Feature Phone Assistant App Adaptation Using Staged Experiment Parameters

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Solution Overview

Problem

Feature phones face challenges in effectively implementing applications due to limited hardware resources and operating systems that restrict background execution, necessitating efficient adaptation without requiring updates or reinstallation.

Innovation Solution

Adapting client applications on feature phones using experiment parameters, where parameters are fetched from a remote configuration server and committed upon specific conditions, allowing dynamic content generation without immediate implementation, and decoupling updates from system changes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Speed

If experiment parameters are fetched and committed immediately, then adaptation speed is improved, but user session stability deteriorates due to mid-session changes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveadaptation speedVSAvoiduser session stability
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by fetching experiment parameters in advance and storing them in a pending state before the user session starts. This allows the parameters to be ready for immediate application once the session begins, improving adaptation speed while preventing mid-session changes that would disrupt stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The parameter application process is segmented into distinct phases: fetching parameters before session start, storing them in a pending state, and then applying them at the appropriate time. This segmentation separates the parameter update mechanism from the user session execution, allowing independent optimization of both speed and stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Productivity

If application updates are implemented immediately, then productivity is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential errors during active sessions

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveupdate implementation speedVSAvoidapplication stability during execution
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

Experiment parameters are fetched and prepared in advance before the application execution phase. This preliminary action allows updates to be staged and validated before being applied, improving productivity while maintaining reliability by preventing rushed or error-prone immediate implementations during active sessions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a buffering mechanism where fetched parameters are stored in a pending state rather than being applied immediately. This cushioning layer provides a safety buffer that prevents direct propagation of potentially erroneous parameters into active sessions, thereby protecting reliability while still enabling quick updates when parameters are validated.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Adaptability or versatility

If frequent interactions with remote configuration server occur, then adaptability is improved, but resource consumption worsens due to bandwidth and server load

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparameter update frequencyVSAvoidbandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of continuous or event-driven interactions with the remote configuration server, the system implements periodic fetching of experiment parameters at predetermined intervals. This periodic action reduces the frequency of server interactions compared to real-time updates, thereby improving adaptability through regular updates while significantly reducing bandwidth consumption and server load.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

4Ease of operation

If parameters are committed during active application execution, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity worsens due to concurrent state management

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveparameter application simplicityVSAvoidconcurrent state management complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The parameter management process is segmented into distinct temporal phases: fetching before session start, storing in a pending state during session execution, and applying after session initiation. This segmentation eliminates the need for complex concurrent state management during active execution, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining ease of operation through a clear, sequential workflow.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentEP3791272B1Adapting client application of feature phone based on experiment parameters
Publication Date: 2025.11.12 GOOGLE LLC
  • EP3791272B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3791272B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3791272B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Some implementations are directed to adapting a client application on a feature phone based on experiment parameters. Some of those implementations are directed to adapting an assistant client application, where the assistant client application interacts with remote assistant component(s) to provide automated assistant functionalities via the assistant client application of the feature phone. Some implementations are additionally or alternatively directed to determining whether an invocation, of an assistant client application on a feature phone, is a request for transcription of voice data received in conjunction with the invocation, or is instead a request for an assistant response that is responsive to the transcription of the voice data (e.g., includes assistant content that is based on and in addition to the transcription, and that optionally lacks the transcription itself).