System and method for a context-awareness platform

• US 20060200834A1
• Filed: 01/26/2005
• Published: 09/07/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/26/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Dayakar, Kamesh Chander Tumsi, Cukierman, Ryan Edward, Madan, Vikram, Soin, Ravipal, Hahn, Christopher Michael
• Granted Patent: US 7,716,651 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 719/328
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2209/543 Local
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4451 User profiles; Roaming
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/542 Event management; Broadcasting; Multicasting; Notifications

Abstract

An improved system and method for a context-awareness platform that may be used to adapt an execution environment is provided. A framework with interfaces for setting, tracking, and getting context information about the execution environment of a computer system includes a context engine and a unified data store for aggregating context information at a platform level for access by executables running on the platform. The context engine may receive requests to perform context information operations from executables such as setting, tracking and getting context information in the data store. Upon receiving a notification of a change in context information, one or more executables may change the execution environment such as reconfiguring system settings. In this way, an executable may adapt its execution environment using context information.

Claims

1. A computer system for providing context information for executables, comprising:

executable software code;

a context component operably coupled to the executable software code, the context component having an application programming interface invocable by the executable software code for requesting a context information operation;

a context engine operably coupled to the context component for performing the context information operation requested by the executable software code; and

a unified data store operably coupled to the context engine for persistently storing context information.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the application programming interface invocable by the executable software code for requesting a context information operation comprises an application programming interface for requesting to set context information.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the application programming interface invocable by the executable software code for requesting a context information operation comprises an application programming interface for requesting to get context information.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the application programming interface invocable by the executable software code for requesting a context information operation comprises an application programming interface for requesting to track a change in context information.

5. The system of claim 1 wherein the context engine comprises a context message processor for performing the context information operation requested by the executable software code.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein the context engine comprises a context notifier for sending a notification message with the context information to the executable software code.

7. The system of claim 1 wherein the context engine comprises a notifier thread for asynchronously sending a notification message with the context information to the executable software code.

8. The system of claim 1 wherein the unified data store comprises a data store for persistently storing context information of user activity, application state, and machine state.

9. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable components comprising the system of claim 1.

10. A method for providing context information to executable software code, comprising the steps of:

invoking an application programming interface for setting context information of executable software code;

setting the context information of the executable software code;

invoking an application programming interface for getting the context information of the executable software code; and

getting the context information of the executable software code from a unified data store that includes context information of user activity, application state, and machine state.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving a request to set context information of the executable software code.

12. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving a request to track context information of the executable software code.

13. The method of claim 10 further comprising receiving a request to get context information of the executable software code.

14. The method of claim 10 further comprising notifying executable software code of an update of the context information.

15. The method of claim 14 further comprising spawning a notification thread for asynchronously sending a notification message with the context information to the executable software code.

16. The method of claim 10 further comprising persistently storing the context information in a unified data store that includes context information of user activity, application state, and machine state.

17. The method of claim 10 further comprising using the context information obtained for executing instructions of the executable software code to change an execution environment of the executable software code.

18. A computer-readable medium having computer-executable instructions for performing the method of claim 10.

19. A computer system for providing context information for executables, comprising:

means for invoking an application programming interface to perform a context information operation;

means for performing the context information operation;

means for invoking an application programming interface for obtaining the context information of the executable software code; and

means for obtaining the context information of the executable software code.

20. The system of claim 19 further comprising means for persistently storing the context information in a unified data store that includes context information of user activity, the state of the executable software code, and the state of the computer system.