Content Fragment Segmentation for Storage Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users in enterprise environments face challenges in managing storage space on devices by not wanting to download entire files, such as large video files, and previous solutions required retrieving or streaming entire files from remote storage areas, which is inefficient in terms of bandwidth and storage usage.

Innovation Solution

The system breaks down content files into fragments, allowing users to store only specific portions on their device while streaming the rest from remote storage, using a content access application that generates content file packages with a manifest file to manage and render the content seamlessly, enabling local and remote storage access.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If entire files are downloaded to user devices, then complete content is available locally, but storage space and bandwidth are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontent availabilityVSAvoidstorage space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides content files into multiple fragments and stores them in a content storage area. The system generates manifest files that contain information about these fragments, allowing the content access application to retrieve and assemble only the necessary fragments on-demand rather than downloading entire files. This segmentation enables selective storage and retrieval of content portions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent extracts only the necessary portions of content files (specific fragments) from the remote storage area and stores them locally in the content storage area. The manifest file system allows the system to identify and extract only the required fragments based on user requests, avoiding the need to store complete files locally.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

2Quantity of substance

If entire files are streamed from remote storage, then storage space is conserved, but bandwidth is consumed excessively

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage spaceVSAvoidbandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent performs preliminary actions by pre-generating manifest files that contain metadata about content fragments, including their locations and characteristics. When content is accessed, the system uses these pre-prepared manifest files to quickly identify and retrieve only the necessary fragments, avoiding the need to stream entire files and reducing bandwidth consumption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Quantity of substance

If selective folder synchronization is implemented, then storage is optimized, but file retrieval requires downloading entire files

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestorage spaceVSAvoidfile retrieval efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extends the segmentation concept to the file retrieval process. Instead of downloading entire files even when only portions are needed, the system divides files into fragments and uses manifest files to identify and retrieve only the specific fragments required, significantly improving retrieval efficiency while maintaining storage optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS10855746B2Generating content fragments for content distribution

Publication Date: 2020.12.01 VMWARE INC

AI summary

Disclosed are various examples for specifying portions of content files that can be stored on a client device. A content file stored in a remote storage area can be segmented into content fragments. A manifest file that specifies which portions of the content file correspond to content fragments can also be generated. The manifest file and content fragments can be packaged into a content package file that is stored on a client device and interpreted by a content proxy server.