Managing notifications across multiple devices

• US 9,973,588 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2016
• Issued: 05/15/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Vyrros, Andrew H., Shepherd, Matthew Elliott, Edwards, Dylan Ross, Wood, Justin, Pollack, Daniel Ben, de Filippis, Pierre, Drummond, Jonathan, Santamaria, Justin, Novick, Greg
• Primary Examiner(s): WHIPPLE, BRIAN P
• Application Number:
  US15/069,872
• Publication Number:
  US 20160337461A1
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/214 using selective forwarding
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/0428 wherein the data content is protected, e.g. by encrypting or encapsulating the payload
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/53 using third party service providers
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/55 Push-based network services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 9/30 Public key, i.e. encryption algorithm being computationally infeasible to invert or user's encryption keys not requiring secrecy
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/06 Authentication
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/10 Integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/72 Subscriber identity
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/12 Messaging; Mailboxes; Announcements

Abstract

Modifying a notification on one client device can trigger the generation and transmission of a silent notification to another client device that is associated with the same user account. The silent notification can include instructions to query for and modify a similar notification, if present, on the other client device. Silent notifications that are undeliverable can be stored in offline storage and delivery can be reattempted at a later point in time.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

detecting, on a first client device, a modification event associated with a first notification on the first client device;

determining a handle associated with the first client device;

transmitting, to an identity service, a request for a second client device associated with the handle;

receiving a token for addressing the second client device associated with the handle;

generating a notification having instructions to modify another notification on the second client device; and

transmitting, through a notification service, the notification from the first client device to the second client device, according to the token.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving a public key representing an encryption scheme of the second client device; and

encrypting, prior to transmission, content of the notification according to the public key.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the first notification and the second notification are generated from a remote source.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modification event is a request to dismiss an alert from a lock screen of the first client device.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modification event is a request to remove the first notification from a notification center of the first client device.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the modification to the second notification is the same as the modification to the first notification.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the notification includes content from the first notification.

8. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

detecting, on a first client device, a modification event associated with a first notification on the first client device;

determining a handle associated with the first client device;

transmitting, to an identity service, a request for a second client device associated with the handle;

receiving a token for addressing the second client device associated with the handle;

generating a notification having instructions to modify another notification on the second client device; and

transmitting, through a notification service, the notification from the first client device to the second client device, according to the token.

9. The system of claim 8, further comprising:

receiving a public key representing an encryption scheme of the second client device; and

encrypting, prior to transmission, content of the notification according to the public key.

10. The system of claim 8, wherein the first notification and the second notification are generated from a remote source.

11. The system of claim 8, wherein the modification event is a request to dismiss an alert from a lock screen of the first client device.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the modification event is a request to remove the first notification from a notification center of the first client device.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the modification to the second notification is the same as the modification to the first notification.

14. The system of claim 8, wherein the notification includes content from the first notification.

15. A method comprising:

receiving, by a first client device, a first notification initiated by a second client device, the first notification including instructions to modify a second notification of the first client device, the first client device and the second client device associated by a handle;

matching first content of the first notification with second content of a plurality of notifications of the first client device;

identifying the second notification for modification based on the matching; and

modifying, by the first client device, the second notification of the first client device according to the instructions.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the handle identifies a group of client devices associated with a user account that includes the first client device and the second client device.

17. A system comprising:

one or more processors;

memory storing instructions, which when executed by the one or more processors, causes the one or more processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving, by a first client device, a first notification initiated by a second client device, the first notification including instructions to modify a second notification of the first client device, the first client device and the second client device associated by a handle;

matching, by the first client device, first content of the first notification with second content of a plurality of notifications of the first client device;

identifying, by the first client device, the second notification for modification based on the matching; and

modifying, by the first client device, the second notification of the first client device according to the instructions.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the handle identifies a group of client devices associated with a user account that includes the first device and the second client device.