Method and apparatus for scheduling presentation of digital content on a personal communication device

• US 20040032393A1
• Filed: 10/03/2002
• Published: 02/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2001
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Wireless Agents LLC
• Original Assignee: Wireless Agents LLC
• Inventors: Cotter, R. Brandon, Brandenberg, Carl Brock, Kay, Robert L., Maxwell, Kenneth J.
• Application Number:
  US10/240,642
• Publication Number:
  US 20040032393A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 345/156
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

A method and apparatus wherein a software scheduling agent resides on a communication network and/or client device, such as location-aware wireless communication appliances, television set top boxes, or other end user client devices is disclosed. The software scheduling agent is part of a probabilistic modelling system in which the scheduler operates to perform constrained random variation with selection. Digital content is generated, organized, and stored on the communication network and/or the client devices. An electronic digital content wrapper, which holds information in the form of data and metadata related to the digital content is associated with each item of digital content. Contextual profiles for each user and each item of digital content are established by the users and the network and maintained by a service provider on the communication network. The software scheduling agent compares the contextual digital content profile for each item of digital content to the contextual user profile for each user to determine which digital content should be offered for presentation to each user. The comparison and determination of which items of digital content should be offered for presentation to which users is performed by a process of constrained random variation. After the software scheduling agent determines which items of digital content would most likely be relevant or interesting to the user, the digital content is transmitted, either in whole or in part, at predetermined times over the communication network to the appropriate client devices. The digital content is then stored, either in whole or in part, in cache memory on the client device until an appropriate time when the digital content is digitally packaged and presented to particular users over those user'"'"'s client devices.

Claims

1. An electronic data input apparatus for capturing a response to digital content generated by a personal communication device, the electronic data input apparatus comprising:

an input element configured for electrical coupling to the personal communication device; and

a means for generating an electrical signal corresponding to the response and for transferring the signal to the personal communication device.

2. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is integral with an exterior surface of the personal communication device.

3. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the input element is a one-dimensional touch pad.

4. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is a one-dimensional touch pad.

5. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is an elongated spring-biased button.

6. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is a digitized touch screen displaying an elongated graphical element.

7. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is a jog wheel.

8. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the jog wheel is spring biased to a neutral position.

9. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is a scroll wheel.

10. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is a cylindrical thumb wheel.

11. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is a linear sliding knob potentiometer.

12. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is a digitized touch screen displaying a plurality of graphical selection buttons.

13. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is a bank of selection buttons.

14. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the input element is a two-dimensional touch pad.

15. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the personal communication device is a laptop computer.

16. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the personal communication device is a palmtop computer.

17. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the personal communication device is a personal digital assistant.

18. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the personal communication device is a mobile phone.

19. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the personal communication device is a computer keyboard.

20. The electronic data input apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the personal communication device is a global positioning device.

29. The electronic data input system according to claim 25, wherein the digital content is audio-visual.

30. The electronic data input system according to claim 25, wherein the input element is a one-dimensional touch pad.

31. The electronic data input system according to claim 25, wherein the input element is an elongated spring-biased button.

32. The electronic data input system according to claim 25, wherein the input element is a digitized touch screen displaying an elongated graphical element.

33. The electronic data input system according to claim 25, wherein the input element is a jog wheel.

34. The electronic data input system according to claim 33, wherein the jog wheel is spring biased to a neutral position.

35. The electronic data input system according to claim 33, wherein the input element is a scroll wheel.

36. The electronic data input system according to claim 33, wherein the input element is a cylindrical thumb wheel.

37. The electronic data input system according to claim 33, wherein the input element is a linear sliding knob potentiometer.

38. The electronic data input system according to claim 33, wherein the input element is a digitized touch screen displaying a plurality of graphical selection buttons.

45. The electronic data input system according to claim 41, further comprising:

a plurality of scaling messages operably associated with the active scaling element.

