Navigation application interface

A navigation platform comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
• discover a plurality of information types included in a root level of an information tree available from a navigation solution by:
• issuing a first request to the navigation solution, the first request comprising a token corresponding to the information types, wherein each information type is associated with a different set of information values included in the information tree;
• and
• in response to the first request, receiving from the navigation solution a plurality of information type identifiers representing the information types at the root level of the information tree, where each of the information type identifiers identifies a different information type;
• discover one or more information refinements corresponding to an information type available from the navigation solution by issuing a second request to the navigation solution, the second request comprising an information type identifier of the information type and, in response, receive from the navigation solution a list of refinement identifiers representing all information refinements at a second level of the information tree, where a refinement identifier identifies a respective refinement of the information type;
• generate and issue a third request to the navigation solution, the third request comprising the information type identifier and one or more of the corresponding refinement identifiers and, in response, receive from the navigation solution information values corresponding to the second level of the information tree and corresponding to the information type identifier and the one or more corresponding refinement identifiers;
• and
• generate navigation functionality in response to transmission of the generated requests, the navigation functionality for display with other than the navigation solution based on the information values received from the navigation solution.

A method of integrating a navigation solution into a navigation platform using an application programming interface, the method comprising:

• transmitting a first message to the navigation solution, by the navigation platform, the first message comprising a request for types of information corresponding to a specified level of an information tree of the information tree and available from the navigation solution, wherein each type of information is associated with a different set of information values included in the information tree;
• in response to the request for types of information, receiving a first response, from the navigation solution, at the navigation platform, the first response comprising a first list of identifiers representing the information types at a root level of the information tree, where each identifier in the first list of identifiers corresponds to a different type of information available from the navigation solution;
• transmitting to the navigation solution, by the navigation platform, a second message for each respective type of information, the second message comprising an identifier of a type of information and a request for sub-types of information available for the type of information;
• in response to the request for sub-types of information, receiving a second response from the navigation solution, at the navigation platform, the second response comprising a second list of identifiers representing information refinements at a second level of the information tree, where each identifier in the second list of identifiers corresponds to the sub-type of information available for the type of information corresponding to the identifier in the second message;
• discovering, by the navigation platform, a structure of information values available from the navigation solution corresponding to the second level of the information tree and based on the receipt of the first response and the second response, where the structure of the information values available from the navigation solution comprises classification of the information values in a plurality of sub-types of the types of information;
• configuring the navigation platform to provide navigation functionality of the navigation solution using the navigation platform according to the structure of the information values available from the navigation solution;
• receiving, at the navigation platform, a request for navigation;
• and
• providing, at the navigation platform, the navigation based on the information values accessed from the navigation solution.