Notification System Adapting Media Channels to Recipient Preferences
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing notification systems are limited in their ability to support flexible communication with recipients across different media types and do not effectively capture and combine the requirements of applications and preferences of recipients, leading to inefficient and frustrating interactions.
Innovation Solution
A notification and response system that allows applications to communicate with recipients using multiple media types, such as email, telephone, web pages, and facsimile, by specifying communication flow expressions that consider the preferences and roles of recipients, enabling dynamic updates and personalized message delivery.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If existing notification systems use a single media type for communication, then the system complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to recipient preferences deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system segments communication into multiple independent media channels (email, SMS, voice call, fax) that can be selected and combined based on recipient preferences. Each media type operates as an independent notification component that can be activated or deactivated individually, allowing the system to adapt to different recipient preferences without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The notification system is designed as a universal platform that supports multiple communication media types through a common architecture. The system can deliver notifications through email, SMS, voice calls, or fax using the same underlying notification engine, which selects the appropriate media based on recipient preferences stored in the database. This multi-functionality allows a single system to serve diverse communication needs.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the system supports multiple media types and flexible communication flows, then the adaptability improves, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system implements dynamic communication flows where the notification path and media selection change based on real-time conditions such as recipient availability, preference settings, and notification type. The system can dynamically switch between different media types (e.g., from email to SMS) based on whether the recipient responds or their current status, allowing flexible adaptation without requiring complex pre-programming of all possible scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system introduces an intermediary notification manager component that handles the complexity of multi-media communication. This intermediary layer sits between the application and the various media channels, translating high-level notification requests into appropriate media-specific actions. The notification manager manages the complexity by centralizing the logic for selecting and coordinating multiple media types, rather than distributing complexity throughout the entire system.
3Loss of information
If the system collects and processes responses from multiple media types, then the information completeness improves, but the difficulty of detecting and measuring increases
Solution Approach 1:
The notification system implements comprehensive feedback collection from all media channels. When a notification is sent via email, SMS, voice call, or fax, the system automatically detects and captures the recipient's response (such as reply emails, SMS responses, call answers, or fax confirmations) and feeds this information back to the notification manager. This feedback mechanism ensures complete information collection by systematically monitoring responses from each media type and consolidating them into a unified response record.
Data Source
AI summary
A disclosed notification and response system enables applications to communicate with recipients using a number of different media. The notification and response system (i) sends requests to one or more recipients, using the medium specified by each individual recipient; (ii) collects and processes responses; and (iii) forwards the responses to their final destination by means of the medium specified by the final destination. Applications frame requests in at least one supported human language and media format, and the request is delivered to the appropriate recipient(s), according to their preferences. Communication flow expressions specify the recipients for a given request, and how, when and where each recipient shall receive the request. Requests are dynamically updated, and the parameters of a communication flow expression are not evaluated, until the request is delivered. Communication flow rules specify recipient's communication preferences and tailor communication flows to characteristics of the sender, the topic or scheduling constraints.