Offline Smartphone File System Snapshots for Email Attachment
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current smartphone email systems lack the ability to easily attach files from local hard drives, such as laptops, as users cannot access these files directly from their mobile devices, limiting flexibility in composing and sending emails with attachments.
Innovation Solution
The system creates an offline snapshot of a remote file system during synchronization, allowing users to select files from the snapshot and embed links into emails, which are then sent with instructions to the email client to retrieve and attach the files when the mobile device connects to the remote system, enabling file attachment from local hard drives without copying the files to the mobile device.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If files are stored only on the mail server or smartphone, then email attachment functionality is simple to implement, but users cannot access files from their local hard drives (laptop)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a connecting node (mail server or intermediate device) that mediates between the user's local hard drive and the email system. The node receives file references from the smartphone, retrieves actual files from the local hard drive, and attaches them to emails, allowing users to access local files without direct connectivity between smartphone and hard drive.
Solution Approach 2:
The system separates file storage and file access functions. Files remain stored on the local hard drive (original location) while the smartphone maintains only references/links to these files. The connecting node handles the actual file retrieval and attachment, dividing the system into distinct functional components.
2Reliability
If the smartphone connects to the mail server to transfer emails with attachments, then email sending functionality is reliable, but users have no visibility to reference their laptop hard drive from the smartphone
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a copy or representation of the local hard drive's file structure on the smartphone in the form of references, links, or a virtual file system interface. This allows users to browse and select files from their local hard drive as if they were directly accessible, while the actual file data remains on the local device.
3Adaptability or versatility
If attachments must reside on the mail server or smartphone, then the system architecture is simple, but flexibility in composing emails with attachments from various locations is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The connecting node is designed to handle multiple functions: it can retrieve files from local hard drives, store files on the mail server, transfer files to the smartphone, and attach files to emails. This multi-functional component provides universal access to files from various sources without requiring separate systems for each function.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Methods and apparatus, including computer program products, implementing and using techniques for distributing a file by email from a mobile device. An email is composed on the mobile device. A user selection is received of a file to be attached to the email. The selection is made from an off-line snapshot of a remote file system in which the file is located. A link corresponding to the location of the file in the remote file system is embedded into the email. The email with the link is placed in a queue on the mobile device. The email with the file corresponding to the link is sent in response to the remote file system becoming available to the mobile device.