Method for managing notifications in a communication device

• US 9,282,587 B2
• Filed: 11/16/2012
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Technology Holdings LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Winkler, David P
• Primary Examiner(s): AJIBADE AKONAI, OLUMIDE
• Application Number:
  US13/679,203
• Publication Number:
  US 20140141816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,208 Days
• Field of Search: 455/412.2, 455/414.1, 455/418, 455/419, 455/466, 455/566, 455/412.1, 455/412, 455/2, 340/309.7, 709/204, 709/206, 709/207, 709/203, 715/788, 715/789, 715/795, 715/811
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/1093 Calendar-based scheduling for persons or groups
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/224 providing notification on incoming messages, e.g. pushed notifications of received messages
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/226 Delivery according to priorities
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/58 Message adaptation for wireless communication
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72436 for text messaging, e.g. short messaging services [SMS] or e-mails
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/60 logging of communication history, e.g. outgoing or incoming calls, missed calls, messages or URLs logging of telephone numbers H04M1/56, H04M1/57
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/02 Terminal devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus of an electronic device for managing notifications is disclosed herewith. The method includes identifying a plurality of notifications associated with one or more electronic devices. The method further determines context data of the plurality of notifications based, at least in part, on their association with at least one remote device. The method then determines an order of display of the plurality of notifications based on the context data. The method further provides the plurality of notifications based on the order of display.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

identifying, by an electronic device, a plurality of notifications;

determining, by the electronic device, for each respective notification of the plurality of notifications, respective context data wherein a respective priority of at least one respective notification of the plurality of notifications is based on at least one respective weight assigned to the respective context data, wherein the respective context data for the at least one notification of the plurality of notifications is based, at least in part, on a contextual event, the contextual event being at least one of;

a scheduled event associated with the electronic device and the one or more remote electronic devices, or

a communication received at both the electronic device and the one or more remote electronic devices;

determining, by the electronic device, an order of display of the plurality of notifications based on the at least one respective weight of the respective context data for the at least one respective notification of the plurality of notifications; and

outputting, by the electronic device and for display, the plurality of notifications based on the order of display.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein identifying the plurality of notifications comprises identifying at least one of a call notification, a message notification, an update notification, a calendar notification, an email notification, or notifications from websites.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising detecting sensor data associated with at least one sensor located at the electronic device.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein determining the order of display of the plurality of notifications based on the respective context data includes determining the order of display of the plurality of notifications based upon the sensor data and the respective context data for each respective notification of the plurality of notifications.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the sensor data includes data from a location sensor.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the respective context data includes at least one of a location data, time, a calendar event, a message, call answering statistics, a recently visited website, a recent search term, a recently called number, or browsing history.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the order of display of the plurality of notifications includes prioritizing the at least one notification ahead of at least one other notification of the plurality of notifications based on the respective context data for the at least one respective notification.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein determining the respective context data for each of the plurality of notifications comprises:

associating each respective notification of the plurality of notifications with one or more remote electronic devices; and

identifying one or more contextual events associated with the one or more remote electronic devices.

9. An electronic device comprising a processor configured to:

identify a plurality of notifications;

determine for each respective notification of the plurality of notifications, respective context data, wherein a respective priority of at least one respective notification of the plurality of notifications is based on at least one respective weight assigned to the respective context data, wherein respective context data for the at least one notification of the plurality of notifications is based, at least in part, on a contextual event, the contextual event being at least one of;

a scheduled event associated with the electronic device and the one or more remote electronic devices, or

a communication received at both the electronic device and the one or more remote electronic devices;

determine an order of display of the plurality of notifications based on the at least one respective weight of the respective context data for the at least one respective notification of the plurality of notifications; and

output, for display, the plurality of notifications based on the order of display.

10. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the plurality of notifications comprises at least one of a call notification, a message notification, an update notification, a calendar notification, an email notification, or notifications from websites.

11. The electronic device of claim 9, further comprising at least one sensor configured to determine sensor data of the electronic device.

12. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the sensor data includes data from a location sensor.

13. The electronic device of claim 11, wherein the processor is further configured to determine the order of display of the plurality of notifications based upon the sensor data and the respective context data for each respective notification of the plurality of notifications.

14. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the respective context data includes at least one of a location data, time, a calendar event, a message, call answering statistics, a recently visited website, a recent search term, a recently called number, and browsing history.

15. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein determining the order of display of the plurality of notifications includes prioritizing the at least one notification ahead of at least one another notification of the plurality of notifications based on the respective context data for the at least one respective notification of the plurality of notifications.

16. The electronic device of claim 9, wherein the processor is further configured to associate each respective notification of the plurality of notifications with one or more remote electronic devices, and to identify one or more contextual events associated with the one or more remote electronic devices.

17. The electronic device of claim 16, wherein the electronic device is at least one of a wireless communication device, personal digital assistant, a cellular telephone, a messaging device, a mobile data terminal, a computer, or a gaming device.