Application State Transfer via Checkpoint Suspension and Resumption
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users face challenges in seamlessly transferring application states between devices, such as switching from a smartphone to a tablet or laptop, due to limitations in screen size and keyboard functionality, leading to an inconvenient user experience when continuing tasks across different devices.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing near field communication (NFC) to transfer the application state of one device to another, allowing users to seamlessly switch between devices by establishing a connection when they are in close proximity, enabling 'zero-click' sharing of application states, including messaging, multimedia, and other applications, using a distributed system with NFC modules, network modules, and application transfer modules.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If application state is transferred between devices, then user convenience and task continuity are improved, but system complexity and data transfer overhead increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by capturing application state at checkpoints before device switching occurs. The state is serialized and prepared for transfer in advance, reducing the complexity of real-time state migration and enabling seamless user experience during device transitions.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a copy of the application state at checkpoint locations rather than transferring the entire application runtime environment. This copying approach simplifies the transfer mechanism by moving only essential state data (variables, UI position, playback position) between devices, reducing system complexity while maintaining ease of operation.
2Duration of action of moving object
If application state is captured and stored, then task continuity is improved, but memory usage and storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system extracts only the essential state information needed for task continuity (application variables, UI position, playback position) rather than storing the entire application runtime environment. This extraction approach maintains task continuity across device switches while minimizing memory and storage requirements by storing only critical state data.
Solution Approach 2:
Application state is captured at predetermined checkpoints during normal operation, allowing the system to prepare state data in advance for potential device transitions. This preliminary capture at checkpoints enables efficient memory management by storing state incrementally rather than requiring bulk memory allocation for complete state preservation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If checkpoints are implemented for state suspension, then application resumability is improved, but processing overhead and performance impact increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements periodic state capture at predefined checkpoints rather than continuous state monitoring. This periodic action at checkpoints provides application resumability by capturing state at meaningful intervals without imposing continuous processing overhead, balancing adaptability with performance efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention implements partial state capture at checkpoints, storing only essential application state (variables, UI position, playback position) rather than complete application context. This partial action approach provides sufficient resumability for user tasks while minimizing processing overhead and performance impact during state capture operations.
Data Source
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AI summary
A first client device executes a plurality of actively running applications, each having one or more checkpoints, each checkpoint identifying an execution breakpoint at which a respective application can be suspended and subsequently resumed. The first client device detects a transfer triggering condition, stores an application state for each of the plurality of actively running applications, and transmits the stored application state for each of the plurality of actively running applications to a second client device or system. The stored application state for each respective application of the plurality of actively running applications corresponds to a checkpoint of the respective application. Optionally, the transfer triggering condition includes presence of the second client device or system within a predefined proximity of the first client device or system, wherein the predefined proximity is a predefined proximity for near field communication.