46. The electronic data input system according to claim 45, wherein the scaling messages are text messages.

47. The electronic data input system according to claim 45, wherein the scaling messages are graphical icons.

48. The electronic data input system according to claim 41, wherein the active scaling element has a non-biased initial state.

49. The electronic data input system according to claim 41, wherein the input element includes visual indicia spatially located along the length of the input element to indicate the boundaries of the input element.

50. The electronic data input system according to claim 49, wherein the visual indicia are raised ridges.

51. The electronic data input system according to claim 41, wherein the personal communication device is a laptop computer.

52. The electronic data input system according to claim 41, wherein the personal communication device is a palmtop computer.

53. The electronic data input system according to claim 41, wherein the personal communication device is a personal digital assistant.

54. The electronic data input system according to claim 41, wherein the personal communication device is a mobile phone.

55. The electronic data input system according to claim 41, wherein the personal communication device is a computer keyboard.

56. An analog responder for entering a response into a wireless communication appliance having a display and a microprocessor, the analog responder comprising:

an input element disposed within the wireless communication appliance and being electrically coupled to the microprocessor;

software programmed into the microprocessor for operating the analog responder and displaying digital content on the display;

an active scaling element displayed by the microprocessor on the display, the active scaling element representing an analog range of responses to the digital content; and

a plurality of scaling messages operably associated with the active scaling element;

whereby the response is selected from the analog range of responses by activation of the analog responder.

57. The analog responder according to claim 56, wherein the wireless communication appliance is a location-aware wireless communication appliance.

58. The analog responder according to claim 56, further comprising:

a wireless communication network for providing simultaneous wireless communication capabilities to a plurality of the location-aware wireless communication appliances.

59. The analog responder according to claim 56, wherein the active scaling element is an elongated graphical element.

60. The analog responder according to claim 56, further comprising:

a graphical shuttle element operably associated with the elongated graphical element, whereby activation of the analog responder causes a corresponding movement of the graphical shuttle element along the elongated graphical element.

61. The analog responder according to claim 56, wherein the active scaling element is a graphical icon, whereby activation of the input element causes a corresponding movement of the graphical icon.

62. The analog responder according to claim 56, wherein the scaling messages are text messages.

63. The analog responder according to claim 56, wherein the scaling messages are graphical icons.

64. The analog responder according to claim 56, wherein the active scaling element has a non-biased initial state, such that the user'"'"'s response is not biased by a default response.

65. The analog responder according to claim 56, wherein the input element includes visual indicia spatially located along the length of the input element to indicate the boundaries of the input element.

66. The analog responder according to claim 56, wherein the visual indicia are raised ridges.

67. A data entry system for entering data into an existing personal communication device having a display, a microprocessor, and a microprocessor input/output port, the electronic data input system comprising:

a modular housing;

an input element operably associated with the modular housing;

a housing input/output port configured to electronically mate with the microprocessor input/output port, whereby the input element is electrically coupled to the microprocessor; and

whereby the data is entered into the microprocessor by activation of the input element.

68. The data entry system according to claim 67, further comprising:

digital content generated by the microprocessor and displayed on the display;

an active scaling element displayed by the microprocessor on the display, the active scaling element representing an analog range of responses to the digital content; and

a plurality of scaling messages operably associated with the active scaling element;

wherein activation of the input element causes a corresponding change in the active scaling element.

69. The data entry system according to claim 67, wherein the existing personal communication device is a wireless communication device.

70. The data entry system according to claim 69, wherein the wireless communication device is a location-aware wireless communication appliance.

71. The data entry system according to claim 70, further comprising:

a wireless communication network for providing simultaneous wireless communication capabilities to a plurality of the location-aware wireless communication appliances.

