API Version Transformers for Single-Handler Compatibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing API development and deployment methods require separate backend handlers for each API version, leading to resource constraints and limitations on the number of supported versions and maintenance time, restricting the userbase and necessitating excessive management resources.

Innovation Solution

Implementing step-up request and step-down response transformers to convert API requests and responses between different versions, allowing a single handler to support multiple API versions with limited resources.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If separate backend handlers are developed for each API version, then compatibility with multiple API versions is achieved, but resource consumption and device complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompatibility with multiple API versionsVSAvoidnumber of backend handlers

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single backend handler is designed to handle multiple API versions by accepting version identifiers in the request and dynamically loading or selecting the appropriate version-specific logic, eliminating the need for separate handlers for each API version while maintaining compatibility across versions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

An API version mediator component is introduced that sits between the client and the backend handler, translating requests from different API versions into a unified internal format that the single backend handler can process, thereby reducing complexity while preserving version compatibility

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If separate backend handlers are developed for each API version, then version-specific functionality is maintained, but the number of programmers and management resources required increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveversion-specific functionalityVSAvoidnumber of programmers

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple version-specific handler functions are merged into a single backend handler class that uses polymorphism or conditional logic to execute version-appropriate code paths, reducing the total number of programmers needed while preserving version-specific functionality through shared code structures

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The backend handler is segmented into modular version-specific components that can be independently developed and maintained, allowing a smaller team to manage multiple API versions by working on discrete modules rather than maintaining entirely separate handler systems

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Duration of action of stationary object

If multiple API versions are supported with independent handlers, then legacy version compatibility is maintained, but maintenance time and resource constraints limit the number of supported versions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaintenance timeVSAvoidnumber of supported API versions

Core Design Contradiction:

Duration of action of stationary objectVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The backend handler implements dynamic version resolution where the appropriate version-specific logic is selected at runtime based on the API version identified in the request, allowing the system to support multiple API versions with a single handler structure and reducing long-term maintenance burden

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

API version identifiers and routing logic are established in advance in the request configuration, allowing the single backend handler to efficiently direct requests to the appropriate version-specific processing path without requiring separate handlers to be maintained for each version

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS12561185B2Flexible application programing interface using versioning request and response transformers

Publication Date: 2026.02.24 OPTUM INC

AI summary

A computer system and techniques used to support a variety of consumer systems using a variety of versions of an API using step-up request transforms and step-down response transforms. The computer system may be configured to receive a first application programming interface (API) request compatible with a first version of an API and transform, by first step-up request transformer, second step-up request transformer, a single handler, a first step-down response transformer, and a second step-down response transformer, into an API response sent to the requesting consumer system.