Short Identity Compression for Collaborative Document Editing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing document collaboration systems face significant computational overhead due to the use of 128-bit universally unique identifiers (UUIDs) for each document element, leading to resource-intensive processing, storage, and network traffic, especially in collaborative editing environments.
Innovation Solution
A compression scheme is employed using local short identities (local Short IDs) assigned to document elements, which are then mapped to global short identities (global Short IDs) by a network system, reducing the bit requirement to 32 bits or less, and allowing inference of identities from offsets in a tree structure or array indices, with a base UUID serving as a reference.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If 128-bit UUIDs are assigned to each document element, then unique identification is ensured, but computational resources and storage costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the 128-bit UUID into multiple components: a stable base UUID assigned to the document and incremental offsets for individual elements. This segmentation allows the system to use smaller, more efficient data structures while maintaining unique identification capability through the combination of base UUID and offset.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the parameter representation from fixed 128-bit UUIDs to a variable-length structure consisting of a base UUID plus small integer offsets. This parameter change reduces the average data size and computational overhead while preserving the uniqueness and stability requirements for element identification.
2Reliability
If 128-bit UUIDs are used for each character, then universal unique identification is achieved, but storage space requirements become excessive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the identification space into a stable base component (document-level UUID) and variable offset components (element-level identifiers). This segmentation reduces storage requirements by eliminating redundant UUID repetitions and using compact integer representations for offsets instead of full 128-bit identifiers.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a compressed copy of the identification structure where instead of storing full UUIDs for each element, it stores references (offsets) relative to the base UUID. This copying approach significantly reduces storage space while maintaining the ability to uniquely identify and track elements.
3Reliability
If UUIDs are assigned to each element, then element tracking is enabled, but processing time increases due to computational overhead
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments element tracking into two parts: stable base identification at the document level and incremental offset tracking at the element level. This segmentation enables faster processing by using simple integer arithmetic for offset management instead of complex UUID generation and comparison operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs preliminary assignment of base UUIDs to documents and stable offsets to elements in a predictable sequence. This preliminary action eliminates the need for complex UUID generation during runtime operations, reducing processing time for element creation, modification, and tracking.
4Loss of information
If full UUIDs are transmitted in network traffic, then complete identification information is provided, but network bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the stable base UUID from each element's full identifier and transmits only the variable offset portion in network traffic. This extraction approach maintains complete identification information capability while significantly reducing the amount of data transmitted over the network.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the base UUID as an intermediary reference that allows clients to reconstruct full element identifiers locally without receiving complete UUIDs in network traffic. This intermediary approach preserves identification accuracy while minimizing network bandwidth consumption.
Data Source
AI summary
Systems and methods are directed to a compression scheme for stable universally unique identities in a collaborative editing environment. A client receives edits to a document and immediately creates a local short identity for an element of each edit, whereby the local short identity represents an offset from a base unique identity associated with the client from which a unique identifier assigned to the element is derivable. The local short identity information including the local short identity for each element is transmitted to a server. Subsequently, global short identity information is received from the server from which one or more global short identities that each map to a local short identity of a client of a plurality of clients collaborating on the document can be determined by the client. Each global short identity is a compact identity that is universally unique to the plurality of clients including the client.