Cross-Platform Service Interoperability via Manifest Mediation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional techniques fail to enable cooperative operation between applications and services across different software platforms and cooperative arrangements, limiting interoperability.

Innovation Solution

An information processing apparatus with a transforming unit that converts service information from one software platform into a format usable by another, and a service providing unit that facilitates service calls across platforms, allowing registration and management of service information to enable seamless service activation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If applications and services operate on the same software platform with the same cooperative arrangement, then cooperative operation is achieved, but interoperability across different platforms is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooperative operationVSAvoidinteroperability across platforms

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a manifest file as an intermediary that bridges different software platforms and cooperative arrangements. The manifest file contains service information that can be interpreted across platforms, enabling applications on one platform to discover and invoke services on another platform without requiring the same cooperative arrangement, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable cooperative operation and cross-platform interoperability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of operation

If conventional cooperative arrangements are used, then service coordination within a platform is achieved, but service information cannot be shared across different platforms

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice coordinationVSAvoidservice information sharing

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The manifest file serves as a universal service information structure that can be used across multiple software platforms and cooperative arrangements. It contains essential service information that can be interpreted and utilized by different platforms, enabling service information sharing while maintaining ease of operation through standardized service coordination mechanisms

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9614985B2Information processing apparatus, method of controlling the same for cooperative operation of programs executed on platforms, and storage medium

Publication Date: 2017.04.04 CANON KK

AI summary

Provided are an information processing apparatus including a plurality of different software platforms and a method of controlling the same, in which service information provided by first software for operating on a first software platform of the plurality of software platforms is transformed into information that is able to be used by a second software platform of the plurality of software platforms and is registered, and second software for operating on the second software platform calls the registered information, the information is transformed into service information provided by the first software so that the first software is able to provide a service corresponding to the service information.