Message Notification Filtering by Device Type and Time Window

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current messaging platforms lack fine-grained control over message notifications based on device category and time period, leading to unwanted interruptions in user workflows.

Innovation Solution

A data processing system that maintains a data structure associating user devices with categories, time periods, and message categories, allowing for selective presentation or hiding of notifications and conversations based on these criteria.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If notifications are presented for all messages on all devices, then users receive complete message information, but users experience interruptions and distractions during workflows

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemessage notification completenessVSAvoidworkflow interruption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments notifications by device category (mobile devices, tablets, desktops, wearables) and message category (personal, work-related, urgent), allowing selective delivery based on device type and message importance to reduce workflow interruptions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different notification strategies are applied to different device categories and message categories simultaneously, with mobile devices receiving personal message notifications while desktop devices may receive work-related message notifications, creating localized quality control

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If notifications are restricted based on device category and time period, then workflow interruptions are reduced, but users lose control over which devices receive which notifications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveworkflow interruptionVSAvoidnotification control flexibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The system provides dynamic notification control where users can adjust settings based on time periods (e.g., different notification behaviors during work hours versus personal time) and device categories, making the control mechanism adaptable rather than static

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

Users can modify notification parameters such as time periods, device categories, and message categories to customize their experience, allowing flexible control over when and where notifications are delivered

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Adaptability or versatility

If fine-grained notification control is implemented, then appropriate notifications are delivered at appropriate times, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification control granularityVSAvoidsystem configuration complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The complex notification control system is segmented into manageable categories (device categories and message categories) that can be independently configured, making the overall system more adaptable while maintaining manageable complexity through structured organization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Data Source

PatentUS12470508B2Restricting message notifications and conversations based on device type, message category, and time period

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 MICROSOFT TECHNOLOGY LICENSING LLC

AI summary

A data processing system implements techniques for restricting which notifications and/or conversations are presented on a plurality of user devices associated with a user. Each user device is associated with a device category. The device categories are associated with time category information that associates each of a plurality of time periods with permitted device category information that indicates which categories of user devices associated with the user are permitted to present notifications that messages have been received for a particular time period and the categories of messages for which the notifications may be presented for that time period and/or which categories of conversations may be presented or hidden. The message category may be determined based on user input or by analyzing the message content with a machine learning model configured to predict the message category.