Systems and methods for context relevant information management and display

• US 20050021369A1
• Filed: 01/30/2004
• Published: 01/27/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/21/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Storyminers Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Contextual Information Incorporated
• Inventors: Cohen, Mark, Cohen, Jane
• Granted Patent: US 7,627,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 705/2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/02 Marketing; Price estimation or determination; Fundraising
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 10/60 for patient-specific data, e.g. for electronic patient records
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/20 for the management or administration of healthcare resources or facilities, e.g. managing hospital staff or surgery rooms
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/63 for local operation
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 40/67 for remote operation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

A wireless information device provides a user with context relevant information. The precise location of the wireless device is monitored by a tracking system. Using the location of the wireless device and the identity of the user, context relevant information is transmitted to the device, where the context relevant information is pre-defined, at least in part, by the user. Context relevant information served to the device depends on the identity of the user, the location of the device, and the proximity of the device to persons or objects. The wireless information device may be used by healthcare workers, such as physicians, in hospitals, although other environments are contemplated, such as hotels, airports, zoos, theme parks, and the like.

Claims

1. A method for serving context-relevant information, comprising:

identifying a user associated with a wireless information device;

determining the location of the wireless information device;

ascertaining the proximity of the wireless information device to at least one object, and

transmitting context-relevant content to the wireless information device,

where the context-relevant content is based at least in part on the identity of the user, the location of the wireless information device, and the proximity of the wireless information device to the at least one object.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying a user comprises identifying the user based on a device associated with the user.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the device is selected from a group of devices consisting of a smart card, radio frequency tag, infrared tag, and a barcode.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of identifying the user comprises identifying the user based on biomedical indicia of the user.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one object is selected from a group of objects consisting of a patient and hospital equipment.

6. The method of claim 1, further comprising presenting the context-relevant information to the user via a display of the wireless information device.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the step of presenting the context-relevant information further comprises the step of presenting the context-relevant information to the user based on display rules established, at least in part, by the user.

8. The method of claim 7, where the display rules are stored external to the wireless information device.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of:

receiving user-input information at the wireless information device, and

transmitting the user-input information to a server.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the location of the wireless information device comprises determining the location of the wireless information device using a tracking system selected from the group of tracking systems consisting of a global positioning system and a radio frequency-based positioning system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of ascertaining the proximity of the wireless information device to at least one object, comprises determining the distance of the wireless information device to the at least one object.

12. A method for receiving information at a device, comprising:

identifying a user associated with a wireless information device;

accessing information rules associated with the user, wherein the information rules establish the type content of transmitted to the wireless information device; and

transmitting context relevant information to the wireless information device, wherein the context relevant information is identified based at least in part on the information rules, the identity of the user, and the identity of a person or object located near the wireless information device.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the information rules are established, at least in part, by the user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of accessing information rules comprises the step of accessing information rules stored remote from the wireless information device.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the information rules define the arrangement in which the context relevant information is displayed on the wireless information device.

16. The method of claim 12, further comprising the step of receiving information transmitted from the wireless information device.

17. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of accessing information rules comprises accessing information rules defining the content and format of context relevant information transmitted to the wireless information device.

18. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of identifying a user comprises identifying the user based on a device associated with the user.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the device is selected from a group of devices consisting of a smart card, radio frequency tag, infrared tag, and barcode.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of identifying the user comprises identifying the user based on biomedical indicia of the user.

21. A system for displaying information, comprising:

an information device, the information device being associated with a user; and

at least one server, in wireless communication with the information device,

wherein the at least one server is operable to transmit context relevant information to the information device,

where the context-relevant information is based at least in part on the identity of the user, the location of the wireless information device, and the proximity of the wireless information device to at least one object.

22. The system of claim 21, further comprising at least one database in communication with the at least one server, where the at least one database is operable to store information from which the context relevant information is retrieved.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one server is associated with a facility, and wherein the at least one database stores facility information.

