Autocomplete Status Lock Sequence Integrity

Solution Overview

Problem

Autocomplete functions on mobile devices experience delays and disorganization due to varying network signals, leading to out-of-sequence suggested content delivery, which affects user experience.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a status lock mechanism at the client device to regulate suggestion requests and a wait queue to ensure that characters are sent to the server in the correct sequence, along with a preset wait period for handling delayed requests, to maintain the integrity of suggested content delivery.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If autocomplete suggestion requests are sent to the server based on user input characters, then the user receives suggested content for completion, but the varying network signal causes delays and out-of-sequence delivery of suggestions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautocomplete response speedVSAvoidsequence integrity of suggested content

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assigning sequence numbers to suggestion requests before they are sent to the server. Each suggestion request is tagged with a sequence number that reflects its order in the user's input sequence. This allows the client to later reassemble the suggestions in the correct order regardless of when they are received from the server, thus maintaining sequence integrity while enabling parallel processing of multiple requests.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by having the server return suggestions with their original sequence numbers included in the response. The client device uses these sequence numbers to sort and reassemble the suggestions in the correct order. This feedback mechanism allows the system to correct for network-induced ordering disruptions and ensure that suggestions are displayed in the sequence they were originally requested.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If the mobile device waits for suggested content from the server, then sequence integrity is maintained, but the user experience deteriorates due to delays

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesequence integrity of suggested contentVSAvoiduser waiting time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assigning sequence numbers to suggestion requests before they are sent to the server. Each suggestion request is tagged with a sequence number that reflects its order in the user's input sequence. This allows the client to later reassemble the suggestions in the correct order regardless of when they are received from the server, thus maintaining sequence integrity while enabling parallel processing of multiple requests.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements continuity of useful action by allowing the client device to send multiple suggestion requests to the server in parallel rather than waiting sequentially for each response. The device continuously sends requests as the user types, and uses the sequence numbers to reassemble the responses in the correct order. This eliminates idle waiting time while maintaining proper sequencing through the use of sequence numbers.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

3Loss of time

If multiple suggestion requests are sent in parallel to overcome network delays, then response time improves, but the server may receive requests out of sequence and return incorrect suggestions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveautocomplete response timeVSAvoidcorrectness of suggested content

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by pre-assigning sequence numbers to suggestion requests before they are sent to the server. Each suggestion request is tagged with a sequence number that reflects its order in the user's input sequence. This allows the client to later reassemble the suggestions in the correct order regardless of when they are received from the server, thus maintaining sequence integrity while enabling parallel processing of multiple requests.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent implements feedback by having the server return suggestions with their original sequence numbers included in the response. The client device uses these sequence numbers to sort and reassemble the suggestions in the correct order. This feedback mechanism allows the system to correct for network-induced ordering disruptions and ensure that suggestions are displayed in the sequence they were originally requested.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Data Source

PatentUS10110708B2Performing autocomplete of content

Publication Date: 2018.10.23 ALIBABA GROUP HOLDING LTD

AI summary

Performing autocomplete of content is disclosed, including: generating a status lock configured to control sending requests to a server; generating a first suggestion request that includes a user input character; in response to an indication that the status lock is available, acquiring the status lock for the first suggestion request and sending the first suggestion request to the server; and in response to receipt of suggested content corresponding to the character from the server, releasing the status lock.