RCS Status Query via Hierarchical Friend-of-Friend Segmentation

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Current Rich Communication Suite (RCS) systems limit users to viewing only status information from their direct friends, restricting the availability of relevant information and failing to provide a comprehensive view of status updates from friends of friends and friends of friends.

Innovation Solution

An RCS-based information processing method that allows users to query and view status information from friends of friends and friends of friends by determining preset relationships in a database, expanding the viewable account set and enabling users to set privacy levels for specific friends, thereby increasing the range of available status information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Quantity of substance

If users can only view status information from direct friends in RCS, then privacy control is simplified, but the quantity of available status information is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequantity of status informationVSAvoidcomplexity of relationship management

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the viewable account set into multiple hierarchical levels: direct friends (first account set), friends of friends (second account set), and friends of friends of friends (third account set). This segmentation allows users to view status information from a broader network while maintaining granular control over each level, resolving the contradiction between increasing information quantity and managing relationship complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces dynamic privacy control mechanisms where users can independently configure visibility settings for each hierarchical level (first, second, and third account sets). This dynamic configuration allows users to adapt the scope of viewable information according to their privacy needs, enabling flexible expansion of information access without fixed complexity constraints.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

2Adaptability or versatility

If the viewable account set is expanded to include friends of friends, then the range of status information increases, but privacy control becomes more difficult

Engineering Contradiction:

Improverange of viewable status informationVSAvoidease of privacy control

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the expanded viewable account set into distinct hierarchical segments (first, second, and third account sets corresponding to direct friends, friends of friends, and friends of friends of friends). Each segment can be independently configured with separate privacy settings, making it easier for users to manage privacy controls even as the overall range of viewable information expands.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent applies different privacy control configurations to different hierarchical levels of account sets. Users can set distinct visibility rules for each level (e.g., allowing second account set visibility while restricting third account set), enabling localized privacy management that adapts to the specific sensitivity requirements of each relationship tier.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

3Loss of information

If status information from multiple account sets is aggregated, then information completeness improves, but system complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecompleteness of status informationVSAvoidcomplexity of information aggregation

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent aggregates status information from multiple segmented account sets (first, second, and third account sets) while maintaining the segmentation structure for management purposes. This approach achieves information completeness by combining multiple sources while controlling system complexity through structured organization and independent configuration of each segment.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent creates a universal query mechanism that can retrieve status information from any combination of account sets based on user configuration. This multi-functional query system handles different aggregation scenarios (single level, multiple levels, selective levels) through a unified interface, reducing system complexity despite aggregating information from diverse sources.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentEP3644560B1Information processing method based on converged communication, and server and terminal

Publication Date: 2023.06.07 ZTE CORP

Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6

AI summary

Provided are a Rich Communication Suite, RCS, -based information processing method, a server and a terminal. The method includes the following steps: receiving query request information sent from a target terminal, wherein the target terminal is a terminal on which a target account is logged in, and the query request information includes account information of the target account and information about a query object; determining, in a preset database according to the account information of the target account, a first account set in a friend relationship with the target account, and a second account set having a preset relationship with accounts in the first account set; acquiring status information released by the first account set and the second account set; and determining information corresponding to the information about the query object in the status information as target information, and pushing the target information to the target terminal.