Cloud Storage Asset Delivery via Network-Adaptive Caching

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Solution Overview

Problem

The increasing number and variety of electronic devices and digital assets available for online access pose challenges in managing the delivery and storage of digital assets, particularly in ensuring efficient network usage and device performance.

Innovation Solution

A cloud data storage system that allows users to access and manage digital assets across multiple devices, with features such as quality-based downloads, caching for improved performance and power efficiency, and local storage options that can be purged or non-purgable, enabling seamless access and storage of digital assets across various devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If digital assets are downloaded to multiple electronic devices, then accessibility and availability of digital assets are improved, but network bandwidth consumption and storage requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccessibility of digital assetsVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by downloading and caching digital assets to local storage before they are needed. When a user accesses a digital asset, if it is already cached locally, the system serves it from local storage rather than downloading it in real-time, thereby reducing network bandwidth consumption while maintaining accessibility across multiple devices

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system creates copies of digital assets by storing them in local caches on electronic devices. These local copies allow users to access digital assets without requiring continuous network connection or repeated downloads, thus reducing overall network bandwidth consumption while improving accessibility

Inventive Principle:
Principle #26Copying

2Speed

If digital assets are stored locally on electronic devices, then access speed and device performance are improved, but storage capacity requirements and device complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveaccess speedVSAvoidstorage management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the storage architecture into multiple levels: cloud storage for long-term archiving and local cache storage for rapid access. This segmentation allows the system to provide fast local access for frequently used assets while maintaining the ability to store large amounts of data in the cloud, thereby improving access speed without proportionally increasing device complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The caching mechanism serves multiple functions simultaneously: it accelerates access speed for digital assets, reduces network bandwidth consumption, and enables offline access. This multi-functionality allows the system to improve performance without requiring separate dedicated systems for each function, thus managing complexity effectively

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Manufacturing precision

If high quality digital assets are always downloaded, then asset quality is improved, but network bandwidth consumption and download time increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveasset qualityVSAvoiddownload time
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts the quality of digital assets downloaded based on real-time network conditions and device capabilities. When network bandwidth is limited or download time would be excessive, the system downloads lower quality versions that can be quickly transferred and cached. When network conditions improve or time is not a constraint, the system can then upgrade to higher quality versions, thus balancing asset quality with download time considerations

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the quality parameter of digital assets based on contextual factors such as network bandwidth availability, device storage capacity, and user preferences. By making quality a variable parameter rather than a fixed attribute, the system can optimize between asset quality and download time by selecting appropriate quality levels for different scenarios

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentEP2560344B8Management of downloads from a network-based digital data repository based on network performance
Publication Date: 2018.06.27 APPLE INC

AI summary

Improved techniques and systems for storage, delivery and acquisition of digital assets stored in cloud data storage. Cloud data storage can be provided by a cloud data repository that is capable of storing digital data for various users. A given user can access cloud data storage from any of his/her authorized client devices via a network. A given client device can access not only locally stored digital assets but also remotely stored digital assets from cloud data storage. In one embodiment, downloads of digital assets resident in cloud data storage to client devices can be managed in view of available network performance. As one example, digital assets of differing quality levels can be downloaded in a manner dependent on network performance. As another example, locally stored digital assets of reduced quality can be upgraded (e.g., replaced) by higher quality versions in a manner dependent on network performance.