Alert notification management for multiple user devices

• US 10,149,278 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2016
• Issued: 12/04/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Borges, Daniel R., Giles, Michael J., Dooley, Craig P., Sharma, Prateek, Verma, Sanjay K., Bhattacharjee, Deepankar
• Primary Examiner(s): Eisner, Ronald
• Application Number:
  US15/279,338
• Publication Number:
  US 20170094638A1
• Time in Patent Office: 797 Days
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/1895 for short real-time information, e.g. alarms, notifications, alerts, updates
• 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 67/1072 Discovery involving ranked list compilation of candidate peers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/61 taking into account QoS or priority requirements
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 69/24 Negotiation of communication capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/08 User group management
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/80 Services using short range communication, e.g. near-field communication [NFC], radio-frequency identification [RFID] or low energy communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 48/16 Discovering, processing access restriction or access information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 68/02 Arrangements for increasing efficiency of notification or paging channel
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 76/25 Maintenance of established connections
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/005 Discovery of network devices, e.g. terminals
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 8/22 Processing or transfer of terminal data, e.g. status or physical capabilities
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 84/12 WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]

Abstract

Techniques for coalescing alert notifications for applications and/or services to a primary user device of a set of multiple associated user devices within proximity of each other. When a user device is not in proximity to other associated user devices, the user device functions as a primary user device and provides alert notifications based on a default configuration and/or a user configurable setting. When the user device is within proximity of one or more other associated user devices, the user devices exchange relevant capability information and information for applications that are synchronized via network-based services. The user devices negotiate to determine a user device that serves as the primary user device to provide alert notifications for a set of applications and services common to a set of user devices. The other user devices are configured to reduce and/or suppress the alert notifications.

Claims

1. A method for coalescing alert notifications for a set of associated user devices, the method comprising:

by a first user device of the set of associated user devices;

detecting proximity of a second user device of the set of associated user devices;

exchanging device capabilities with the second user device;

exchanging one or more of service information or application information with the second user device;

negotiating alert notification configurations between the first user device and the second user device based at least in part on any combination of the device capabilities exchanged with the second user device, service information exchanged with the second user device, or application information exchanged with the second user device; and

configuring, based at least in part on the negotiation, the first user device to operate as a primary user device that provides alert notifications for one or more of shared applications or services for;

(i) only the first user device, or

(ii) both the first user device and the second user device.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating keep alive messages to maintain proximity detection for the second user device when configured to operate as the primary user device for the second user device.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user device is configured to operate as the primary user device further based at least in part on proximity to a user of the set of associated user devices.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user device is configured to operate as the primary user device further based on indications of most recent usage for the first user device and for the second user device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein association of the user devices of the set of associated user devices is based at least in part on a common network-based service account.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user device provides auditory alert notifications when configured as the primary user device.

7. The method of claim 6, further comprising causing the second user device to be configured as a secondary user device when the first user device is configured as the primary user device.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the secondary user device provides silent alert notifications when configured as the secondary user device.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the first user device detects proximity of the second user device based at least in part on an overlapping wireless network coverage between the first user device and the second user device.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein the first user device detects proximity of the second user device further based at least in part on receipt of one or more wireless personal area network (WPAN) and/or wireless local area network (WLAN) messages from the second user device.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the WPAN messages comprise Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) messages for a proximity profile.

12. A first user device of a set of associated user devices, the first user device comprising:

wireless circuitry communicatively coupled to one or more antennas; and

processing circuitry communicatively coupled to the wireless circuitry, the processing circuitry including a processor and a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first user device to;

detect proximity of a second user device of the set of associated user devices;

exchange device capabilities with the second user device;

exchange one or more of service information or application information with the second user device;

negotiate alert notification configurations between the first user device and the second user device based at least in part on any combination of the device capabilities exchanged with the second user device, service information exchanged with the second user device, or application information exchanged with the second user device; and

configure, based at least in part on the negotiation, the first user device to operate as a primary user device that provides alert notifications for one or more of shared applications or services for;

(i) only the first user device, or

(ii) both the first user device and the second user device.

13. The first user device of claim 12, wherein execution of the instructions further causes the first user device to communicate keep alive messages to maintain proximity detection for the second user device when configured to operate as the primary user device for the second user device.

14. The first user device of claim 12, wherein the first user device is configured to operate as the primary user device further based at least in part on proximity to a user of the set of associated user devices.

15. The first user device of claim 12, wherein the first user device is configured to operate as the primary user device further based at least in part on indications of most recent usage for the first user device and for the second user device.

16. The first user device of claim 12, wherein association of user devices of the set of associated user devices is based at least in part on a common network-based service account.

17. The first user device of claim 12, wherein:

when the first user device is configured as the primary device;

the first user device provides auditory alert notifications;

the first user device causes the second user device to be configured as a secondary user device; and

the secondary user device provides silent alert notifications when configured as the secondary user device.

18. The first user device of claim 12, wherein the first user device detects proximity of the second user device based at least in part on:

an overlapping wireless network coverage between the first user device and the second user device; and

receipt of one or more wireless personal area network (WPAN) and/or wireless local area network (WLAN) messages from the second user device.

19. The first user device of claim 18, wherein the WPAN messages comprise Bluetooth Low Energy (BTLE) messages for a proximity profile.

20. An integrated circuit apparatus configurable for operation in a first user device of a set of associated user devices, the integrated circuit apparatus comprising:

a processor; and

a memory storing instructions that, when executed by the processor, cause the first user device to;

detect proximity of a second user device of the set of associated user devices;

exchange device capabilities with the second user device;

exchange one or more of service information or application information with the second user device;

negotiate alert notification configurations between the first user device and the second user device based at least in part on any combination of the device capabilities exchanged with the second user device, service information exchanged with the second user device, or application information exchanged with the second user device; and

configure, based at least in part on the negotiation, the first user device to operate as a primary user device that provides alert notifications for one or more of shared applications or services for;

(i) only the first user device, or

(ii) both the first user device and the second user device.