Context Replay Snapshots Visual Timeline Interface
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current backup and versioning systems for computing systems are time-consuming and intrusive, requiring users to manually restore data by rebooting the system and navigating complex restore tools, which limits user convenience and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A computing device system that creates and manages snapshots of user computing contexts, allowing users to visually navigate and restore previous states through a timeline interface, integrating data recovery with normal workflow and utilizing persistent memory for efficient data retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If users manually restore data through specialized restore tools, then data recovery is achieved, but the process becomes time-consuming and intrusive requiring system reboot
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates snapshots of computing contexts at specific points in time and stores them in persistent memory before they are needed for restoration. This preliminary action allows users to instantly revert to previous states without time-consuming restoration processes, as the snapshot data is already prepared and stored in persistent memory for immediate retrieval.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates copies of computing contexts (snapshots) at different points in time and stores them in persistent memory. Instead of restoring original data through complex processes, users can directly access these pre-created copies, eliminating the need for time-consuming restoration operations and system reboots while maintaining data reliability.
2Reliability
If users manually navigate restore tools to select previous versions, then data recovery is achieved, but the operation becomes complex and intrusive
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates visual copies (thumbnails) of computing contexts from snapshots and displays them in a timeline interface. Users can visually browse and select previous computing contexts by viewing these simplified representations, making the restoration process intuitive and easy to operate while maintaining reliable data recovery through the underlying snapshot mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The system replaces complex mechanical restore tools with a visual timeline interface that leverages human visual memory. Instead of requiring users to navigate through specialized restore programs and select from technical options, the system presents visual thumbnails that users can naturally browse and select, significantly improving ease of operation while maintaining data recovery reliability.
3Speed
If traditional volatile memory is used for computing contexts, then fast access is achieved, but data persistence is lost when power is turned off
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses persistent memory to serve dual functions: it provides both the persistence of non-volatile storage and the fast access speeds of volatile memory. By storing computing context snapshots in persistent memory, the system achieves both rapid data retrieval and automatic data persistence, eliminating the trade-off between speed and reliability that exists with traditional volatile memory.
4Reliability
If persistent memory is used for storing snapshots, then data persistence and fast retrieval are achieved, but memory resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments computing context data into discrete snapshots stored in persistent memory, allowing selective retention and management of historical data. Instead of continuously allocating memory for all possible data states, the system divides data into manageable snapshot segments that can be created, stored, and managed independently, optimizing persistent memory resource usage while maintaining data persistence.
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies for computing context replay include a computing device having a persistent memory and a volatile memory. The computing device creates multiple snapshots that are each indicative of a user's computing context at a corresponding sync point. The snapshots may include metadata created in response to system events, memory snapshots stored in a virtual machine, and/or video data corresponding to the computing context. At least a part of the snapshots are stored in the persistent memory. The computing device presents a timeline user interface based on the snapshots. The timeline includes multiple elements that are associated with corresponding sync points. The timeline elements may visually indicate a salience value that has been determined for each corresponding sync point. In response to a user selection of a sync point, the computing device activates a computing context corresponding to the snapshot for the selected sync point. Other embodiments are described and claimed.