Suppressing message notifications

One or more computer processors receive a message, with a message device, from a server, wherein the message device and at least one other nearby message device belong to a shared chat group. The one or more computer processors, responsive to determining that the at least one other nearby message device has received and emitted a notification associated with the message, suppress the notification associated with the message.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates generally to the field of messaging, and more particularly to suppressing message notifications for devices in proximity, or nearby to each other.

Messaging is the act of composing and sending electronic messages, typically consisting of alphabetic and numeric characters, between two or more users of mobile devices, desktops/laptops, or another type of compatible computer. Messages may be sent over a cellular network or may also be sent via an Internet connection using the Short Message Service (SMS) and Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) containing digital images, videos, and sound content. Messages are used for personal, family, business, and social purposes. Governmental and non-governmental organizations use messaging for communication between colleagues.

SUMMARY

Embodiments of the present invention disclose a computer-implemented method, a computer program product, and a system for suppressing message notifications. The computer-implemented method includes one or more computer processers receiving a message, with a message device, from a server, wherein the message device and at least one other nearby message device belong to a shared chat group. The one or more computer processors, responsive to determining that the at least one other nearby message device has received and emitted a notification associated with the message, suppress the notification associated with the message.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The use of messaging devices for communication has become universal among customers for business and personal purposes. Messaging devices, such as cell phones, tablets and laptops are used by users to communicate with other users around the globe. A common feature of message platforms is the use of group chats or group channels, where multiple users communicate with each other in one space. One member of the group chat can send out a message to the other members of the group simultaneously.

Each user has their own settings in relation to notifications, where they can set their mobile device to have visual and/or audio notifications, vibrations, or no notifications. A problem arises when multiple users of the same group chat are in the same location as one another. If the audio notification settings are all on for each device in the vicinity, each device will emit a notification when they receive a group message. This is distracting and irksome for the users, especially when there are many messages being sent in succession in the group chat.

Another problem arises since messages are usually sent through a messaging platform, such that messages for one user can be accessed through multiple devices. It is common for a single user to access their messages through their cell phone, laptop, tablet, and smart watch all at the same time. When a message is received by a user, multiple notifications get alerted on multiple devices. This issue is compounded when there are multiple users with multiple devices in the same vicinity.

A feature that is implemented on conventional cell phones is to mute notifications based on the time that has elapsed since the first notification. This solves the issue of getting dozens of audio notifications in a short period of time for one user, but it does not solve the problem of the scenario where there are multiple users in the same group receive the message and multiple audio notifications are set off at the same time.

Another known solution to this problem is to suppress notifications on a device once detected, via its microphone, that another device in its vicinity has emitted a notification. There are several flaws with this solution. First, this method uses the microphone on a messaging device to determine whether it should or should not emit a notification. It relies on having a clear audio stream, without background noise for the method to work. Secondly, this method cannot distinguish between a notification related to a message from a shared group chat, or a notification related to another message received independently by the other device.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for suppressing message notifications, the method comprising: receiving, by a message device, a message from a server, wherein the message device and at least one other nearby message device belong to a shared chat group; and responsive to determining that the at least one other nearby message device has received and emitted a notification associated with the message, the message device suppressing the notification associated with the message.

Embodiments of the present invention recognize that the suppression of notifications of nearby message devices reduces excessive auditory noises and vibrational alerts in an area within the auditory range of a human. This results in a less distracting environment for the users of the nearby message devices. The terms “nearby”, “in the vicinity of”, “in the range of” and “proximate to” are used to describe an area within the auditory range of a human.

Preferably, embodiments of the present invention provide a method, wherein the at least one other nearby device is identified by analyzing message devices within a pre-defined proximity of the message device.

Preferably, embodiments of the present invention provide a method, wherein the at least one other nearby device is identified by a device location method associated with the message device.

