Social Network Content Distribution via Automated Activity Syndication

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing instant messaging systems lack the ability to efficiently provide users with timely and relevant information about recent content publication activities of co-users within their social network, requiring users to actively seek or request updates from others.

Innovation Solution

A system that collects and syndicates information about co-users' recent content publication activities, allowing users to receive notifications and access updates without direct communication, through a co-user list and feed system that displays icons and notifications for recent activities, enabling users to perceive and interact with new content from co-users.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If users actively seek or request updates from co-users, then users can obtain information about co-users' activities, but users must invest time and effort to actively browse or request updates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation about co-users' content publication activitiesVSAvoidtime spent actively browsing or requesting updates

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The system automatically monitors and tracks content publication activities of co-users without requiring user intervention. The host system proactively identifies when co-users publish new content (blog posts, journal entries, digital assets) and pushes this information to the user's device, allowing the system to serve itself rather than requiring users to actively seek updates

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

The system implements a feedback mechanism where the host continuously monitors co-user activities and provides timely notifications to users about new content. This feedback loop ensures users receive information about co-users' publications automatically, eliminating the need for manual checking while maintaining information flow

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

2Loss of information

If the system monitors and notifies users about all co-users' activities, then users receive comprehensive information about recent publications, but the system complexity and resource consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation about co-users' content publication activitiesVSAvoidsystem complexity for collecting and distributing content information

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the monitoring function by assigning the host to monitor content publication activities and the user's device to receive and display notifications. This division separates the complex monitoring task from the user interface, allowing each component to specialize in its function without excessive complexity

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The host system acts as an intermediary between co-users and users, collecting content publication information from co-users and distributing it to users. This intermediary role simplifies the architecture by centralizing the monitoring and distribution logic, reducing the complexity burden on individual user devices

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Loss of information

If the system provides detailed information about all co-users' activities, then users gain comprehensive knowledge of social network updates, but information overload and noise increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinformation about co-users' content publication activitiesVSAvoidinformation overload and noise

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The system extracts only the essential information about content publication activities (type of content, co-user identifier, timestamp) and presents it in a condensed notification format. By taking out only the necessary information elements and omitting extraneous details, the system provides useful updates without creating information overload

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Data Source

PatentUS11671504B2Systems and methods for distributing published content among users of a social network

Publication Date: 2023.06.06 VERIZON PATENT & LICENSING INC

AI summary

Collecting and distributing information related to recent content publication activity of an instant messaging (IM) user provides other users in a network with timely, relevant information about people known to the user or within the same social network. A user participating in a social network can quickly and efficiently perceive new information related to other users (referred to as co-users) in a social network by reviewing the co-users' recent content publication activity. A user may be made able to do so without requiring the co-user to send a communication directly to the user regarding the new facts or new content, and also without requiring the user to actively browse or request information about the co-user.