Task Query Management System for Cross-Application Service Chaining

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing task-based operating environments are limited in their ability to seamlessly navigate and access functionality across multiple software packages, requiring users to switch between applications and navigate through splash screens, which restricts flexibility and efficiency in task completion.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that generate task-based queries to be ingested by a remote service discovery engine, allowing users to access remote services that provide additional functionality, enabling tasks to be chained across software packages without the need for direct application selection, using a task query management system that interacts with local and remote services.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If users switch between applications to access different functionality, then they can use multiple software packages, but the operation becomes complex and time-consuming due to navigating splash screens and switching contexts

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveability to access functionality across multiple software packagesVSAvoiduser navigation through splash screens and application switching
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a task query management system as an intermediary layer between the user and multiple software packages. This system receives task-based queries from users, determines which local or remote services can fulfill the tasks, and automatically chains together the necessary software packages and services. The intermediary handles the complexity of navigation and context switching, allowing users to simply specify tasks without manually switching applications or dealing with splash screens.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If local software packages are used to provide functionality, then the system is self-contained, but the system lacks access to additional remote service capabilities

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveself-contained local software functionalityVSAvoidaccess to remote service functionality
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent creates a universal task execution framework that can handle both local and remote services through a common interface. The task query management system is designed to work with multiple types of services (local software packages and remote services) in a unified manner. This multi-functional approach allows the system to maintain reliability by using local packages when available while simultaneously gaining adaptability by accessing remote services, all through the same task-based query mechanism.

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

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by pre-registering and cataloging both local software packages and remote services in a centralized registry. This advance preparation allows the task query management system to quickly determine which services (local or remote) can fulfill a given task without needing to establish connections or verify capabilities at the moment of task execution. The preliminary registration enables seamless switching between local and remote services based on availability and suitability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If a task-based query system is implemented to access remote services, then task completion becomes more efficient, but the system complexity increases due to service discovery and management infrastructure

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvetask completion efficiencyVSAvoidservice discovery engine and registry infrastructure
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the complex service discovery and management functionality into a separate, dedicated infrastructure consisting of the remote service discovery engine and service registry. By taking out this complexity from the core task execution path, the system allows the task query management to remain relatively simple while delegating the heavy lifting of service discovery, registration, and capability matching to the specialized discovery engine. This separation enables efficient task completion while containing the complexity in a manageable, isolated component.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentEP2867805B1Method and apparatus for task based remote services
Publication Date: 2020.07.22 NOKIA TECHNOLOGIES OY
  • EP2867805B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2867805B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2867805B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Methods, apparatuses, and computer program products are provided herein for enabling task based access to functionality provided by one or more remote services. One example method may include generating a task based query, the task based query suggestive of a task to be performed. A method may further include causing the task based query to be provided to a remote service discovery engine. A method may further include receiving an indication of a remote service of a plurality of remote services that is configured to perform the task from the remote service discovery engine, the indication comprising access instructions for querying the remote service.