Distributed File Upload Using Chunked Device Collaboration
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Solution Overview
Problem
Uploading large files to a server can be a lengthy process that demands significant processing resources and is often slower than download speeds, especially for devices with hardware limitations or limited bandwidth.
Innovation Solution
Divide the file into portions and distribute them among client devices within proximity for individual upload to a file server, merging the portions back into a complete file.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If a single device uploads a large file to a server, then the upload process is simple, but the upload time is long and processing resources are heavily demanded
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the large file into multiple smaller portions (chunks) that can be distributed across multiple devices. Each device uploads its assigned portion to the server simultaneously, reducing the total upload time while maintaining manageable complexity through automated portion distribution and merging.
Solution Approach 2:
The server merges the file portions received from multiple different devices into a complete file. This combining approach allows parallel upload operations across multiple devices while presenting a single unified file to the server, effectively reducing upload time without requiring complex coordination at the server level.
2Productivity
If a single device uploads a large file, then the upload process is straightforward, but processing resources are heavily demanded and upload speed is slow
Solution Approach 1:
The file is segmented into multiple portions that can be processed and uploaded in parallel by different devices. This segmentation distributes the processing load across multiple devices, increasing overall upload speed while reducing the processing burden on any single device.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses copying of file portions to multiple devices for simultaneous upload. Each device receives a copy of a specific file portion and uploads it independently, effectively multiplying the upload capacity without requiring each device to process the entire file, thus increasing productivity while managing processing resources.
3Loss of time
If file portions are distributed among multiple devices for upload, then upload speed increases and processing time decreases, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by automatically dividing the file into portions and distributing them to selected devices before the upload process begins. This pre-processing of file segmentation and distribution simplifies the overall system architecture by handling complexity upfront, while still achieving parallel processing to reduce total time.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (the server or coordination service) that manages the distribution of file portions to multiple devices and collects the uploaded portions for merging. This intermediary layer abstracts the complexity of coordinating multiple devices, allowing the upload process to benefit from parallel processing without requiring direct complex interactions between client devices.
Data Source
AI summary
In one disclosed method, a method performed by a computing system involves determining that a file is to be uploaded from a first remote device to the computing system; sending, to the first remote device, first data to enable a wireless connection to be established between the first remote device and a second remote device; receiving, from the first remote device, a first portion of the file; receiving, from the second remote device, a second portion of the file, the second remote device having received the second portion of the file from the first remote device via the wireless connection; and merging the first portion of the file and the second portion of the file to generate a copy of the file.