Mobile device notification controls system and method

1. A server-implemented method of handling push, invitations, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a server, a push-invitation filter indicating an invitee user's conditional receptivity to push invitations targeting a first mobile device operated by said invitee user, said push-invitation filter comprising at least one push-invitation handling rule and at least one gating condition indicating whether said at least one push-invitation handling rule may be applied, said at least one gating condition comprising at least one of a time-related condition, a sending-user-related condition, and a sending-application-related condition;

associating, in a data store, said push-invitation filter with said invitee user;

receiving, at a receipt time by said server from a second mobile device operated by an invitor user, a push-invitation request targeting said first mobile device, said push-invitation request comprising a plurality of indications including a recipient, namely, said invitee user; a sending user, namely, said invitor user; an invitation payload inviting said invitee user to join a multi-device networked-application session; and a sending application;

selecting, by said server, said push-invitation filter from said data store according to at least said indicated recipient of said received push invitation;

determining, by said server, whether one or more of said receipt time and said plurality of request indications satisfy said at least one gating condition; and

when said at least one gating condition is satisfied, handling, by said server, said push-invitation request according to said at least one push-invitation handling rule.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gating condition includes a time-related condition, and wherein said at least one push-invitation handling rule indicates that push-invitation requests be queued while said time-related condition is satisfied.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein said receipt time is determined to satisfy said time-related condition, the method further comprising:

periodically determining whether said time-related condition remains satisfied;

when said time-related condition is determined to be no longer satisfied, generating a push invitation according to said push-invitation request and said at least one push-invitation handling rule; and

providing said generated push invitation for delivery to said first mobile device.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gating condition includes a time-related condition, and wherein said at least one push-invitation handling rule indicates that said sending user be notified when said time-related condition is satisfied.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein said receipt time is determined to satisfy said time-related condition, and wherein handling said push-invitation request according to said at least one push-invitation handling rule comprises:

automatically generating a responsive push invitation informing said sending user that said received push invitation will be delivered at a later time; and

providing said responsive push invitation for delivery to said second mobile device.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gating condition indicates that said at least one push-invitation handling rule may be applied when a push invitation is requested from one or more indicated sending users.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gating condition indicates that said at least one push-invitation handling rule may be applied when a push invitation is requested via one or more indicated sending applications.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one gating condition includes a time-related condition, and wherein said at least one push-invitation handling rule indicates that push-invitation requests be fulfilled if said time-related condition is satisfied.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein said at least one push-invitation handling rule indicates that when a push invitation is received, at least one of the following presentation items should or should not be presented by a receiving mobile device:

a notification sound;

a notification message; and

a notification icon badge.

10. An apparatus comprising a processor and a memory containing instructions that, when executed by the processor, configure the apparatus to perform the method of claim 1 .

11. A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed by a processor, configure the processor to perform the method of claim 1 .

12. A server-implemented method of handling push notifications, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a server, a push-notification filter indicating a first user's conditional receptivity to push notifications targeting a first mobile device operated by said first user, said push-notification filter comprising at least one push-notification handling rule and at least one location-related gating condition indicating that said at least one push-notification handling rule may be applied according to a determined location of said first mobile device;

associating, in a data store, said push-notification filter with said first user;

receiving, at a receipt time by said server from a second mobile device operated by a second user, a push-notification request targeting said first mobile device;

selecting, by said server, said push-notification filter from said data store according to at least said indicated recipient of said received push notification;

determining, by said server, a current location of said first mobile device;

determining, by said server, whether said current location satisfies said at least one location-related gating condition; and

when said at least one location-related gating condition is satisfied, handling, by said server, said push-notification request according to said at least one push-notification handling rule.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein said at least one push-notification handling rule indicates that push-notification requests be queued according to said location-related gating condition and said determined location of said first mobile device.

14. The method of claim 13 , further comprising:

periodically determining said current location of said first mobile device and re-evaluating said location-related gating condition accordingly;

when indicated according to said periodically re-evaluated location-related gating condition, generating a push notification according to said push-notification request and said at least one push-notification handling rule; and

providing said generated push notification for delivery to said first mobile device.

