Cloud-Based Actionable Processes for Application API Integration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Implementing application-specific functions in cloud-based applications requires significant coding effort due to diverse APIs, credentials, and procedures, which is inefficient and costly when dealing with multiple applications.
Innovation Solution
A cloud-based actionable process is defined using a manifest to support application-specific functions, exposed through APIs and GUIs, allowing for standardized and secure implementation without extensive programming.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If application-specific functions are implemented with custom coding for each application, then functional capability and adaptability are improved, but development time and complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal template system that can be configured to serve multiple applications. Instead of creating custom code for each application-specific function, a single template mechanism handles diverse functions across different applications by accepting configuration parameters. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining adaptability through configuration rather than customization, significantly reducing development time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses parameter-based configuration to adapt the template behavior for different applications. By changing parameters in the template definition (such as API endpoints, credentials, and procedure names), the same template structure can serve multiple applications with different requirements. This approach maintains functional adaptability while eliminating the need for separate coding for each application.
2Adaptability or versatility
If diverse APIs and credentials are handled with custom implementation, then application-specific functionality is achieved, but system complexity and maintenance burden increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a template as an intermediary layer between the cloud environment and application-specific functions. The template encapsulates the complexity of handling diverse APIs, credentials, and procedures, providing a standardized interface for invoking application-specific functions. This intermediary absorbs the system complexity, allowing applications to interact through a uniform mechanism without directly managing the underlying diversity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the complex task of implementing application-specific functions into distinct configurable components within the template. By dividing the function definition into separate parameters (API endpoint, credentials, procedure name, etc.), the system manages complexity through modular configuration rather than monolithic custom code. Each segment can be independently configured and maintained.
3Ease of manufacture
If standardized processes are used for all applications, then implementation simplicity is improved, but application-specific functionality and precision are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by allowing each template to be configured with application-specific parameters while maintaining a standardized structure. The template framework provides uniform simplicity in invocation, while the configurable parameters enable precise adaptation to each application's specific requirements. This resolves the contradiction by achieving simplicity at the interface level while preserving precision through configuration.
Data Source
AI summary
Generation of cloud-based actionable processes is described. An example includes receiving a request for an application to be executed in a cloud environment, the application including an application specific function to be executed from an orchestrator in the cloud environment, the application specific function being in addition to a default function that is available from the orchestrator; defining the application specific function as a cloud-based actionable process based at least in part on a package declarative manifest; and exposing the defined application specific function in one or more of a graphical user interface (GUI) or an application program interface (API).