72. A communication network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of portable wireless communication devices issued to network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;

(b) a plurality of wireless communication towers providing wireless communication coverage of said differing geographic locations;

(c) a wireless geographic positioning system facilitating a determination of an actual geographic position for each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices;

(d) each of said portable wireless communication devices including;

(1) a relatively small housing;

(2) a wireless communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving wireless communication signals from said plurality of communication towers;

(3) a wireless communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing, for transmitting communication signals from said plurality of wireless communication towers;

(4) a wireless geographic positioning subsystem, carried within said relatively small housing, for interacting with said wireless geographic positioning system and determining the geographic position of each particular portable wireless communication device;

(5) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;

(e) a network control system, including;

(1) a transmission system for communicating wireless transmissions from said plurality of communication towers;

(2) a reception system for receiving wireless transmissions from said plurality of communication towers;

(3) a communication traffic management system for managing bi-directional communication through the transmission and reception of wireless signals;

(4) a location management system for maintaining location information for said plurality of network subscribers;

(f) wherein said processor of said portable wireless communication device determines a current actual geographic position through use of said wireless geographic positioning subsystem;

(g) wherein a personalized location database of user-specific locations is maintained in said memory of each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices, which associates a plurality of generalized location identifiers to a plurality of corresponding actual geographic positions;

(h) wherein said processor executes program instructions to examine said personalized location database in order to identify a generalized location identifier associated with said geographic position;

(i) wherein said portable wireless communication device communicates location information to said network control system predominately in terms of said generalized location identifier; and

(j) wherein said network control system maintains location information for said plurality of portable wireless communication devices predominately in terms of said generalized location identifiers.

73. A communication network, according to claim 72, wherein said generalized location identifiers comprise at least one of:

(a) user-defined generalized location identifiers; and

(b) network-provided generalized location identifiers.

74. A communication network, according to claim 72, wherein said geographic positioning system comprises at least one of:

(a) a plurality of global positioning satellites;

(b) communication tower identifiers;

(c) signal triangulation; and

(d) signal signature matching.

75. A communication network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of portable wireless communication devices issued to network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;

(b) a plurality of wireless communication towers providing wireless communication coverage of said differing geographic locations;

(c) a plurality of global positioning satellites transmitting global positioning signals (GPS) to said differing geographic locations, which collectively determine a GPS position in terms of latitude and longitude for each of said portable wireless communication devices;

(d) each of said portable wireless communication devices including;

(1) a relatively small housing;

(2) a wireless communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving wireless communication signals from said plurality of communication towers;

(3) a wireless communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing, for transmitting communication signals from said plurality of wireless communication towers;

(4) a global positioning receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving GPS signals from said plurality of global positioning satellites;

(5) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;

(e) a network control system, including;

(1) a transmission system for communicating wireless transmissions from said plurality of communication towers;

(2) a reception system for receiving wireless transmissions from said plurality of communication towers;

(3) a communication traffic management system for managing bi-directional communication through the transmission and reception of wireless signals;

(4) a location management system for maintaining location information for said plurality of network subscribers; and

(f) wherein said processor of said portable wireless communication device utilizes said GPS signals received from said plurality of global positioning satellites to determine a current GPS position in terms of at least latitude and longitude;

(g) wherein a personalized location database of user-specific locations is maintained in said memory of each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices, which associates a plurality of generalized location identifiers to a plurality of corresponding GPS positions;

(h) wherein said processor executes program instructions to examine said personalized location database in order to identify a generalized location identifier associated with said GPS position;

(i) wherein said portable wireless communication device communicates location information to said network control system predominately in terms of said generalized location identifier; and

(j) wherein said network control system maintains location information for said plurality of portable wireless communication devices predominately in terms of said generalized location identifiers.

76. A communication network, according to claim 75, wherein said network control system further includes:

(5) a user preference modeling system which develops at least one user profile for said plurality of network subscribers which is based at least in part upon location information which is maintained by said network control system in the form of generalized location identifiers.

77. A communication network, according to claim 75, wherein each of said portable communication devices communicates to said network control system location information in the form of a user-generated generalized location identification.

