Application Behavior Management via Configuration Segmentation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Smart terminals face issues with background applications consuming resources, violating user privacy, and reducing battery life due to unnecessary background activities and advertisements.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that manage applications by determining if an application is allowed to run in the background based on a configuration file, closing unauthorized behaviors, and generating a configuration file based on usage data to optimize resource usage and user privacy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If applications are allowed to run in the background freely, then user convenience and application functionality are improved, but system speed deteriorates and power consumption increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication functionalityVSAvoidsystem speed
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSSpeed

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments application behaviors into authorized and unauthorized categories using a configuration file that lists specific behaviors (e.g., location access, camera usage, network communication). The system selectively allows only authorized behaviors to run in the background while blocking unauthorized ones, thus maintaining application functionality where needed while preventing resource consumption by malicious behaviors.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different quality control to different behaviors within the same application. Instead of treating all application activities uniformly, the system applies fine-grained control at the behavior level, allowing beneficial behaviors (e.g., message notifications) to continue while blocking harmful behaviors (e.g., advertising pushes, privacy monitoring), thereby resolving the contradiction between functionality and performance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

2Ease of operation

If applications are allowed to run in the background freely, then user convenience is improved, but battery life deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication functionalityVSAvoidbattery life
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The configuration file segments application behaviors into authorized and unauthorized categories. By blocking unauthorized behaviors at the system level, the patent prevents unnecessary battery consumption from malicious activities (advertising pushes, location monitoring, camera activation) while maintaining battery efficiency without compromising essential application functions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides self-service by automatically managing application behaviors based on the configuration file. The operating system actively monitors and controls application behaviors without requiring continuous user intervention, automatically blocking unauthorized behaviors that would consume battery power while allowing authorized behaviors to proceed, thus extending battery life while maintaining functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Ease of operation

If applications are allowed to run in the background freely, then application functionality is improved, but user privacy deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveapplication functionalityVSAvoiduser privacy
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments application behaviors into authorized and unauthorized categories using a configuration file that explicitly lists permitted behaviors (e.g., location access, camera usage, network communication). By blocking unauthorized behaviors at the system level, the patent prevents privacy violations (location monitoring, camera activation, advertising pushes) while maintaining essential application functions, thus protecting user privacy without compromising functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

4Loss of energy

If all application behaviors are blocked in the background, then power consumption is reduced, but application functionality deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepower consumptionVSAvoidapplication functionality
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of energyVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies fine-grained control at the behavior level rather than blocking all application activities uniformly. The configuration file specifies which behaviors are authorized (e.g., message notifications, essential updates) and which are unauthorized (e.g., advertising pushes, location monitoring). This selective approach reduces power consumption by blocking only harmful behaviors while maintaining essential application functions, avoiding the extremes of complete blocking or complete freedom.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Data Source

PatentEP3188066B1A method and an apparatus for managing an application
Publication Date: 2023.08.16 XIAOMI INC
  • EP3188066B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3188066B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4B
  • EP3188066B1 patent drawingFigure 4C

AI summary

The present disclosure provides a method and an apparatus for managing an application. The method includes: if it is detected that a current application running in foreground of a terminal is switched to background for running, determining (301) whether the current application is allowed to run in the background of the terminal according to a configuration file; acquiring (302) a behavior allowed to be operated in the current application according to the configuration file if it is determined that the current application is allowed to run in the background of the terminal; and closing (303) behaviors in the current application other than the behavior allowed to be operated in the current application.