Cross-Platform Mobile Software Architecture Segmentation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cross-platform systems for mobile communication devices are inefficient due to the lack of a unified API, leading to resource-intensive abstraction layers that compromise power and functionality, and require tedious testing across multiple platforms, resulting in software fragmentation and limited integration with device operating systems.
Innovation Solution
A cross-platform system architecture comprising a platform-independent core component, a platform-specific component, and a lightweight abstraction layer that communicates using a common API, allowing for efficient integration and testing across multiple platforms without sacrificing functionality or power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a powerful all-inclusive abstraction layer is incorporated to provide cross-platform features, then cross-platform compatibility is improved, but device resources (memory and processing power) are consumed excessively
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the abstraction layer into multiple components: a platform-independent core component, a platform-specific component, and a lightweight abstraction layer component. This segmentation allows the system to load only necessary components for each platform, reducing memory footprint and processing overhead while maintaining cross-platform compatibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements platform-specific components that are tailored to each device's operating system and hardware characteristics. This allows the system to optimize resource usage locally for each platform rather than using a generic resource-intensive abstraction layer, enabling efficient integration with device-specific features while maintaining cross-platform functionality.
2Adaptability or versatility
If an all-inclusive abstraction layer is designed to account for all different features and functionalities, then feature completeness is improved, but the system becomes difficult to manage and maintain
Solution Approach 1:
The system separates functionality into modular components with well-defined interfaces. The platform-independent core contains shared functionality, while platform-specific components handle device-specific features. This modular architecture makes the system easier to manage and maintain, as developers can work on specific components independently without affecting the entire codebase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a common API that provides universal access to core functionality across all platforms. This unified interface allows the system to maintain feature completeness while simplifying management, as the same API can be used regardless of the underlying platform, reducing the complexity of maintaining multiple platform-specific interfaces.
3Reliability
If extensive testing is performed across multiple platforms to ensure compatibility, then system reliability is improved, but development time and resources are increased
Solution Approach 1:
The system's segmented architecture enables independent testing of platform-specific components and the platform-independent core. This modular testing approach reduces the overall testing time and resources required, as defects can be isolated to specific components rather than requiring comprehensive retesting of the entire system across all platforms.
Solution Approach 2:
The common API provides a unified testing interface that can be used across all platforms. This universality allows for standardized testing procedures and automated testing frameworks that work consistently across different platforms, improving reliability while reducing the time and resources needed for cross-platform testing.
4Adaptability or versatility
If platform-specific components are created for each device to ensure full integration, then integration capability is improved, but code duplication increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments code into platform-independent and platform-specific portions. The platform-independent core contains shared functionality that is reused across all platforms, while platform-specific components contain only the necessary device-specific code. This segmentation significantly reduces code duplication compared to creating entirely separate codebases for each platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The lightweight abstraction layer acts as an intermediary between the platform-independent core and platform-specific components. This mediator provides standardized interfaces that enable full integration with device operating systems while maintaining code reuse, as the core logic remains platform-independent and communicates through the abstraction layer rather than requiring direct platform-specific implementations.
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention is a system and method for creating, developing and testing cross-platform software for mobile communications devices. The invention enables mobile device software that must be highly-integrated with the operating system on which it runs to be implemented in a cross-platform manner. Security software for mobile devices is a prime beneficiary of the present invention, as a substantial proportion of its functionality is identical between different platforms yet integrated very specifically into each platform it supports. The cross-platform system includes a core platform-independent component, a platform-specific component, and an abstraction layer component, each of which may communicate with each other using a common defined API. The present invention enables the platform-independent component to be completely re-used between platforms and allows the platform-specific and abstraction components to contain minimal amounts of code on each platform.