Hybrid App DFAPI Bridge for Native Feature Access
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current hybrid application development technologies face challenges in allowing external websites to access native device features on mobile devices without requiring significant learning curves for web developers and involving complex coordination between multiple projects and vendors, leading to inefficiencies in updating digital presence for customers.
Innovation Solution
A hybrid application design that enables an external website to render in the internal browser of a native application with access to native device hardware features by using a Device Feature Application Program Interface (DFAPI) stored locally on the mobile device, allowing the website code to access and control native device features without needing to recompile the application for updates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If web developers use hybrid application development technologies to access native device features, then the ability to control native device hardware features is improved, but the learning curve and development complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a bridge component that mediates between the web application layer and native device features. This bridge translates web-based requests into native device commands, allowing web developers to access native features through standardized web APIs without needing to learn native development languages or platforms. The bridge acts as an intermediary that handles the complexity of native integration while presenting a simplified interface to web developers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If webcode is packaged into a compiled native application, then access to native device features is improved, but the ability to update content quickly is worsened due to recompilation requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent separates the application into distinct segments: a native application shell that provides device feature access, and web-based content that can be independently updated. The webcode is not permanently packaged but loaded dynamically from external sources, allowing the content layer to be updated without recompiling the native application. This segmentation enables independent updates of web content while maintaining access to native features through the persistent native shell.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements a dynamic loading mechanism where webcode is fetched from external servers at runtime rather than being statically packaged. This allows the application to dynamically update its web content by simply loading new code from the server, bypassing the recompilation process entirely. The native application shell remains constant and provides stable access to device features, while the web content layer is dynamic and can be updated instantly.
3Ease of operation
If an external website is rendered in the internal browser of a native application, then the learning curve for web developers is reduced, but access to native device hardware features is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the capabilities of external website rendering with native device feature access by combining a web view component with a native application shell. The web view renders external websites or webcode from external sources, while the native shell provides bridges to device features. This merging allows web-based content to access native features through the shell's APIs, achieving both ease of web development and access to device hardware.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a universal platform that serves multiple functions: rendering external websites, executing webcode from external sources, and accessing native device features. The native application shell acts as a multi-functional container that can host different web content while providing consistent access to device features. This universal approach allows a single development model to handle both web rendering and native feature access without requiring separate native applications for each function.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and method for accessing native device hardware features, such as a camera or a microphone, using a mobile application is described. The mobile application has an internal browser and at least one program file having instructions used by the internal browser to access the at least one native device hardware features. The mobile application has software configured to enable access to the at least one native device hardware feature for at least one external website configured to work with the mobile application, hosted on an external web server, and rendered in the internal browser, by receiving information from the external website to trigger serving at least one program file to the internal browser from the mobile application as a localhost.