78. A communication network, according to claim 77, wherein said personalized location database of user-specific locations which is maintained in said memory of each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices associates each generalized location identifier to a range of GPS positions.

79. A communication network according to claim 78, wherein said range of GPS positions associated with a particular generalized location identifier may be automatically altered over time in response to at least one of the following:

(a) additional express input of network subscribers in response to questions posed by said network;

(b) actions of said network subscribers to rename a location which is in conflict with a prior designation; and

(c) actions taken by said network subscribers to change at least one status item of a portable wireless communication device.

80. A communication network according to claim 78, wherein said range of GPS positions associated with a particular generalized location identifier is modeled as at least on of the following:

(a) a two dimensional polygon space;

(b) a three dimensional polygon space;

(c) a circle;

(d) a cylinder;

(e) combinations of shapes;

(f) clustered circle shapes; and

(g) clustered cylindrical shapes.

81. A communication network, according to claim 75, wherein said generalized location identifiers comprise at least one of:

(a) user-defined generalized location identifiers; and

(b) network-provided generalized location identifiers.

82. A communication network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of portable wireless communication devices issued to network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;

(b) a plurality of wireless communication towers providing wireless communication coverage of said differing geographic locations;

(c) a plurality of global positioning satellites transmitting global positioning signals (GPS) to said differing geographic locations, which collectively determine a GPS position in terms of at least latitude and longitude for each of said portable wireless communication devices;

(d) each of said portable wireless communication devices including;

(1) a relatively small housing;

(2) a wireless communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving wireless communication signals from said plurality of communication towers in the form of digital packets;

(3) a wireless communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing, for transmitting communication signals from said plurality of wireless communication towers in the form of digital packets;

(4) a display for displaying at least textual material, including two-way communications conducted over said plurality of wireless communication towers utilizing said digital packets;

(5) a global positioning receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving GPS signals from said plurality of global positioning satellites;

(6) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;

(7) a user input system carried by said relatively small housing for inputting user commands and data into said processor;

(e) a network control system, including;

(1) a transmission system for communicating digital packets to said plurality of communication towers for wireless transmission;

(2) a reception system for receiving wireless transmissions of digital packets from said plurality of communication towers;

(3) a session management system for managing communication exchanges, each of which are composed of exchanges of digital packets through the transmission and reception of wireless signals;

(4) a location management system for maintaining location information for said plurality of network subscribers; and

(f) wherein said processor of said portable wireless communication device utilizes said GPS signals received from said plurality of global positioning satellites to determine a current GPS position in terms of latitude and longitude;

(g) wherein a personalized location database of generalized location identifiers is maintained in said memory of each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices, and which associates a plurality of generalized location identifiers to a plurality of corresponding GPS positions;

(h) wherein said processor executes program instructions to examine said personalized location database in order to identify a particular generalized location identifier associated with said GPS position;

(i) wherein said portable wireless communication device communicates location information to said network control system predominately in terms of said generalized location identifier; and

(j) wherein said network control system maintains location information for said plurality of portable wireless communication devices predominately in terms of said generalized location identifiers.

83. A communication network, according to claim 82, wherein said network control system further includes:

(5) a user preference modeling system which develops at least one user profile for said plurality of network subscribers which is based at least in part upon location information which is maintained by said network control system in the form of generalized location identifiers.

84. A communication network, according to claim 82, wherein each of said portable communication devices communicates to said network control system location information in the form of a user-generated generalized location description.

85. A communication network, according to claim 82, wherein said personalized location database of user-specific locations which is maintained in said memory of each of said plurality of portable wireless communication devices associates each generalized location identifier to a range of GPS positions.

86. A communication network according to claim 82, wherein said range of GPS positions associated with a particular generalized location identifier may be automatically altered over time in response to at least one of the following:

(a) additional express input of network subscribers in response to questions posed by said network;

(b) actions taken by said network subscribers to rename a location which is in conflict with a prior designation; and

(c) actions taken by said network subscribers to change the generalized location indicator through interaction with said portable wireless communication device.

