Contextual Notification System for Directory Contacts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current directory type applications on communication terminals do not allow users to automatically receive notifications about specific contextual situations of their contacts, despite the availability of contextual information such as location, availability, and activities.
Innovation Solution
A method that involves creating a database of reference contextual situations, comparing them with current contextual data using predefined similarity criteria, and presenting notification messages when similar situations are detected, allowing users to define notification rules and integrate their own contextual data for personalized alerts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If contextual information is collected and stored for directory contacts, then the information completeness is improved, but the device complexity increases due to database management and processing requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments contextual information into structured categories (location, availability, activity, mood) and organizes them in a hierarchical database structure. This segmentation allows efficient storage and retrieval of contextual data without requiring complex unstructured data management, thus improving information completeness while controlling database complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent pre-defines reference contextual situations and notification rules before actual contextual data is generated. By establishing the database schema, reference situations, and notification templates in advance, the system avoids the complexity of dynamic database creation and processing logic, enabling efficient real-time notification while maintaining information completeness.
2Extent of automation
If automatic notification system is implemented with reference situation database, then the automation extent is improved, but the device complexity increases due to comparison and matching processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-establishes a database of reference contextual situations with defined characteristics and notification rules before runtime. During operation, the system only needs to compare current contextual data against these pre-defined references using similarity criteria, rather than creating complex decision logic from scratch. This preliminary preparation enables high automation with controlled complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses template-based notification messages that are copied and customized based on matched reference situations. Instead of generating unique notification logic for each possible contextual scenario, the system replicates and adapts pre-defined notification templates, significantly reducing the complexity of the notification generation process while maintaining high automation.
3Measurement precision
If multiple similarity criteria are used for situation matching, then the measurement precision is improved, but the calculation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the similarity assessment into multiple independent criteria (location similarity, availability match, activity correlation, mood compatibility) that can be evaluated separately. Each criterion uses simple comparison logic specific to its domain, avoiding the need for a single complex calculation. This segmented approach improves matching precision while keeping individual calculations simple and manageable.
Data Source
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AI summary
The method involves constituting contextual reference situations in a database, where each contextual reference situation is defined as a combination of contextual data for a subset of elements identified in a phone book of a smartphone (T1). The contextual reference situations are compared (E32) with current contextual data associated with the identified elements based on a predefined criterion of similarity. A message notifying the similar contextual reference situation is presented (E36) in the smartphone when the contextual reference situations are similar to the current contextual data. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a computer program for notifying contextual data elements identified in a directory type application to a user of a communication terminal (2) a system for notifying contextual data elements identified in a directory type application to a user of a communication terminal (3) an application server on a communication network (4) a communication terminal.