Cloud Extension Agent for Mobile Email Notifications
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Solution Overview
Problem
Third-party email applications on mobile devices struggle to provide real-time notifications of pending emails from corporate email servers without constantly running, as they lack the privileges to persistently run in the background, leading to difficulties in accessing and notifying users of new messages.
Innovation Solution
A cloud extension agent on the corporate network receives notification information from the email server and uses a cloud-based service to push notifications to the mobile device through a push notification service provided by the mobile operating system, allowing third-party applications to receive notifications without constantly running, thereby reducing processing overhead and extending battery life.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If third-party email applications constantly run in the background to receive real-time notifications, then notification capability is improved, but processing overhead and battery consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses push notification services that operate periodically or on-demand rather than continuously. The email application can be terminated when not in use, and notifications are delivered through the OS-level push notification service only when needed, eliminating the need for constant background execution while maintaining reliable notification delivery.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary push notification service provided by the mobile operating system that mediates between the email server and the third-party email application. This intermediary receives notification requests from the server and delivers them to the application without requiring the application to run continuously, thus resolving the contradiction between reliable notifications and low energy consumption.
2Reliability
If third-party email applications constantly run in the background to receive real-time notifications, then notification capability is improved, but processing overhead increases
Solution Approach 1:
The push notification service acts as an intermediary that handles the complexity of real-time notification delivery. The email application simply registers for push notifications and receives them when delivered, without needing to implement complex background execution logic or continuously polling the server, thus reducing processing overhead while maintaining reliable notifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile operating system's push notification service provides self-service by automatically managing notification delivery, routing, and application activation. This eliminates the need for the third-party email application to implement its own complex notification management system, reducing processing overhead while ensuring reliable notification delivery.
3Reliability
If native email client is used to provide real-time notifications, then notification capability is improved, but device compatibility and user choice are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal push notification service at the operating system level that can be accessed by any third-party email application, not just the native email client. This multi-functional approach allows multiple email applications from different vendors to all receive real-time notifications through the same mechanism, improving both notification capability and application choice simultaneously.
Solution Approach 2:
The push notification service serves as a universal intermediary that mediates between the email server and any third-party email application. This intermediary approach allows the system to provide native-level notification capability to third-party applications without requiring them to be developed by the device manufacturer, thus maintaining application choice while achieving reliable notifications.
4Reliability
If third-party email applications are allowed to run persistently in the background, then notification capability is improved, but system security and resource management are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The push notification service acts as a secure intermediary that mediates between the email server and third-party applications. The application does not need persistent background execution or direct server access; instead, the OS-level service handles authentication and delivery securely, reducing security risks while maintaining notification capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The mobile operating system's push notification service provides self-service security by automatically managing authentication, encryption, and secure communication channels. This eliminates the need for third-party applications to implement their own security mechanisms or run persistently to maintain secure connections, thus reducing security risks while ensuring reliable notification delivery.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and systems for providing notifications to mobile device utilize a cloud extension agent operating on a corporate network for sending notification requests via a cloud-based service. An application on the user's mobile device is configured to receive push notifications sent via the cloud extension agent, while receiving email messages directly from corporate email server. A user can select notification settings, allowing the cloud extension agent to be configured remotely via a cloud to provide appropriate notifications to the user.