Mobile Table Attachment Preview via Segmented Data Extraction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Mobile communication devices face challenges in viewing large table attachments due to limited screen size and bandwidth, leading to inefficient on-demand content retrieval, where users must download multiple irrelevant tables to find relevant information.
Innovation Solution
A method is introduced to provide a 4×4 row/column preview of table attachments on mobile devices, allowing users to identify relevant tables without downloading large amounts of data, with the preview serving as a link for full table retrieval on-demand.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the entire table is downloaded to the mobile device, then the user can view the complete table content, but the bandwidth consumption increases and the download time extends
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the table into a preview portion (first N rows and columns) and a full table portion. The preview is displayed initially to allow users to identify relevant tables, while the full table is downloaded only when the user selects a specific table of interest. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by providing complete table content availability without requiring full table downloads for all tables in the document.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent generates and displays a preview of the table content before requiring the user to download the full table. The preview shows a limited portion (first N rows and columns) that is sufficient for users to identify relevant tables. This preliminary action allows users to make informed decisions about which tables to download, reducing unnecessary bandwidth consumption while ensuring complete table content is available when needed.
2Ease of operation
If multiple table links are provided without content information, then the on-demand architecture is maintained, but the user cannot identify relevant tables and must download all tables
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and displays only the necessary preview information (first N rows and columns) from each table in the document. This extracted preview content is sufficient for users to identify relevant tables without downloading the complete table. The solution resolves the contradiction by providing meaningful content information for table identification while maintaining the on-demand architecture that allows selective full table downloads.
3Loss of energy
If a small preview is displayed with limited cell content, then bandwidth consumption is minimized, but the user must download full tables to view complete content
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic content loading approach where the table display transitions from a static preview (first N rows and columns) to a dynamic full table download based on user selection. The preview provides sufficient information for identification, and when users select a specific table, the system dynamically downloads and displays the complete table content. This dynamic approach resolves the contradiction by providing meaningful table content information while minimizing initial bandwidth consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
A process is set forth for previewing a table attachment on a mobile communication device, and upon identifying table content of interest viewing and/or retrieving the entire table from an attachment server. In one embodiment, a small 4×4 row/column preview is presented on the device of every table found in a document attachment, with the cell content textual information limited to the requesting device display capabilities. This limitation avoids any requirement to download large amounts of individual cell content to the device. Thus, the user is able to quickly identify which tables are of interest and then request a full table download from the attachment server in an on-demand fashion. In this regard, the preview table itself preferably also functions as a link to the full table stored at the server to facilitate easy retrieval to the device for viewing in a spreadsheet view.