Inventory Data Access Layer Centralizing Repository Management

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional ASP systems face challenges in maintaining data integrity and consistency due to redundant and duplicative data sets across applications and services, requiring labor-intensive and error-prone updates.

Innovation Solution

A system with an application layer hosting multiple applications, a service layer containing common services, and an inventory data access layer (IDAL) that manages data repositories, allowing applications to access and update data centrally through the IDAL, eliminating the need for duplicate data sets and reducing update burdens.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If data is replicated in each application's data store to ensure data availability, then data accessibility is improved, but data integrity and consistency deteriorate due to duplicate data sets

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata accessibilityVSAvoiddata integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a service layer as an intermediary between applications and data stores. This service layer manages data access centrally, allowing multiple applications to access the same data without direct replication. The service layer acts as a mediator that ensures data integrity while maintaining accessibility, resolving the contradiction between data availability and data consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Loss of time

If data is updated in each replicated data set to maintain data currency, then data freshness is improved, but operational complexity and error probability increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata freshnessVSAvoidupdate complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple data access operations into a single centralized service layer. Instead of updating data in multiple replicated data sets across different applications, all data updates are funneled through the service layer which manages a single source of truth. This consolidation reduces operational complexity and eliminates the need to synchronize updates across multiple replicas, while still maintaining data freshness for all applications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Adaptability or versatility

If services are duplicated across multiple applications to provide specialized functionality, then application functionality is improved, but service maintenance difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveapplication functionalityVSAvoidservice maintenance

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of repair

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements a universal service layer that can be invoked by multiple applications. Instead of duplicating services within each application, the service layer provides multi-functional capabilities that serve different applications through standardized interfaces. This allows specialized functionality to be maintained in a single location, making service maintenance easier while preserving application-specific functionality through configurable service invocations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS10762147B2Inventory data access layer

Publication Date: 2020.09.01 D&B BUSINESS INFORMATION SOLUTIONS U C

AI summary

There is provided a method that includes (a) receiving a request for access to data, (b) identifying a data store that stores the data, and (c) communicating with the data store, by way of an electronic communication, to access the data. There is also provided a system that performs the method, and a storage medium that includes a program module for controlling a processor to perform the method.