Application Repository Protocol for Versioning Across Entities
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional process collaboration systems rely on centralized data management, which is inefficient and limits participating parties' ability to maintain ownership and control of their data, hindering integrated process development and versioning of applications across entities.
Innovation Solution
A system and method for process collaboration where each organization maintains its own data, using a transport directive to facilitate collaboration by updating pointers within documents and an application repository for versioning applications, allowing for merging of source and modified applications to generate new versions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If centralized data management is used, then data access and control are simplified, but participating parties lose data ownership and ability to maintain integrated supporting systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data management authority by allowing each organization to maintain its own data in separate databases while still enabling collaboration. Each organization's data remains under their control (data ownership preserved) while the system provides mechanisms for other organizations to access and reference this data through standardized interfaces, thus resolving the contradiction between centralized control and distributed ownership.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary data exchange mechanism that allows organizations to share data without centralizing it. This intermediary system enables data access and collaboration while preserving each organization's data ownership and control, allowing integrated supporting systems to be developed without sacrificing autonomy.
2Ease of operation
If data is copied from centralized owner to collaborating parties, then data access is enabled, but version control becomes inefficient and manual updates are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements automated feedback mechanisms through data exchange interfaces that notify collaborating organizations when data changes occur. This eliminates manual update requirements by automatically propagating changes across the collaboration network, thus improving version control efficiency while maintaining data access for all parties.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces manual data copying and updating mechanisms with automated electronic data exchange systems. This substitution eliminates the need for manual intervention in version control while enabling efficient data access, directly addressing the productivity loss associated with manual update processes.
3Adaptability or versatility
If collaborating parties modify data locally, then customization and new application versions are enabled, but changes cannot be communicated back to the original data owner or combined with other entities' changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary data exchange mechanism that enables bidirectional communication of changes between organizations. This allows collaborating parties to modify data locally for customization while automatically communicating these changes back to original data owners and integrating them with changes from other entities through standardized interfaces.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements merging capabilities that combine changes from multiple organizations into integrated versions. This allows collaborative integration of modifications while preserving each organization's ability to customize and modify data locally, preventing loss of information through change communication.
4Adaptability or versatility
If each organization maintains its own data, then data ownership and control are preserved, but collaboration and integration between entities become complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements universal data exchange interfaces that enable collaboration between organizations maintaining their own data. These multi-functional interfaces handle data access, modification, version control, and integration in a standardized manner, reducing collaboration system complexity while preserving data ownership and control for each organization.
Data Source
AI summary
An application versioning system and associated processes are disclosed for collaborative development of applications between a plurality of disparate network entities, as well as between a plurality of development groups within a single entity. In particular embodiments, the applications are developed within sandboxed computing environments associated with the network entities. Disparate entities, or certain groups within network entities, may be given permissioned access for downloading applications from, or uploading applications to, another entity's or group's sandboxed computing environment. Furthermore, copies of the applications may be modified, and the modifications made to the applications may be compared to prior versions of the application for merging applications into a new application version. In one embodiment, the new application version may replace prior application versions in the system.