Contacts App Selective Sync Across Service Provider Accounts

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face difficulties in efficiently and selectively managing contact information across multiple service provider accounts, as updating contact records in PIM applications can be cumbersome and time-consuming, often requiring intervention from another user or administrator.

Innovation Solution

A method in a communication device allows users to selectively choose which writable service provider accounts to update contact records from a contacts application, enabling easy and intuitive management of contact information across multiple accounts without external intervention.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If contact information is manually copied to multiple service provider accounts, then contact records can be updated across accounts, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact record synchronizationVSAvoidtime to update contact records

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple service provider accounts into a unified contacts application interface, allowing users to manage and synchronize contact information across all accounts simultaneously through a single centralized system rather than manually updating each account separately

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The contacts application is designed to work universally across multiple service provider accounts (Google, Exchange, Yahoo, etc.), providing a single multi-functional platform that can read, write, and synchronize contact records across different account types and providers

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Stability of the object's composition

If contact information is updated across all service provider accounts, then synchronization is achieved, but the user loses control over selective updates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact information consistencyVSAvoidselectivity in updating accounts

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the update process by allowing users to selectively choose which service provider accounts should receive contact record updates, enabling fine-grained control over synchronization while maintaining consistency in selected accounts through individual account selection checkboxes

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If another user or administrator is required to update contact records, then centralized control is maintained, but user independence and efficiency are reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecontact record management controlVSAvoidcontact update efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent enables users to independently manage and update their own contact records across multiple service provider accounts through the contacts application, eliminating the need for administrator intervention and allowing users to perform updates themselves efficiently

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP2816786B1Managing contact records between service provider accounts of a user

Publication Date: 2017.11.08 BLACKBERRY LTD

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AI summary

A user can manage personal contact information in a contacts application 225 across multiple writable service provider accounts 110 with only a minimum of user action required. An update function of the contacts application gives the user the ability to easily copy one or more contact records 116 brought up in the contacts application to writable service provider accounts 110 selectively chosen by the user.