Graphical Dataflow Composition for Web Service Interfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current technologies for creating web applications in Service-Oriented Architectures (SOA) require technical expertise, limiting non-technical users' ability to develop applications without programming knowledge, as they need to write code to define data flows between web service operations.
Innovation Solution
A dataflow-driven service composition approach at the presentation layer, allowing users to model and create web service applications graphically by defining data flows between form-based representations of web service operations without writing programmatic code, using a user-centric design that includes retrieving web services, displaying user interfaces, and automatically generating dataflows based on user inputs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If traditional coding approaches are used to define data flows between web service operations, then data flow precision and control are improved, but the barrier to entry for non-technical users increases and development complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical coding process with a graphical user interface-based visual composition system. Users interact with web services through graphical representations and drag-and-drop operations rather than writing code, substituting the mechanical act of coding with visual manipulation to achieve the same data flow definition precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a composition tool as an intermediary between the user and the web services. This tool provides a graphical interface that mediates the interaction, allowing users to define data flows visually without directly manipulating code, thus maintaining precision while reducing operational complexity
2Ease of operation
If graphical user interfaces are used to model applications, then ease of operation for non-technical users is improved, but device complexity and system requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the complex web service composition process into discrete graphical elements and operations. Each web service operation is represented as a separate graphical component, and data flows are defined through simple connections between these segments, breaking down system complexity into manageable visual units
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates graphical copies or representations of web service operations and data flows. Instead of working with actual code, users interact with visual models that replicate the functionality, allowing them to compose applications through manipulation of these graphical copies rather than dealing with the underlying system complexity directly
3Productivity
If automated dataflow generation is implemented, then productivity and development speed are improved, but loss of information about user intentions and context may occur
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the system automatically generates data flows based on user selections and then presents these generated flows for review and confirmation. This feedback loop ensures that automated generation maintains alignment with user intentions, allowing users to correct any mismatches before finalization
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by automatically analyzing user selections and pre-generating data flow configurations before the user completes their intended action. This allows the system to anticipate and prepare data flow definitions based on the graphical interface interactions, improving productivity while maintaining information accuracy through subsequent user validation
Data Source
AI summary
Implementations of computer-implemented methods include retrieving a plurality of web services, displaying a plurality of user interfaces, each user interface corresponding to one of the plurality of web services, receiving a first user input indicating an interaction element of a first user interface of the plurality of user interfaces, indicating one or more interaction elements of a second user interface of the plurality of user interfaces based on the first user input, receiving a second user input indicating a selection of one of the one or more interaction elements of the second user interface, automatically generating a dataflow between the interaction element of the first user interface and the one of the one or more interaction elements of the second user interface in response to receiving the second user input, and modeling the application based on the dataflow.