Remote Feature Toggles for User Device Function Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing enterprise systems face challenges in quickly responding to abnormal conditions, such as increased communication traffic, due to the inability to rapidly update user device functions, leading to slowed response times or website crashes.
Innovation Solution
A digital feature toggle system that remotely controls user device functions by sending toggle signals to update settings, enabling or disabling functions based on detected abnormal conditions or manual input, using a computing system with a processor, storage, and network connection to manage communication traffic and send application code and settings to user devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the enterprise system uses traditional web application updates to change functions, then the application can be updated with new features, but the update process takes significant time and causes service interruption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the application functionality into discrete toggleable features that can be independently controlled. Each function is represented as a separate toggle setting that can be enabled or disabled without affecting other functions, allowing selective updates of specific features rather than requiring full application redeployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements dynamic control of application functions through a backend toggle mechanism. The system can dynamically enable or disable specific functions in real-time based on operational conditions, traffic patterns, or administrative decisions, without requiring the application to be taken offline for updates.
2Reliability
If the enterprise system waits for app store approval to update mobile applications, then the application quality and security can be maintained, but the response time to abnormal conditions increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent prepares multiple versions of application code with different function configurations in advance. These pre-built versions are stored and ready for deployment, allowing the system to quickly switch between versions when abnormal conditions occur, bypassing the need for real-time app store approval while maintaining quality through pre-validation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a backend toggle system as an intermediary layer between the application and the users. This intermediary allows the enterprise system to control function availability without requiring direct application updates through app stores, effectively decoupling the update process from the app store approval mechanism.
3Manufacturing precision
If the enterprise system takes down the website to make updates, then the application can be updated without errors, but the service availability is reduced and response times increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic function toggling that allows the system to enable or disable specific features without taking the entire website offline. The update process becomes a simple configuration change rather than a full deployment event, maintaining continuous service availability while applying updates to specific functions.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the update mechanism from the deployment process. Instead of requiring full website take-down for updates, the system separates the update action into a independent configuration toggle that can be applied without affecting overall service continuity, allowing updates to be applied while the site remains operational.
4Reliability
If the enterprise system uses manual update procedures for each function change, then the update process can be controlled and tested, but the complexity of the update process increases and response time to abnormal conditions is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a self-service update mechanism where the system automatically manages function toggling based on pre-configured rules or administrative inputs. The update process is automated through the toggle system, reducing manual intervention requirements while maintaining control through configured policies and monitoring capabilities.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent simplifies the update process by reducing it to simple parameter changes (toggle states) rather than complex deployment procedures. Each function update becomes a matter of changing a binary parameter (on/off) in the configuration, dramatically reducing process complexity while maintaining control through the structured toggle system.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and a method for remotely controlling a user device function include: a computing system having a processor executing computer-readable instructions stored in a storage device; a network connection operatively connecting multiple user devices to the computing system; and wherein the computing system executes the instructions to perform, for each of the user devices, steps comprising: sending an application code to the user device, the code including multiple code portions each associated with a function performed by the user device upon execution of the associated code portion; sending a data set to the user device including multiple settings stored by the user device, each of the settings associated with one of the code portions; and sending a toggle signal to the user device remotely causing the user device to update one of the stored settings thereby enabling or disabling the function associated with the one stored setting.