Methods, systems, and storage mediums for optimizing a device

• US 20050246639A1
• Filed: 05/03/2004
• Published: 11/03/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Bellsouth Intellectual Property Corporation (AT&T, Inc.)
• Inventors: Zellner, Samuel, Tischer, Steven
• Granted Patent: US 7,707,499 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/708
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

Exemplary embodiments of the invention include methods, systems, and storage mediums for optimizing a device. The method includes detecting a suboptimal condition associated with the device and analyzing the suboptimal condition in light of selected operator preferences and device-related data. In response to the analysis, the method includes modifying a configuration of the device, the current state of said device, a current state of a networked device associated with said device, or a configuration of a networked device associated with said device. Alternatively, in response to the analyzing, the method includes notifying the operator of the suboptimal condition. The selected operator preferences include at least one of personality settings, expert level settings, communications means settings, intrusion level settings, and reactive/predictive settings.

Claims

1. A method for optimizing operation of a device, comprising:

detecting a suboptimal condition associated with said device;

analyzing said suboptimal condition in light of selected operator preferences and device-related data;

in response to said analyzing, performing at least one of;

modifying at least one of;

configuration of said device;

current state of said device;

a current state of a networked device associated with said device; and

a configuration of a networked device associated with said device; and

notifying said operator of said suboptimal condition;

wherein said selected operator preferences include at least one of;

personality settings;

expert level settings;

communications means settings;

intrusion level settings; and

reactive/predictive settings.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said device-related data include at least one of:

operating guidelines for said device;

technical specifications associated with said device;

logs of past activities conducted;

a current state of said device; and

an environmental state associated with said device.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein said device-related data is received from a database that is local to said device.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein said device-related data is received from a remote database;

wherein further said device-related data includes logs of activities conducted by operators of devices that originate from a common business enterprise.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said device-related data is received from a remote collaborative database;

wherein further said device-related data includes;

logs of activities conducted by operators of auxiliary devices that originate from a plurality of business enterprises, said device in communication with at least one of said auxiliary devices; and

information on how to operate said auxiliary devices.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said detecting a suboptimal condition associated with said device occurs in response to receiving an input from an operator of said device, said input including at least one of:

an option on said device selected by said operator operable for executing an operation said device; and

sensor-generated data.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein said option is activated by at least one of:

keyboard stroke;

voice;

button; and

switch.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein said sensor-generated data comprises at least one of:

motion;

facial expression;

light;

sound;

temperature; and

speed.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said notifying said operator of said suboptimal condition occurs via at least one of:

voice;

text; and

visual display.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein said personality settings comprise an operator-defined mood used by said device for communicating with said operator, said personality settings including at least one of:

happy;

sarcastic;

somber; and

humorous.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein said expert level settings comprise an operator-defined level of terminology used by said device for communicating with said operator, said expert level settings comprising at least one of:

beginner;

intermediate; and

advanced.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising a progressive setting operable for advancing a expert level setting over time based upon an operator'"'"'s growth in knowledge of using said device;

wherein progression of said expert level setting applied to said operator is determined by continuously applying business logic to said operator'"'"'s logs of past activities conducted on said device and determining an expert level setting that is commensurate with said operator'"'"'s rate of growth in using said device.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein said intrusion level settings comprise an operator-defined level of intrusion used by said device for communicating with said operator, said intrusion level settings comprising at least one of:

resolving said suboptimal condition without notifying said operator;

resolving a select type of suboptimal condition without notifying said operator;

notifying said operator when any suboptimal condition is detected;

notifying said operator when a select type of suboptimal condition is detected; and

providing no notification and no resolution to said suboptimal condition.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein said reactive/predictive level settings comprise an operator-defined level of reactive/predictive actions taken by said device on behalf of said operator, said reactive/predictive settings comprising at least one of:

resolve suboptimal conditions upon detection; and

monitor activities conducted on said device, and predict future conflicts before said future conflicts occur.

