Consumer Device Cloud Computing to Reduce Centralized Server Reliance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cloud computing infrastructure relies heavily on high-power servers, which incur significant costs for maintenance, cooling, and real estate, and are prone to disruptions due to centralized locations, limiting accessibility and scalability.

Innovation Solution

Utilizing consumer devices such as smartphones and tablets as low-power computing resources, selected based on proximity and characteristics, to distribute and supplement cloud computing infrastructure, reducing reliance on centralized servers.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If centralized high-power servers are used for cloud computing, then computational power and service capability are improved, but infrastructure costs and complexity increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomputational powerVSAvoidinfrastructure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the cloud computing infrastructure by using consumer devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops) as distributed computing nodes instead of a single centralized server. Each consumer device runs a virtual machine that can execute computational jobs, dividing the computing workload across multiple dispersed units. This segmentation reduces the complexity of any single infrastructure component while maintaining overall computational capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs virtual machine images that can be copied and deployed across multiple consumer devices. Instead of requiring unique physical servers for each computing task, the system creates and replicates virtual machine instances on available consumer devices. This copying approach enables rapid scaling of computational resources without proportionally increasing infrastructure complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #26Copying

2Adaptability or versatility

If centralized servers are used for cloud computing, then service capability is improved, but maintenance costs and operational overhead increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveservice capabilityVSAvoidmaintenance cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Consumer devices perform self-managed functions including automatic authentication with the cloud service provider, self-provisioning of virtual machines, and autonomous execution of computational tasks. The system leverages the existing operating systems and hardware of consumer devices to maintain themselves without requiring specialized cloud infrastructure maintenance. This self-service model significantly reduces operational overhead and maintenance costs compared to traditional centralized server management.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Quantity of substance

If centralized cloud infrastructure is used, then computational resources are consolidated, but accessibility and scalability are limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveresource consolidationVSAvoidaccessibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a single-point (centralized) computing model to a distributed computing model that leverages the existing dimensional spread of consumer devices across different locations. By utilizing the spatial distribution of smartphones, tablets, and laptops already in users' hands, the system achieves scalability without requiring additional physical infrastructure deployment. The consumer devices themselves become the distributed nodes, naturally providing geographic dispersion and accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

4Power

If high-power servers are deployed for cloud computing, then processing capability is improved, but energy consumption and environmental impact increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprocessing capabilityVSAvoidenergy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the power parameter profile by replacing high-power continuous server operation with lower-power consumer device computation. Consumer devices can execute computational tasks using their existing processors and batteries, consuming significantly less energy than dedicated high-power servers would require for the same processing capability. The system adapts power consumption to the actual computational needs of each task rather than maintaining constant high-power infrastructure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS20250224996A1System and Method for User Devices in Cloud Computing Environment

Publication Date: 2025.07.10 MARVELL ASIA PTE LTD

AI summary

A system and corresponding method consumerize cloud computing by incorporating consumer devices into an infrastructure of cloud computing environment. The consumer device comprises a client job manager that spawns a processing task on the consumer device responsive to a job request to perform at least a portion of a computational job. The computational job is requested by an end user device to be performed via cloud computing. The consumer device further comprises a network interface. The job request is received via the network interface from a cloud job manager of a cloud service provider system of a cloud service provider. The processing task performs the at least a portion of the computational job. The consumer device is selected by the cloud job manager based, at least in part, on proximity of the consumer device to the end user device and at least one characteristic of the consumer device. The client job manager communicates the at least one characteristic to the cloud job manager via the network interface.