Unified Identity Interface Aggregating Communication Channels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current computer systems present a cluttered and confusing desktop due to overlapping application windows and lack a unified interface for accessing communication-related information, requiring users to manage multiple applications separately and manually update contact information across different platforms.
Innovation Solution
An identity-based user interface that aggregates communication-related information for multiple identities, allowing users to view and interact with various communication mechanisms from a single interface, utilizing shared identity objects to store and maintain information and request communication awareness, and providing contextual placement of user interface elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple communication applications are used to maintain contact information, then communication capabilities are enhanced, but desktop clutter and confusion increase due to overlapping windows
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple communication applications and their contact information into a single unified application interface. This allows users to access contact lists and communication capabilities from multiple applications (email, instant messaging, telephony) through one consolidated interface, eliminating the need to manage multiple separate windows and contact lists while preserving all communication functionalities.
Solution Approach 2:
The unified contact list application serves multiple communication functions simultaneously - it manages contacts for email, instant messaging, telephony, and other communication mechanisms. This multi-functional approach allows a single application to replace multiple specialized applications, reducing desktop clutter while maintaining versatile communication capabilities.
2Reliability
If each communication application maintains its own contact information, then application independence is preserved, but user time increases due to manual updates across multiple applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges contact information management from multiple independent applications into a single centralized contact list. This unified structure allows automatic synchronization and sharing of contact data across different communication applications, eliminating the need for users to manually update contacts in each application while maintaining the independence and specialized functions of each communication application.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple communication applications are used, then communication mechanisms are diversified, but interface complexity increases requiring learning multiple user interfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The unified contact list application provides a single universal interface that handles multiple communication mechanisms (email, instant messaging, telephony, etc.). This standardized interface consolidates the previously separate user interfaces of multiple applications into one consistent design, reducing the learning curve while maintaining support for diverse communication protocols and mechanisms.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the functionality of multiple communication applications into distinct modular components that can be accessed through a unified interface. This allows the system to maintain the specialized functions of each communication mechanism while presenting them through a single consistent user interface, reducing overall interface complexity.
4Reliability
If communication applications search contact lists separately, then application autonomy is maintained, but information completeness decreases due to inability to find contacts across applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges separate contact list search functions into a single unified search mechanism. This consolidated search capability allows users to search across all contact information from multiple communication applications simultaneously, ensuring complete information retrieval while maintaining the autonomy of individual applications to handle their specific communication protocols.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, system, and computer accessible medium for an identity based user interface. An identity based user interface may display user interface elements including communication-related information for a plurality of identities. The communication related information may indicate multiple communication mechanisms for each identity. In response to selection of one of the communication mechanisms, an identity based user interface may initiate communication with the corresponding identity using the selected mechanism. An identity based user interface may also display information regarding the presence, reach-ability or future availability for one or more of the identities and may request and receive such information from an identity framework. An identity based user interface may utilize shared identity objects to store and maintain the communication related information. Additionally, an identity based user interface may fill in user interface elements of communication applications with communication related information for a selected identity or mechanism.