Intelligent presentation of multiple proximate audible alerts

• US 10,091,154 B2
• Filed: 10/23/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Chakra, Al, Harpur, Liam, Purcell, Michelle M., Rice, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Avellino, Joseph E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kunwar, Binod J
• Application Number:
  US15/791,154
• Publication Number:
  US 20180048609A1
• Time in Patent Office: 344 Days
• Field of Search: 709204, 4554561, 4554566
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/222 using geographical location information, e.g. messages transmitted or received in proximity of a certain spot or area
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages

Abstract

A computing device can receive an incoming message. The incoming message can be one directed to a set of different client machines at approximately the same time. The computing device can perform a mitigation action that alters a presentation characteristic of the audible alert for the incoming message. The mitigation action ensures that the computing device and at least a subset of the other client devices within a predefined audio range of the computing device do not audibly present alerts for the incoming message in an unsynchronized manner.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method within and by a client hardware device, comprising:

receiving, from a server, an incoming message concurrently directed to a plurality of client hardware devices;

altering, using a mitigation action and responsive to the receiving, a presentation characteristic of an audible alert of the client hardware device; and

presenting the audible alert having the altered presentation characteristic, wherein

the client hardware device is configured to perform the audible alert in response to receiving the incoming message, and

the mitigation action synchronizes audible alerts, respectively associated with two or more of the plurality of client hardware devices, associated with the incoming message.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein

the two or more of the plurality of client hardware devices are within a predefined audio range of the client hardware device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein

the mitigation action causes a volume of the audible alert to be reduced.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein

the mitigation alters a playback timing of the audible alert.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein

the incoming message includes mitigation instructions, and

the mitigation action is based on the mitigation instructions.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein

a user of the client hardware device is informed of the mitigation action.

7. A client hardware device, comprising:

a hardware processor programmed to initiate the following executable operations;

receiving, from a server, an incoming message concurrently directed to a plurality of client hardware devices;

altering, using a mitigation action and responsive to the receiving, a presentation characteristic of an audible alert of the client hardware device; and

presenting the audible alert having the altered presentation characteristic, wherein

the client hardware device is configured to perform the audible alert in response to receiving the incoming message, and

the mitigation action synchronizes audible alerts, respectively associated with two or more of the plurality of client hardware devices, associated with the incoming message.

8. The client hardware device of claim 7, wherein

the two or more of the plurality of client hardware devices are within a predefined audio range of the client hardware device.

9. The client hardware device of claim 7, wherein

the mitigation action causes a volume of the audible alert to be reduced.

10. The client hardware device of claim 7, wherein

the mitigation alters a playback timing of the audible alert.

11. The client hardware device of claim 7, wherein

the incoming message includes mitigation instructions, and

the mitigation action is based on the mitigation instructions.

12. The client hardware device of claim 7, wherein

a user of the client hardware device is informed of the mitigation action.

13. A computer program product, comprising:

a hardware storage device having program code stored thereon,

the program code, which when executed by a client hardware device, causes the client hardware device to perform;

receiving, from a server, an incoming message concurrently directed to a plurality of client hardware devices;

altering, using a mitigation action and responsive to the receiving, a presentation characteristic of an audible alert of the client hardware device; and

presenting the audible alert having the altered presentation characteristic, wherein

the client hardware device is configured to perform the audible alert in response to receiving the incoming message, and

the mitigation action synchronizes audible alerts, respectively associated with two or more of the plurality of client hardware devices, associated with the incoming message.

14. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein

the two or more of the plurality of client hardware devices are within a predefined audio range of the client hardware device.

15. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein

the mitigation action causes a volume of the audible alert to be reduced.

16. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein

the mitigation alters a playback timing of the audible alert.

17. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein

the incoming message includes mitigation instructions, and

the mitigation action is based on the mitigation instructions.

18. The computer program product of claim 13, wherein

a user of the client hardware device is informed of the mitigation action.