Deferring alert of notifications for a particular time

Abstract

A computing system is described that receives, at a particular time, notification data, the notification data indicating a threshold amount of time for which the computing system is to delay outputting an alert based on the notification data. The computing system initiates, based on the threshold amount of time, a deferred output of the alert based on the notification data. Responsive to determining that the threshold amount of time has elapsed since the particular time, the computing system outputs the alert based on the notification data.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 determining, by a computing device, a first threshold amount of time to defer outputting any indication that a message account received a first message at a first particular time;   determining, by the computing device, a second threshold amount of time to defer outputting any indication that the message account received a second message at a second particular time;   prior to elapsing of the first threshold amount of time since the first particular time and responsive to determining that the second threshold amount of time has elapsed since the second particular time, outputting, by the computing device, an alert indicating that the message account received the first and second messages.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a sender address of the first message, and   the second threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a sender address of the second message.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the second threshold amount of time comprises:
 determining, by the computing device, the second threshold amount of time as being a shorter amount of time in response to determining that a sender address of the second message is stored in a contact list associated with the message account; and   determining, by the computing device, the second threshold amount of time as being a longer amount of time in response to determining that the sender address of the second message is not stored in the contact list associated with the message account.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first threshold amount of time is a first maximum amount of time for which the computing device is permitted to delay outputting any indication that the message account received the first message at the first particular time, and   the second threshold amount of time is a second maximum amount of time for which the computing device is permitted to delay outputting any indication that the message account received the second message at the second particular time.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the first threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a priority level of the first message; and   the second threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a priority level the second message.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein determining the first threshold amount of time comprises:
 determining, by the computing device, the first threshold amount of time as being a shorter amount of time in response to determining that the priority level of the first message indicates the first message is a high priority message; and   determining, by the computing device, the second threshold amount of time as being a longer amount of time in response to determining that the priority level of the first message indicates the first message is a low priority message.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the second particular time is different from the first particular time. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the second particular time is subsequent to the first particular time, or   the second particular time is prior to the first particular time.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the alert comprises an indication of receipt of the first notification data and receipt of the second notification data, the indication of receipt of the first notification data and receipt of the second notification data comprising at least one of a visual indication, an audible indication, or a haptic feedback indication. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the message account comprises at least one of an e-mail message account, a social media account, or an instant message account. 
     
     
         11 . A computing device comprising:
 at least one output device configured to output alerts of at least one of audible type, visual type, or haptic type;   at least one processor; and   a notification module operable by the at least one processor to:
 determine a first threshold amount of time to defer outputting, using the at least one output device, any indication that a message account received a first message at a first particular time; 
 determine a second threshold amount of time to defer outputting, using the at least one output device, any indication that the message account received a second message at a second particular time; 
 prior to elapsing of the first threshold amount of time since the first particular time and responsive to determining that the second threshold amount of time has elapsed since the second particular time, output, using the at least one output device, an alert indicating that the message account received the first and second messages. 
   
     
     
         12 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a sender address of the first message, and   the second threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a sender address of the second message.   
     
     
         13 . The computing device of  claim 12 , wherein the notification module is further operable by the at least one processor to determine the first threshold amount of time by at least:
 determining the first threshold amount of time as being a shorter amount of time in response to determining that a sender address of the first message is stored in a contact list associated with the message account; and   determining the first threshold amount of time as being a longer amount of time in response to determining that the sender address of the first message is not stored in the contact list associated with the message account.   
     
     
         14 . The computing device of  claim 11 , wherein:
 the first threshold amount of time is a first maximum amount of time for which the computing device is permitted to delay outputting any indication that the message account received the first message at the first particular time, and   the second threshold amount of time is a second maximum amount of time for which the computing device is permitted to delay outputting any indication that the message account received the second message at the second particular time.   
     
     
         15 . A computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, configure one or more processors of a computing device to:
 determine a first threshold amount of time to defer outputting any indication that a message account received a first message at a first particular time;   determine a second threshold amount of time to defer outputting any indication that the message account received a second message at a second particular time;   prior to elapsing of the first threshold amount of time since the first particular time and responsive to determining that the second threshold amount of time has elapsed since the second particular time, output an alert indicating that the message account received the first and second messages.   
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a sender address of the first message, and   the second threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a sender address of the second message.   
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 16 , wherein the instructions, when executed, configured the one or more processors of the computing device to determine the first threshold amount of time by at least:
 determining the first threshold amount of time as being a shorter amount of time in response to determining that a sender address of the first message is stored in a contact list associated with the message account; and   determining the first threshold amount of time as being a longer amount of time in response to determining that the sender address of the first message is not stored in the contact list associated with the message account.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first threshold amount of time is a first maximum amount of time for which the computing device is permitted to delay outputting any indication that the message account received the first message at the first particular time, and   the second threshold amount of time is a second maximum amount of time for which the computing device is permitted to delay outputting any indication that the message account received the second message at the second particular time.   
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein:
 the first threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a priority level of the first message; and   the second threshold amount of time is determined based at least in part on a priority level the second message.   
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the instructions, when executed, configured the one or more processors of the computing device to determine the second threshold amount of time by at least:
 determining the second threshold amount of time as being a shorter amount of time in response to determining that the priority level of the second message indicates the second message is a high priority message; and   determining the second threshold amount of time as being a longer amount of time in response to determining that the priority level of the second message indicates the second message is a low priority message.