Containerized Third-Party Plugin Integration via Generic Adapter

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Solution Overview

Problem

Custom tools and services developed by third parties for hardware device operations on a platform face integration challenges due to differences in technology stacks, programming languages, and resources, leading to seamless integration issues within the platform's framework.

Innovation Solution

A generic plugin is employed to facilitate the integration and execution of custom, third-party plugins as secured, sandboxed computer processes using containers, which are stateless, thereby preventing idling across computer processor and memory usage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If custom third-party tools and services are integrated directly into the platform framework, then functionality and versatility are improved, but integration complexity and difficulty increase due to differences in technology stacks and programming languages

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovefunctionalityVSAvoidintegration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments third-party tools and services into isolated container environments, separating them from the core platform framework. Each tool runs in its own container with standardized interfaces, eliminating the need for direct integration with the platform's internal technology stacks and programming languages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces containers as intermediary components between the platform framework and third-party tools. These containers provide standardized interfaces and abstraction layers that mediate communication, allowing tools with different technology stacks to interact with the platform through uniform protocols without exposing platform internals.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If third-party services run as persistent processes, then service availability is improved, but resource utilization deteriorates due to processor and memory idling

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice availabilityVSAvoidresource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically manages container lifecycles based on service requirements. Containers can be started, stopped, and restarted as needed rather than running continuously, allowing the system to maintain service availability when needed while eliminating resource idling when services are not actively required.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements periodic or event-driven container activation rather than continuous operation. Services are activated periodically or in response to specific events, maintaining availability when needed while conserving processor and memory resources during idle periods by terminating or suspending container processes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS10509638B1Method and system for deploying third party device services through an enclosed appliance interface using containers

Publication Date: 2019.12.17 EMC IP HLDG CO LLC

AI summary

A method and system for deploying third party device services through an enclosed appliance interface using containers. Specifically, the disclosed method and system entail employing a generic plugin to facilitate the integration and execution of custom, third-party plugins onto the framework of a platform. The custom, third-party plugins, via the generic plugin, perform hardware device operations as secured and sandboxed computer processes (i.e., containers), which are stateless, and thus, fail to cause idling across computer processor and memory usage.