Virtual Graph Nodes for Bandwidth-Constrained Data Services
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing technologies face challenges in efficiently downloading and processing large amounts of data for client user interfaces, particularly over low bandwidth connections and using low-powered devices, leading to prolonged wait times for users.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of virtual nodes, which are lightweight subsets of main nodes, are returned in response to client requests, allowing for quicker data transfer and processing by removing unnecessary data and modifying it as needed, thereby optimizing resource usage and reducing download times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full data is downloaded for all graph nodes, then complete information is available for user interface rendering, but data transfer time and processing time increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments graph nodes into two types: main nodes containing full data and virtual nodes containing only essential data for immediate rendering. This segmentation allows the system to download and process only the necessary information for currently visible or immediately needed nodes, significantly reducing data transfer and processing time while maintaining information completeness for those specific nodes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts only the essential data fields from main nodes to create virtual nodes. By taking out only the necessary information (such as title, image URL, and basic metadata) while excluding redundant data (such as detailed descriptions, full cast lists, and extensive technical specifications), the system reduces data volume for transfer and processing while preserving the minimum required information for user interface rendering.
2Adaptability or versatility
If comprehensive data is retrieved for all nodes, then all user interface requirements are met, but bandwidth consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by differentiating data retrieval based on node type and usage context. Virtual nodes are created for nodes that need minimal data for basic rendering, while main nodes are retrieved only when users interact with or navigate to specific nodes requiring comprehensive information. This localized approach ensures adequate data volume for each specific use case without unnecessarily increasing overall data consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically switches between virtual nodes and main nodes based on user interaction patterns and interface state. When a user hovers over or selects a node, the system transitions from serving virtual nodes to fetching complete main nodes, enabling comprehensive data retrieval only when and where needed, thereby adapting data volume to actual user requirements.
3Loss of information
If complete node data is processed and rendered, then full information is displayed to users, but client device processing resources are consumed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments data processing into two stages: server-side processing that creates virtual nodes from main nodes, and client-side rendering that processes only the lightweight virtual node data. This segmentation significantly reduces the processing energy required at the client device while ensuring that complete information is still available when needed through the virtual-to-main node relationship.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces virtual nodes as an intermediary data structure between the comprehensive main nodes and the client device's rendering engine. These virtual nodes act as a mediator that translates full main node data into a simplified format suitable for immediate rendering, reducing the processing burden on client devices while preserving information availability through the intermediary layer.
Data Source
AI summary
The described technology is directed towards returning less data than is available for a data item in response to a request to a data service. A virtual graph node is returned in response to client requests, in which the virtual node comprises a relatively lightweight set of information relative to the full set of information for the data item, e.g., maintained in a main (graph) node. A requesting client indicates that a virtual node is desired, and receives a response comprising the virtual node, generally processed from the main node's data into a reduced subset of the main node. The main node may be cached at the data service, and returned if and when requested.