Widget Subscription Architecture for Efficient Data Access

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing widget technologies face challenges in efficiently and flexibly accessing data, particularly in scenarios where data updates frequently or requires contextualization, leading to overburdened system resources and inefficient data queries.

Innovation Solution

The enhanced widget architecture employs a subscription-based approach, allowing widgets to register for data updates from a broadcasting information source, which pushes updated data without requiring repeated queries, combining publish/subscribe and request/response methods to optimize data access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If widgets use traditional data access methods with repeated queries, then data can be retrieved from information sources, but system resources become overburdened and data access efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata access efficiencyVSAvoidsystem resource consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements preliminary action by establishing subscriptions in advance with information sources. Widgets register their data requirements beforehand, and information sources proactively push updates when data changes, eliminating the need for repeated queries and reducing system resource consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs feedback mechanisms where information sources monitor data changes and automatically push updates to subscribed widgets. This feedback loop ensures widgets receive timely data updates without actively querying, improving efficiency while reducing resource burden on both clients and servers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Speed

If widgets frequently query for updated data, then timely data access is achieved, but computational overhead increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata update timelinessVSAvoidcomputational overhead
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces continuous periodic polling with event-driven periodic action. Instead of widgets continuously querying at fixed intervals, the system triggers data pushes only when actual changes occur, maintaining data timeliness while dramatically reducing computational overhead during stable periods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

Solution Approach 2:

The information sources perform self-service by automatically detecting data changes and pushing updates to subscribed widgets. This eliminates the need for widgets to actively query and process repeated data requests, reducing computational overhead while maintaining timely data delivery.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Reliability

If widgets implement robust error handling for data reception, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedata reception reliabilityVSAvoiderror handling complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent uses feedback mechanisms where widgets send acknowledgment signals back to information sources to confirm successful data reception. This automated feedback loop improves reliability by ensuring data delivery without requiring complex error handling logic, as the system naturally manages retransmissions and delivery confirmation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an intermediary subscription management layer that handles error detection, retransmission, and delivery confirmation between widgets and information sources. This mediator absorbs the complexity of error handling, keeping widget implementation simple while maintaining high reliability through systematic error management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP1995668B1Enhanced widget architecture
Publication Date: 2011.09.21 SAP SE
  • EP1995668B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP1995668B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP1995668B1 patent drawingFigure 3A

AI summary

An enhanced widget architecture, in which a subscription request is transmitted from a widget to a broadcasting information source, thereby establishing a session, the subscription request identifying the widget and content. A subscription is registered at the broadcasting information source based upon the subscription request, and a service call is transmitted from the widget to the broadcasting information source based upon the subscription being registered at the broadcasting information source, the service call effectuating a query for historical data associated with the content at the broadcasting information source. The historical data is received at the widget, updated data associated with the content is received at the broadcasting information source, and the updated data is iteratively transmitted from the broadcasting information source based upon the subscription being registered at the broadcasting information source.