Automatic Game State Synchronization Across Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for sharing and restoring application state data across multiple devices are tedious and require user intervention, limiting their applicability to only game applications specifically designed for game saving functionalities.
Innovation Solution
A distributed system automatically synchronizes application state data across multiple devices by detecting backup events and transmitting state data between devices, allowing seamless continuation of application progress without user intervention, applicable to any computer application running on supported operating systems.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If manual game save upload and download process is used, then game progress can be restored on another device, but the process is tedious and requires multiple user interventions
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically performs backup and restoration operations without requiring user intervention. The distributed system monitors application state changes, automatically uploads state data to the server, and restores it when needed, making the process self-service oriented
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary backup actions by automatically saving application state data to the server in advance. This preliminary action ensures that when restoration is needed, the data is already available, eliminating the need for manual save operations at the moment of interruption
2Adaptability or versatility
If manual game save process is used, then game progress can be shared across devices, but the process only works for game applications with specific game saving functionalities
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides universal backup and restoration functionality that works with any computer application, not just games. By implementing a general-purpose state management system that monitors application state changes and synchronizes them with the server, the solution achieves multi-functionality across different application types
Solution Approach 2:
The server acts as an intermediary that handles the complexity of state data management, synchronization, and restoration. This intermediary approach simplifies the client-side implementation and enables broad application compatibility without requiring each application to implement its own save functionality
3Ease of operation
If automatic background synchronization is implemented, then application state can be restored seamlessly across devices, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The server acts as an intermediary that handles the complexity of state data management, synchronization logic, and coordination between devices. By offloading this complexity to the server, the client devices can implement simpler local agents that focus on state capture and retrieval, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining transparent operation
Data Source
AI summary
A technique and apparatus for backing up and restoring game application state across multiple devices are disclosed herein. The method includes running an instance of a game application at a first device. Based on any of various criteria, such as the proximity between the first device and a second device, a computer makes a determination to synchronize the application state between the two devices. The computer causes the application state data, which represents an application state of the game application running on the first device, to be saved and made available to the second device, such as by saving the application state data to cloud storage. The second device receives the application state data and restores the game application state.