Environmentally aware computing devices with automatic policy adjustment features
First Claim
1. A method of automatically adjusting device settings comprising:
- associating a plurality of devices with a plurality of device location beacons, wherein at least a portion of the devices are mobile devices;
associating a plurality of users with a plurality of user location beacons;
communicatively linking the plurality of devices to a network that includes a location server;
the location server automatically determining location based relationships between the devices and the users based upon positions of the device location beacons and the user location beacons;
for each device, selecting applicable ones of a plurality of policies, wherein for each device, applicable policies are determined based upon at least one of a physical location of the device, a relative position of the device to the users, and a relative position between the device and other devices;
automatically conveying the selected policies to each device; and
responsive to receiving the policies, each device automatically adjusting at least one device setting in accordance with the policies.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A method of automatically adjusting device settings can include a step of associating devices with device location beacons and associating users with user location beacons. The devices can be linked to a network that includes a location server. The location server can automatically determine location based relationships between the devices and the users based upon positions of the device location beacons and the user location beacons. For each device, applicable ones of a set of established policies can be determined. For each device, applicable policies can be determined based upon at least one of a physical location of the device, a relative position of the device to the users, and a relative position between the device and other devices. The selected policies can be conveyed to the devices through the network connection. Each device can automatically adjust at least one device setting in accordance with the policies.
76 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of automatically adjusting device settings comprising:
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associating a plurality of devices with a plurality of device location beacons, wherein at least a portion of the devices are mobile devices;
associating a plurality of users with a plurality of user location beacons;
communicatively linking the plurality of devices to a network that includes a location server;
the location server automatically determining location based relationships between the devices and the users based upon positions of the device location beacons and the user location beacons;
for each device, selecting applicable ones of a plurality of policies, wherein for each device, applicable policies are determined based upon at least one of a physical location of the device, a relative position of the device to the users, and a relative position between the device and other devices;
automatically conveying the selected policies to each device; and
responsive to receiving the policies, each device automatically adjusting at least one device setting in accordance with the policies. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method for automatically adjusting device settings in accordance with environmental conditions comprising:
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identifying a device comprising a device location beacon and a device policy agent;
networking the device to a location server;
the location server automatically determining a location of the device from the device location beacon;
based upon the determined location, automatically ascertaining at least one policy to implement upon the device;
conveying the ascertained policy to the device; and
the device policy agent automatically adjusting at least one device setting in accordance with the conveyed policy. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A system for automatically adjusting device settings based upon environmental factors comprising:
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a location server configured to automatically and dynamically determine locations of a plurality of devices and a plurality of users based upon location beacons associated with the devices and users;
a policy server configured to determine a plurality of environment specific policies for the plurality of devices, wherein the policies are based upon a plurality of factors, wherein the factors include a physical location of the devices, a relative distance between the devices, and a relative location of the users to the devices; and
a plurality of device policy agents, each associated with a particular one of the devices, wherein the policy agents receive policies determined by the policy server and responsively adjust device settings in accordance with the policies. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification