Partial Attachment Viewing on Portable Devices
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
There is a delay in viewing attachments on portable electronic devices due to server processing time and network speed, especially when dealing with large files, as existing methods require the entire attachment to be downloaded before it can be displayed.
Innovation Solution
A method that encapsulates a Document Object Model (DOM) for attachments in a self-contained Universal Content Stream (UCS) format, allowing partial downloading and viewing, with meta-data for locating the attachment, and persisting initial data on the device for subsequent requests, enabling faster display and incremental data retrieval.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the entire attachment is downloaded before display, then the attachment can be viewed completely, but the viewing delay increases due to server processing time and network speed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the attachment into multiple portions, where the first portion is downloaded and displayed immediately, while subsequent portions are loaded incrementally as needed. This is achieved through the attachment viewer requesting specific portions of the attachment rather than downloading the entire file at once, thereby reducing initial viewing delay while maintaining complete display capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary actions by downloading and storing the first portion of the attachment in advance before the user actually needs to view it. The attachment viewer pre-loads this initial portion so that when the user requests to view the attachment, it is already available for immediate display, reducing the perceived waiting time.
2Loss of time
If only partial attachment data is downloaded, then the viewing delay is reduced, but the attachment may not be fully displayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic loading mechanism where the attachment viewer can request additional portions of the attachment based on user interaction and viewing progress. As the user navigates through the attachment or requests specific sections, the system dynamically loads the required portions from the server, ensuring complete information availability while maintaining fast initial display.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback mechanisms where the attachment viewer monitors user viewing behavior and automatically requests additional portions of the attachment as needed. The server responds to these requests by providing the next required portion, creating a feedback loop that ensures complete attachment display while minimizing unnecessary data transfer and maintaining optimal viewing performance.
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
A method for downloading an attachment to an attachment viewer of a portable electronic device includes: sending an initial data request from said attachment viewer to a server in response to receipt of an email message including said attachment by said portable electronic device; accessing a graph structure representing a map of said attachment from said server, said graph structure having been previously built on said server; reconstructing said graph structure in response to said initial request and encapsulating said graph structure in data having an attachment viewer readable format, said data being stored on said server; and i) downloading successive chunks of said data from said server to said attachment viewer responsive to successive user requests; ii) storing each of said successive chunks of said data on said portable electronic device prior to display thereof; iii) displaying said successive chunks of said data on said portable electronic device and automatically downloading respective next chunks of said data from said server; and iv) while said data chunks of said data remain to be downloaded from said server performing steps i) to iii).