Reformatted User Interface for Legacy Application Navigation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Web application platforms face challenges in providing seamless navigation and interoperability between applications, especially when transitioning from legacy systems to modern architectures, which can complicate user experience and productivity.

Innovation Solution

A system that identifies functions and graphical user interface aspects of an application, generates a reformatted user interface capable of executing on different software platforms, and provides a single point of entry for accessing multiple applications, including legacy systems, by modifying user interface aspects and generating user-accessible controls for consistent visual appearance and functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If a legacy application interface is directly accessed on a modern software platform, then the original application functionality is preserved, but the user interface appearance and navigation are inconsistent with the modern platform

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplatform compatibilityVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

An interface conversion component is introduced as an intermediary between the legacy application and the modern software platform. This component receives user interactions from the modern platform, converts them into the legacy application's native interface commands, and transmits the results back. This mediator enables seamless integration without requiring modifications to the legacy application code, thereby maintaining functionality while achieving platform consistency.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates a virtual copy or representation of the legacy application's user interface that conforms to the modern platform's design standards. Instead of directly displaying the original legacy interface, a replicated interface is generated that mimics the functionality while adhering to modern UI guidelines, providing visual consistency across the platform without losing access to legacy features.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Productivity

If multiple legacy applications are integrated into a modern platform, then access to legacy functionality is enabled, but navigation and search functionalities become more complex

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveuser productivityVSAvoidnavigation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

A universal navigation and search interface is implemented that serves multiple legacy applications through a single unified entry point. This universal interface provides consistent navigation patterns, search capabilities, and interaction models across all integrated applications, eliminating the need for users to learn different navigation schemes for each legacy system and thereby reducing overall navigation complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The navigation system is segmented into modular components that can be independently configured for different legacy applications while maintaining a consistent overall framework. Each legacy application's navigation is broken down into discrete, manageable segments that follow the modern platform's navigation patterns, making the overall system easier to navigate despite integrating multiple applications.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Device complexity

If the user interface is reformatted to match modern platform standards, then visual consistency is improved, but the original application's native functionality may be lost

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinterface consistencyVSAvoidfunctionality reliability
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The interface conversion component acts as a faithful intermediary that preserves the legacy application's native functionality while presenting a modernized interface. It translates modern platform commands into legacy application commands and vice versa, ensuring that the core functionality remains unchanged and reliable while the visual presentation conforms to modern standards.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

A functional copy of the legacy application interface is created that replicates all native functionalities while adopting the modern platform's visual design standards. This copy maintains the same operational behavior and data processing capabilities as the original, ensuring functionality reliability, while presenting a consistent visual appearance across the modern platform.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

Data Source

PatentUS10740121B2User interface for navigating multiple applications
Publication Date: 2020.08.11 SAP SE
  • US10740121B2 patent drawing
  • US10740121B2 patent drawing
  • US10740121B2 patent drawing

AI summary

In one general aspect, a method and system are described for identifying a plurality of functions associated with an application that is operable on a first software platform, identifying a plurality of user interface aspects of the application, identifying a plurality of navigational aspects of the application, generating a reformatted user interface capable of executing the plurality of functions on a second software platform.