Automated Event Notification Read Receipt Tracking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial process control and automation systems lack an automated mechanism to track when users receive and read notifications, making it difficult to audit and analyze plant upsets, as existing systems do not provide a non-repudiated record of notification read receipts.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and method for automated event notification read receipt, where notifications are transmitted to end-user devices, and read receipts are received and stored, indicating when users open or view notifications, allowing for non-repudiated auditing and tracking of notification awareness within the system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If automated read receipt tracking is implemented, then auditing capability and operational transparency are improved, but device complexity and system infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (notification server or messaging system) that mediates between the notification sender and receiver. This intermediary automatically generates and tracks read receipts, providing auditing capability without requiring direct modification of end-user devices. The intermediary handles the complexity of tracking notification delivery and read status, thereby improving reliability while containing device complexity within the server infrastructure.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements automated feedback loops where read receipts are automatically generated and transmitted back to the notification sender or auditing system when a user opens a notification. This feedback mechanism provides continuous tracking of notification delivery status, enhancing auditing capability. The feedback is automatically captured through standard messaging protocols, minimizing additional system complexity.
2Loss of information
If read receipt tracking is implemented, then information about user awareness is improved, but loss of time for data collection and processing increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-configuring automated read receipt generation and tracking before notifications are sent. The infrastructure is prepared in advance to automatically capture when notifications are opened, eliminating the need for manual data collection afterward. This preliminary setup reduces the time required for data collection during actual auditing operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The read receipt tracking operates continuously and automatically in the background without interrupting normal notification workflows. As notifications are delivered and read in real-time, read receipts are automatically generated and stored continuously, eliminating batch processing delays. This continuous operation ensures complete information capture while minimizing processing time interruptions.
Data Source
AI summary
A method includes transmitting a notification to a first end-user device, where the notification is associated with an event in an industrial process control and automation system. The method also includes receiving a first read receipt identifying when a user of the first end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read details about the notification at the first end-user device. In addition, the method includes storing the first read receipt or information related to the first read receipt in association with the notification and/or the event. The method could also include transmitting the notification to a second end-user device and transmitting a first indication to the second end-user device, where the first indication indicates that the user of the first end-user device opened the notification or viewed or read the details about the notification.