Automated Extensibility Framework for Application Migration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing software application extensibility techniques require manual creation and migration of extensions, which is time-consuming and impractical, especially when migrating to new platforms or extending multiple applications.

Innovation Solution

An automated extensibility framework that analyzes extensions from a source application, parses them into a target format, identifies corresponding target applications, compiles extension simulations, and provides a user interface for selecting and publishing the extensions, thereby reducing manual effort and enabling seamless migration.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If manual creation and migration of extensions is used, then extensions can be created with full customization, but the time and effort required becomes impractical especially when migrating to new platforms or extending multiple applications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of extension creationVSAvoidtime required for extension migration

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically copies extension definitions from source applications to target applications by parsing extension artefacts and recreating them in the target environment. This eliminates manual recreation while preserving extension functionality across platform migrations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary analysis of source applications to identify and extract extension artefacts before migration. By pre-processing and categorizing extensions in the source system, the automation framework prepares all necessary information for seamless transfer to target applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Measurement precision

If manual analysis of applications is performed to identify extension areas, then extensions can be precisely tailored to application needs, but the procedure becomes time-consuming due to manual efforts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprecision of extension identificationVSAvoidspeed of extension identification

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system replaces manual mechanical analysis with automated computational analysis. The automation framework uses software agents to scan, parse, and analyze application structures, replacing human analysts while maintaining precision in identifying extension requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system enables applications to self-analyze and self-identify extension areas through automated scanning and parsing of application artefacts. The framework allows systems to autonomously determine where extensions are needed without external manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If extensions are created one by one manually, then each extension can be carefully configured, but the process becomes impractical when multiple applications need extension

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveconfiguration accuracy of extensionsVSAvoidcomplexity of extension creation process

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system merges multiple individual extension creation processes into a single automated batch operation. By consolidating extension artefact extraction, parsing, and deployment across multiple applications simultaneously, the framework maintains configuration accuracy while reducing overall process complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The automation framework provides universal functionality that handles diverse extension types across different applications through a single unified process. The system parses various extension artefact formats and applies appropriate configurations automatically, eliminating the need for separate manual processes for each extension.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS12204917B2Automated extensibility framework

Publication Date: 2025.01.21 SAP SE

AI summary

An automated extensibility framework is provided to automatically convert or migrate application extensions from a source system to be used on target applications in a target format. Extension artefacts of an extension of a source application on a source system are obtained. Each of the extension artefacts are parsed into a target format of a target platform based on a type of the corresponding extension artefact. Target applications of the target platform are identified based on an identifier of the source application. Extension simulations are compiled for each of the one or more target applications. Then, a user interface is provided which enables a user to select simulations from among extension simulations. Then the selected simulations are published to the target platform such that the corresponding extensions are implemented in corresponding target applications.