Thematic response to a computer user's context, such as by a wearable personal computer
First Claim
1. A method in a wearable computing device for presenting information to a user of the wearable computing device based on at least one of multiple defined themes, a current context of the user being represented by a plurality of context attributes that each model an aspect of the context, each of the defined themes modeling a distinct contextual situation of the user that has multiple contextual aspects by specifying multiple context attributes and by specifying one or more possible values associated with each of the specified context attributes, each defined theme having at least one associated theme layout that specifies information appropriate to the contextual situation of the theme and that specifies a manner of presenting the specified information to the user, comprising:
- receiving an indication of the multiple defined themes;
receiving an indication of current context information about the user that includes current values for each of the plurality of context attributes;
determining for each of the multiple defined themes whether the user is in the contextual situation modeled by the defined theme such that each of the context attributes specified for the defined theme has a current value indicated in the received current context information that matches one of the specified possible values associated with that context attribute;
selecting a current theme from among multiple defined themes that are determined to have modeled contextual situations which the user is in, the current theme selected to have a highest associated priority among those defined themes;
selecting one of the theme layouts associated with the selected current theme; and
presenting information to the user that is appropriate to the selected current theme by gathering the information specified by the selected theme layout and presenting the gathered information in the manner specified by the selected theme layout, so that the user receives information that is appropriate to a contextual situation in which the user is situated.
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Abstract
Techniques are disclosed for creating, modifying, categorizing, modeling, distributing, purchasing, selling, and otherwise using themes and theme-related information. Themes can represent various types of contextual aspects or situations, and can model high-level concepts of activities or states not reflected in individual contextual attributes that each model a single aspect of the state of a user, their computing device, the surrounding physical environment, and/or the current cyber-environment. Such themes specify inter-relationships among a set of contextual attributes, and can have associated theme-related information such as theme-specific attributes, theme layouts used to present information and functionality, CSes that provide theme attribute values, and CCs that process theme information. Disclosed techniques can identify one or more themes that currently match the modeled context, select one of the matching themes as a current theme, and provide an appropriate response (e.g., by presenting appropriate information and/or providing appropriate functionality) based on the current theme.
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Citations
133 Claims
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1. A method in a wearable computing device for presenting information to a user of the wearable computing device based on at least one of multiple defined themes, a current context of the user being represented by a plurality of context attributes that each model an aspect of the context, each of the defined themes modeling a distinct contextual situation of the user that has multiple contextual aspects by specifying multiple context attributes and by specifying one or more possible values associated with each of the specified context attributes, each defined theme having at least one associated theme layout that specifies information appropriate to the contextual situation of the theme and that specifies a manner of presenting the specified information to the user, comprising:
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receiving an indication of the multiple defined themes;
receiving an indication of current context information about the user that includes current values for each of the plurality of context attributes;
determining for each of the multiple defined themes whether the user is in the contextual situation modeled by the defined theme such that each of the context attributes specified for the defined theme has a current value indicated in the received current context information that matches one of the specified possible values associated with that context attribute;
selecting a current theme from among multiple defined themes that are determined to have modeled contextual situations which the user is in, the current theme selected to have a highest associated priority among those defined themes;
selecting one of the theme layouts associated with the selected current theme; and
presenting information to the user that is appropriate to the selected current theme by gathering the information specified by the selected theme layout and presenting the gathered information in the manner specified by the selected theme layout, so that the user receives information that is appropriate to a contextual situation in which the user is situated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. A method in a computing device for providing an appropriate response to a contextual situation based on at least one of multiple themes, a context being represented by a plurality of context attributes and their associated values, each of the themes representing a contextual situation by specifying multiple context attributes related to the contextual situation and by specifying criteria for determining values of the specified context attributes that match the contextual situation, each of the themes associated with at least one type of response that is appropriate to the contextual situation, the method comprising:
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receiving an indication of a context that includes values for at least some of the plurality of context attributes;
identifying one of the multiple themes that matches the indicated context by using the specified criteria for the theme to determine that the included values of the indicated context contain values of the specified context attributes for the theme that match the contextual situation for the theme;
selecting one of the types of responses that are associated with the identified theme; and
providing the selected type of response. - View Dependent Claims (23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96)
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97. A computing device for providing an appropriate response to a contextual situation based on at least one of multiple themes, a context being represented by a plurality of context attributes and their associated values, each of the themes representing a contextual situation by specifying multiple context attributes related to the contextual situation and by specifying criteria for determining values of the specified context attributes that match the contextual situation, each of the themes associated with at least one type of response that is appropriate to the contextual situation, comprising:
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a context component capable of receiving an indication of a context that includes values for at least some of the plurality of context attributes;
a theme identification component capable of identifying one of the multiple themes that matches the indicated context by using the specified criteria for the theme to determine that the included values of the indicated context contain values of the specified context attributes for the theme that match the contextual situation for the theme; and
a thematic response generator component capable of selecting one of the types of responses that are associated with the identified theme and of providing the selected type of response. - View Dependent Claims (98, 99)
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100. A computer system for providing an appropriate response to a contextual situation based on at least one of multiple themes, a context being represented by a plurality of context attributes and their associated values, each of the themes representing a contextual situation by specifying multiple context attributes related to the contextual situation and by specifying criteria for determining values of the specified context attributes that match the contextual situation, each of the themes associated with at least one type of response that is appropriate to the contextual situation, comprising:
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means for receiving an indication of a context that includes values for at least some of the plurality of context attributes;
means for identifying one of the multiple themes that matches the indicated context by using the specified criteria for the theme to determine that the included values of the indicated context contain values of the specified context attributes for the theme that match the contextual situation for the theme; and
means for selecting one of the types of responses that are associated with the identified theme and for providing the selected type of response.
