Abstract: Middleware services link multiple data sources to multiple software applications. In one implementation, the middleware receives data requests from different applications, each request including a set of data descriptions that specify which type of data is sought from multiple real-time data sources. The middleware adapts the requests from different types of applications, and the different data available from different real-time data sources, for compatibility with a single common user interface. A user can select which real-time data to map to the common user interface, while each application may request data through a different set of data descriptions. Adapters convert data formats and communication protocols of real-time data from multiple data sources for compatibility with a given requesting application.

Abstract: A Middleware Apparatus and associated method and program storage device is functionally an/or operationally interposed between ‘one or more data sources’ and a corresponding ‘one or more applications’. When an application requests data from the data sources, the application transmits a set of ‘data descriptions’ which pertain to the set of requested data to the middleware apparatus, the middleware passing the data description to the data sources. The data sources respond by transmitting ‘all available data’ to the middleware apparatus. The adapters of the middleware will respond by generating ‘all available data pertaining to the data description’. The user will ‘map’ the set of ‘all available data pertaining to the data description’ with the set of ‘data descriptions’ thereby identifying ‘mapped available data’. The data sources will then generate the ‘mapped available data’.