Mobile Notification System with Context-Aware Scheduling

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current systems for providing notifications, such as advertisements, to mobile wireless communications devices lack flexibility in scheduling and location-based relevance, failing to adapt to users' changing preferences and contexts throughout the day and based on their location.

Innovation Solution

A communications system that includes a mobile wireless communications device capable of storing user-selectable notification preferences scheduled for different time periods and a notification server that communicates via a wireless network to send relevant notifications, with an override mode allowing temporary adjustments based on user-defined conditions, such as connection to a local network or specific events, ensuring that notifications are contextually relevant and timely.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If notifications are sent continuously to mobile devices, then advertisement delivery frequency is improved, but user relevance and contextual appropriateness deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification delivery frequencyVSAvoidcontextual relevance

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system dynamically adjusts notification delivery based on user context, location, and device state rather than using fixed continuous scheduling. The notification server modifies delivery timing and content type in real-time according to changing conditions, making the system adaptive rather than static.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes multiple parameters including notification timing, content type, and delivery method based on user preferences, location data, and device status. By varying these parameters dynamically, the system maintains high delivery frequency while ensuring contextual appropriateness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple notification types are sent simultaneously, then content variety is improved, but user control and preference management deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification content varietyVSAvoidpreference management

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The notification system segments different types of notifications (advertisements, alerts, updates) into distinct categories, each with independent user-controllable preferences. Users can manage preferences for each segment separately rather than controlling all notifications as a single group.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides dynamic preference management where users can adjust notification settings in real-time based on their current needs. The override mode allows temporary modifications to preference settings without permanently changing the overall notification strategy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If location-based notification filtering is implemented, then notification relevance is improved, but system complexity and processing requirements deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelocation-based relevanceVSAvoidsystem processing requirements

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The notification server acts as an intermediary that handles location-based filtering and processing. Rather than requiring the mobile device to perform complex location analysis, the server receives location data and determines notification relevance, reducing the processing burden on the user's device.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Device complexity

If notification preferences are fixed, then system simplicity is improved, but adaptability to changing user contexts deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesystem simplicityVSAvoidresponse to changing preferences

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The system transitions from static fixed preferences to dynamic adaptable preferences. Users can modify their notification preferences at any time, and the system automatically adjusts its behavior based on these changes and real-time context, maintaining simplicity while gaining adaptability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The system establishes baseline notification preferences in advance to maintain simplicity, while also providing mechanisms for users to make preliminary adjustments before specific situations arise. The override mode allows users to set temporary preferences for specific conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentEP2224682B1Communications system providing mobile device notification content type selection features and related method

Publication Date: 2013.09.18 BLACKBERRY LTD

Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3

AI summary

A communications system may include at least one mobile wireless communications device for storing a plurality of notification preferences scheduled for respective different time periods. The notification preferences may be associated with different types of notification content. Further, a notification server may communicate with the at least one mobile wireless communications device via a wireless communications network for determining a scheduled one of the notification preferences, and sending to the at least one mobile wireless communications device notifications including the corresponding type of notification content based on the scheduled one of the notification preferences.