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101. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing device to provide an appropriate response to a contextual situation based on at least one of multiple themes, a context being represented by a plurality of context attributes and their associated values, each of the themes representing a contextual situation by specifying multiple context attributes related to the contextual situation and by specifying criteria for determining values of the specified context attributes that match the contextual situation, each of the themes associated with at least one type of response that is appropriate to the contextual situation, by:
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receiving an indication of a context that includes values for at least some of the plurality of context attributes;
identifying one of the multiple themes that matches the indicated context by using the specified criteria for the theme to determine that the included values of the indicated context contain values of the specified context attributes for the theme that match the contextual situation for the theme;
selecting one of the types of responses that are associated with the identified theme; and
providing the selected type of response. - View Dependent Claims (102, 103)
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104. A computer-readable medium containing a theme data structure for use in providing an appropriate response to a contextual situation, the theme data structure representing a contextual situation, the theme data structure comprising:
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multiple context attributes related to the represented contextual situation; and
criteria for determining values of the specified context attributes that match the contextual situation. - View Dependent Claims (105, 106, 107)
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108. A computer-readable generated data signal transmitted via a transmission medium, the generated data signal having encoded contents that include a theme data structure for use in providing an appropriate response to a contextual situation, the theme data structure representing a contextual situation and comprising:
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multiple context attributes related to the represented contextual situation; and
criteria for determining values of the specified context attributes that match the contextual situation.
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109. A computer-implemented method for use on a wearable computer having a plurality of input devices worn by the user, the method comprising:
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under control of first and second attribute providing modules, receiving respective first and second data signals from at least two of the plurality of input devices worn by the user;
under control of the first and second attribute providing modules, generating first and second attribute values in response to the first and second data signals, respectively, wherein the first and second attribute values each reflect a state of the user, a state of the user'"'"'s physical surroundings, or a state of the user'"'"'s logical data and telecommunications environment, and wherein the first and second attribute values together represent a thematic data set characterizing the user'"'"'s context;
under control of an attribute exchange module, receiving the first and second attribute values from the first and second attribute providing modules, respectively;
under control of the attribute exchange module, storing the first and second attribute values;
under control of at least one attribute processing module, receiving the first and second attribute values; and
under control of at least one attribute processing module, providing an output signal in response to the first and second attribute values, wherein the output signal models a characteristic of a current state of the user, and wherein the modeled characteristic of the user'"'"'s current state cannot be directly measured from the first and second attribute values. - View Dependent Claims (110, 111, 112, 113, 115, 117, 118, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 133)
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114. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that when executed cause a portable computing device having a plurality of input devices to perform the method comprising:
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receiving first, second, third and fourth data signals from at least some of the plurality of input devices;
providing first and second attribute values in response to the first and second data signals, wherein the first and second attribute values each reflect a state of the user, a state of the user'"'"'s physical surroundings, or a state of the user'"'"'s logical data and telecommunications environment, wherein the first and second attribute values together represent a first thematic data set characterizing the user'"'"'s context;
providing third and fourth attribute values in response to the first and second data signals, wherein the third and fourth attribute values each reflect a state of the user, a state of the user'"'"'s physical surroundings, or a state of the user'"'"'s logical data and telecommunications environment, wherein the third and fourth attribute values together represent a second thematic data set, different from the first thematic data set, that characterizing the user'"'"'s context;
receiving the first thematic data set by a first client process; and
processing the first thematic data set in the first client process and providing a first output signal in response thereto, wherein the processing of the first thematic data set and providing of the first output signal by the first client process is independent of the second thematic data set.
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116. A computer-implemented method for providing an appropriate response to at least one of multiple themes, each of the themes representing a contextual situation and each associated with at least one type of response that is appropriate to the represented contextual situation of that theme, the method comprising:
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receiving an indication of a current theme;
selecting one of the types of responses that are associated with the current theme; and
providing the selected type of response.
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Specification