15. A server-implemented method of handling push notifications, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a server, a push-notification filter indicating a first user's conditional receptivity to push notifications targeting a first mobile device operated by said first user, said push-notification filter comprising at least one push-notification handling rule and at least one gating condition indicating whether said at least one push-notification handling rule may be applied, said at least one gating condition comprising at least one of a time-related condition, a sending-user-related condition, and a sending-application-related condition;

associating, in a data store, said push-notification filter with said first user;

receiving, at a receipt time by said server from a second mobile device operated by a second user, a push-notification request targeting said first mobile device, said push-notification request comprising a plurality of indications including a recipient, namely, said first user; a sending user, namely, said second user; a payload; and a sending application;

selecting, by said server, said push-notification filter from said data store according to at least said indicated recipient of said received push notification;

determining, by said server, whether one or more of said receipt time and said plurality of request indications satisfy said at least one gating condition; and

when said at least one gating condition is satisfied, handling, by said server, said push-notification request according to said at least one push-notification handling rule;

further comprising:

obtaining a second push-notification filter associated with said first user, said second push-notification filter comprising a second at least one push-notification handling rule and a second at least one gating condition; and

associating said second push-notification filter in said data store with a filter priority associated with said first user.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising, when said at least one gating condition is not satisfied:

selecting said second push-notification filter from said data store according to at least said filter priority;

determining whether one or more of said receipt time and said plurality of push-notification indications satisfy said second at least one gating condition; and

when said second at least one gating condition is satisfied, handling said push-notification request according to said second at least one push-notification handling rule.

17. A server-implemented method of handling push notifications, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a server, a push-notification filter indicating a first user's conditional receptivity to push notifications targeting a first mobile device operated by said first user, said push-notification filter comprising at least one push-notification handling rule and said time-related gating condition indicating whether said at least one push-notification handling rule may be applied;

associating, in a data store, said push-notification filter with said first user;

receiving, at a receipt time by said server from a second mobile device operated by a second user, a push-notification request targeting said first mobile device, said push-notification request comprising a plurality of indications including a recipient, namely, said first user; a sending user, namely, said second user; a payload; and a sending application;

selecting, by said server, said push-notification filter from said data store according to at least said indicated recipient of said received push notification;

determining, by said server, whether one or more of said receipt time and said plurality of request indications satisfy said time-related gating condition; and

when said time-related gating condition is satisfied, handling, by said server, said push-notification request according to said at least one push-notification handling rule;

wherein obtaining said push-notification filter associated with said first user comprises automatically generating said time-related gating condition and said at least one push-notification handling rule according to electronic calendar data associated with said first user.

18. A server-implemented method of handling push notifications, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a server, a push-notification filter indicating a first user's conditional receptivity to push notifications targeting a first mobile device operated by said first user, said push-notification filter comprising at least one push-notification handling rule and at least one gating condition indicating whether said at least one push-notification handling rule may be applied, said at least one gating condition comprising at least one of a time-related condition, a sending-user-related condition, and a sending-application-related condition;

associating, in a data store, said push-notification filter with said first user;

receiving an indication from a prospective push-notification sender to evaluate said first user's current receptivity to a prospective push notification from said prospective push-notification sender;

selecting from said data store at least one push-notification filter associated with said first user;

generating a user interface including a current status indicator indicating whether said prospective push notification from said prospective push-notification sender would currently satisfy said at least one push-notification filter; and

providing said user interface to said prospective push-notification sender.

19. A server-implemented method of handling push notifications, the method comprising:

obtaining, by a server, a push-notification filter indicating a first user's conditional receptivity to push notifications targeting a first mobile device operated by said first user, said push-notification filter comprising at least one push-notification handling rule and at least one gating condition indicating whether said at least one push-notification handling rule may be applied, said at least one gating condition comprising at least one of a time-related condition, a sending-user-related condition, and a sending-application-related condition;

associating, in a data store, said push-notification filter with said first user;

receiving from an invitee mobile-device user a request for a partner mobile-device user to join a multi-device networked-application session;

identifying said first user as a prospective partner user who may be receptive to an invitation to join said multi-device networked-application session;

determining whether a prospective push-notification-invitation to join said multi-device networked-application session from said first mobile-device user would currently satisfy said at least one gating condition of said push-notification filter; and

when said at least one gating condition is satisfied, generating and delivering to said first mobile device said push-notification-invitation to join said multi-device networked-application session.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein identifying said first user as a prospective partner user comprises:

identifying a plurality of mobile-device users who are currently signed-in to a networked-application session; and

selecting said first user from said identified plurality of currently-signed-in mobile-device users.

21. The method of claim 19 , wherein identifying said first user as a prospective partner user comprises:

identifying a plurality of mobile-device users who are not currently signed-in to, but may be receptive to join, a networked-application session; and

selecting said first user from said identified plurality of not-currently-signed-in mobile-device users.