Selective Update Management for Mobile Devices
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current mobile communication systems and devices face challenges in managing the overwhelming number of updates from users' contact lists and news feeds, leading to resource taxation and user fatigue, as well as social pressure to maintain large contact lists.
Innovation Solution
The development of tools that allow users to selectively receive updates from a superset of entities, enabling automatic, real-time, and visible-at-a-glance updates for chosen entities while forgoing updates from non-selected entities, unless explicitly requested or at specific times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of information
If users receive updates for all entities in their contact lists and news feeds, then users have access to comprehensive information from all contacts and subscriptions, but users experience information overload and resource consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the superset of entities into multiple subsets based on user preferences and contexts. Users can create different groups (e.g., family, friends, colleagues) and select which subsets receive updates in different situations. This segmentation allows comprehensive information access to be maintained while reducing the overwhelming volume by organizing it into manageable, selectable groups.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements partial action by allowing users to receive updates from only a portion of their contact list at any given time, rather than all entities. Users can selectively enable updates from specific subsets of entities based on current needs, eliminating information overload while preserving the option to access comprehensive information when needed.
2Loss of information
If mobile communication systems provide updates for numerous entities, then users have access to diverse information sources, but communication bandwidth consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the necessary updates from the superset of entities based on user-selected subsets. Instead of transmitting all available updates, the system identifies and transmits only those updates from entities that the user has currently selected to receive information from. This extraction approach maintains information diversity from multiple sources while significantly reducing bandwidth consumption by eliminating unnecessary data transmission.
3Loss of information
If mobile devices receive updates from all subscribed entities, then users have complete information coverage, but battery power is depleted more quickly
Solution Approach 1:
The mobile device extracts and processes only updates from selected subsets of entities rather than all subscribed entities. The device maintains the complete superset of subscribed entities for information completeness, but actively filters and processes updates only from currently selected subsets, thereby reducing power consumption while preserving the ability to access complete information when needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements dynamic subset selection where users can change which entities are currently active for receiving updates. The device adapts its update processing behavior based on the currently selected subset, dynamically adjusting power consumption patterns to match user needs while maintaining the option for complete information coverage when the full superset is selected.
4Adaptability or versatility
If users maintain large contact lists to avoid social pressure, then users maintain social connections, but the number of updates received increases overwhelming the user
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables users to maintain large contact lists for social connection purposes by segmenting these contacts into different subsets. Users can organize contacts into groups (e.g., close friends, acquaintances, professional contacts) and selectively receive updates from different subsets based on current social context. This maintains social adaptability while reducing update management effort through organized, selective reception.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows users to maintain comprehensive contact lists but receives updates from only a partial subset of these contacts at any given time. Users can select which subsets of their extensive contact list should actively send updates, thereby maintaining social connections with all contacts while managing update volume to manageable levels through partial action.
Data Source
AI summary
This document describes tools capable of differentiating a superset of entities from which a user may receive current updates effective to provide current updates for only some of the entities of the superset. In one embodiment, for example, the tools enable a user of a mobile device to select a set of entities from which the user will automatically receive updates that are current, easily accessible, and visible at-a-glance. The tools may forgo providing current updates for entities that are not selected by the user, though the tools may provide these updates when explicitly requested by the user or at particular times or events.