Dynamic Markup Language Product Administration System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing product administration systems face significant overhead when introducing new products or modifying existing ones, as they require software developers to modify executable software and update client installations, leading to substantial development effort and potential errors.
Innovation Solution
A computer-implemented engine dynamically interprets markup language documents to generate user interface screens and administer product specifications, allowing for the creation, modification, and management of products without extensive software development, using containers, data elements, and instruction elements to define product components, properties, and administration logic.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If product definitions are hard coded into the product administration system, then system stability and reliability are improved, but adaptability and ease of modification deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the product administration system into two distinct layers: a stable executable software layer and a configurable markup language layer. The markup language documents (XML files) contain product-specific definitions, containers, data elements, and instruction elements that can be modified independently without changing the core executable code. This segmentation allows the system to maintain reliability through its stable core while achieving adaptability through configurable external documents.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts product definition logic from the hard-coded executable software and places it into external markup language documents. By taking out the product-specific configuration data and instruction elements from the compiled code, the system allows administrators to modify products by simply editing XML files rather than recompiling software, thus resolving the contradiction between system stability and modification ease.
2Adaptability or versatility
If software developers modify executable software to introduce new products, then product functionality is improved, but development overhead and time consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables product administrators to perform product introductions and modifications themselves using markup language documents, without requiring software developers. The system provides self-service capabilities where administrators can define new products, modify existing ones, and update configurations by editing XML files and using the provided tools, thereby eliminating the time-consuming developer intervention that previously was necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter of product configuration from compiled code to externalized markup language. By representing product definitions, data elements, and administration logic as text-based XML parameters rather than binary code, the system allows rapid modification through simple text editing and automated interpretation, dramatically reducing the time required to introduce or modify products compared to traditional software development cycles.
3Adaptability or versatility
If client software installations are updated to support new products, then product compatibility is improved, but deployment complexity and overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a universal markup language format that can define diverse product types (insurance policies, contracts, agreements, etc.) using the same XML structure and instruction elements. This universal approach allows the client software to support multiple product types without requiring separate client installations or updates for each product, as the executable code remains the same and only the markup language documents need to be updated to add new product support.
4Ease of manufacture
If product definitions are stored in external markup language documents, then ease of modification is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary interpretation layer that bridges the simple markup language documents and the executable software system. This intermediary component parses the XML documents, validates them against schemas, and translates them into the internal representation required by the executable code. This intermediary handles the complexity of coordinating between external definitions and internal processing, keeping both the markup language syntax simple and the system architecture manageable through clear separation of concerns.
Data Source
AI summary
A product and/or service request administration system and methods related thereto define products and/or service requests using markup language documents that are dynamically interpreted by a computer-implemented engine to generate user interface screens for use in administering products and/or service requests.