Automated API Action Definition for Workflow Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Large enterprises face challenges in integrating and streamlining operations due to the proliferation of siloed custom software applications, which hinders their ability to innovate and meet regulatory requirements, and there is a need for a remotely-hosted application platform that simplifies application development and integration.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of Application Platform as a Service (aPaaS) system that provides a remotely-hosted environment for developing and executing model-view-controller applications, supporting standardized components, rich integration features, and enterprise-grade security, allowing for efficient creation and management of custom applications across the enterprise.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If enterprises use multiple custom software applications for different operations, then functional versatility is improved, but system complexity and integration difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple custom software applications into a single unified application platform that provides standardized components and services. This consolidation reduces system complexity while maintaining functional versatility through the platform's ability to deliver diverse business functions (HR, finance, supply chain, etc.) via standardized APIs and modular components, eliminating the need for separate siloed applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The application platform implements universality by designing a multi-functional system that can serve multiple enterprise operations through standardized components. The platform provides a common set of services (user management, authentication, data processing) that can be reused across different business functions, allowing one platform to replace multiple specialized applications while maintaining adaptability through configuration rather than code changes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If enterprises develop custom applications in-house, then customization capability is improved, but development time and resource consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-building standardized components, services, and integration patterns within the application platform before enterprise deployment. Common functions such as user authentication, data processing, and API connectivity are prepared in advance as reusable modules, allowing enterprises to rapidly deploy customized applications by configuring existing components rather than developing them from scratch, significantly reducing development time while maintaining customization capability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If enterprises integrate multiple external APIs, then functional capability is improved, but integration complexity and error potential increase
Solution Approach 1:
The application platform serves as an intermediary layer between enterprise operations and external APIs. It provides standardized connection interfaces and pre-configured integrations with common third-party services (payment processors, CRM systems, logistics platforms), acting as a mediator that simplifies API integration. The platform handles protocol translation, authentication, and error management, reducing integration complexity while maintaining access to diverse external functional capabilities.
4Manufacturing precision
If manual action definition is used for API integration, then precision in API coordination is improved, but definition time and programmer effort increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service through automated action generation capabilities within the application platform. The system can automatically generate API integration actions by parsing API documentation or specifications, inferring input-output mappings, and creating configured integration templates without requiring manual programmer intervention for each API connection. This automation maintains precision through systematic analysis while dramatically reducing the time and effort required compared to manual action definition.
Data Source
AI summary
A computing system includes persistent storage configured to store definitions of actions for integration into workflows, and a software application configured to define an action that invokes a function of an application programming interface (API). The software application obtains a specification and identifies therein definitions of a uniform resource locator (URL) that addresses the API, the function, an input of the function, and an output of the function. The software application generates an input variable of the action that corresponds to the input of the function and an output variable of the action that corresponds to the output of the function. The software application determines a first mapping between the input variable and a URL parameter of the API and a second mapping between the output variable and a response from the API. The first and second mappings are stored in in the persistent storage to define the action.