Cross-Platform Sensor API for Real-Time Data Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Software applications running in application execution environments face challenges in accessing and managing real-time data from various sensor devices across different computing platforms and operating systems, as existing solutions require developers to implement platform-specific data retrieval functionality, leading to inefficiencies and resource wastage.
Innovation Solution
A cross-platform application program interface (API) is provided within the application execution environment that allows software applications to request access to real-time sensor devices, identifies available devices, determines data intervals based on application requirements, and delivers data at optimized rates, thereby abstracting away platform-specific details and reducing data redundancy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If developers implement platform-specific data retrieval functionality for each operating system, then applications can access sensor data on each platform, but the device complexity and development effort increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an application execution environment as an intermediary layer between the application and the operating system/sensor devices. This environment provides a unified cross-platform API that abstracts away platform-specific details, allowing applications to access sensor data without implementing separate platform-specific code paths. The execution environment handles the complexity of interfacing with different operating systems internally while presenting a consistent interface to the application.
Solution Approach 2:
The application execution environment implements a universal interface that works across multiple operating systems and platforms. Rather than requiring separate implementations for each platform, the execution environment provides a single unified mechanism for accessing sensor data that functions consistently across Windows, macOS, Linux, and other platforms, thereby reducing development complexity while maintaining broad adaptability.
2Reliability
If real-time sensor data is continuously provided to applications, then applications receive up-to-date information, but resource consumption and data redundancy increase
Solution Approach 1:
The application execution environment implements periodic data delivery based on application-specified intervals. Instead of continuously streaming sensor data, the system polls or retrieves sensor data at predetermined time intervals that are configured by the application. This periodic approach ensures applications receive regularly updated information while avoiding the resource waste of continuous data transmission, allowing applications to balance data freshness with resource consumption based on their specific needs.
3Productivity
If applications directly access sensor devices on all platforms, then maximum data access capability is achieved, but the loss of information and data management complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The execution environment serves as an intermediary that manages data access to sensor devices centrally. It provides a unified API that applications use to access sensor data across different platforms, eliminating the need for applications to implement platform-specific access code. This intermediary layer maintains data access capability while reducing management overhead by handling platform-specific details internally and presenting a simplified interface to applications.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods, systems, and apparatus, including medium-encoded computer program products, for abstracting data acquisition and management. One or more aspects of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in one or more methods including: providing a cross-platform application program interface for a software application that runs in an application execution environment running on a computing platform; receiving a request, through the cross-platform application program interface, from the software application for access to a real-time sensor device; and in response to the request, identifying which of multiple predetermined sensor devices is currently available, the identified sensor device being configured to provide real-time data, determining an interval based on information associated with the software application, and providing data derived from the identified sensor device to the software application in accordance with the interval.