87. A communication network according to claim 82, wherein said range of GPS positions associated with a particular generalized location identifier is modeled as at least on of the following:

(a) a two dimensional polygon space;

(b) a three dimensional polygon space;

(c) a circle;

(d) a cylinder;

(e) combinations of shapes;

(f) clustered circle shapes; and

(g) clustered cylindrical shapes.

88. A communication network, according to claim 82, wherein said generalized location identifiers comprise at least one of:

(a) user-defined generalized location identifiers; and

(b) network-provided generalized location identifiers.

89. A communication network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of portable wireless communication devices issued to relatively mobile network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;

(b) a plurality of wireless communication towers providing coverage of said differing geographic locations;

(c) a plurality of global positioning satellites transmitting global positioning signals (GPS) to said differing geographic locations, which collectively determine a GPS position for each of said portable wireless communication devices;

(d) each of said portable wireless communication devices including;

(1) a relatively small housing;

(2) a wireless communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving wireless communication signals from said plurality of communication towers in the form of digital packets;

(3) a wireless communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing, for transmitting communication signals from said plurality of wireless communication towers in the form of digital packets;

(4) a display for displaying at least textual material including two-way communications conducted over said plurality of wireless communication towers;

(5) a global positioning receiver, carried within said relatively small housing, for receiving GPS signals from said plurality of global positioning satellites;

(6) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;

(7) a user input system carried by said relatively small housing for inputting user commands and data into said processor;

(e) a network control system including;

(1) a transmission system for communicating digital packets to said plurality of communication towers;

(2) a reception system for receiving digital packets from said plurality of communication towers;

(3) a communication traffic management system for managing communication exchanges, each of which are composed of exchanges of digital packets;

(4) a location management system for maintaining location information for said plurality of network subscribers; and

(5) a subscriber preference modeling system which develops at least one user profile for each of said plurality of network subscribers which is based upon at least in part upon location information which is maintained by said network control system;

(f) wherein said network control system communicates messages in the form of digital packages to said plurality of network subscribers utilizing said preference modeling system in order to deliver location appropriate messages to each particular network subscriber.

90. A communication network, according to claim 89, wherein said network control system communicates messages in the form of digital packages to said plurality of network subscribers utilizing said preference modeling system order to deliver location appropriate and time appropriate messages to each particular network subscriber.

91. A communication network, according to claim 89, wherein each of said portable communication devices communicates to said network control system location information in the form of user-generated generalized location identifiers.

92. A communication network, comprising:

(a) a plurality of communication devices issued to network subscribers located in a plurality of differing geographic locations;

(b) each of said communication devices including;

(1) a relatively small housing;

(2) a communication receiver, carried within said relatively small housing;

(3) a communication transmitter, carried within said relatively small housing;

(4) a display, visible from the exterior of said relatively small housing, for displaying at least textual material including two-way communications;

(5) a processor and associated memory, carried within said relatively small housing, for storing program instructions and data in memory and for executing program instructions;

(6) a user input system carried by said relatively small housing for inputting user commands and data into said processor;

(e) a network control system, including;

(1) a transmission system;

(2) a reception system;

(3) a session management system for managing communication exchanges;

(4) a preference modeling system which develops at least one profile for each of said plurality of network subscribers which is based upon at least in part upon;

(a) location information relevant for each network subscriber which is maintained by said network control system;

(b) time information which is relevant for each network subscriber which is maintained by said network control system;

(c) know preferences which are relevant for each network subscriber which are derived through interaction with each network subscriber;

(f) wherein said network control system automatically communicates a stream of messages to said plurality of network subscribers utilizing said preference modeling system in order to deliver contextually appropriate messages to each particular network subscriber, each message being generally appropriate for the current location of the particular network subscriber, for the current time, and for known preferences of the particular network subscriber.