26. The system of claim 1, wherein said reactive/predictive level settings comprise an operator-defined level of reactive/predictive actions taken by said device on behalf of said operator, said reactive/predictive settings comprising at least one of:

resolve suboptimal conditions upon detection; and

monitor activities conducted on said device, and predict future conflicts before said future conflicts occur.

15. A storage medium encoded with machine-readable computer program code for optimizing a device, said storage medium including instructions for causing said device to implement a method, comprising:

detecting a suboptimal condition associated with said device;

analyzing said suboptimal condition in light of selected operator preferences and device-related data;

in response to said analyzing, performing at least one of;

modifying at least one of;

configuration of said device;

current state of said device;

a current state of a networked device associated with said device; and

a configuration of a networked device associated with said device; and

notifying said operator of said suboptimal condition;

wherein said selected operator preferences include at least one of;

personality settings;

expert level settings;

communications means settings;

intrusion level settings; and

reactive/predictive settings.

16. A system for optimizing a device, comprising:

a device comprising;

a user interface;

a plurality of preference settings selectable by an operator of said device via said user interface, said plurality of preference settings including;

personality setting selections;

expertise level selections;

communications setting selections;

intrusion setting selections; and

reactive/predictive setting selections;

a logic component;

a control component operable for managing operation of said device; and

a data storage component housing device-related data including at least one user preference selected by said operator;

wherein in response to detecting a suboptimal condition on said device, said logic component analyzes said suboptimal condition in light of said at least one selected user preference and said device-related data resulting in at least one of;

a modification to said device operation; and

a notification to said operator.

17. The system of claim 16, wherein said device-related data includes:

operating guidelines for said device;

technical specifications associated with said device;

logs of past activities conducted;

a current state of said device; and

an environmental state associated with said device.

18. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a link to a remote database over a network, said remote database storing logs of activities conducted by operators of devices that originate from a common business enterprise;

wherein analyzing said suboptimal condition in light of said at least one selected user preference and said device-related data includes analyzing said suboptimal condition in light of said logs of activities conducted by operators of devices that originate from said common business enterprise.

19. The system of claim 16, further comprising:

a link to a remote collaborative database, said remote collaborative database storing;

logs of activities conducted by operators of auxiliary devices that originate from a plurality of business enterprises;

wherein said device in communication with at least one of said auxiliary devices; and

information on how to operate said auxiliary devices;

wherein analyzing said suboptimal condition in light of said at least one selected user preference and said device-related data includes analyzing said suboptimal condition in light of said logs of activities conducted by operators of auxiliary devices that originate from a plurality of business enterprises.

20. The system of claim 16, wherein said suboptimal condition occurs in response to receiving an input from an operator of said device, said input including at least one of:

an option on said device selected by said operator operable for executing an operation said device; and

sensor-generated data.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said sensor-generated data comprises at least one of:

motion;

facial expression;

light;

sound;

temperature; and

speed.

22. The system of claim 16, wherein said personality settings comprise an operator-defined mood used by said device for communicating with said operator, said personality settings including at least one of:

happy;

sarcastic;

somber; and

humorous.

23. The system of claim 16, wherein said expert level settings comprise an operator-defined level of terminology used by said device for communicating with said operator, said expert level settings comprising at least one of:

beginner;

intermediate; and

advanced.

24. The system of claim 23, further comprising a progressive setting operable for advancing a expert level setting over time based upon an operator'"'"'s growth in knowledge of using said device;

wherein progression of said expert level setting applied to said operator is determined by continuously applying business logic to said operator'"'"'s logs of past activities conducted on said device and determining an expert level setting that is commensurate with said operator'"'"'s rate of growth in using said device.

25. The system of claim 16, wherein said intrusion level settings comprise an operator-defined level of intrusion used by said device for communicating with said operator, said intrusion level settings comprising at least one of:

resolving said suboptimal condition without notifying said operator;

resolving a select type of suboptimal condition without notifying said operator;

notifying said operator when any suboptimal condition is detected;

notifying said operator when a select type of suboptimal condition is detected; and

providing no notification and no resolution to said suboptimal condition.