Dynamic Software Integration via Event Broker Negotiation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for integrating non-compatible software systems are costly and time-consuming, often requiring significant re-engineering and the development of custom connectors, which is impractical for systems built on different design paradigms or structures.
Innovation Solution
A software integration architecture that uses dynamic integration connectors with an integration rule set and a negotiation engine to spontaneously integrate distributed components with minimal changes to existing systems, allowing for dynamic negotiation of data and control connectivity between components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If custom connectors are developed to integrate non-compatible systems, then integration capability is improved, but development time and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an event broker as an intermediary component that sits between event producers and event consumers. This broker receives events from multiple sources, standardizes them according to event schemas, and distributes them to appropriate consumers. This intermediary architecture eliminates the need for direct custom connector development between each system pair, significantly reducing integration time while maintaining full adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The event broker serves multiple functions: event reception, validation, routing, and distribution. A single universal component handles integration tasks that previously required multiple specialized custom connectors. This multi-functional approach reduces overall development time while maintaining the ability to integrate diverse non-compatible systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If software re-engineering is performed to achieve complete integration, then integration completeness is improved, but cost and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the integration logic from the existing legacy systems and places it in the external event broker. This allows the legacy systems to remain unchanged while achieving complete integration through the broker. By taking out the integration complexity from the core systems, the patent avoids expensive re-engineering while maintaining integration completeness.
Solution Approach 2:
Event schemas are defined in advance that specify the structure and validation rules for events. This preliminary definition of integration contracts allows systems to be integrated without ad-hoc re-engineering. The pre-established schemas enable complete integration while minimizing the need for costly and time-consuming software modifications.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple custom connectors are developed for each component, then integration coverage is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple individual custom connectors into a single event broker component. Instead of having separate connectors for each system pair, all integration logic is consolidated in the broker. This merging maintains comprehensive integration coverage while dramatically reducing the overall system complexity and the number of individual connector components required.
4Adaptability or versatility
If existing systems are modified to provide integration, then integration functionality is improved, but system stability decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The event broker acts as an intermediary that handles all integration functionality externally. Legacy systems continue to operate as before, publishing events according to their existing logic without modification. The broker handles the integration complexity, validating and routing events while leaving the core legacy systems unchanged, thus maintaining their stability and reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
Event schemas are predefined with validation rules that ensure data integrity. This preliminary setup of integration contracts allows the systems to maintain their existing stability while gaining integration functionality. The schemas act as a safeguard that prevents unstable modifications to legacy systems while enabling complete integration.
Data Source
AI summary
A software integration architecture is disclosed. The architecture includes software modules operative to spontaneously integrate distributed components/systems into new integrated systems via dynamic integration connectors, with minimal or no changes to the existing software components/systems/databases. The architecture employs integration rule sets that define access and communication rules associated with a respective software component, and a negotiation engine that negotiates with the integration connectors to define data and/or control connectivity based on the integration rule sets.