Proximity-Based Notification Routing Across Interworking Devices

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing electronic devices often output notifications regardless of a user's proximity, leading to missed notifications due to multiple devices providing simultaneous notifications in a shared space, and there is no effective method to accurately forward notifications to a user based on their location.

Innovation Solution

A method and apparatus that interwork multiple electronic devices to detect a user's location through sensing and identify a target device near the user, allowing notifications to be forwarded to that device for accurate delivery, using communication interfaces and processors to collect situation information and transmit notification messages.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If multiple electronic devices provide notifications simultaneously in a shared space, then the notification coverage is improved, but the user may miss notifications or receive unnecessary alerts due to not being near all devices

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification delivery reliabilityVSAvoidnotification management complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a notification management system that acts as an intermediary between multiple electronic devices and the user. This system receives notification requests from various devices, determines the user's current location through sensing data, and selectively forwards notifications only to devices near the user. This intermediary approach resolves the contradiction by maintaining reliable notification delivery while simplifying management through centralized control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The system performs preliminary actions by continuously collecting sensing information about user location and device status before notification events occur. By pre-establishing the spatial relationships and notification capabilities of devices, the system can quickly and accurately route notifications without complex real-time decision-making, thus improving reliability while managing complexity through advance preparation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If electronic devices output notifications regardless of user proximity, then all devices can provide alerts, but users may miss notifications when not near the device

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification receipt reliabilityVSAvoidenergy consumed by distant devices

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies local quality by making notification output dependent on the local condition of user proximity. Instead of all devices uniformly outputting notifications, the system determines which specific devices are near the user based on sensing data and restricts notification output to those local devices only. This resolves the contradiction by ensuring reliable notification receipt while preventing energy waste at distant devices.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The system replaces the mechanical approach of all devices continuously outputting notifications with an intelligent routing mechanism that uses sensing information and communication interfaces to selectively forward notifications. This substitution eliminates unnecessary energy consumption at distant devices while maintaining reliable notification delivery through automated, data-driven decision-making.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Adaptability or versatility

If each electronic device independently provides notifications, then device autonomy is maintained, but coordination between devices becomes complex and inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedevice independenceVSAvoidinter-device coordination complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the notification management functions of multiple independent devices into a coordinated system. While devices maintain their independence in generating notifications, the system combines their notification requests and centrally manages routing based on user location. This merging approach maintains device adaptability and versatility while reducing coordination complexity through unified control logic.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS11223497B2Method and apparatus for providing notification by interworking plurality of electronic devices

Publication Date: 2022.01.11 SAMSUNG ELECTRONICS CO LTD

AI summary

A method and apparatus capable of forwarding notification or information related to a function, generated from a given device, to a user through a device near (or in proximity to) the user by interworking a plurality of electronic devices, are provided. An electronic device includes a communication interface and a processor. The processor is configured to obtain a first message related to notification from an external device, identify a target electronic device for notification output based on the location of a user and notification output performance of each of a plurality of electronic devices capable of communication with the electronic device, and transmit a second message related to the notification to the target electronic device so that the identified target electronic device outputs the notification.