SaaS Push Notification Service Worker for Resource Optimization

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Solution Overview

Problem

Push notifications for SaaS applications are often missed when the associated browser session is inactive, leading to impractical processor and memory utilization and reduced battery life on mobile devices, as current systems require the browser to be active to receive notifications.

Innovation Solution

A client application with an embedded browser acts as a service worker to listen for and display notifications for multiple SaaS applications, regardless of their activity status, using a lightweight notification agent that consumes minimal resources and handles large numbers of notifications.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the browser is kept active to receive push notifications, then notification reliability is improved, but processor utilization and memory consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification reliabilityVSAvoidprocessor utilization
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a notification service worker as an intermediary component that operates independently from the main browser application. This service worker receives push notifications from the server and delivers them to the user even when the browser is not active, eliminating the need to keep the browser running continuously while maintaining notification reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The notification service worker operates autonomously in the background, self-managing the receipt and delivery of notifications without requiring active browser sessions. The service worker independently handles notification routing and presentation, freeing the main application from continuous operation requirements.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #25Self-service

2Reliability

If the browser is kept active to receive push notifications, then notification reliability is improved, but battery life is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification reliabilityVSAvoidbattery life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The notification service worker acts as a background intermediary that maintains connection to notification servers independently of the main application. This allows the system to receive notifications without keeping the full browser application active, significantly reducing energy consumption while preserving notification delivery reliability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of continuous active monitoring, the system uses periodic background checks and event-driven architecture where the service worker wakes up periodically or responds to notification events to check for new notifications, reducing energy consumption compared to continuous active sessions.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #19Periodic action

3Productivity

If a dedicated notification application is used, then notification handling capability is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvenotification handling capabilityVSAvoidapplication complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The notification service worker is designed to handle notifications from multiple different SaaS applications through a unified interface. Instead of requiring separate dedicated applications for each service, the single service worker can route and present notifications from various sources, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining comprehensive notification handling capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent merges the notification handling functionality for multiple applications into a single service worker component. This consolidation combines what would otherwise require multiple separate applications or modules into one unified notification handling system, reducing complexity while preserving the ability to manage notifications from numerous sources.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentEP3881522B1Systems and methods for push notification service for SAAS applications
Publication Date: 2023.12.27 CITRIX SYSTEMS INC
  • EP3881522B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3881522B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3881522B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Embodiments described include systems and methods for receiving push notifications for Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications. Push notifications may be received by an agent or notification listener provided by a client application of a client device. The listener may receive and display notifications for a large plurality of SaaS applications, regardless of whether the SaaS applications are currently active in a browser of the client device. The listener agent may be lightweight, consuming very little memory or processor resources, while being able to handle very large numbers of notifications. This may free up resources on the client device, consume less battery for mobile devices, and provide notification functionality for SaaS applications using native notification techniques without requiring the SaaS application developers to rewrite notification systems or switch to an operating system- provided notification system.