Advantageously, identifying the nearby messaging devices results in the suppression of notifications from only the nearby devices related to the message device. The method does not suppress notifications for devices that are outside the auditory range of a human.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method wherein determining that the at least one other nearby message device has received and emitted a notification associated with the message comprises comparing a unique identifier of the message to a local cache in the message device. Advantageously, the unique identifier of the message allows the suppression of specific message notifications. This means that notifications related to other messages from different applications or different chat groups to not get suppressed by the method.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method further comprising responsive to determining that the at least one other nearby message device has not received and emitted a notification associated with the message, the message device emitting the notification, wherein the step of emitting the notification is dependent upon a notification setting associated with the message device. Advantageously, depending upon a notification setting means that even if a message device is the first device in the nearby vicinity to receive the message from a server, the at least one other nearby device can emit the notification instead. For example, if the message device is on “silent mode”, the next device to receive the message can emit a notification related to the message.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method further comprising transmitting a data packet to the at least one other nearby device, wherein the data packet comprises a group chat ID and a message ID which are stored in a local cache of the at least one other nearby device.

Advantageously, as a specific message for a specific group chat can be identified using the data packet and the local cache, the method allows the suppression of only the relevant notifications. This contrasts with suppressing a notification based on any nearby device emitting a notification. As the information about the message is sent via the data packet, the message devices do not require microphones to identify that a notification has been emitted in the nearby vicinity. This means that smart devices that can receive messages and emit notifications but do not have microphones, such as wearable devices and tablets, can be used in this system and method.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, wherein the data packet further comprises a message device ID, the order the said message device received the message, and the notification settings of said message device. Advantageously, the additional contents of the data packet allow the nearby message device to work with more information regarding the message.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, further comprising transmitting a data packet to any nearby device, wherein any such nearby device is proximate to the message device, relative to the message device, capable of receiving the data packet, and wherein the data packet comprises a group chat ID and a message ID. Advantageously, transmitting, or broadcasting the data packet to any nearby message device allows for a reduction of processing time for the message device. This is because the message device does not need to identify which of the nearby message devices belong to the same chat group as the message device, and therefore which nearby message device to send the data packet to. Instead, it is the receiving message device which can use the group chat ID to determine whether it is part of this group chat and therefore whether the message is of relevance.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, further comprising analyzing, by the nearby device, the data packet to determine whether the message device and the message device belong to the same chat group and responsive to determining that they do belong to the same group chat, storing the data packet into a local cache of the nearby message device.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, wherein the data packet is transmitted via User Datagram Protocol (UDP). Advantageously, UDP allows communication between devices without prior connections or handshakes, allowing the method to both send the data packet to a specific group of message devices, as well as broadcast the data packet to all nearby message devices.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, wherein the message device and at least one other nearby message device belong to different users. Advantageously, the method allows the suppression of notifications for a message received by multiple users, such that only one notification is emitted in the same vicinity.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, wherein the message device and at least one other nearby message device belongs to the same user. Advantageously, the method works in situations where a user has multiple message devices in the same vicinity that receive the same message from the server.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a computer program product for suppressing message notifications, the computer program product comprising: program instructions to receive, by a message device, a message from a server, wherein the message device and at least one other nearby message device belong to a shared chat group; and program instructions to suppress the notification associated with the message, responsive to determining that the at least one other nearby message device has received and emitted a notification associated with the message.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a system for suppressing message notifications, the system comprising: a processing device; and a memory coupled to the processing device and storing instructions that, when executed by the processing device, cause the system to perform operations comprising: receiving, by a message device, a message from a server, wherein the message device and at least one other nearby message device belong to a shared chat group; and responsive to determining that the at least one other nearby message device has received and emitted a notification associated with the message, the message device suppressing the notification associated with the message. Implementation of embodiments of the invention may take a variety of forms, and exemplary implementation details are discussed subsequently with reference to the Figures.

It should be appreciated that the terms group chat and group channel are seen as synonymous with one another.

