Mobile Device Notification Suppression via Microphone State Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Mobile devices face challenges in suppressing disruptive voice assist notification messages when connected to non-user-specific audio playback devices, potentially compromising user privacy and interfering with activities.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a method where the mobile device detects non-user-specific audio playback devices and queues or suppresses voice assist notification messages until the connection state changes, ensuring privacy and reducing interference by using a processor to manage alert notification applications and determine the connection type during pairing or multiple connections.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If voice assist notification messages are announced to inform users of incoming activity, then user awareness of notifications is improved, but user privacy is compromised when connected to non-user-specific devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification awarenessVSAvoidprivacy exposure

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different notification behaviors based on the local context of device connection. When connected to user-specific devices, voice assist notifications are announced normally. When connected to non-user-specific devices, the notification behavior changes to suppress voice announcements, thereby protecting privacy in specific local contexts while maintaining normal operation in others.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The notification system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the connection state. The processor determines whether the connected audio playback device is user-specific or non-user-specific and accordingly enables or suppresses voice assist notifications in real-time, making the system adaptive to changing environmental conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Object-affected harmful factors

If voice assist notifications are suppressed when connected to non-user-specific devices, then user privacy is protected, but notification delivery is delayed

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprivacy protectionVSAvoidnotification delay

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary suppression of voice assist notifications when a non-user-specific device connection is detected, preventing privacy exposure before it can occur. The processor proactively determines the device type and preemptively adjusts notification behavior, ensuring privacy is protected from the outset rather than reacting after exposure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces an intermediary mechanism (the processor's device type determination and notification management) that mediates between the notification system and the audio playback device. This intermediary layer allows the system to suppress notifications during non-user-specific device connections while maintaining the ability to deliver them when appropriate, thus managing the timing conflict.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Adaptability or versatility

If the mobile device connects to multiple remote audio playback devices in parallel, then audio playback versatility is improved, but privacy risk increases due to potential exposure to multiple users

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaudio playback capabilityVSAvoidprivacy exposure risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system applies different privacy protection rules to different audio playback devices based on their user-specific characteristics. When multiple devices are connected, the processor determines which devices are user-specific and which are not, applying selective notification suppression only to non-user-specific devices, thereby maintaining versatility while protecting privacy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The notification system dynamically adjusts its behavior based on the real-time connection state with multiple audio playback devices. The processor continuously monitors which devices are connected and their user-specific status, enabling or suppressing voice assist notifications accordingly, making the system adaptable to complex multi-device scenarios.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentUS10397392B2Suppressing device notification messages when connected to a non-user-specific device

Publication Date: 2019.08.27 MOTOROLA MOBILITY LLC

AI summary

A method includes generating an alert message in a device. The device is one of a plurality of connected devices. The alert message is suppressed in the device responsive to a state of a microphone of any of the plurality of connected devices indicating an active state. A device includes a microphone, a speaker, and a processor coupled to the microphone and the speaker. The processor is to generate an alert message and suppress the alert message responsive to a state of a microphone of any of a plurality of connected devices including the device indicating an active state.