Notification Acknowledgement via Motion Gesture Termination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices require users to manually respond to notifications, which can be disruptive and inefficient, as users need time to investigate the notification and decide how to respond, often causing disturbances in meetings or other environments.

Innovation Solution

Implementing a notification manager that allows users to configure various termination conditions, such as picking up the device, shaking it, tapping it, or custom gestures, to automatically terminate notifications, separating the acknowledgment from the decision to respond.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the device requires manual response to notifications, then the user can make an informed decision about the notification, but the notification acknowledgment is delayed and causes disturbances

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification acknowledgment reliabilityVSAvoidnotification response time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the notification response process into two independent actions: acknowledgment (stopping the alert) and decision-making (accepting or rejecting the notification). By separating these functions, the system can immediately acknowledge notifications through motion gestures while the user retains full control to decide whether to respond, thus eliminating the time delay without compromising reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically acknowledging notifications through detected motion gestures before the user makes a decision. This preliminary acknowledgment stops the alert immediately, and subsequent user actions (or lack thereof) determine whether further response occurs, thus resolving the contradiction between immediate acknowledgment and informed decision-making

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Ease of operation

If the device requires manual response to notifications, then the user can control the response, but the user needs time to investigate and decide, causing disturbances in meetings or other environments

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification response controlVSAvoidenvironmental disturbance

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual button pressing or touch surface interaction with a motion-based gesture recognition system. The accelerometer detects motion patterns (shaking, tossing, throwing) to trigger notification acknowledgment, eliminating the need for physical contact with the device and enabling discreet acknowledgment in environments where manual interaction would be disruptive

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The system introduces motion detection technology as an intermediary between the user and the notification system. Instead of direct manual interaction, the accelerometer acts as a mediator that translates subtle device movements into notification acknowledgment commands, allowing users to acknowledge notifications discreetly without visible manual response

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Device complexity

If the device requires manual response to notifications, then the system remains simple, but additional response mechanisms increase device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification system complexityVSAvoidnotification acknowledgment methods

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements multi-functionality by enabling the existing accelerometer to serve dual purposes: its original function for other device operations and the new function for notification acknowledgment through motion gestures. This approach increases adaptability without proportionally increasing complexity, as it leverages existing hardware capabilities for multiple functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS9407756B2Notification acknowledgement in electronic devices

Publication Date: 2016.08.02 INTEL CORP

AI summary

In one example a controller comprises logic, at least partially including hardware logic, configured to receive a notification of an incoming event and terminate the notification in response to at least one of a predetermined motion applied to the controller or a predetermined touch applied to a touch surface. Other examples may be described.