CMS Inter-App Action Triggering via Mediator Proxy

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing content management systems (CMS) fail to enable seamless integration and inter-app action triggering between different applications, limiting the realization of modular platform benefits and hindering automated functionality across various presentation contexts.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method within a CMS that allows one app to trigger actions in another app without direct communication, using the CMS as a proxy, with validation and authorization mechanisms to ensure security and adherence to predefined parameters, enabling asynchronous calls to facilitate inter-app interactions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If apps are allowed to communicate directly with each other to enable inter-app action triggering, then the functionality and versatility of the modular platform is improved, but the system complexity and security management burden increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinter-app functionalityVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a CMS intermediary layer that mediates all communications between apps. Instead of apps communicating directly with each other, they communicate through the CMS which handles routing, validation, and coordination. This resolves the contradiction by enabling versatile inter-app functionality while managing system complexity through a centralized intermediary that abstracts the complexity from individual apps.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If validation and authorization mechanisms are implemented for security, then the system security is improved, but the processing time and operational complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem securityVSAvoidprocessing time
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary validation and authorization by requiring apps to register their action schemas and permissions in advance with the CMS. The CMS pre-validates the structure and security requirements before runtime operations. This resolves the contradiction by performing security checks beforehand, reducing runtime validation overhead and processing time while maintaining strong security guarantees.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If synchronous communication is used between apps to ensure response accuracy, then the reliability of action execution is improved, but the system responsiveness and user experience deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaction execution reliabilityVSAvoidsystem responsiveness
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic communication modes that can switch between synchronous and asynchronous based on the specific action and requirements. The CMS allows configuration of communication timing and methods, enabling the system to adapt its responsiveness and reliability characteristics dynamically. This resolves the contradiction by allowing the system to use asynchronous communication for non-critical actions (improving speed) and synchronous communication only when necessary (maintaining reliability where needed).

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11886620B2APP actions in a content management system
Publication Date: 2024.01.30 CONTENTFUL GMBH
  • US11886620B2 patent drawing
  • US11886620B2 patent drawing
  • US11886620B2 patent drawing

AI summary

A method implemented in a content management system (CMS) is provided, for providing integration between APPS configured for use with an editor application of the CMS, including: installing a first APP and a second APP in a content project of the CMS, wherein installing the first and second APPs enables functionalities of the first and second APPs to be accessed for the content project through the editor application, wherein the editor application provides an interface for editing the content project; receiving from the first APP a request to invoke an action by the second APP; responsive to receiving the request, then validating contents of the request; responsive to successful validation of the request, then sending an acknowledgement to the first APP, and generating a call to the second APP to invoke the action by the second APP.