Notification Management via Entity Scoring and Operational Modes

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Solution Overview

Problem

Users face distraction and inefficiency in managing notifications on electronic devices due to constant notifications across various applications and activities, with existing solutions like profiles and individual settings being cumbersome or insufficiently effective.

Innovation Solution

A computing device and method that scores the relevance of entities based on operational modes using machine learning, allowing configuration settings for audio, display, and vibration notifications to be automatically managed, blocking irrelevant notifications and storing them for later presentation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If notifications are displayed for all entities across all operational modes, then users receive complete information from all applications, but users experience distraction and reduced productivity

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification informationVSAvoiduser productivity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments notifications by operational modes (e.g., work mode, personal mode, sleep mode) and entities (apps, contacts, categories). Each operational mode has customized notification settings that determine which entities can display notifications. This segmentation allows users to receive relevant information while filtering out distractions based on current context, thereby maintaining productivity without losing important notification information.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Loss of information

If users manually configure notification settings for each entity, then notification management is precise, but the process becomes cumbersome and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification controlVSAvoidtime for configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary action by automatically generating recommended notification configurations based on user usage patterns, entity importance, and operational modes. Before users need to manually configure each notification, the system has already analyzed data and prepared optimized settings. Users can then review and accept these pre-configured recommendations, dramatically reducing the time and effort required for notification management while maintaining precise control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Loss of information

If all notifications are displayed regardless of operational mode, then users do not miss any information, but users cannot focus on specific tasks during specific operational modes

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveinformation completenessVSAvoiduser focus and task management
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements dynamic notification management where the notification behavior adapts in real-time based on the current operational mode. The system dynamically adjusts which entities are allowed to display notifications according to the active mode's configuration. This dynamic approach ensures users receive complete information when needed (certain modes allow broader notifications) while maintaining ease of operation by blocking distracting notifications during focused operational modes, allowing users to concentrate on specific tasks without manually managing each notification.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Data Source

PatentEP4089522A1Managing notifications on electronic devices
Publication Date: 2022.11.16 APPLE INC
  • EP4089522A1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4089522A1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4089522A1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

The subject technology provides notification management systems and methods that can be used to efficiently and manage notifications on electronic devices. The subject technology provides systems and methods for obtaining entity data pertaining to entities associated with the electronic device, and generating, for an operational mode associated with the electronic device, an entity score for each of the entities based on the obtained entity data. Based on the entity scores, a recommendation of a set of configuration settings for the operational mode associated with the computing device is provided for display by the computing device. A user input indicating acceptance of the set of configuration settings is received. Thereafter, when the computing device is in the operational mode, display of one or more notifications is controlled based at least in part on the set of configuration settings.