Procedure Call Adapter for Service Provider Compatibility

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Solution Overview

Problem

In a client-server architecture, the replacement of service providers and APIs can lead to miscommunication between clients and service providers due to differences in procedure call forms, making it challenging to seamlessly call procedures across different versions of service providers.

Innovation Solution

A system and method that includes an adapter to receive inbound procedure calls, transform them into outbound procedures based on a stored mapping, and call the corresponding procedures from service providers to ensure compatibility, even when procedure call forms change over time.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If service providers and APIs are replaced with newer versions, then functionality and performance are improved, but compatibility with existing clients deteriorates due to different procedure call forms

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to support newer service provider versionsVSAvoidcommunication compatibility between client and service provider
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

An adapter component is introduced as an intermediary layer between the client and the service provider. The adapter receives procedure calls from the client using the old API format, transforms them into the new procedure call format required by the updated service provider, and forwards them accordingly. This mediator approach allows the system to support newer service provider versions while maintaining compatibility with existing clients that use older API formats.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If procedure call forms are changed in newer service provider versions, then modernization and improved functionality are achieved, but seamless procedure calling between clients and service providers becomes difficult

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesupport for updated procedure call formatsVSAvoidcomplexity of adapting procedure calls across different versions
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The adaptation logic is extracted from both the client and the service provider into a separate, dedicated adapter component. This extraction centralizes the complexity of handling multiple procedure call formats in a single location, making the adaptation mechanism more manageable and maintainable. The adapter contains the transformation rules and mapping logic, isolating the complexity from the core client and service provider implementations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Productivity

If service providers are updated to newer versions, then system capabilities are enhanced, but miscommunication between clients and service providers increases due to format differences

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesystem functionality and capabilitiesVSAvoidmiscommunication due to procedure call format differences
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The adapter serves as an information-preserving intermediary that accurately translates procedure calls between different formats. It maintains the semantic meaning and intent of the original client request while adapting it to the new service provider interface, thereby preventing information loss and miscommunication that would otherwise occur due to format differences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS8386555B2Systems and methods for adapting procedure calls to service providers
Publication Date: 2013.02.26 SAP SE
  • US8386555B2 patent drawing
  • US8386555B2 patent drawing
  • US8386555B2 patent drawing

AI summary

Systems and methods are provided for adapting a procedure call from a service manager to a service provider in a computer framework. An inbound procedure call is received, requesting an inbound procedure to operate on an object. Then, the inbound procedure is transformed to an outbound procedure based on a stored mapping of input procedures to output procedures. The outbound procedure is called from the service provider to operate on the object.