24. The system of claim 22, wherein the at least one database comprises a hospital database, wherein the hospital database stores patient information.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the at least one database further comprises a database external to the hospital.

26. The system of claim 24, wherein the context relevant information comprises patient information.

27. The system of claim 21, further comprising a tracking system, in communication with the information device, for identifying the location of the information device.

28. The system of claim 21, wherein the information device is selected from the group of devices consisting of a personal digital assistant, tablet personal computer, and mobile telephone.

29. The system of claim 21, wherein the information device is operable to receive information input by the user into the wireless information device.

30. The system of claim 29, wherein the information device is operable to transmit the information input by the user to the server.

31. The system of claim 30, wherein the information device is operable to transmit the information input by the user to the server via a local area network.

32. The system of claim 21, wherein the context relevant information comprises hotel-related information.

33. A computer program product for identifying context relevant information, comprising:

a computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising;

a first executable portion for accessing context-relevant information associated with a user associated with a wireless information device; and

a second executable portion for identifying, based at least in part on the identity of the user, the location of the wireless information device, and the proximity of the wireless information device to at least one person or object, context relevant information for transmission to the wireless information device.

34. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the computer readable code portions are executed at a server local to a hospital.

35. The computer program product of claim 33, wherein the second executable portion identifies the context relevant information based on display rules, established at least in part by the user.

36. An apparatus for receiving information, comprising:

a wireless receiver, wherein the wireless receiver is operable to receive context relevant information; and

at least one display operable to present the context relevant information to a user,

wherein the context relevant information is transmitted to the apparatus by at least one server in communication with the apparatus, where the context-relevant information based at least in part on the identity of a user associated with the apparatus, the location of the apparatus, and the proximity of the apparatus to a person or object.

37. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the apparatus comprises a wireless transmitter, wherein the wireless transmitter is operable to identify the location of the apparatus.

38. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the at least one display further comprises a touch-sensitive screen.

39. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a user input, wherein the user input is operable to receive information that identifies the user.

40. The apparatus of claim 36, further comprising a user input, wherein the user input is operable to receive information identifying the location of the apparatus.

41. The apparatus of claim 36, wherein the at least one display is operable to display a plurality of fields.

42. The apparatus of claim 41, wherein the context relevant information is displayed in at least one of the plurality of fields.

43. The apparatus of claim 42, wherein the size and location of the at least one field in which context relevant information is displayed, is configurable by the user.

44. A method for providing context relevant information, comprising:

identifying a user associated with a wireless information device;

storing information rules, the information rules established at least in part by the user;

receiving location information identifying the location of the wireless information device;

determining the user'"'"'s context based at least in part on the user'"'"'s identity, the location information, and the proximity of the wireless information device to an object or person; and

transmitting to the wireless information device context-relevant information that corresponding to the user'"'"'s context, where the context-relevant information is defined at least in part by the information rules.

45. The method of claim 44, further comprising the step of receiving information input by the user into the wireless information device.

46. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of storing information rules further comprises the step of storing display rules, wherein the display rules establish how the context relevant information is displayed on the wireless device.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of determining the user'"'"'s context is based at least in part on the identity of a person located near the wireless information device.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein the identity of a person positioned nearby the wireless information device is determined by wireless communication.

49. The method of claim 47, wherein the person is a hospital patient.

50. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of determining the user'"'"'s context is based at least in part on the identity of an object located nearby the wireless information device.

51. The method of claim 50, wherein the identity of the object positioned nearby the wireless information device is determined by wireless communication.

52. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of identifying the user comprises identifying the user based on a device associated with the user.

53. The method of claim 52, wherein the device is selected from a group of devices selected from the group of devices consisting of a smart card, radio frequency tag, infrared tag, and barcode.

54. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of identifying the user comprises identifying the user based on biomedical indicia of the user.

55. The method of claim 44, wherein the step of determining the user'"'"'s context occurs remote from the wireless information device.