Application Offloading via Data Management Module
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Solution Overview
Problem
Electronic devices face storage limitations, leading to the need for managing applications and data to free up space without disrupting user experience, as users often have numerous applications and content items that consume significant storage space.
Innovation Solution
Implementing a data management module that offloads application files, data, and state information to network storage, allowing users to uninstall applications while retaining metadata for seamless reinstallation and restoration through a launcher UI that distinguishes between installed and offloaded applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If applications are kept installed on the electronic device, then user experience is maintained with quick access, but storage space is consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments applications into two categories: actively used applications that remain installed on the device for quick access, and less frequently used applications that are offloaded to remote storage. This segmentation allows the system to maintain fast access for necessary applications while freeing up storage space by moving seldom-used applications offline, resolving the contradiction between ease of operation and storage space consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts less frequently used applications from the device's local storage and relocates them to remote storage systems. This extraction process removes the burden of storing inactive applications on the device, thereby freeing up valuable storage space while maintaining the ability to quickly restore and access these applications when needed, thus resolving the storage space versus accessibility contradiction.
2Quantity of substance
If applications are offloaded to network storage, then storage space is freed up, but reinstallation time is required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by maintaining metadata, application state information, and configuration data in remote storage alongside offloaded applications. When an application needs to be restored, this pre-stored information is quickly retrieved and used to rapidly reinstall and restore the application to its previous state, significantly reducing reinstallation time while maintaining the storage space benefits of offloading.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying by creating and maintaining copies of application state information, metadata, and configuration data in remote storage. These copies enable rapid application restoration without requiring full reinstallation, as the system can quickly copy the necessary data back to the device and restore the application to its previous state, thereby minimizing time loss while preserving storage space.
3Loss of time
If application data is retained on the electronic device, then application restoration is faster, but storage space is used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts application data, state information, and metadata from local storage and relocates them to remote storage systems. This extraction frees up local storage space while maintaining quick restoration capability through the use of cached metadata and state information that are preserved in the remote storage system, allowing fast application restoration without consuming valuable local storage resources.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary mechanism in the form of cached metadata and state information that remains accessible in remote storage. This intermediary layer enables fast application restoration by providing quick access to essential application data without requiring the application files themselves to be stored locally, thus resolving the contradiction between restoration speed and storage space consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
In some examples, an electronic device may store at least one of application data or application state information obtained from executing a first application on the electronic device, and may offload the first application from the electronic device. The electronic device may present a user interface on a display that may include a first application representation corresponding to the first application offloaded from the electronic device, and a second application representation corresponding to a second application installed on the electronic device. The first application representation is presented with a graphical style that visually distinguishes the first application representation from the second application representation based on the first application being offloaded. The electronic device may onload the first application on the electronic device and execute the first application on the electronic device using the at least one of the application data or the application state information.