FIG.1illustrates environment10containing an embodiment of the present invention, wherein a sending client100sends a message to a group chat102via a server104to three receiving clients106,108,110. The sending client and receiving clients are all message devices. Receiving client106and receiving client2108are in location A112, nearby each other. Receiving client100is in location B114, away from receiving clients106and2108.

The sending client100transmits a message with an id “X” to the group chat with an id “Alpha”102and the server104transmits the message to each receiving client106,108,110in the group chat102. Although the message is sent out simultaneously by the server, the order in which the message devices receive the same message depends on the individual receiving device's network connection conditions, network speed and processing speed of the messaging device. In this example, receiving client106receives the message first.

Each message device comprises a local cache that keeps a record of each group chat and each received message ID.

FIG.2depicts flowchart200illustrating operational steps of program1060for suppressing message notifications, in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

Program1060receives a message (step202). In an embodiment, program1060commences in response to a received message or a transmitted message by a mobile device (e.g., cell phone).FIG.1further illustrates step202, particularly the sending client100transmits a message with an id “X” to the group chat with an id “Alpha”102and the server104transmits the message to each receiving client106,108,110in the group chat102. Although the message is sent out simultaneously by the server, the order in which the message devices receive the same message depends on the individual receiving device's network connection conditions, network speed and processing speed of the messaging device. In this example, receiving client106receives the message first.

Program1060determines at least one nearby device with the received message (step204). Program1060determines whether any of the other nearby message devices have received and emitted a notification associated with the message. Receiving client106compares the incoming group chat name and the message ID to its local cache. It does not have an entry in the local cache relating to the new incoming message, which means that it is the first device in the nearby location to receive the message “X”. Responsively, program1060transmits a data packet to each of the nearby message devices. The data packet comprises a group chat ID and a message ID. The data packet and the local cache can also contain further information related to the message, such as the timestamp of when then the message was received, a message device ID, the notification settings of said message device and an indication of whether the message device emitted an audio notification. The transmittal of the data packet can also be done before the audio notification is emitted, or after the notification is emitted.FIGS.3A and3Bfurther illustrate the cache comparison and subsequent message determinations.

Program1060suppresses the message (step206). Responsive to program1060determining that the received message has already been received by one or more nearby devices, program1060suppresses a notification or audio emission associated with the received message on an associated message receiving device. For example, responsive to a received message X, program1060compares the group chat name, message ID to the contents of its local cache300. Since there is an entry related to the message ID, program1060deduces that another nearby message device has already emitted a notification related to the message. This will result in only receiving client106emitting an audio notification in location A112for message X.FIG.4further illustrates the message suppression process.

FIG.3Aillustrates an example of the local cache300of receiving client106in the state before it receives message “X”.

Receiving client106, determines whether any of the other nearby message devices have received and emitted a notification associated with the message. Receiving client106compares the incoming group chat name and the message ID to its local cache. It does not have an entry in the local cache relating to the new incoming message, which means that it is the first device in the nearby location to receive the message “X”.

FIG.3Billustrates an example of the local cache300after receiving message “X”. Receiving client106logs the group chat name and the message ID to the local cache to a new row302. The message is from group chat “Alpha”304, with a message ID of “X”306.

As receiving client106establishes that it is the first nearby device to receive message X, receiving client therefore emits an audio notification that is associated with message X. The skilled person will appreciate that other notifications can also be suppressed by the present invention. For example, vibrational, camera flashing, and visual notifications can also be suppressed.

In parallel to emitting the audio notification, receiving client106transmits a data packet to each of the nearby message devices. The data packet comprises a group chat ID and a message ID. The data packet and the local cache can also contain further information related to the message, such as the timestamp of when then the message was received, a message device ID, the notification settings of said message device and an indication of whether the message device emitted an audio notification. The transmittal of the data packet can also be done before the audio notification is emitted, or after the notification is emitted.

In this example, there is one other message device in the vicinity—receiving client108. The data packet contains information about the group chat and message ID.FIG.4illustrates an example of the local cache400of receiving client108. Receiving client108logs the information from the data packet to its own local cache400, into a new row402.

