Spring Quarter 1997:Project Sponsor: Gregory Abowd |
Project Team:Jeffrey Corn (Manager) Travis Works (Architect) John Garrard (Programmer) Kesniel Acton (Technical Writer) Dinesh Krishna (Quality Assurance) |
High-level
Architecture
Architecture
Rationale:
Design
Specification
User
Interface
The Client Terminal sub-systems display information to the User and accept input from the User. The Client Terminal Main Program allows the user to log in to the CyberFridge Server, and handles all requests passing to and from the Client Terminal. This sub-system also opens the other Client Terminal sub-systems whenever requested by the User. The Food Inventory Frame is used to accept requests for information regarding the food items currently in inventory, including additions to and subtractions from the inventory. The Recipe Lister Frame is used to accept requests for recipes matching criteria selected by the User. The Recipe Editor is used to update the list of recipes, including adding recipes to the list, removing recipes, or changing an existing recipe.
When the User requests a query or database action from the Client Terminal via one of the sub-systems, this input is sent to the Client Terminal Main Program, which translates it into a request which is sent through the Internet connection to the CyberFridge Server. Here, the request is accepted by the Request Servicer, which then routes the request to the appropriate secondary sub-system.
If the User has requested information concerning the food inventory (such as how much of a particular item is on hand, or what meats are available), the Request Servicer routes the request to the Inventory Lister. The Inventory Lister then translates this request into a database query, which it sends to the Food Inventory Database. The Food Inventory Database performs this query and returns a set of records to the Inventory Lister. The Inventory Lister then separates out the parts of this result which are appropriate to the request, and formats this information into data readable by the Terminal Browser. This data is then returned to the Request Servicer. A similar procedure is followed if the User requests data regarding recipes, in which case the Recipe Lister and Recipe Database take the place of the Inventory Lister and Food Inventory Database, respectively.
If the User has updated information concerning food items (such as adding or removing an item), the Request Servicer routes the request to the Inventory Editor. The Inventory Editor then translates this request into a database update, which it sends to the Food Inventory Database. The Food Inventory Database updates its records according to this request, and returns an acknowledgment to the Inventory Editor. If the update was not successful, the Food Inventory Database will instead return an error message. The Inventory Editor then translates this acknowledgment or error message into a message for the User, and formats this message into data readable by the Terminal Browser. This data is then returned to the Request Servicer. A similar procedure is followed if the User sends updates regarding recipes, in which case the Recipe Editor and Recipe Database take the place of the Inventory Editor and Food Inventory Database, respectively.
If the User has requested information concerning both recipes and the food inventory (such as which recipes can be prepared using only items currently on hand), the Request Servicer routes the request to the Recipe Lister. The Recipe Lister then separates the portion of the query regarding recipes and translates this request into a database query, which it sends to the Recipe Database. The Recipe Database performs this query and returns a set of records to the Recipe Lister. The Recipe Lister then takes the remaining portion of the request, and sends this plus the recipe records to the Complex Query Processor. The Complex Query Processor separates out the portion of the query regarding food items and translates this request into a database query, which it sends to the Food Inventory Database. The Food Inventory Database performs this query and returns a set of records to the Complex Query Processor. The Complex Query Processor then combines the two sets of records according to the request and sends this result to the Recipe Lister. The Recipe Lister separates out the parts of this result which are appropriate to the request, and formats this information into data readable by the Terminal Browser. This data is then returned to the Request Servicer.
Once the result of the User's request has been returned to the Request Servicer, the Request Servicer returns the data through the Internet to the Client Terminal Main Program. Then data is then sent to the appropriate Client Terminal sub-system. If the original request was for information regarding food, the reply data is routed to the Food Inventory Frame, where the information is displayed for the User. If the original request was for information regarding recipes, the reply data is routed to the Recipe Lister Frame, where the response is displayed for the User. If the original request was a recipe update, the reply data is routed to the Recipe Editor, where confirmation of the update is given to the User. The Client Terminal sub-systems then await the next set of inputs from the User.
C. The Inventory Editor shall track additions to the current inventory, and request that these items be added to the Food Inventory Database. The Inventory Editor may accept requests from the User or from the Bar-code Scanner.
D. The Inventory Editor shall track removals from the current inventory, and request that these items be deleted from the Food Inventory Database. The Inventory Editor may accept requests from the User or from the Bar-code Scanner.
B. The Recipe Editor shall accept requests from the User to create new categories or to modify existing categories, and shall send these requests to the Recipe Database. The Recipe Editor shall also include the ability to modify the categories to which each recipe belongs.
C. The Recipe Editor shall track additions to the current list of recipes, and request that these items be added to the Recipe Database.
D. The Recipe Editor shall track removals from the current recipe list, and request that these items be deleted from the Recipe Database. The Recipe Editor shall also accept requests to modify an existing recipe, and shall request the Recipe Database to replace the existing recipe information with the new recipe information.
B. The Complex Query Processor will be able to take a list of recipes passed to it by the Recipe Lister, and search the Food Inventory Database for the ingredients necessary for each recipe. This will allow the user to obtain lists of ingredients which are necessary to prepare the given recipes, but which are not currently in inventory.
C. The Recipe Database will store information regarding the frequency with which each recipe is selected, allowing the Recipe Lister to use this information to return lists of recipes selected by their frequency of use.
D. The Recipe Lister will be able to return a list of suggested recipes according to the request received from the Request Servicer. In addition, the Recipe Lister will be able to order each list of recipes according to the request received.
