Context-Aware Contact Status Reporting for Communication Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current personal communication devices lack effective means for users to indicate their availability, leading to limited options for those trying to contact them, often resulting in unnecessary attempts or interruptions.
Innovation Solution
A system that allows users to request and report their contact status through local and remote communication devices, using context information and privacy levels to determine the level of detail in status reports, enabling informed decision-making about when to initiate contact.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If users manually indicate their contact status, then the recipient can know the user's availability, but the information provided is minimal and requires manual control
Solution Approach 1:
The system automatically determines and reports contact status without requiring manual input from the user. The communication device monitors contextual information such as calendar events, location data, and sensor inputs to autonomously generate and update contact status reports, eliminating the need for manual status indication while providing comprehensive availability information
Solution Approach 2:
The system continuously monitors contextual parameters and provides real-time feedback about contact availability to both the user and remote parties. This feedback mechanism automatically updates status based on changing conditions such as meeting schedules, location changes, or sensor-detected activities, ensuring current information is available without manual intervention
2Extent of automation
If automated dumb responses are used, then the recipient receives some status indication, but minimal information is provided to the individual attempting to contact
Solution Approach 1:
The contact status report is segmented into multiple contextual dimensions including calendar availability, location information, activity state, and communication preferences. Each segment provides specific information about different aspects of availability, allowing the receiving party to make informed decisions based on the particular context rather than receiving a single generic status indicator
Solution Approach 2:
The system integrates multiple data sources and monitoring functions into a single contact status reporting mechanism. It simultaneously processes calendar data, location tracking, sensor inputs, and communication history to provide a comprehensive multi-functional status report that serves various communication needs in one unified response
3Reliability
If the individual waits an undetermined amount of time to contact the recipient again, then they may reach the recipient, but time is wasted and availability is uncertain
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary assessment of contact availability by continuously monitoring contextual information before the contact attempt occurs. By determining contact status in advance based on calendar events, location data, and activity detection, the system enables the individual to make informed decisions about timing and method of contact, avoiding unnecessary waiting periods and increasing the likelihood of successful contact
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides real-time feedback about contact availability to the individual attempting to reach the recipient. This feedback includes predicted availability windows, current status, and suggestions for optimal contact timing, allowing the individual to act immediately when appropriate rather than waiting undetermined periods, thus reducing time loss while maintaining high contact success rates
Data Source
AI summary
Technologies for informing a remote user of a local user's availability to receive a contact on a communication device are disclosed. The availability of the local user may be determined based on the local user's context information, which may be reported to the remote user in response to a contact status request. The local user's context information provided to the remote user may inform, for example, whether the local user is available to receive a contact, the best way to contact the local user, and/or other context information of the local user. The type and/or level of specificity of the local user's context information reported to the remote user may be determined based on a privacy level, which may be determined based on the local user's context, the identity of the remote user, and/or other criteria. In some embodiments, contact status updates may be provided to the remote user.