When receiving client108eventually receives message X, it compares the group chat name, message ID to the contents of its local cache400. Since there is an entry related to the message ID, it deduces that another nearby message device has already emitted a notification related to the message. This will result in only receiving client106emitting an audio notification in location A112for message X.

In location B114, there is only one messaging device that is in group chat “Alpha”, receiving client110. Therefore, when receiving client3110receives the message from the server, it compares the message ID to its local cache. Since there is no record of another messaging device receiving message X first in its local cache, it records the message ID to the local cache and emits an audio notification associated with message X. As there are no other nearby devices in location B, it does not emit a data packet since there are no other nearby devices in location B114.

The transmission of the data packet must be rapid such that the other nearby receiving devices in the location receives the data packet before they receive the message from the server. Therefore, a reliable and fast communications protocol must be used to transmit the data packet from the receiving device that first receives the message to the other nearby messaging devices in the same location.

One such protocol that can be used to transmit the data packet is via User Datagram Protocol (UDP). UDP is an internet messaging protocol that allows devices to send small packages of data to other devices in a shared network. It is not necessary to first establish a communication channel to be able to transmit data packets between devices. UDP can be used to send a data packet to a specific list of nearby message devices, as well as transmit, or broadcast the data packet to any nearby device that is capable of receiving the data packet. The person skilled in the art will appreciate that other known communications protocols can be used to transmit the data packet between the receiving clients.

In an embodiment, the message device analyses the nearby message devices using known device location methods, such as using the inbuilt short-range wireless connection capabilities. The short-range wireless range is around 10 m and therefore the message device will be able to locate nearby devices within this range. Another known device location method that can be used is the wireless indoor positioning system, which can locate devices within an established wireless network using triangulation and fingerprinting techniques. Wireless positioning systems can triangulate devices within a few meters and up to 100 m of the message device.

In one embodiment, a pre-defined proximity is set by the server or a user; it can be set to allow the invention, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, to work within a room or a space where it is desirable to suppress excess messaging notifications. For example, the pre-defined proximity can be set to an area of 3 m×3 m; an area that would cover a large room. The message device will establish devices that are in the 3 m×3 m area and then analyze whether the other message devices belong to the same group chat. This analysis can be done using group chat ID provided by the server, or information available within the server about the other participants in the group chat. The information about the nearby devices that belong to the same chat group is stored in the memory of each message device.

In an alternative embodiment, instead of analyzing the nearby vicinity and establishing a list of nearby devices, the message device sends out the data packet to all nearby devices in the vicinity. It is then up to the receiving nearby device to determine whether the data packet is relevant for them or not. The receiving message device can compare the group chat ID and the message device ID from the data packet to information it has about the relevant message devices in shared group chats, to determine whether to store the contents of the data packet to its local cache. The receiving message device may request the shared group chat information about other message devices that are in shared group chats from the server.

The preferred embodiment takes each receiving user's prior notification settings into consideration when emitting and suppressing audio notifications. For example, some users prefer to have audio notifications on, whereas some users permanently keep their phone on vibration or silent mode. Some users may dynamically change their notification settings depending on their situation, for example, they may have notifications on at home but turn all audio and vibrational notifications off while in a meeting at work.

Therefore, when the first receiving client in a location receives the message, the invention, in accordance with a preferred embodiment, will check the device's current notification settings. If the audio notification settings are off, the first receiving client will not emit an audio notification and does not transmit a data packet. In this way, the first receiving client device passes on the responsibility of emitting an audio notification to the next receiving client.

FIG.5illustrates environment50containing an example comprising three receiving devices500,502, and504in location D506. A message is sent from a sending client508, via the server510to each of the receiving devices. Receiving client500receives the message first and compares the message ID to the data in its local cache. There is no record of the message, therefore it establishes that receiving client500is the first message device to receive the message in location D; before receiving client502and receiving client504. Before emitting an audio notification, it checks the notification settings of the device—in this example, receiving client500has set its audio notifications to be off. Therefore, receiving client500does not emit an audio notification and does not send out a data packet to other nearby devices.

