Unified Message Collating Application for Cross-Channel Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users of communication devices face difficulties in managing and displaying messages received through different communication channels, such as email, SMS, and IM, as these messages are typically handled by separate applications with varying interfaces, requiring users to navigate multiple applications to locate, read, and respond to messages from the same sender.
Innovation Solution
A collating application on the communication device dynamically accesses data stores from various message applications, allowing users to specify criteria like sender identity to display all messages from a particular sender in a single view, with customizable icons and views to indicate unread messages and enable easy access to associated message applications.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate applications are used to handle different communication channels, then each application can be optimized for its specific channel, but the user must navigate multiple applications to manage messages from the same sender
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges messages from multiple communication channels (email, SMS, IM, voice mail) into a single unified application interface. The system retrieves messages from different data stores associated with various communication applications and displays them together in one consolidated view, allowing users to manage all messages from a particular sender regardless of the channel used.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified application performs multiple functions by handling different types of messages from various communication channels through a single interface. The system provides universal message management capabilities that work across email, SMS, instant messaging, and voice mail channels, eliminating the need for separate applications.
2Reliability
If different applications are used for different message types, then specialized handling is achieved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple separate message handling applications into one unified application. Instead of maintaining separate applications for email, SMS, IM, and voice mail, the system integrates them all into a single application that retrieves and displays messages from various communication channels through one interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified application acts as an intermediary layer between the user and multiple communication channels. It retrieves messages from different data stores associated with various communication applications and presents them in a unified view, mediating between the specialized message sources and the user's need for consolidated access.
3Adaptability or versatility
If separate applications manage different communication channels, then channel-specific features are preserved, but the time required to locate and respond to messages increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the message retrieval and display functions for multiple communication channels into a single operation. The unified application simultaneously retrieves messages from various data stores and presents them in one consolidated view, allowing users to locate all messages from a particular sender in a single action rather than searching through multiple applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs preliminary retrieval of messages from multiple communication channels and organizes them by sender before the user needs to view them. By pre-fetching and pre-organizing messages from various channels into a unified structure, the system eliminates the need for users to manually navigate through different applications to find messages.
Data Source
AI summary
A collating application for message display and management executes on a communication device. The communication device includes a plurality of message applications associated with various communication channels, each message application receiving and storing messages associated with one of the various communications channels. The collating application dynamically accesses messages stored by the plurality of message applications to retrieve messages that meet defined matching criteria. The collating application permits the user to select a listing of the heterogeneous retrieved messages in a single view on the communication device. Icons associated with the matching criteria are displayable and vary in accordance with the presence or absence of unread messages meeting the matching criteria.