Social Network API Translation Layer for Multi-Platform Development
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing social networking applications require significant effort and resources to develop separate applications for each social network due to differing APIs, and updates to these APIs necessitate retooling of applications across all platforms, leading to inefficiencies and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
The development of a social networking service-agnostic social networking application programming interface (SNAPI) that converts standardized calls into specific API formats for various social networks, allowing applications to interact with multiple networks using a unified interface and minimizing the need for network-specific code.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If separate applications are developed for each social network, then network-specific functionality can be optimized, but development time and resources increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal application framework that can operate across multiple social networks through a standardized markup language (SNML). The system translates SNML code into network-specific formats (FBML for Facebook, LinkedIn markup for LinkedIn), allowing a single application to serve multiple networks without requiring separate development for each platform.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces SNML as an intermediary markup language that sits between the universal application logic and the various social network-specific markup languages. This intermediary layer handles the translation and adaptation, isolating the core application from network-specific variations and enabling efficient multi-network deployment.
2Reliability
If applications are customized for each social network, then optimal performance can be achieved, but maintenance and update efforts multiply across platforms
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the application into two distinct layers: a universal SNML layer containing the core application logic and structure, and network-specific translation layers that handle platform variations. This segmentation allows updates to be made once in the SNML layer and automatically propagated to all target networks, eliminating the need to update multiple separate applications.
Solution Approach 2:
By designing the application core in universal SNML that translates to multiple network formats, the system achieves both optimal performance for each network and efficient maintenance. A single codebase serves all networks, and updates are made centrally, reducing maintenance overhead while preserving network-specific optimizations.
3Adaptability or versatility
If network-specific APIs are used directly, then access to platform features is maximized, but porting applications between networks becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses SNML as an intermediary that provides standardized access to social network features while abstracting away platform-specific API differences. The translation engine converts SNML feature requests into the appropriate network-specific markup and API calls, allowing applications to access platform features through a unified interface without being coupled to any single network's specific implementation.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed in some examples are systems, methods, and machine readable medium for programming an application for multiple target social networks using custom markup tags that are independent of any custom markup tags defined by social networking services. These independent tags may be translated into the custom markup tags defined by the social networking service of interest if the desired functionality is supported in that social networking service using custom markup tags or if the tags are not supported, by a set of instructions for executing the same functionality.