for deployment in many healthcare organizations, and they are not necessarily the panacea.

On the road to behavior-based integration

Abstract: Integration of autonomous object-oriented systems requires the integration of object structure and object behaviour. Research in federated information systems has so far mainly addressed integration of object structure. The integration of object behaviour carries with it the promise to finally move integration tools beyond the state of the art at which they have (roughyl) existed for the better part of a decade, and we are embarked on a project that examines this problem in terms of object life cycles. The topic is also increasing in actuality since it also applies to the integration of business processes, which is typically required when companies merge or enter into consumer-producer relationships, and results can be expected to naturally extend to the arena of web services. Ultimately, the goal will be to define consistency criteria for behaviour integration and apply them in integration tools that guide the definition of global behavioural views upon autonomous object-oriented systems.

The levels of information technology adoption, business network, and a strategic position model for evaluating supply chain integration

Abstract: Implementing Supply Chain Management (SCM) requires a higher level adoption of computer applications and infrastructures to leverage intra- and inter-firm transactions via systems integration. Various solutions are provided by information systems (IS) vendors and different levels of implementation for firms to adopt. Nevertheless, few strategic models of decision making have been developed for industrial practitioners. This research proposes a model of IT adoption level based on a survey conducted in the industrial parks of Northern Taiwan. With the empirical data collected from Taiwanese enterprises, the authors discuss the proposed model by its applicability, limitation, and future research. Factors such as business network positions and firm sizes are drawn in to enhance current studies on IT adoption/Supply Chain Integration.

An enterprise integration methodology

Abstract: As more and more organizations pursue the benefits of e-business, they are looking to a process called enterprise integration, or EI, as a key technical enabler in transforming their business processes. A typical form of EI is Webification; in this scenario, a company wants to offer its existing products and services over the Internet, so it builds Web front-end systems and integrates them to its backend legacy systems. (In this article, we use "legacy system" to mean any IT system already in operation.) A more complex El scenario involves enterprise application integration. By this process, the organization links up previously separate and isolated systems to give them greater leverage. For example, an organization might integrate a customer-relationship-management system, a call center system, and legacy customer account systems to give the organization a consolidated view of its customers. An emerging EI scenario is business-to-business (B2B) integration (also called extended enterprise models), which occurs when an organization integrates its own business processes with those of its business partners to improve efficiency within a collaborative value chain.

The lean manufacturing enterprise: An emerging sociotechnological system integration

Abstract: Lean production represents a change in production system paradigm that calls for integration of the human and technological practices. This article reviews previous models of lean production that concentrated mainly on some distinct features of its philosophy, organization, and techniques and presents a framework of lean production as a sociotechnological system. The proposed framework provides an integrated view based on the interactions of human and technological elements. The lean enterprise is viewed as a dynamic process that translates its goals (zero waste, flow, and pull) into combined techniques that should be implemented throughout the entire organization. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 14: 285–306, 2004.

Extending the information system lifecycle through enterprise application integration: a case study experience

Abstract: Enterprise application integration (EAI) technologies support a direct move away from disparate systems operating in parallel towards a more common shared architecture, where systems evolve and merge together. Such an emergence however, presents a paradigm shift in the way that information system (IS) lifecycles are viewed. The integration of IS in-line with the needs of the business is altering IS identity and extending their lifecycle. This makes evaluating the full impact of the system difficult, as it has no definitive start and/or end. The authors demonstrate, through a case study of IS applications within an e-government framework, that EAI can be used as a portfolio of technologies that improves infrastructure integration. However, in doing so, the authors create the need to re-think traditional IS-lifecycle norms.

System-on-programmable-chip approach enabling online fine-grained 1D-placement

Abstract: Summary form only given. The increasing logic density of current FPGAs (field programmable gate arrays) enables the integration of whole systems on one programmable chip. Some of these FPGAs provide the additional feature of partial dynamic reconfiguration, which permits to change parts of the device while other parts keep working. Combining the features of system level density and partial dynamic reconfiguration enables the integration of dynamic systems that can be adopted to changing demands during runtime. A lot of theoretical work in this challenging research area has been done on efficiently placing and scheduling modules on the FPGA area. However, there is a lack of applied approaches that can be realized by existing tools and FPGAs. We present a new, realizable approach for the dynamic system integration on Xilinx Virtex FPGAs. In contrast to the existing approaches that consider fixed slots for the module placement, our approach enables the fine-grained placement of modules with variable width along a horizontal communication infrastructure.

