Smart File Versioning via User Interaction Metrics

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing versioning technologies do not effectively capture significant milestones in document development, leading to inefficiencies in file management and storage, as they lack a causal relationship with the document's content and are often out of sync with the work performed on the document.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a system that generates version numbers based on user interactions such as editing time, number of saves, and data changes, utilizing telemetry data to fine-tune weightings and provide contextually accurate version numbers, thereby aligning version numbers with the file's content and improving management efficiencies.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If versioning is done on a periodic basis (e.g., every 10 minutes), then version numbers are assigned regularly, but the version numbers do not reflect significant milestones in document development and are out of sync with actual work performed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveversioning efficiencyVSAvoidcausal relationship between version number and document content

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSLoss of information

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the parameters used for versioning from fixed time intervals to dynamic metrics including time spent editing, quantity of data changed, and number of saves. These parameters are weighted and combined to determine when a new version should be created, ensuring version numbers reflect actual significant changes in document content rather than arbitrary time periods.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors user interactions with the document (editing time, data changes, save events) and uses this feedback to dynamically determine when to create new versions. This feedback mechanism ensures that versioning remains synchronized with actual document development milestones, creating a causal relationship between version numbers and meaningful content changes.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Reliability

If all file iterations are stored to ensure complete version history, then comprehensive document history is maintained, but storage space and energy consumption increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedocument history completenessVSAvoidstorage energy consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts and stores only the essential version information (version numbers associated with significant milestones) while eliminating redundant intermediate iterations. By using intelligent criteria to determine which iterations represent meaningful changes, the system maintains reliable document history without storing every single save, thereby reducing storage space and energy consumption while preserving the essential versioning information.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

3Adaptability or versatility

If multiple document iterations are presented to users for selection, then users have access to all version options, but user interaction complexity and inadvertent inputs increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveversion selection flexibilityVSAvoiduser interaction simplicity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts and presents only the significant version milestones to users, filtering out redundant intermediate iterations. By displaying a curated list of meaningful versions based on actual document development milestones, the system maintains version selection flexibility while dramatically simplifying user interaction and reducing the likelihood of inadvertent selections.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

4Ease of manufacture

If version numbers are assigned based on fixed time intervals, then versioning process is simple to implement, but the system cannot identify significant milestones in document development

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveversioning implementation simplicityVSAvoidmilestone identification accuracy

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSMeasurement precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from simple time-based versioning to a multi-parameter system that monitors editing time, data change quantity, and save events. These parameters are weighted and combined to accurately identify significant milestones, maintaining implementation feasibility while dramatically improving milestone detection precision through the use of multiple measurable indicators rather than a single time-based metric.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS11269818B2Smart versioning for files

Publication Date: 2022.03.08 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A system enabling smart versioning of files is provided. Techniques disclosed herein enable a system to snap to new versions of a file based on one or more measures of user interactions with the file. For instance, a system can create a new version number for a file based on an amount of time a user has spent editing the file, a number of saves that have occurred, and/or a quantity of data applied to edits of the file. The techniques disclosed herein can also utilize telemetry data to fine tune weightings that are applied to data measuring specific types user activity to provide results that best serve a range of use scenarios and file types. By providing version numbers of a file that are based on user interactions, a system can provide more meaningful version numbers that are aligned with the contents of a file.