Presence Information Display for Communication Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Communication devices often disturb users with unnecessary notifications for trivial or non-urgent communications, as users may forget to disable notifications or leave them enabled to ensure important communications are not missed, leading to disturbances from both important and trivial messages.

Innovation Solution

A communication device configured to display presence information for contacts, including current time and time zone, allowing users to make informed decisions about initiating communication, and automatically updating presence information when a contact travels to a different time zone, thereby helping to deter trivial communications and reduce disturbances.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If notifications are enabled at all times to ensure important communications are not missed, then communication reliability is improved, but the user is disturbed by trivial/non-urgent communications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecommunication reliabilityVSAvoiddisturbance from trivial communications

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs preliminary actions by displaying presence information (current time, time zone, status) before the user initiates communication. This allows the user to assess whether the contact is available and appropriate to communicate with, preventing trivial communications during inappropriate times without missing important ones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The presence information display serves as an intermediary between the notification system and the user. Instead of directly notifying the user of all communications, the system first presents presence information that helps the user decide whether to allow or ignore the notification, thus filtering trivial communications.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Object-affected harmful factors

If notifications are disabled to avoid disturbances from trivial communications, then disturbance from trivial communications is reduced, but the user may miss important communications

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedisturbance from trivial communicationsVSAvoidcommunication reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system displays presence information (current time, time zone, status) before the user initiates communication. This allows the user to assess whether the contact is available and appropriate to communicate with, preventing trivial communications during inappropriate times without missing important ones.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides feedback to the user through presence information that indicates whether the contact is likely to be available for communication. This feedback loop allows the user to make informed decisions about whether to proceed with communication, balancing the need to avoid disturbances with the need to maintain communication reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

3Measurement precision

If presence information is manually updated to reflect contact availability, then accuracy of presence information is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of presence informationVSAvoiddevice complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The contact's communication device automatically generates and updates its own presence information (current time, time zone, status) without requiring manual input from the user. The device serves itself by autonomously maintaining accurate presence data based on its current state and location.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The presence information system serves multiple functions: it displays current time, time zone, and status information, and automatically updates when the device moves to different time zones. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate manual updates while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Measurement precision

If presence information automatically updates when contact travels to different time zones, then accuracy of presence information is improved, but use of energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccuracy of presence informationVSAvoidenergy consumption for automatic updates

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs automatic time zone updates only when necessary - specifically when the device detects a change in time zone. This partial action approach updates presence information only when the condition (time zone change) is met, rather than continuously, thereby reducing energy consumption while maintaining accuracy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #16Partial or excessive action

Data Source

PatentUS8767929B2Systems and methods for displaying presence information in communication devices

Publication Date: 2014.07.01 SMITH MICRO SOFTWARE INC

AI summary

A communications system may include a communication device that may be configured to display presence information for one or more contacts. The presence information may include a current time for a location associated with the contact, a time zone associated with the contact, status information, and/or other suitable presence information for the contact. The presence information may be automatically changed in response to a location associated with the contact changing. The presence information may be generated using a schedule associated with a contact and a current time for a location associated with a contact.