Management Component Mediates Application-Device Interaction

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing device driver model creates a close binding between applications and devices, limiting flexibility in interaction and requiring direct command and control communication, which inhibits adaptability to new device or service capabilities and user experiences.

Innovation Solution

A management component mediates bi-directional interactions between applications, treating devices as services and focusing on data exchange mediated by user interaction, allowing for virtualization of devices and services, and providing a unified API for flexible communication and user experience management.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If a traditional device driver model is used for application-device interaction, then direct command and control communication is achieved, but flexibility and adaptability are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedirect command and control communicationVSAvoidflexibility in interaction

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a management component as an intermediary between applications and devices. This mediator enables indirect communication while maintaining flexibility, allowing applications to interact with devices through a standardized interface rather than direct binding, thus resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the traditional monolithic device driver model into separate components: a management component that handles high-level interaction and device-specific drivers that handle low-level operations. This segmentation allows the application layer to remain flexible while device-specific implementations can vary, resolving the contradiction between direct control and adaptability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If applications interact directly with devices via device context, then communication efficiency is improved, but binding between application and device increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication efficiencyVSAvoidbinding between application and device

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The management component serves as a mediator that maintains communication efficiency while reducing binding complexity. It provides a standardized interface that applications use to communicate with devices, eliminating the need for direct application-device binding while preserving efficient data flow through the intermediary layer

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Reliability

If device driver model is used, then device-specific functionality is achieved, but adaptability to new devices or services is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice-specific functionalityVSAvoidadaptability to new devices

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the system into a generic management component and device-specific driver modules. This allows device-specific functionality to be implemented in isolated driver modules that can be added, removed, or updated without affecting the core management component, thereby maintaining reliability for existing devices while enabling easy adaptation to new devices through modular addition

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The management component provides universal functionality that works with multiple device types through a standardized interface. This universal layer handles common operations across different devices, while device-specific drivers provide specialized functionality, allowing the system to adapt to new devices without requiring changes to the core application logic

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9069498B2Presenting devices as applications

Publication Date: 2015.06.30 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

One or more management components mediate a bi-directional interaction between applications. The components mediate interaction between a first application such as a word processing, video conference, or multimedia application, and a second application that is a virtualization of a physical device such as a printer, camera, or multimedia device. Further, embodiments also support a second application that provides an interface to a service provider, online business, and the like. The management component(s) may function as part of an operating system (OS), allowing the OS to mediate the interaction, and enable greater flexibility and a richer user experience, including presenting a common user experience for the interaction and/or acting as a broker to present a experience generated from the second application. Embodiments also include a unified application programming interface (API) to allow applications to interact with each other via the management component(s) of the OS.