Non-Programmatic Integration System for Application Data Exchange
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for integrating different software applications are often inadequate due to proprietary data formats, requiring programmatic modifications or costly replacements, which can be disruptive and costly, and are hindered by trade secrets and licensing restrictions.
Innovation Solution
A non-programmatic integration system that collects data from mapped locations within applications, using APIs to identify and retrieve relevant documents without modifying source code, enabling seamless integration without altering existing applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If programmatic integration methods are used to integrate different applications, then integration capability is improved, but system complexity and cost increase due to source code modifications and API development
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary integration layer that sits between multiple applications and the user interface. This layer contains adapters that can translate between different application data formats without requiring modifications to the applications themselves. The intermediary handles the complexity of integration internally while presenting a unified interface to users, thereby improving integration capability without increasing overall system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The integration system is segmented into independent modular components, each responsible for interfacing with a specific application. These modular adapters can be developed, deployed, and maintained independently, allowing integration capability to be improved by adding or modifying individual segments without affecting the entire system.
2Adaptability or versatility
If programmatic integration methods are used to integrate different applications, then data exchange capability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to licensing restrictions and trade secret protections
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary integration layer provides a standardized interface for data exchange between applications. It handles the complexity of proprietary data formats and licensing restrictions internally, allowing users to exchange data between applications without needing to understand or modify the underlying integration mechanisms. This maintains ease of operation while improving data exchange capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The integration system creates and maintains local copies of data from different applications through the intermediary layer. Instead of requiring direct access to proprietary application interfaces, the system copies relevant data into its own standardized format, enabling seamless data exchange while respecting licensing and trade secret protections of the source applications.
3Adaptability or versatility
If conventional integration methods are used, then integration functionality is improved, but loss of time increases due to disruptive implementation and deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The integration system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring adapters and establishing data translation rules before actual integration is needed. The intermediary layer is set up in advance with the capability to handle multiple application formats, so when new integration requirements arise, the system can quickly adapt without time-consuming implementation and deployment processes.
4Reliability
If applications use proprietary data formats, then application functionality is preserved, but integration capability deteriorates due to format incompatibility
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary integration layer acts as a translator between applications using different proprietary data formats. It receives data in various proprietary formats from source applications, translates it into a standardized internal format, and then converts it to the required format for target applications. This process preserves the original functionality of each application while enabling seamless integration between them.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for retrieving information from an unrelated application that includes receiving automatically, non-programmatically collected application data from a mapped location of a mapped source reference of the unrelated application; querying a computer-readable storage medium collected application data without user intervention; retrieving identifying data associated with documents stored in the computer-readable storage medium based upon the query; monitoring the collected application data from the mapped location for a change in the collected application data; and upon detecting the change, re-querying the computer-readable storage medium using the changed collected application data and retrieving identifying data associated with the documents based upon the re-query.