Context-Aware Media Sharing Interface for Mobile Devices

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing techniques for viewing and sharing relevant media items on electronic devices are cumbersome and inefficient, often requiring complex user interfaces with multiple inputs, wasting user time and device energy.

Innovation Solution

A method that displays a suggested collection of media items relevant to a message conversation, allowing users to easily share them with recipients through a streamlined interface, reducing unnecessary inputs and conserving energy on battery-operated devices.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If existing techniques are used for viewing and sharing media items, then media sharing functionality is provided, but the user interface becomes complex and time-consuming requiring multiple inputs

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of media sharingVSAvoidinterface complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-loads and displays a suggested collection of media items that are contextually relevant to the conversation before the user needs to share anything. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for users to search or navigate through complex interfaces when they want to share media during a conversation.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically generates and presents media sharing suggestions based on the conversation context without requiring users to manually search or select from complex options. The interface serves itself by using the conversation data to populate relevant media suggestions, reducing the cognitive burden on users.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Productivity

If existing techniques are used for viewing and sharing media items, then media sharing functionality is provided, but user time and device energy are wasted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemedia sharing efficiencyVSAvoidtime for media sharing
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

By pre-loading and displaying suggested media items before the user needs to share, the system eliminates the time users would otherwise spend searching for or navigating to media they want to share during a conversation. The media is ready immediately when needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system allows users to quickly share media by skipping traditional complex navigation steps. The suggested collection is presented in a streamlined interface that enables rapid selection and sharing, rushing through the sharing process efficiently.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #21Skipping (Rushing through)

3Ease of operation

If existing techniques are used for viewing and sharing media items, then media sharing functionality is provided, but device energy is consumed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of media sharingVSAvoiddevice energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system pre-loads media suggestions during periods when the device is already active and processing conversation data, rather than loading media on-demand when the user initiates a share action. This preliminary loading occurs during existing computational work, avoiding additional energy-consuming operations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The interface automatically manages media loading and presentation based on conversation context without requiring energy-intensive user navigation or search operations. The system serves itself by intelligently selecting and displaying relevant media, reducing the need for high-power processor operations during user interaction.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Data Source

PatentEP3665558B1User interfaces for sharing contextually relevant media content
Publication Date: 2022.03.02 APPLE INC
  • EP3665558B1 patent drawingFigure 1A
  • EP3665558B1 patent drawingFigure 1B
  • EP3665558B1 patent drawingFigure 2

AI summary

The present disclosure generally relates to managing and sharing contextually-relevant media content. In some embodiments, a device receives an input, and in response, displays a suggested collection of media items for sharing with a recipient, wherein the collection is relevant to a message conversation with the recipient. Subsequent to displaying the suggested collection, the device transmits a message to the recipient as part of the message conversation that provides access to the at least a portion of the suggested collection of media items. In some embodiments, a device receives an indication, from an external device, that a first user has shared a first collection of media items with a second user. Subsequent to receiving the indication that the first user has shared the first collection of media items with the second user, the device outputs a prompt to share, with the first user, one or more suggested media items.