In this example, receiving client502receives the message from the server next. It compares the message ID to its local cache and does not find an entry associated with the message. Therefore, if the audio notification settings for receiving client502is on, receiving client502will emit an audio notification associated with the message. However, in this example, receiving client502also set its audio notifications off, and therefore receiving client does not emit an audio notification.

Alternatively, the system can be configured to allow multiple types of notifications. For example, receiving client502may have vibrational notifications on and audio notifications off. When it receives the message from the server, it emits the vibrational notification but does not send out a data packet. This in turn, allows other nearby devices to continue to emit a vibrational or audio notification. The person skilled in the art will appreciate that there can be multiple variations of configuration relating to allowing notification types.

FIG.6illustrates an example of the local cache600of receiving client504. When receiving client504finally receives the message from the server, it compares the message ID to the entries in its local cache600. Since the two other receiving clients500,502did not emit a notification and did not transmit a data packet, there are no entries related to message X in the local cache600. Receiving client504checks its own notification settings to find that it can emit audio notifications. Therefore, receiving client504, even though it was not the first device to receive message X, emits an audio notification associated with message X. If there were other devices in the nearby location, receiving client504would emit a data packet to the other devices in the area to indicate that it has emitted a notification associated with message X.

The establishment of a plurality of nearby message devices within a pre-defined proximity to the message device, wherein the message device and the plurality of nearby message devices belong to a chat group can be carried out in the background periodically. Each messaging device belonging to may periodically, e.g., every 1 minute or every 30 minutes, use the known location methods to determine which nearby devices also belong to the same group chat. Alternatively, the establishment or the nearby devices can be carried in response to a message being sent to a group chat.

The person skilled in the art will appreciate that there may multiple users in a location, wherein the users have multiple devices able to receive and emit a notification associated with the same message. For example, a user can have their cell phone on at the same time as using their laptop, wherein the laptop has the messaging platform installed and is therefore another messaging device. When the cell phone or the laptop receives a message from the server, the first device to receive the message processes the method of the preferred embodiment to suppress excess notifications related to the same message.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the first receiving message device transmits the data packet to all devices in the nearby location. The determination of whether the first message device to receive the message and the other message device belong to the same group chat is therefore performed by each of the other devices in the nearby location. The determination is done by comparing the group chat ID in the data packet to a list of group chats the message device belongs to. If the two message devices belong to the same chat group, the message device which receives the data packet will log the information to its local cache and suppress its notifications accordingly. If the two message devices do not belong to the same group chat, the message device which receives the data packet will ignore the received data packet.

The messaging devices and the server may include internal and external hardware components, as described in further detail below with respect toFIG.7. It should be appreciated thatFIG.7provides only an illustration of one implementation and does not imply any limitations with regard to the environments in which different embodiments may be implemented. Many modifications to the depicted environment may be made. In other embodiments, the messaging devices and the server may operate in a cloud computing environment, as depicted inFIGS.8and9.

Referring toFIG.7, a system1000includes a computer system or computer shown in the form of a generic computing device. The method of the present invention, for example, may be embodied in a program(s)1060(FIG.7) embodied on a computer readable storage device, for example, generally referred to as memory1030and more specifically, computer readable storage medium1050as shown inFIG.6. For example, memory1030can include storage media1034such as RAM (Random Access Memory) or ROM (Read Only Memory), and cache memory1038. The program1060is executable by the processing unit or processor1020of the computer system1010(to execute program steps, code, or program code). Additional data storage may also be embodied as a database which can include data1114. The computer system1010and the program1060shown inFIG.7are generic representations of a computer and program that may be local to a user, or provided as a remote service (for example, as a cloud-based service), and may be provided in further examples, using a website accessible using the communications network1200(e.g., interacting with a network, the Internet, or cloud services). It is understood that the computer system1010also generically represents herein a computer device or a computer included in a device, such as a laptop or desktop computer, etc., or one or more servers, alone or as part of a datacenter. The computer system can include a network adapter/interface1026, and an input/output (I/O) interface(s)1022. The I/O interface1022allows for input and output of data with an external device1074that may be connected to the computer system. The network adapter/interface1026may provide communications between the computer system a network generically shown as the communications network1200.