2.5D system integration: a design driven system implementation schema

Abstract: This paper investigates a 3D die-stacking based VLSI integration strategy, so-called 2.5D integration, which can potentially overcome many problems stumbling the development of monolithic System-on-Chip (SoC). In this paper, we review available fabrication technologies and testing solutions for the new integration strategy. We also propose a design driven system implementation schema for this new integration strategy. A layout synthesis framework is under development by us to analyze typical "what if" questions and resolve major physical attributes for a 2.5D system according to the design specification and constraints.

System for providing a software application for a mobile terminal in a motor vehicle

Abstract: The invention relates to a system for using at least one mobile terminal in a motor vehicle, such as especially a private car or a two-wheeled vehicle, comprising the at least one mobile terminal, a display device arranged in the vehicle, an operating device provided in the vehicle, and a communication interface between the motor vehicle and the mobile terminal. The aim of the invention is to provide an improved system for using mobile terminals in a motor vehicle. To this end, a first software integration device for identifying a mobile terminal located in the vehicle is provided in the motor vehicle and/or a second software integration device for identifying a motor vehicle in the vicinity is provided in the mobile terminal. According to the invention, a software application on the mobile terminal is determined. A software integration application is downloaded via a communication connection by means of a downloading device located inside and/or outside the vehicle, and the software application on the mobile terminal is provided by means of the downloaded software integration application for using in the motor vehicle with the display device and the operating device provided in the motor vehicle.

Towards a flexible, process-oriented IT architecture for an integrated healthcare network

Abstract: Healthcare information systems play an important role in improving healthcare quality. As providing healthcare increasingly changes from isolated treatment episodes towards a continuous medical process involving multiple healthcare professionals and institutions, there is an obvious need for an information system to support processes and span the whole healthcare network. A suitable architecture for such an information system must take into account that it has to work as an integral part of a complex socio-technical system with changing conditions and requirements. We have surveyed the core requirements of healthcare professionals and analysed the literature for known problems and information needs. We consolidated the results to define use cases for an integrated information system as communication patterns, from which general implications on the required properties of a helathcare network information system could be derived. Key issues are flexibility, adaptability, robustness, integration of existing systems and standards, semantic compatibility, security and process orientation. Based on these results an IT architecture is being designed that is capable of addressing the requirements mostly on the basis of well-established standards and concepts.

Integrating the IS with the enterprise: key EAI research challenges

Abstract: Enterprise application integration (EAI) technologies provide the means to integrate strategic business solutions within and across the component parts of organisational information system infrastructures. The continuing development of both digitally integrated business models, through various eCommerce and eBusiness initiatives, has meant that the importance of EAI within enterprise IS, has increased significantly. Noting that EAI incurs not only technological but stakeholder‐level commitments, this paper outlines the product of a sustained investigation into key challenges within enterprise IS and EAI, and provides a framework for future research and investigation into this emerging and evolving area.

Multi-Paradigm Process Management

Abstract: Automation and integration of business processes are at the heart of contemporary enterprise systems. In the pursuit of this goal, process automation technology is employed at varying levels of the enterprise information systems architecture. Larger organizations are faced with multiple instances of process management systems, each of which may provide a different paradigm for capturing, representing and executing processes. Still, each of these systems provides unique process support functionality that may not be covered by the other systems. Current systems integration methods focus mainly on the technical connectivity between these disparate systems. They do not address the integration of multiple process modeling methods that may exist in enterprise applications. This paper discusses the method integration necessary to bridge the gap between the high-level process models and the executable workflow definitions. We propose a structured methodology for the systematic design of enterprise processes that takes advantage of the capabilities of different modeling methods, while maintaining a consistent view of enterprise processes across multiple platforms. Using such an approach, business analysts and system engineers can follow a stepwise procedure that will minimize overlap and redundancy in enterprise processes, and maximize integration potential between applications. We call this approach Multi-Paradigm Process Management (MPM).