Dynamic System Context Diagrams for Software Architecture Compliance

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing static system context diagrams become outdated quickly due to evolving systems and changing dependencies, failing to accurately reflect real-time interactions and compliance with standards, which hinders the identification of resiliency risks.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that generates and updates application architecture and system context diagrams in real-time using machine-readable code, incorporating a rules engine and system of record to evaluate compliance and identify dependencies, thereby producing dynamic and auditable diagrams that highlight potential resiliency risks.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If static system context diagrams are used to represent application architecture, then the initial system can be described and understood, but the diagrams become outdated quickly as the system evolves and dependencies change

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of system representationVSAvoidtime to update diagrams

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transforms static system context diagrams into dynamic, automatically updating visualizations by integrating them with a machine-readable code representation of the application architecture. The system continuously monitors code changes and automatically regenerates the visual diagrams, ensuring they always reflect the current state of the system without manual intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a machine-readable code copy of the application architecture that serves as the single source of truth. This code representation is continuously evaluated and used to generate visual diagrams, ensuring the visual output always accurately reflects the actual system state without requiring manual synchronization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Reliability

If manual updates to system context diagrams are performed, then the diagrams can reflect system changes, but the process is time-consuming and error-prone

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance with standardsVSAvoidspeed of diagram generation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements an automated evaluation system that self-monitors the application architecture by continuously analyzing machine-readable code. The system automatically detects changes, evaluates compliance with standards, and updates visual diagrams without human intervention, eliminating manual errors and accelerating the update process.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The patent establishes a continuous feedback loop where the system constantly evaluates the machine-readable code representation against defined standards and requirements. This feedback mechanism automatically identifies compliance issues and triggers diagram updates, ensuring ongoing accuracy and standards adherence without manual review.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If comprehensive monitoring of application interactions is implemented, then real-time compliance assessment is achieved, but the system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompliance evaluation accuracyVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the compliance monitoring function into distinct, modular evaluation rules that can be independently defined and executed. Each rule focuses on a specific aspect of compliance, allowing the system to monitor comprehensive interactions through manageable, discrete components rather than a monolithic complex system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS11790249B1Automatically evaluating application architecture through architecture-as-code

Publication Date: 2023.10.17 CAPITAL ONE SERVICES LLC

AI summary

The disclosed technology includes systems and methods for automatically generating a dynamic system context diagram based on machine-readable code. A method can include receiving, at a rules engine, machine-readable code describing interactions among a plurality of applications in software architecture, evaluating, with the rules engine in communication with a system of record (SoR), compliance of the interactions among the plurality of applications according to the SoR, identifying, with the rules engine, and based on compliance evaluation, one or more dependencies among the plurality of applications, generating, with an output engine, a system context diagram image comprising a graphical representation of the plurality of applications with associated interactions and dependencies, and outputting, for display, the system context diagram image.