Proximity-Based Alert Synchronization Across Personal Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Users are often bombarded with redundant alerts from multiple personal electronic devices located in proximity, wasting battery power and causing disruption, as existing systems fail to synchronize alerts effectively.
Innovation Solution
A mechanism for synchronizing alerts across multiple personal electronic devices in proximity, designating one device as primary for alerting and delaying alerts on others, using short-range wireless communication to manage alert behavior based on device proximity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the electronic device provides immediate alerts for all incoming messages, then the user does not miss any important information, but the user experience deteriorates when multiple devices are in proximity due to duplicate alerts from multiple devices
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by making the alert delivery behavior device-specific based on spatial context. Each device independently determines whether to deliver an alert based on its own proximity to other devices, allowing the system to maintain reliability (at least one device delivers the alert) while improving user experience (individual devices suppress duplicate alerts when appropriate).
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses feedback from proximity detection to dynamically control alert delivery. When a device detects another device is nearby, it receives feedback about the presence of other devices and adjusts its alert delivery behavior accordingly, suppressing alerts when duplicates are likely and delivering them when the device is alone.
2Ease of operation
If the device suppresses alerts when another device is nearby, then duplicate alerts are reduced, but important alerts may be missed if the suppression logic is too aggressive
Solution Approach 1:
The alert suppression behavior is dynamic rather than static. The system continuously monitors device proximity and adjusts alert delivery in real-time, switching between suppression and delivery modes based on current spatial conditions. This dynamic approach ensures alerts are suppressed only when appropriate while maintaining reliability when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the delivery parameter (alert suppression vs. delivery) based on the proximity parameter. When the distance between devices exceeds a threshold, the delivery parameter switches from suppressed to delivered, and vice versa. This parameter-based control allows flexible adjustment of alert behavior based on spatial conditions.
3Measurement precision
If the system monitors proximity to multiple devices continuously, then accurate alert suppression is achieved, but energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of continuous monitoring, the system uses periodic proximity checks triggered by specific events such as message arrivals or device movements. This periodic action maintains measurement precision when needed while significantly reducing energy consumption during periods when alert delivery decisions are not required.
Solution Approach 2:
The proximity monitoring system serves itself by only activating when necessary for alert delivery decisions. The system intelligently determines when proximity information is needed and performs monitoring only at those moments, rather than maintaining continuous monitoring operations that would consume unnecessary energy.
Data Source
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AI summary
A portable electronic device and a method for controlling notification of arrival of a message is described.