Similarity Engine for Cross-OS Application Recreation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users are discouraged from switching computing devices due to concerns about losing their application collection when switching between different operating systems, such as from iOS to Android or Windows to iOS, as existing solutions do not effectively facilitate the recreation of the application collection on a new device.
Innovation Solution
A similarity engine is developed to determine a set of applications on a destination device that are similar to those installed on a source device, allowing users to recreate their application collection by identifying canonical applications and their editions across different operating systems, and providing recommendations based on similarity scores and user preferences.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If users switch between different operating systems, then they can access a wider variety of applications and features, but they lose their existing application collection and face difficulty in recreating it on the new device
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the copying principle by creating a digital representation (clone) of the source application collection that can be transferred to the destination device. The system generates a clone bundle containing application data, metadata, and configuration information from the source device, which can then be installed on the destination device running a different operating system. This allows users to replicate their application collection across different platforms without manually recreating each application.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs an intermediary approach by introducing a cloning service and clone bundle as intermediate elements between the source and destination devices. The cloning service acts as a mediator that facilitates the transfer of application collections by processing the source application data, transforming it into a compatible clone bundle format, and enabling installation on the destination device. This intermediary mechanism bridges the incompatibility between different operating systems.
2Ease of operation
If manual recreation of application collections is required when switching devices, then users maintain control over their application selection, but the process becomes time-consuming and complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by automatically performing the application selection and configuration process in advance. When a user initiates a clone installation, the system automatically retrieves the application collection data from the source device, processes it into a clone bundle, and prepares it for installation on the destination device. This preliminary automation eliminates the need for users to manually select and configure each application individually, significantly reducing the time and effort required while maintaining user control through initial selection choices.
Data Source
AI summary
Techniques are disclosed for facilitating re-creation of an application collection of a source computing device at a destination computing device. The techniques include receiving a source application identifier indicative of a source application edition, the edition of the application being programmed for a source operating system. The techniques also include receiving an indicator of a destination operating system. The techniques further include determining a source canonical application corresponding to the source application edition based on the source application identifier, the source canonical application being a representative of one or more application editions including the source application edition. The techniques also include determining a set of destination application editions that are likely similar to the source application edition based on the source canonical application, the set of destination application editions indicating one or more destination application editions programmed for the destination operating system.