Modular Data Access Framework for Heterogeneous Sources
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing systems lack flexibility in accessing and integrating data from multiple heterogeneous data sources, as they often require specific APIs and access mechanisms, making it difficult to manage and provide unified data access across diverse data sources.
Innovation Solution
A modular framework with plugins that encode computer program code to access remote data sources, providing a unified interface and router to route requests, and a rights management system, allowing for seamless access and management of data from various sources, including those with different formats and access mechanisms, and enabling the addition or removal of modules to extend accessible data sources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If specific APIs and access mechanisms are used for each data source, then data access reliability is improved, but system adaptability deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal access mechanism that can handle multiple heterogeneous data sources through a common interface. The system uses a standardized request-response protocol that works across different data sources (relational databases, NoSQL databases, APIs, files) without requiring source-specific access code, thus achieving both reliability through consistent access patterns and adaptability through broad data source support.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary layer (the access mechanism with router and module manager) that sits between the user interface and various data sources. This intermediary translates unified requests into source-specific operations and manages the complexity of accessing heterogeneous data sources, allowing the system to maintain reliable access to each source while presenting a unified adaptive interface to users.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heterogeneous data sources are integrated, then data provision versatility is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the system into distinct modular components: a router that receives and directs requests, data access modules that handle specific data source operations, and a rights management system that handles security. Each module has a specific responsibility, and they can be independently managed and configured. This segmentation allows the system to support multiple heterogeneous data sources while keeping the overall complexity manageable through clear separation of concerns.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediary access mechanism serves as a mediator that abstracts the complexity of multiple heterogeneous data sources. It provides a unified interface that shields users from the underlying complexity, automatically routing requests to appropriate data sources and handling source-specific protocols, thereby enabling versatile data provision without exposing system complexity to users.
3Ease of operation
If a unified interface is provided for multiple data sources, then ease of operation is improved, but loss of information about data source specifics increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback mechanisms where the router and data access modules communicate information about available data sources, their capabilities, and current state back to the system. The rights management system receives information about data sources and user permissions, and the router uses this feedback to make intelligent routing decisions. This feedback loop preserves essential information about data source specifics while maintaining an easy-to-use unified interface.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques for of providing data from a plurality of data sources are disclosed. A plurality of modules are provided at a common access point. Each module defines data on a respective one of a plurality of data sources, the data including information on data available from the respective data source. In response to a request for data from one of the plurality of data sources at the common access point, data is retrieved from the respective data source using the data on the data source from the respective module. Data is provided from the common access point in dependence on the retrieved data.