Component Service Model for Virtual Environment Hardware Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Applications executing within virtual environments, such as web browsers, face limitations in interacting with device components like cameras and GPS receivers due to restricted access and inconsistent interfaces, leading to inefficient and complex interactions.

Innovation Solution

A component service that accepts requests from virtual environment applications, communicates with device components asynchronously through callbacks, and returns results, providing a standardized and consistent interface while interacting with components as native applications do.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If hardware components provide extensive access to native applications, then functionality and performance are improved, but security and stability deteriorate when accessed by virtual environment applications

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecomponent accessibilityVSAvoidsystem stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a component service as an intermediary layer between virtual environment applications and hardware components. This service receives requests from applications, translates them into appropriate component calls, and returns results asynchronously. The intermediary enables virtual applications to access hardware components without direct exposure, maintaining security while providing functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If virtual environments block execution until component invocations are complete, then security is improved, but productivity and user experience deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesecurity controlVSAvoidapplication execution efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The component service performs preliminary actions by setting up callback mechanisms and registration systems in advance. Applications register their interest in component results beforehand, and the service maintains pending request queues. When components complete their work, results are automatically delivered to waiting applications without blocking the main execution flow, enabling asynchronous operation while maintaining security oversight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Adaptability or versatility

If virtual environments provide generalized abstractions of hardware components, then compatibility is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to inconsistent interfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecross-device compatibilityVSAvoidinterface consistency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The component service implements a universal interface layer that handles multiple hardware components through standardized methods. Rather than requiring applications to understand device-specific interfaces, the service provides consistent abstraction methods that work across different components and devices. This universal interface maintains compatibility while simplifying application development.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Adaptability or versatility

If multiple asynchronous mechanisms are provided for component access, then functionality is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveasynchronous operation supportVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple asynchronous operation patterns into a single unified component service model. Instead of providing separate mechanisms for different types of asynchronous access, the service consolidates request handling, result delivery, and error management into one standardized interface. This reduces complexity while maintaining full asynchronous functionality through a single coherent system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3748500B1Inversion-of-control component service models for virtual environments
Publication Date: 2022.04.13 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC
  • EP3748500B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3748500B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3748500B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

In the field of computing, many scenarios involve the execution of an application within a virtual environment of a device (e.g., web applications executing within a web browser). Interactions between applications and device components are often enabled through hardware abstractions or component application programming interfaces (API), but such interactions may provide more limited and/or inconsistent access to component capabilities for virtually executing applications than for native applications. Instead, the device may provide hardware interaction as a service to the virtual environment utilizing a callback model, wherein applications within the virtual environment initiate component request specifying a callback, and the device initiates the component requests with the components and invokes associated callbacks upon completion of a component request. This model may enable the applications to interact with the full capability set of the components, and may reduce blocked execution of the application within the virtual application in furtherance of application performance.