Interoperability Framework for Network Applications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing communication systems face scalability issues and complexity due to the lack of interoperability among network applications, which are often designed independently with proprietary protocols and data formats, requiring multiple gateways for each new application, and making it difficult to enhance functionality without modifying the applications themselves.
Innovation Solution
An interoperability framework that abstracts protocols and data formats, using resource control engines and adapters to modularize components, expose data and content, and enable sharing among network applications, allowing for interoperability and functional enhancements without modifying the applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If specialized gateways are designed for each pair of network applications to enable interoperability, then communication compatibility between applications is improved, but system complexity and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal gateway architecture where a single gateway can handle multiple network applications through configurable protocol handlers and adaptation layers. Instead of requiring N gateways for N applications, one gateway can serve multiple applications by dynamically loading appropriate protocol modules and configuration profiles, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining full interoperability capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The gateway functionality is segmented into independent, modular components including protocol translators, data format converters, and application adapters. Each component can be independently configured and activated based on the specific interoperability requirements, allowing the gateway to efficiently handle different application pairs without requiring complete redesign for each new application combination.
2Adaptability or versatility
If new network applications are added to the system, then service diversity is improved, but the number of required gateways increases quadratically
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway employs a universal adaptation framework that can accommodate new network applications without requiring proportional increases in gateway infrastructure. The system uses configurable protocol stacks and pluggable adapter modules that can be activated for new applications, allowing linear scaling rather than quadratic growth in gateway requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-configures standard protocol handlers and common data format converters that can be rapidly deployed for new applications. By maintaining a library of pre-built adaptation components and configuration templates, the system can quickly integrate new applications with minimal additional gateway infrastructure, significantly improving scalability.
3Ease of manufacture
If network applications use proprietary protocols and data formats, then application functionality is improved, but interoperability between applications deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway serves as an intermediary system that sits between applications using proprietary protocols. It implements protocol translation layers that convert between different application-specific formats and a standardized internal representation, enabling interoperability while preserving the original application functionality and protocols without requiring modification of the applications themselves.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically changes protocol parameters and data format mappings based on the communicating applications. Configuration files and runtime parameters define the specific protocol handshakes, data structures, and encoding schemes needed for each application pair, allowing the gateway to adapt to proprietary formats while maintaining a consistent internal processing model.
4Adaptability or versatility
If gateways are added to enable interoperability, then communication capability is improved, but system cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple gateway functions into a single unified gateway platform that can handle multiple application pairs simultaneously. By merging protocol translation, data conversion, and adaptation functions into one shared infrastructure with resource pooling and load balancing, the system reduces the total number of gateway instances required, thereby lowering hardware, software licensing, and operational costs.
Data Source
AI summary
An interoperability system abstracts the protocols used by multiple network applications into an interoperability framework, thereby allowing the network applications to interoperate with each other and/or with modules for providing enhanced functionalities. The interoperability framework includes a number of adapters that modularize the components needed for interoperation and abstracts content from the underlying protocols and procedures used by the network applications. The interoperability framework includes a resource control that enables the network applications to access shared resources, such as data and content used by the network applications, thus allowing the applications to interoperate and for functionality enhancements to be added.