Data Threshold Notification for Metered Network Connections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users on metered network connections often unintentionally exceed their data limits due to unawareness of data consumption, especially when multiple devices access the internet simultaneously, as existing solutions primarily focus on mobile devices and do not address the issue across all device types.
Innovation Solution
An information handling device receives a user command and determines if the function will exceed a data threshold, providing a notification to the user if it does, allowing them to decide whether to proceed or cancel the action, with options for customizable notification settings.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If users access the internet through metered network connections without data usage monitoring, then ease of operation is improved, but data consumption control deteriorates leading to unintended data limit exceedance
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides real-time feedback to users about data consumption by displaying notifications that show the data cost of upcoming actions and current data usage status. This feedback loop enables users to make informed decisions about their data usage without complicating the internet access process.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary data consumption calculations before executing user actions by determining the data cost of upcoming functions in advance. This allows users to see the data implications before committing to an action, preventing unintended data limit exceedance while maintaining ease of operation.
2Device complexity
If existing data monitoring solutions focus only on mobile devices, then device complexity is reduced, but adaptability deteriorates as the issue is not addressed across all device types
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a universal data monitoring system that operates across multiple device types including mobile devices, tablets, laptops, and desktop computers. The same notification mechanism and data tracking logic are applied universally across all devices, ensuring consistent data consumption management regardless of device form factor.
3Measurement precision
If the system provides detailed data usage notifications for every function, then data consumption control is improved, but device complexity increases due to additional monitoring and notification mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The system applies partial monitoring by providing data usage notifications selectively rather than for every single function. Notifications are triggered based on significant data consumption events or user-defined thresholds, balancing detailed tracking with system simplicity and avoiding unnecessary notification overhead.
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment provides a method, including: receiving, at an information handling device, a user command to perform a function; determining, using a processor, whether execution of the function exceeds a data threshold; and providing, responsive to determining that execution of the function exceeds the data threshold, a notification to a user. Other aspects are described and claimed.