Coordinated Device Notifications via Activity Level Comparison
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users with multiple computing devices often receive redundant notifications, leading to increased battery consumption and processing demands, as each device attempts to notify the user independently of shared triggering information.
Innovation Solution
Computing devices coordinate notification presentation by sharing device activity level information, with the most active device presenting notifications, thereby reducing unnecessary alerts and preserving battery life and processing resources.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If each device independently presents notifications to the user, then the user receives complete notification coverage from all devices, but the user receives redundant notifications and battery consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines notification presentation across multiple devices by selecting one device to present the notification based on activity level comparison. Devices share their activity levels and coordinate to ensure only the most active device presents the notification, merging their collective notification capability into a single coordinated action that avoids redundancy while maintaining coverage.
2Reliability
If each device independently presents notifications to the user, then the user receives complete notification coverage from all devices, but the number of notifications presented increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges notification presentation across multiple devices by coordinating their actions through activity level comparison. Only the device with the highest activity level presents the notification, combining the notification capability of multiple devices into a single coordinated presentation that maintains coverage while improving efficiency.
3Loss of energy
If devices share activity level information and coordinate notification presentation, then battery life is preserved and processing demands are reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces activity level information as an intermediary metric that mediates coordination between devices. Each device compares its activity level with others and uses this intermediary value to determine whether to present the notification, simplifying the coordination logic while achieving energy efficiency and reducing processing demands.
4Loss of energy
If the most active device presents notifications, then redundant notifications are suppressed and battery life is conserved, but the system requires communication between devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses activity level information as an intermediary that enables coordination through simple communication. Devices exchange their activity level values and use this intermediary data to determine notification presentation rights, achieving energy conservation while requiring only minimal communication between devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A device may broadcast an indication of an activity level of the device. The device may also receive a notification of an incoming message and receive at least one broadcast from at least one additional device also receiving the notification of the incoming message including an indication of at least one activity level of the at least one additional device. The device may compare its own activity level with the received at least one activity level. In response to determining that the activity level of the device is equal to or greater than a highest received at least one activity level, the device may display the notification of the incoming message.