Notification Control Device Using Image Analysis for Presence Detection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing notification systems in email clients and instant messengers often disrupt presentations or conferences by displaying receipt notifications, which can be inconvenient and require users to manually change settings, leading to potential forgetfulness and operational hassle.

Innovation Solution

A notification control system that uses a camera and image recognition to determine the user's presence and gestures, automatically adjusting notification settings to prevent pop-ups during presentations or conferences, and restoring settings afterward.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If notification settings are changed manually before presentations or conferences, then notification disruptions are prevented, but user convenience deteriorates due to troublesome operations and forgetfulness

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification disruptionVSAvoiduser convenience
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The notification control device automatically detects presentation modes and controls notifications without requiring user intervention. The system serves itself by monitoring its own operational state and adjusting notification behavior accordingly, eliminating the need for manual setting changes before presentations or conferences.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system continuously monitors operational parameters to detect presentation modes and provides feedback loops that automatically adjust notification settings. When the system detects it is in presentation mode through monitored parameters, it automatically suppresses notifications and restores them afterward, creating a closed-loop control system that responds to operational conditions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

2Object-affected harmful factors

If notification settings are changed manually, then notification disruptions are prevented, but time consumption increases due to setting changes and restoration

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification disruptionVSAvoidtime consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The notification control device performs preliminary detection of presentation modes by monitoring operational parameters before notifications would be disruptive. By detecting the presentation mode in advance through parameter monitoring, the system proactively prevents notification disruptions rather than reacting after they occur, eliminating the need for manual setting changes and restoration.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically manages notification settings without requiring user intervention for setting changes or restoration. The notification control device independently monitors operational state, detects presentation modes, adjusts settings, and restores original configurations, completely eliminating time consumption associated with manual setting management.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

3Object-affected harmful factors

If manual setting changes are required, then notification control is possible, but operational complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification disruptionVSAvoidoperational complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The notification control device autonomously detects presentation modes by monitoring operational parameters and automatically controls notification behavior. The system independently determines when to suppress or display notifications based on detected operational states, completely eliminating the need for manual setting changes and reducing operational complexity to zero user actions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The notification control device acts as an intermediary between the operational system and notification system. It monitors operational parameters, interprets presentation modes, and mediates notification behavior accordingly, shielding users from the complexity of notification control while maintaining effective disruption prevention.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentEP3273356B1Notification control device, notification control method, and notification control program
Publication Date: 2020.04.22 NEC PLATFROMS LTD
  • EP3273356B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3273356B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3273356B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Control pertaining to a notification and so on is performed without a user needing to carry out a troublesome operation prior to a notification. A notification control device includes an image analyzing unit that makes a first determination of determining whether a user is present in a predetermined location by analyzing image data of an image captured by an imaging unit, and a notification control unit that gives a predetermined notification to the user in a case in which it is determined in the first determination that the user is present in the predetermined location and refrains from giving the predetermined notification to the user in a case in which it is determined that the user is not present in the predetermined location.