Policy-Based Message Routing for Offline User Notification
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current instant messaging systems are inadequate when users are absent, as they lack mechanisms to ensure message delivery and notification, leading to potential message loss and lack of communication when users are offline or unavailable.
Innovation Solution
Implementing policies that allow for conditional and action-based processing of messages, enabling personalized handling of communications based on user status, sender, message content, and context, ensuring message delivery and notification even when the recipient is offline or unavailable.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If messages are buffered when user is offline, then message delivery is attempted, but messages may be inadvertently deleted or not delivered at all
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by notifying the user of buffered messages before they log on, allowing the user to consciously decide whether to retrieve messages. This prevents inadvertent deletion by ensuring user awareness of message presence before connection.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by notifying the user about buffered messages upon reconnection. This feedback mechanism ensures the user is informed of message status, allowing them to make informed decisions about message retrieval and preventing unintended message loss.
2Ease of operation
If standardized away messages are sent based on global status, then user presence is communicated, but messages lack personalized handling and flexibility
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments message handling by creating separate policy rules for different scenarios (away status, offline status, specific senders, message types). This allows customized responses for each segment rather than a single standardized message, providing both automation and flexibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The system makes message handling dynamic by allowing users to define conditional policies that automatically apply different actions based on current status, sender identity, and message characteristics. This dynamic approach replaces static global status messages with adaptive, context-aware handling.
3Reliability
If user must log on and check messages manually, then messages are delivered, but communication efficiency is reduced and important messages may be missed
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary notification of the user about buffered messages before requiring manual logon and message checking. This preliminary action reduces user waiting time by immediately informing them of message presence upon connection, eliminating the need to manually search for messages.
4Reliability
If messages are buffered for offline users, then delivery is attempted, but there is no mechanism to notify users of important messages
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback by notifying the user about buffered messages upon reconnection. This feedback mechanism ensures the user receives notification information about message status, preventing loss of notification information while maintaining reliable delivery attempts for offline users.
Data Source
AI summary
When a communication is received for a user, an appropriate policy can be determined and applied to the communication. For example, a policy can be applied if the user is not present at the appropriate client. A policy can be applied based upon information for the communication, and can include one or more conditions and one or more actions. Depending on the conditions that are satisfied, at least one action is determined and executed for the communication.