Notification Routing Using User Activity Monitoring

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current notification systems are limited in their ability to tailor notifications to user preferences, leading to unnecessary notifications on multiple devices and duplicate alerts, and often interrupt users at inconvenient times.

Innovation Solution

A system that monitors user activity and preference settings to determine the most appropriate device and time for delivering notifications, allowing users to specify notification types and communication methods, and stores notifications for later viewing to avoid interruptions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If notifications are sent to all devices where an application is installed, then the user receives complete coverage of notifications, but duplicate notifications are generated causing user annoyance

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification delivery coverageVSAvoidduplicate notifications
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The notification service monitors user activity across devices and uses this feedback information to intelligently determine which device should receive the notification, preventing duplicates while maintaining coverage

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The system automatically selects the appropriate device based on monitored user activity patterns without requiring manual user configuration, enabling the notification service to serve itself in optimizing delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Speed

If notifications are sent immediately when events occur, then the user receives real-time alerts, but notifications may interrupt the user at inconvenient times

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification delivery speedVSAvoiduser interruption
Core Design Contradiction:
SpeedVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The notification service performs preliminary actions by monitoring user activity patterns in advance and using this information to determine optimal delivery times, allowing it to prepare notification routing before the actual notification event occurs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The notification delivery system dynamically adjusts timing based on real-time user activity patterns rather than using fixed schedules, allowing flexible adaptation to user behavior while maintaining timely delivery

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

3Adaptability or versatility

If the system monitors user activity to determine notification preferences, then notification delivery is optimized for user convenience, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification customizationVSAvoidsystem complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The notification service performs multiple functions including activity monitoring, pattern analysis, device selection, and timing optimization within a single integrated system, reducing overall complexity despite enhanced capabilities

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3654171B1Notification routing to a user device
Publication Date: 2021.11.17 EBAY INC
  • EP3654171B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3654171B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3654171B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A system, machine-readable storage medium storing at least one program, and computer-implemented method for routing a notification to at least one device of a user is provided. User preference data including usage data is obtained from a user. The usage data may relate to activity of the user on at least one device and may indicate a preference of the user in receiving notifications on the at least one device. The occurrence of a notification event is detected. In response to the detection of the notification event, a notification is communicated to the user in accordance with the user preference data. The notification may indicate that a notification event has occurred.