Interchange Service API Translation for CE Devices

Solution Overview

Problem

Consumer electronic devices face challenges in efficiently communicating with social networking services over the Internet due to the need for frequent updates and modifications across multiple devices, which is resource-intensive and costly.

Innovation Solution

An intermediate application programming interface (API) is established between consumer electronic devices and social networking APIs, with an interchange service translating communications and implementing updates at the service level, allowing devices to access modified APIs without individual updates.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If updates are implemented at each consumer electronic device to maintain compatibility with modified social networking APIs, then compatibility is maintained, but the cost and complexity of distribution increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAPI compatibilityVSAvoidupdate distribution complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component that sits between the social networking service and consumer electronic devices. This intermediary receives API modification notifications from the social networking service and automatically updates the translation layer, preventing these modifications from propagating to individual devices. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining API compatibility through the intermediary while avoiding the complexity of distributing updates to numerous devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If frequent updates are distributed to maintain API compatibility, then compatibility is maintained, but resource consumption and costs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveAPI compatibilityVSAvoidupdate distribution resources

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The intermediary acts as a buffer that absorbs API modifications without requiring propagation to end devices. By implementing the translation layer at the intermediary level rather than at each device, the system maintains compatibility while eliminating the resource-intensive process of distributing and installing updates across numerous devices, thereby reducing energy consumption and operational costs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of manufacture

If an intermediate API is established with translation service, then update distribution is simplified, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveupdate distribution easeVSAvoidsystem architecture complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces an intermediary component that sits between the social networking service and consumer electronic devices. This intermediary receives API modification notifications from the social networking service and automatically updates the translation layer, preventing these modifications from propagating to individual devices. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining API compatibility through the intermediary while avoiding the complexity of distributing updates to numerous devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The intermediary translation service provides multiple functions: it translates between different API versions, filters modifications, manages device compatibility, and coordinates updates. By consolidating these diverse functions into a single universal component, the system achieves ease of update distribution without proportionally increasing overall system complexity, as the intermediary handles multiple concerns simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS8909705B2Method and system for use in providing network services interchange

Publication Date: 2014.12.09 SONY GROUP CORP

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided in establishing interchanges between consumer electronic (CE) devices and networking services. Some of these embodiments establish an intermediate application programming interface (API) between a plurality of remote CE devices and one or more social networking APIs each corresponding to a social networking service; translate, through an interchange service, communications between the intermediate API and the one or more social networking APIs; identify modifications to a first social networking API; implement a first update to the interchange service such that translations provided by the updated interchange service between the intermediate API and the first social networking API are consistent with the modifications to the first social networking API; and avoid updating at each of the plurality of CE devices relative to the modifications to the first social networking API.