Consumer API Generation from UI Model via Abstract Data Mapping
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for machine-to-machine communication struggle with efficiently generating consumer-oriented APIs from user interfaces, as they often require re-implementation with UI technology changes and are complex for developers, with data access being slow and not directly related to UI elements.
Innovation Solution
The generation of consumer-oriented APIs independent from client-side UI technology, using an abstract data model that describes data and actions, and an authoring UI to define service definitions, allowing for stable API creation across UI changes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If data is accessed through UIs for machine-to-machine communication, then data can be read/written from/to databases, but data access speed is slow due to UI interaction requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the data access functionality from the UI layer and creates a separate API layer that directly interfaces with the database. This allows machine-to-machine communication to bypass UI interaction requirements and access data efficiently through dedicated API endpoints, resolving the contradiction between data access speed and UI interaction complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an API layer as an intermediary between the database and machine-to-machine communication channels. This intermediary layer provides optimized data access paths that do not require UI processing, thereby improving data access speed while maintaining the existing UI structure for human interactions.
2Reliability
If consumer systems are updated when UI layout changes, then data can be displayed correctly, but consumer systems require frequent updates even when business semantics remain the same
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system into distinct layers: the UI layer for display purposes and the API layer for data access. By separating these concerns, changes in UI layout do not propagate to consumer systems, as they interact with the stable API layer instead. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining data display accuracy through UI updates while preventing unnecessary propagation to consumer systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates API specifications that serve as stable copies of the data structure definitions. These API specs remain unchanged even when UI layouts evolve, allowing consumer systems to rely on consistent data contracts while the UI layer adapts to new design requirements without forcing updates on consumers.
3Ease of manufacture
If machine-to-machine communication uses UI technology, then existing UI infrastructure can be leveraged, but complete re-implementation is needed when UI technology changes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an API layer as a stable intermediary between the volatile UI technology and the persistent business logic. This intermediary absorbs UI technology changes without affecting the underlying data models or business semantics, thereby maintaining API stability while allowing ease of development through standardized API patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the stable data access contract from the UI layer and places it in a separate API layer. This extraction allows the API to remain stable and independent of UI technology changes, while developers can still leverage existing UI infrastructure for building interfaces without being constrained by its technological dependencies.
4Speed
If specific models independent from UIs are used for machine access, then data access can be optimized, but models use different terminology making it hard to map to UI elements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates API data models that serve multiple functions: they optimize machine-to-machine data access while maintaining terminology that maps to both UI elements and underlying database structures. This universal modeling approach allows the same data model to serve efficient data access requirements while remaining familiar to developers working with the UI layer.
Data Source
AI summary
Various embodiments of systems and methods to generate consumer-oriented APIs from a UI model are described herein. In one aspect, a unique identifier is assigned to a node, and corresponding elements and actions of an ADM. The elements and actions associated with the node are mapped to one or more UI elements of an application UI using the assigned unique identifier. A service definition is derived from the UI elements and the UI actions by interacting with the application UI. Further, an API is generated based on the service definition. The generated API is independent from the application UI.