Cloud File Sync via Lossy Compression and Local Retention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Cloud storage systems face challenges in efficiently synchronizing and managing large personal files such as videos and high-resolution photographs across multiple devices while minimizing storage burden on cloud servers and optimizing storage space usage.
Innovation Solution
The system allows users to selectively store files in lossless or lossy formats, with lossy files being compressed and stored on cloud servers, and links or copies of lossless files being maintained on local devices, enabling efficient synchronization and backup of large files across devices with minimal cloud storage requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If files are stored in lossless format on cloud servers, then file quality is maintained, but storage space consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by storing files in different formats at different locations: lossless format is stored locally on user devices where high quality is needed for editing and viewing, while lossy compressed format is stored on cloud servers where space efficiency is prioritized. This resolves the contradiction by making file quality local to the user device rather than requiring universal high-quality storage everywhere.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates multiple versions of files - a full-quality lossless copy is maintained locally on user devices, while a compressed lossy copy is uploaded to the cloud. The cloud stores the compressed version to save space, but the original high-quality version remains locally available. This copying approach allows the system to maintain file quality where needed while reducing storage consumption on remote servers.
2Adaptability or versatility
If large files are synchronized across multiple devices, then data accessibility is improved, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameter of file format from lossless to lossy compression when uploading to the cloud. This parameter change reduces the file size significantly, thereby reducing network bandwidth consumption during synchronization. The compressed lossy version is what gets transmitted over the network, while the original lossless version remains locally, achieving efficient data accessibility with reduced network load.
3Quantity of substance
If cloud servers store compressed lossy versions of files, then storage capacity is optimized, but file quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies different quality standards to different storage locations: cloud servers use lossy compression for space efficiency, while user devices maintain lossless quality for actual file usage. This local quality approach allows the cloud to optimize storage capacity without permanently degrading file quality, since the high-quality version remains locally available when needed.
4Measurement precision
If users maintain full-quality copies of large files locally, then file quality is preserved, but device storage requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges local and cloud storage into a unified system where the user device stores the lossless original files and the cloud server stores the lossy compressed versions. This merging allows the system to leverage both local storage capacity and cloud storage capacity, enabling users to maintain full-quality files locally while also having accessible compressed versions in the cloud, effectively distributing the storage burden.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are methods and systems for providing cloud services to personal computing devices that store large personal files such as personal videos and personal photographs in a lossless format. The methods and systems include a cloud server that synchronizes a menu of the file system between local computing devices.