Embedded Content Object Collaboration via Cloud Sync

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current collaboration systems lack mechanisms for managing local collaboration activities over shared content objects that are embedded within other shared content objects, leading to conflicts and inefficiencies in change management.

Innovation Solution

The implementation of techniques that automatically replicate local changes over an embedded content object to a remotely-stored shared instance, using a cloud-based content management platform to facilitate collaboration while avoiding conflicts, by providing a collaboration application that edits and updates embedded content objects across all user devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If collaborators edit embedded content objects locally without a synchronization mechanism, then each collaborator can work independently and quickly, but conflicting edits occur when multiple collaborators modify the same embedded content object simultaneously

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollaboration efficiencyVSAvoiddata consistency

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where local edits to embedded content objects are automatically detected and synchronized to the cloud-based platform. The platform then propagates these changes back to all collaborators' devices, ensuring that each user receives feedback about changes made by others. This continuous feedback loop maintains data consistency while allowing independent local editing, resolving the contradiction between collaboration efficiency and data consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The cloud-based content management platform serves as an intermediary between collaborators' local devices. When a collaborator edits an embedded content object locally, the changes are transmitted to the cloud platform, which manages the synchronization and conflict resolution. The platform then distributes updated versions to all collaborators, acting as a mediator that prevents direct conflicts while maintaining real-time collaboration capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If local changes are automatically synchronized to the cloud platform, then consistency across all collaborators is maintained, but network bandwidth and server resources are consumed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedata consistencyVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and transmits only the specific changes made to embedded content objects, rather than synchronizing entire files or redundant data. By identifying and transmitting only the modified portions (such as specific slides in a presentation or particular sections of a document), the system maintains data consistency while significantly reducing network bandwidth consumption and server processing requirements.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs partial synchronization by updating only the necessary portions of embedded content objects rather than complete resynchronization. When changes are detected, the system transmits minimal required data to maintain consistency, avoiding excessive network traffic and server resource usage while still ensuring all collaborators have the latest version of the content.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

3Speed

If embedded content objects are updated in real-time across all devices, then all collaborators see the latest changes immediately, but system complexity and processing requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvechange propagation speedVSAvoidsynchronization system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by establishing change detection mechanisms and synchronization protocols in advance. Local applications are pre-configured to monitor for changes in embedded content objects and automatically initiate synchronization when modifications are detected. This preliminary preparation enables rapid change propagation without requiring complex real-time processing, as the infrastructure is already in place to handle updates efficiently.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS11449469B2Embedded content object collaboration

Publication Date: 2022.09.20 BOX INC

AI summary

Systems and methods for embedded content object collaboration. A server of a cloud-based content management system hosts an access point to a set of executable code. The executable code is configured to facilitate interaction with a user. The user initiates operations that are performed either at the cloud-based content management system or at the at least one user device, or both. The operations include (1) user interactions with a shared content object, (2) user selection of at least one embedded content object within the shared content object, (3) editing the embedded content object at the at least one user device, (4) replicating one or more changes performed on the embedded content object to a remotely-stored instance of the embedded content object, and (5) downloading at least a portion of the updated, remotely-stored instance of the embedded content object to the user device.