Intermediate Module Decouples Mobile App from Peripheral Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of peripheral devices with mobile applications is often complex and costly due to the lack of detailed knowledge by mobile device vendors about mobile applications, leading to tightly bound device and application functionalities that require significant rework when extending to different hardware platforms.
Innovation Solution
An intermediate module is introduced between mobile applications and peripheral devices, enabling communication using standardized protocols like HTTP and TCP/IP, allowing peripheral devices to be exposed as a standardized layer, simplifying interactions and decoupling application logic from peripheral device logic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If peripheral devices use device-specific communication protocols and are integrated directly with mobile applications, then the peripheral device functionality can be optimized for specific applications, but the integration becomes tightly bound and requires significant rework when extending to different hardware platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (middleware or adapter layer) between the mobile application and the peripheral device. This intermediary translates standardized communication protocols from the application into device-specific protocols, thereby decoupling the application from the peripheral device. This allows the application to remain platform-independent while the intermediary handles the complexity of device-specific integration, resolving the contradiction between reliable peripheral functionality and integration complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the communication architecture into distinct layers: an application layer using standardized protocols, an intermediary translation layer, and a peripheral device layer using device-specific protocols. This segmentation allows each layer to be developed and optimized independently, reducing the tight coupling and rework required when extending to different platforms.
2Adaptability or versatility
If mobile device vendors provide SDKs for integrating peripheral devices, then peripheral devices can be integrated into mobile applications, but the integration process becomes slower and more complicated requiring third-party consultants
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal standardized interface layer that can work with multiple different peripheral devices and mobile platforms. This universal layer provides multi-functional capability, allowing the same application code to integrate with various peripheral devices through standardized protocols, thereby eliminating the need for platform-specific SDK integration and significantly improving implementation speed and productivity.
3Reliability
If peripheral devices are tightly bound to mobile applications through compilation, then the device functionality is optimized for the specific application, but extending the application to another hardware platform requires re-coding both the application and the peripheral integration
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs an intermediary translation layer that acts as a buffer between the mobile application and the peripheral device. This intermediary handles protocol translation and device-specific logic, allowing the application to remain platform-independent. When extending to another hardware platform, only the intermediary needs to be adapted, not the entire application code, thereby maintaining both reliable integration and platform portability.
Data Source
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AI summary
Communication between an integrated device and a mobile application client (360A) on a mobile personal communication device (310) is performed using a command being socket based and conforming with a standard network communications protocol. The command is forwarded to an intermediate module (370) implemented as a hardware device on the mobile personal communication device, the intermediate module configured for socket based communication according to the standard network communications protocol, the command addressed to an address assigned to a peripheral device (330) of the mobile personal communication device.