Audible Social Network Notifications for Inattentive TV Users

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users often miss social network communications on televisions or media equipment when engaged in other activities, as these communications are typically textual and not visually presented when the user is not watching.

Innovation Solution

Converting social network communications into audible form for presentation when the user's attentiveness level relative to the device does not exceed a threshold, using a voice signature of the sender and prioritizing communications based on user-defined priorities and urgency, with the option to replace or accompany media asset audio.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If social network communications are presented in textual form on television, then the communications can be displayed visually, but users miss the communications when they are not watching the television

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesocial network communication deliveryVSAvoiduser engagement requirement

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the visual display mechanism (text on screen) with an acoustic mechanism (text-to-speech audio output). This substitution allows the communication to be perceived through sound rather than sight, enabling users to receive notifications even when not visually engaged with the television device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the presentation parameter from visual (textual display) to auditory (spoken form). By converting the communication modality from sight-based to sound-based, the system overcomes the limitation of user inattention and ensures communication delivery regardless of visual engagement level.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Loss of information

If social network communications are converted to audible form, then users can receive communications without visual engagement, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication delivery reliabilityVSAvoidtext-to-speech processing system

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The television device is enhanced with multi-functionality by integrating text-to-speech conversion capabilities alongside its existing display functions. This allows the same device to serve both visual and auditory notification purposes, managing complexity by consolidating functions in a single platform rather than requiring separate dedicated devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces text-to-speech conversion as an intermediary process between receiving the social network communication and presenting it to the user. This intermediary layer transforms text into speech, bridging the gap between the digital communication and the user's auditory perception, while managing complexity through software-based conversion rather than hardware modifications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If audible notifications are used for all communications, then all users receive notifications, but the notification effectiveness decreases due to lack of prioritization

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reachVSAvoidnotification importance differentiation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies different notification qualities to different communications based on their importance. High-priority communications receive distinctive audible signals (such as urgent tones or voice announcements), while lower-priority communications receive standard audible notifications. This local differentiation of notification quality maintains user attention and ensures important messages are noticed without overwhelming users with equally intense notifications for all messages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The notification system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on communication priority levels. The system evaluates each incoming communication and adapts the notification method accordingly, using different audio characteristics, volumes, or patterns for different priority levels. This dynamic adaptation ensures that notification effectiveness is optimized for each specific communication's importance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS11804209B2Systems and methods for presenting social network communications in audible form based on user engagement with a user device

Publication Date: 2023.10.31 ROVI PRODUCT CORP

AI summary

Methods and systems are described herein for generating an audible presentation of a communication received from a remote server. A presentation of a media asset on a user equipment device is generated for a first user. A textual-based communication is received, at the user equipment device from the remote server. The textual-based communication is transmitted to the remote server by a second user and the remote server transmits the textual-based communication to the user equipment device responsive to determining that the second user is on a list of users associated with the first user. An engagement level of the first user with the user equipment device is determined. Responsive to determining that the engagement level does not exceed a threshold value, a presentation of the textual-based communication is generated in audible form.