The computer1010may be described in the general context of computer system-executable instructions, such as program modules, being executed by a computer system. Generally, program modules may include routines, programs, objects, components, logic, data structures, and so on that perform particular tasks or implement particular abstract data types. The method steps and system components and techniques may be embodied in modules of the program1060for performing the tasks of each of the steps of the method and system. The modules are generically represented inFIG.7as program modules1064. The program1060and program modules1064can execute specific steps, routines, sub-routines, instructions, or code, of the program.

Embodiments of the present disclosure can be run locally on a device such as a mobile device, or can be run a service, for instance, on the server1100which may be remote and can be accessed using the communications network1200. The program or executable instructions may also be offered as a service by a provider. The computer1010may be practiced in a distributed cloud computing environment where tasks are performed by remote processing devices that are linked through a communications network1200. In a distributed cloud computing environment, program modules may be located in both local and remote computer system storage media including memory storage devices.

More specifically, as shown inFIG.7, the system1000includes the computer system1010shown in the form of a general-purpose computing device with illustrative periphery devices. The components of the computer system1010may include, but are not limited to, one or more processors or processing units1020, a system memory1030, and a bus1014that couples various system components including system memory1030to processor1020.

The computer1010can include a variety of computer readable media. Such media may be any available media that is accessible by the computer1010(e.g., computer system, or server), and can include both volatile and non-volatile media, as well as removable and non-removable media. Computer memory1030can include additional computer readable media1034in the form of volatile memory, such as random-access memory (RAM), and/or cache memory1038. The computer1010may further include other removable/non-removable, volatile/non-volatile computer storage media, in one example, portable computer readable storage media1072. In one embodiment, the computer readable storage medium1050can be provided for reading from and writing to a non-removable, non-volatile magnetic media. The computer readable storage medium1050can be embodied, for example, as a hard drive. Additional memory and data storage can be provided, for example, as the storage system1110(e.g., a database) for storing data1114and communicating with the processing unit1020. The database can be stored on or be part of a server1100. Although not shown, a magnetic disk drive for reading from and writing to a removable, non-volatile magnetic disk (e.g., a “floppy disk”), and an optical disk drive for reading from or writing to a removable, non-volatile optical disk such as a CD-ROM, DVD-ROM or other optical media can be provided. In such instances, each can be connected to bus1014by one or more data media interfaces. As will be further depicted and described below, memory1030may include at least one program product which can include one or more program modules that are configured to carry out the functions of embodiments of the present invention.

The method of the present invention, for example, may be embodied in one or more computer programs, generically referred to as a program1060and can be stored in memory1030in the computer readable storage medium1050. The program1060can include program modules1064. The program modules1064can generally carry out functions and/or methodologies of embodiments of the invention as described herein. The program1060may be the keyword system or the natural language processing system. The one or more programs1060are stored in memory1030and are executable by the processing unit1020. By way of example, the memory1030may store an operating system1052, one or more application programs1054, other program modules, and program data on the computer readable storage medium1050. It is understood that the program1060, and the operating system1052and the application program(s)1054stored on the computer readable storage medium1050are similarly executable by the processing unit1020.

