Enforcement Engine for Regional Mobile App Compliance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing navigation devices face challenges in complying with varying regional regulations, requiring designers to create different applications or embed complex access rules, which can lead to liability issues and hinder the use of standardized platforms.

Innovation Solution

A separate enforcement engine controls applications on mobile devices, allowing them to remain generic and operate based on location-specific rules, enabling or restricting functions as needed without requiring intimate knowledge of regional operations from application programmers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If different applications are created for different regions to comply with local regulations, then compliance with regional rules is improved, but device complexity and development costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompliance with regional regulationsVSAvoidapplication variety
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A single standardized application is designed to function across all regions, with an enforcement engine that dynamically adapts behavior based on location-specific rules. The application maintains universal functionality while complying with regional regulations through the enforcement engine's control mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

An enforcement engine is introduced as an intermediary layer between the standardized application and the device operating system. This intermediary component handles region-specific rule enforcement, allowing the application itself to remain generic while still achieving regional compliance through the enforcement engine's mediation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If complex access rules are embedded in applications to handle regional operations, then regional compliance is improved, but ease of manufacture and maintenance deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveregional rule complianceVSAvoidapplication development
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The complex access rules and regional compliance logic are extracted from the application code and placed into a separate enforcement engine. This extraction allows applications to remain simple and generic, while the enforcement engine集中 handles all region-specific rule implementation and updates.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system is segmented into distinct components: a standardized application layer and a separate enforcement engine layer. This segmentation allows independent development, testing, and maintenance of each component, with the enforcement engine bearing the burden of regional rule complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If regional-specific applications are developed, then liability reduction is improved, but adaptability and platform standardization deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveliability managementVSAvoidplatform standardization
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

A single standardized application serves multiple regions with different regulations, maintaining platform unity and adaptability. The enforcement engine enables this universal application to adapt its behavior to meet various regional requirements, achieving both standardization and liability management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Reliability

If rules are updated for each application individually, then compliance accuracy is improved, but productivity and update efficiency deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecompliance accuracyVSAvoidrule update efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

All regional rules are merged into a single enforcement engine rather than being distributed across multiple applications. This consolidation allows rules to be updated in one central location, automatically affecting all applications that utilize the enforcement engine, thereby improving update efficiency while maintaining compliance accuracy.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP2656007B1Mobile device that operates differently in different regions
Publication Date: 2016.03.16 TOMTOM INT BV
  • EP2656007B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2656007B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2656007B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

A system is disclosed comprising a mobile device including at least one application (402) which may be run on the device. The system is configured to be able to determine the geographical location of the mobile device and includes an enforcement engine (410) that is separate to and outside of the at least one application (402). The enforcement engine is configured to permit or restrict a function of said at least one application (402) on the mobile device depending on the location the device is determined to be at. The system operates to control the functioning of the application (402) based on how the local regulations allow the application to be operated.