Application Archiving via Cloud Relocation and Placeholders
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Solution Overview
Problem
The increasing volume of data on computing devices, particularly on mobile devices with limited storage, leads to storage space issues due to installed applications that are not frequently used, necessitating an efficient method to manage and free up space without impacting productivity.
Innovation Solution
An information management system that archives applications on client computing devices based on factors like frequency of use, application type, and storage requirements, generating placeholders for archived applications and allowing for restoration when needed, with the option to update archived applications upon restoration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple applications are installed on mobile devices, then application functionality and user productivity are improved, but storage space is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts applications from the device's primary storage and relocates them to cloud-based storage. The system identifies applications that are not frequently used and moves them to remote servers, freeing up local storage space while maintaining the ability to restore and run these applications when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a cloud storage intermediary between the user's device and the archived applications. This intermediary allows applications to be stored remotely while maintaining accessible references on the device, enabling users to access and restore applications without permanently occupying device storage space.
2Volume of stationary object
If applications are archived to free up storage space, then storage utilization is improved, but application accessibility may be impacted
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary actions by creating placeholder files and maintaining metadata about archived applications before they are actually needed. This allows the system to quickly restore applications when users request them, as the framework for restoration is already in place even though the full application data resides in the cloud.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying mechanisms to transfer application data from cloud storage back to device storage when restoration is requested. The system efficiently copies only the necessary application files back to the device, minimizing restoration time and maintaining ease of access while keeping archived applications in cloud storage for extended periods.
Data Source
AI summary
An information management system according to certain aspects can implement application archiving. The system may archive one or more applications on computing devices to make more storage space available on these devices. The system can determine which applications on client computing device to archive based on various factors. Some examples of factors can include frequency of use, application type, amount of application data and/or storage, user and/or device location, etc. The data to be archived can include one or more executable file(s), metadata, actual data, etc. After an application is archived, the system can generate a placeholder for the application; a placeholder can include information for restoring the archived application.