The computer1010may also communicate with one or more external devices1074such as a keyboard, a pointing device, a display1080, etc.; one or more devices that enable a user to interact with the computer1010; and/or any devices (e.g., network card, modem, etc.) that enables the computer1010to communicate with one or more other computing devices. Such communication can occur via the Input/Output (I/O) interfaces1022. Still yet, the computer1010can communicate with one or more networks1200such as a local area network (LAN), a general wide area network (WAN), and/or a public network (e.g., the Internet) via network adapter/interface1026. As depicted, network adapter1026communicates with the other components of the computer1010via bus1014. It should be understood that although not shown, other hardware and/or software components could be used in conjunction with the computer1010. Examples, include, but are not limited to microcode, device drivers1024, redundant processing units, external disk drive arrays, RAID systems, tape drives, and data archival storage systems, etc.

It is understood that a computer or a program running on the computer1010may communicate with a server, embodied as the server1100, via one or more communications networks, embodied as the communications network1200. The communications network1200may include transmission media and network links which include, for example, wireless, wired, or optical fiber, and routers, firewalls, switches, and gateway computers. The communications network may include connections, such as wire, wireless communication links, or fiber optic cables. A communications network may represent a worldwide collection of networks and gateways, such as the Internet, that use various protocols to communicate with one another, such as Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP), Hypertext Transport Protocol (HTTP), Wireless Application Protocol (WAP), etc. A network may also include a number of different types of networks, such as, for example, an intranet, a local area network (LAN), or a wide area network (WAN).

In one example, a computer can use a network which may access a website on the Web (World Wide Web) using the Internet. In one embodiment, a computer1010, including a mobile device, can use a communications system or network1200which can include the Internet, or a public switched telephone network (PSTN) for example, a cellular network. The PSTN may include telephone lines, fiber optic cables, microwave transmission links, cellular networks, and communications satellites. The Internet may facilitate numerous searching and texting techniques, for example, using a cell phone or laptop computer to send queries to search engines via text messages (SMS), Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS) (related to SMS), email, or a web browser. The search engine can retrieve search results, that is, links to websites, documents, or other downloadable data that correspond to the query, and similarly, provide the search results to the user via the device as, for example, a web page of search results.

Characteristics are as follows:

Service Models are as follows:

Deployment Models are as follows:

Referring now toFIG.8, illustrative cloud computing environment1250is depicted. As shown, cloud computing environment1250includes one or more cloud computing nodes1210with which local computing devices used by cloud consumers, such as, for example, personal digital assistant (PDA) or cellular telephone1254A, desktop computer1254B, laptop computer1254C, and/or automobile computer system1254N may communicate. Nodes1210may communicate with one another. They may be grouped (not shown) physically or virtually, in one or more networks, such as Private, Community, Public, or Hybrid clouds as described hereinabove, or a combination thereof. This allows cloud computing environment1250to offer infrastructure, platforms and/or software as services for which a cloud consumer does not need to maintain resources on a local computing device. It is understood that the types of computing devices1254A-N shown inFIG.8are intended to be illustrative only and that computing nodes1210and cloud computing environment1250can communicate with any type of computerized device over any type of network and/or network addressable connection (e.g., using a web browser).

Referring now toFIG.9, a set of functional abstraction layers provided by cloud computing environment1250(FIG.8) is shown. It should be understood in advance that the components, layers, and functions shown inFIG.9are intended to be illustrative only and embodiments of the invention are not limited thereto. As depicted, the following layers and corresponding functions are provided:

Hardware and software layer1260includes hardware and software components. Examples of hardware components include mainframes1261; RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computer) architecture-based servers1262; servers1263; blade servers1264; storage devices1265; and networks and networking components1266. In some embodiments, software components include network application server software1267and database software1268.

Virtualization layer1270provides an abstraction layer from which the following examples of virtual entities may be provided: virtual servers1271; virtual storage1272; virtual networks1273, including virtual private networks; virtual applications and operating systems1274; and virtual clients1275.

Workloads layer1290provides examples of functionality for which the cloud computing environment may be utilized. Examples of workloads and functions which may be provided from this layer include mapping and navigation1291; software development and lifecycle management1292; virtual classroom education delivery1293; data analytics processing1294; transaction processing1295; and assessing conditions and recommending modifications1296.