Push Notification Batching for Chat Alert Frequency Control

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing social media applications generate numerous push notifications, which can be disruptive, invasive, and consume significant power, particularly in active chat sessions, without effectively managing alert frequency or reducing screen clutter.

Innovation Solution

Implementing an alert limiting mechanism that suppresses push notification alerts based on predefined criteria and dynamically changing conditions, and a batching mechanism that coalesces multiple notifications into a common user interface element, reducing alert frequency and clutter.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If push notification alerts are generated for each chat event, then users are kept informed of all social media events, but users experience irritation and device invasiveness increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation completenessVSAvoiduser irritation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple individual push notification alerts for chat events are merged into a single batch notification. The system coalesces notifications for multiple chat events into one unified alert that displays a summary of events, thereby maintaining information completeness while reducing user irritation from excessive individual alerts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic batching of push notifications instead of immediate individual alerts for each chat event. By accumulating notifications over a defined period and delivering them as a batch, the system maintains awareness of all events while reducing the frequency and intrusiveness of user-facing alerts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

2Loss of information

If push notification alerts are generated for each chat event, then users receive comprehensive notification coverage, but power consumption increases significantly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification coverageVSAvoidpower consumption

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple individual push notification alerts for chat events are merged into a single batch notification. The system coalesces notifications for multiple chat events into one unified alert that displays a summary of events, thereby maintaining information completeness while reducing user irritation from excessive individual alerts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic batching of push notifications instead of immediate individual alerts for each chat event. By accumulating notifications over a defined period and delivering them as a batch, the system maintains awareness of all events while reducing the frequency and intrusiveness of user-facing alerts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

3Speed

If individual push notification alerts are generated for each chat event, then all notifications are delivered immediately, but screen clutter and alert frequency increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvenotification delivery speedVSAvoidalert frequency

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple individual push notification alerts for chat events are merged into a single batch notification. The system coalesces notifications for multiple chat events into one unified alert that displays a summary of events, thereby maintaining information completeness while reducing user irritation from excessive individual alerts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements periodic batching of push notifications instead of immediate individual alerts for each chat event. By accumulating notifications over a defined period and delivering them as a batch, the system maintains awareness of all events while reducing the frequency and intrusiveness of user-facing alerts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #19Periodic action

Data Source

PatentUS12401728B2Push notification management

Publication Date: 2025.08.26 SNAP INC

AI summary

A push notification mechanism at a mobile user device provides for automated limiting of the rate of production of push notification alerts (such as an audible alert or a vibratory alert) and/or push notifications responsive to the occurrence of chat events relevant to a chat application hosted by the user device. Some chat events automatically trigger suppression periods during which push notification alerts are prevented for subsequent chat events that satisfy predefined suppression criteria. Such push notification and/or alert limiting can be performed separately for separate users, chat groups, and/or chat event types.