Mainframe Injection Component Data Packet Manipulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Legacy mainframe systems are difficult to adapt to changing organizational needs due to their closed nature, making it challenging to create interfaces with modern external systems like web services or databases, and existing optimization methods only improve efficiency without enhancing functionality.
Innovation Solution
A Mainframe Injection Component (MIC) that manipulates data packets between emulators and mainframes, allowing for the extension of legacy applications by injecting information, enforcing security and usability enhancements, and connecting to external systems without modifying the mainframe or emulator, using a packet processor that applies predefined processing instructions and retrieves data from external providers.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If compression products like ULTRAOPT or IBM Emulator Express are used to reduce network traffic, then network bandwidth efficiency is improved, but functionality enhancement and adaptation to modern systems remain impossible
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component that sits between the terminal emulator and the mainframe, capable of intercepting, modifying, and injecting data packets. This intermediary enables functionality enhancement by adding fields, modifying screen content, and injecting data without changing the mainframe or emulator themselves, while still allowing compression to occur at the protocol level.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the data stream processing into distinct layers: compression/decompression at the protocol level, and content modification/injection at the application level. This segmentation allows both network optimization and functionality enhancement to operate independently without interfering with each other.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the mainframe or emulator is modified to add functionality, then adaptability to modern systems is improved, but system complexity and risk of disrupting existing operations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an intermediary component that acts as a transparent proxy between the emulator and mainframe. This intermediary handles all functionality extensions, screen modifications, and data injections without requiring changes to the mainframe or emulator software, thus avoiding increased system complexity and operational risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates virtual copies of mainframe screens and data structures within the intermediary component. These copies can be modified freely to add functionality, inject data, or adapt to modern systems, while the original mainframe and emulator remain unchanged and stable.
3Reliability
If existing mainframe applications are used without modification, then system stability is maintained, but inability to interface with modern external systems persists
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component that serves as a bridge between legacy mainframe applications and modern external systems. This intermediary can translate, transform, and inject data packets to enable interfaces with web services, databases, and other modern systems while the mainframe application itself remains unchanged and stable.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The present invention concerns a mainframe injection component (MIC) (1) for manipulating at least one data packet (100) communicated between at least one emulator (2) and at least one mainframe (3), wherein the MIC (1) comprises: a. a packet processor (10), adapted for receiving (1000) the at least one data packet (100), for manipulating the at least one received data packet (100) to produce at least one modified data packet (100') and for injecting (1600) the at least one modified data packet (100') into the communication between the at least one emulator (2) and the at least one mainframe (3); b. wherein the packet processor (10) is further adapted for retrieving (1200) at least one processing instruction (200) from a repository (20) according to at least one pre-defined processing rule and for applying (1400) the at least one processing instruction (200) on the at least one received data packet (100) to produce the at least one modified data packet (100').