B) Speed: Since only small requests and final text results are transmitted across the Internet connection, the system should remain relatively fast even if the connection between the CyberFridge Server and the Client Terminal is slow. The majority of data transmissions take place within major sub-systems, where transmission speeds are much higher than typical Internet connection speeds.
Recipe
Database
Food
Inventory Database
Request
Servicer
Recipe
Editor
Inventory
Editor
Recipe
Lister
Inventory
Lister
Complex
Query Processor
Terminal
Browser
Bar-code
ScannerMain
Program
Food
Inventory Frame
Recipe
Lister Frame
Recipe
EditorPurpose: to maintain a database
containing a record for each recipe stored in the system.
Input: recipe record actions
(add, delete, update) from the Recipe Editor; requests from the Recipe
Lister.
Output: recipe records to
Recipe Lister; acknowledgments (positive or negative) to Recipe Editor
(optional).
Purpose: to maintain a database
containing a record for each food item in inventory.
Input: record actions (add,
delete, update) from the Inventory Editor; requests from the Inventory
Lister; requests from the Complex Query Processor.
Output: recipe records to
Recipe Lister; acknowledgments (positive or negative) to Recipe Editor
(optional).
Purpose: to forward requests
from Client Terminals to the appropriate CyberFridge Server sub-system;
to forward data from CyberFridge Server sub-systems to Client Terminals.
Input: requests from Client
Terminals; data from CyberFridge Server sub-systems.
Output: requests to CyberFridge
Server sub-systems; data to Client Terminals.
Functions: accept requests
from Client Terminals; determine appropriate sub-system for each request;
send request to appropriate sub-system; read data returned from sub-systems;
send data to Client Terminals.
Purpose: to update the Recipe
Database
Input: requests to add, delete,
or update a record, including a copy of the record to be changed, received
from the Request Servicer; acknowledgments (positive or negative) from
the Recipe Database.
Output: record actions to
Recipe Database; data to Request Servicer (optional).
Functions: read request from
Request Servicer; send appropriate record action to Recipe Database; read
acknowledgment from Recipe Database; format acknowledgment into data format
for Request Servicer; send data to Request Servicer.
Purpose: to update the Food
Inventory Database
Input: requests to add, delete,
or update a record, including a copy of the record to be changed, received
from the Request Servicer; acknowledgments (positive or negative) from
the Food Inventory Database.
Output: record actions to
Food Inventory Database; data to Request Servicer (optional).
Functions: read request from
Request Servicer; send appropriate record action to Food Inventory Database;
read acknowledgment from Food Inventory Database; format acknowledgment
into data format for Request Servicer; send data to Request Servicer.
Purpose: to select records
from the Recipe Database, according to requests from the user.
Input: requests from the
Request Servicer; data from the Recipe Database; data from the Complex
Query Processor.
Output: requests to the Recipe
Database; data to the Complex Query Processor; data to the Request Servicer.
Functions: accept request
from Request Servicer; send request to Recipe Database; read data from
Recipe Database; (for complex queries: send data to Complex Query Processor,
with request; read data from Complex Query Processor); select records from
data, according to request; send data to Request Servicer.
Purpose: to select records
from the Food Inventory Database, according to requests from the user.
Input: requests from the
Request Servicer; data from the Food Inventory Database.
Output: requests to the Food
Inventory Database; data to the Request Servicer.
Functions: accept request
from Request Servicer; send request to Food Inventory Database; read data
from Food Inventory Database; select records from data, according to request;
send data to Request Servicer.
Purpose: to combine information
from the Recipe Database and Food Inventory Database, to provide the user
with the ability to perform queries requiring information from both databases.
Input: data from Recipe Lister,
including requests; data from Food Inventory Database.
Output: requests to Food
Inventory Database; data to Recipe Lister.
Functions: read data from
Recipe Lister; send request to Food Inventory Database; read data from
Food Inventory Database; combine information from Food Inventory Database
with records from Recipe Lister, according to request from Recipe Lister;
send data to Recipe Lister.
Purpose: to provide an interface
between the User and the CyberFridge Server.
Input: requests from User;
data from CyberFridge Server.
Output: requests to CyberFridge
Server; data to User.
Functions: provide options
to User; accept input from User; send request to CyberFridge Server; read
data from CyberFridge Server; display data for User, open Food Inventory
Frame, open Recipe Lister Frame.
Meta-Functions: log-in to CyberFridge Server; log-out from CyberFridge
Server.
Purpose: to accept user input
regarding food actions, and to display to the User the results of food-related
queries.
Input: requests from
the User, data from the Client Terminal Main Program.
Output: data to the User,
requests to the Client Terminal Main Program.
Functions: provide options
to the User, accept input from User, send request to Client Terminal Main
Program, read data from Client Terminal Main Program, display data to User.
Purpose: to accept user input
regarding recipe searches, and to display to the User the results of recipe
searches.
Input: requests from
the User, data from the Client Terminal Main Program.
Output: data to the User,
requests to the Client Terminal Main Program, requests to the Recipe Editor.
Functions: provide options
to the User, accept input from User, send request to Client Terminal Main
Program, read data from Client Terminal Main Program, display data to User,
open Recipe Editor, send request to Recipe Editor.
Purpose: to accept user input
regarding recipe updates, and to display to the User details of individual
recipes.
Input: requests from
the User, data from the Client Terminal Main Program, requests from the
Recipe Lister Frame.
Output: data to the User,
requests to the Client Terminal Main Program.
Functions: accept request
from Recipe Lister Frame, provide options to the User, accept input from
User, send request to Client Terminal Main Program, read data from Client
Terminal Main Program, display data to User.
Version 1.0 Travis Works, Kesniel Acton.