Integration Layer for Cloud Collaboration Event Processing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current cloud-based collaboration platforms face challenges in efficiently processing and extracting insights from diverse digital content, as they lack an integrated framework to automate event-driven data processing across different services and domains.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of an event-based automated processing system that integrates a cloud-based collaboration platform with external data processing services through an integration layer, which receives triggering events, invokes appropriate services, and processes content, generating metadata for integration back into the platform.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If cloud-based collaboration platforms process and extract insights from diverse digital content, then valuable insights are obtained, but the system complexity increases due to lack of integrated framework

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinsights extractionVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

An integration layer is introduced as an intermediary component between the collaboration platform and external data processing services. This integration layer receives triggering events from the platform, invokes appropriate external services, and manages the processing workflow, thereby reducing system complexity while maintaining comprehensive insights extraction capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The integration layer serves multiple functions: event reception, service invocation, payload generation, and result integration. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single multi-functional component, the system achieves complex processing capabilities without proportionally increasing overall system complexity

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

2Extent of automation

If external data processing services are integrated with the collaboration platform, then content processing automation is enhanced, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecontent processing automationVSAvoidintegration complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Extent of automationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The integration layer acts as a mediator that simplifies the connection between the collaboration platform and multiple external data processing services. It provides a unified interface for event subscription and service invocation, reducing integration complexity while enabling comprehensive automation

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system architecture is segmented into distinct functional layers: the collaboration platform, the integration layer, and external data processing services. This segmentation allows each component to be developed and maintained independently, reducing overall integration complexity while maintaining high automation capability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Productivity

If an integration layer is configured between the platform and external services, then event-based processing is enabled, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveevent-based processing efficiencyVSAvoidintegration layer complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The integration layer is pre-configured with event subscriptions and service invocations before runtime events occur. Event handlers and payload generation logic are established in advance, enabling efficient event-based processing without complex runtime decision-making

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The integration layer implements feedback mechanisms where processing results are returned to the collaboration platform and reflected in the user interface. This feedback loop enables real-time updates and confirms processing status, improving productivity through transparent event-based processing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentEP3695615B1Integrating external data processing technologies with a cloud-based collaboration platform
Publication Date: 2023.05.03 BOX INC
  • EP3695615B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3695615B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3695615B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A cloud-based collaboration platform is hosted at first network domain. External data processing services are hosted at a second domain. An integration layer situated between the cloud-based collaboration platform and the external data processing services is configured to receive triggering events pertaining to content of the cloud-based collaboration platform. Based on characteristics of the content, communications with the external data processing services are initiated. The communication includes accessing network interfaces to send and receive data between the network domain of the cloud-based collaboration platform and a different network domain of the external data processing services. Rules are applied to select between a first external data processing service at a first network domain and a second external data processing service at a second domain. The selected external data processing service is invoked to produce outputs that are further processed by the cloud-based collaboration platform.