Apple Inc. (Cupertino, CA)

An individual with multiple electronic devices may receive notifications from each device. If it is determined that one device is in an active state and that notifications have been viewed on that device, an indication that the notification was observed may be transmitted by the first device to the synchronization server. Then, it is possible to determine whether the viewed notification is also available on any of the other devices used by the user. Based on this determination an indication that the notification was seen could be sent by the synchronization server to each of the devices where the notification is. Upon receipt of the indication from the synchronization server, the notification that was viewed may be removed from each of the devices, thus preventing having to display the notification across multiple devices.

This disclosure is of a general the sense that it relates to managing notifications on different devices of a user.

Nowadays, people use multiple electronic devices. For example one person could make use of a mobile phone tablet computer device, laptop computer system, or desktop computer system in the course of a typical day. It is also becoming increasingly common for there to be an overlap in the way the devices are used. While mobile devices such as mobile phones and portable music devices were at one time used for very specific purposes, the increased functionality, processingcapabilities, and connectivity of these devices has enabled them to be used in many of the same ways as a laptop or desktop computer system.

Because a user may change between devices throughout the day, each device may be set up in a similar way to allow the user to receive the same type of information from every device. For instance, a person could set up each of their devices to retrieveinformation such as email news, weather news about sports, weather updates, and social network messages. Based on the various sources from which the information comes from, each device may also be set up to consolidate information such that the user can access information from numerous sources using a single interface. This arrangement lets applications get information from devices and generate notifications that are displayed in a single interface. Therefore, a usermay be able to quickly switch between devices and view the information relevant to their interests. Every device can be able to continue receiving information and send out notifications even if the device is in a non-active state (i.e. it is not actively used by the user). A device might show all the latest notifications from the time it last was used. Based on the overlap in way that the devices are used and the way they are used, it can be difficult for users to sort through multiple notifications that they’ve previously seen on a different device.

In one particular embodiment the storage device for storing programs could include instructions that enable a processor to be notified, at a computer server, an indication that a notification was seen on the first device belonging to a user. In response to the indication that the notification has been viewed, one or more of the user’s other devices may be identified and an indication that the notification was seen on the first device could be transmitted to the second device(s).

In a different way the method is to receive an alert on a first device that is associated with multiple devices. If it is subsequently discovered that the first device is active and the notification has been seen by the first device, an indication that the notification has been seen on the first device, and that it should be removed from the other devices can be sent by the first device.

In yet another way, a program storage device can contain instructions to allow a processor to read multiple messages from various sources on a single device that is connected to multiple other devices. Multiple messages may result in multiple notifications being generated by the first device. The notifications are displayed on an interface that is common to all devices. When the device that is first found to be in active mode, and one notification is being viewed by the first device then the first device could signal that the notification was read by the second device to the synchronization computer system.

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