Method and Apparatus to Facilitate Using a Hierarchical Task Model With Respect to Corresponding End Users

• US 20100125543A1
• Filed: 11/20/2008
• Published: 05/20/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Motorola Solutions, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Motorola, Inc. (Motorola Solutions, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davis, Paul C., Thompson, William K.
• Granted Patent: US 8,478,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 706/53
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling

Abstract

One automatically accesses (101) a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a given end user to thereby identify one or more presently un-executed agenda elements. One also automatically accesses (102) characterizing information for that given end user. (By one approach, for example, this characterizing information can comprise information regarding the given end user'"'"'s knowledge.) This information regarding the un-executed agenda elements and the characterizing information are then used (103) to identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds to the given end user'"'"'s wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model. The identified highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model is then used (104) to generate a presentation to present to the given end user to thereby facilitate execution of the particular task by the given end user.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

automatically accessing a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a given end user to identify presently un-executed agenda elements;

automatically accessing characterizing information for the given end user;

automatically using the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds to the given end user'"'"'s wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein automatically accessing a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a given end user to identify presently un-executed agenda elements comprises, at least in part:

identifying a set of leaf nodes in the hierarchical task model that have not yet been executed;

identifying a smallest sub-tree in the hierarchical task model that contains the set of un-executed leaf nodes to thereby identify the presently un-executed agenda elements.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the characterizing information for the given end user comprises information regarding the given end user'"'"'s knowledge.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising:

automatically using the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model to generate a natural language presentation to present to the given end user to thereby facilitate execution of the particular task by the given end user.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein:

automatically accessing a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a given end user to identify presently un-executed agenda elements comprises automatically accessing a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a plurality of given end users to identify presently un-executed agenda elements;

automatically accessing characterizing information for the given end user comprises automatically accessing characterizing information for at least two of the plurality of given end users;

automatically using the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds to the given end user'"'"'s wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model comprises automatically using the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to individually identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds respectively to each of the at least two of the plurality of given end users individual wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising:

automatically using the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model for a first one of the given end users to generate a first natural language presentation to present to the first one of the given end users;

automatically using the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model for a second one of the given end users to generate a second natural language presentation to present to the second one of the given end users.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein:

automatically accessing a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a given end user to identify presently un-executed agenda elements comprises automatically accessing a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a plurality of given end users, where at least two of the plurality of given end users are using end user task facilitation platforms that differ from one another with respect to at least one presentation modality, to identify presently un-executed agenda elements;

automatically accessing characterizing information for the given end user comprises automatically accessing characterizing information for at least two of the plurality of given end users;

automatically using the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds to the given end user'"'"'s wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model comprises automatically using the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to individually identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds respectively to each of the at least two of the plurality of given end users individual wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model;

and further comprising;

automatically using the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model for a first one of the given end users along with information regarding the presentation modality as corresponds to the end user task facilitation platform for the first one of the given end users to generate a first presentation to present to the first one of the given end users;

automatically using the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model for a second one of the given end users along with information regarding the presentation modality as corresponds to the end user task facilitation platform for the second one of the given end users to generate a second presentation to present to the second one of the given end users.

8. An apparatus comprising:

a first memory having stored therein information comprising presently un-executed agenda elements of a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a given end user;

a second memory having stored therein characterizing information for the given end user;

a processor that is operably coupled to the first memory and the second memory and that is configured to automatically use the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds to the given end user'"'"'s wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model.

9. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processor is configured to automatically access the hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a given end user to identify presently un-executed agenda elements by, at least in part:

identifying a set of leaf nodes in the hierarchical task model that have not yet been executed;

identifying a smallest sub-tree in the hierarchical task model that contains the set of un-executed leaf nodes to thereby identify the presently un-executed agenda elements.

10. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the characterizing information for the given end user comprises information regarding the given end user'"'"'s knowledge.

11. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein the processor is further configured to:

automatically use the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model to generate a natural language presentation to present to the given end user to thereby facilitate execution of the particular task by the given end user.

12. The apparatus of claim 8 wherein:

the first memory has stored therein information comprising presently un-executed agenda elements for a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a plurality of given end users;

the second memory has stored therein characterizing information for at least two of the plurality of given end users;

the processor is configured to automatically use the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds to the given end user'"'"'s wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model by automatically using the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to individually identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds respectively to each of the at least two of the plurality of given end users individual wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the processor is further configured to:

automatically use the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model for a first one of the given end users to generate a first natural language presentation to present to the first one of the given end users;

automatically use the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model for a second one of the given end users to generate a second natural language presentation to present to the second one of the given end users.

14. The method of claim 8 wherein:

the first memory has information stored therein comprising presently un-executed agenda elements for a hierarchical task model as corresponds to a particular task to be executed by a plurality of given end users, where at least two of the plurality of given end users are using end user task facilitation platforms that differ from one another with respect to at least one presentation modality;

the second memory has stored therein characterizing information for at least two of the plurality of given end users;

the processor is configured to;

automatically using the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds to the given end user'"'"'s wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model comprises automatically using the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to individually identify a highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model as corresponds respectively to each of the at least two of the plurality of given end users individual wherewithal to successfully execute without also needing lower hierarchical level content within the hierarchical task model;

and wherein the processor if configured to;

automatically use the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model for a first one of the given end users along with information regarding the presentation modality as corresponds to the end user task facilitation platform for the first one of the given end users to generate a first presentation to present to the first one of the given end users;

automatically use the highest hierarchical level within the hierarchical task model for a second one of the given end users along with information regarding the presentation modality as corresponds to the end user task facilitation platform for the second one of the given end users to generate a second presentation to present to the second one of the given end users.

15. A method to facilitate executing a task amongst a plurality of end users wherein at least some of the end users are using task facilitation platforms having differing presentation modalities, comprising:

automatically accessing information regarding the task to be executed to identify presently un-executed agenda elements as comprise a part of the task;

automatically accessing characterizing information for at least two of the plurality of end users;

automatically using the characterizing information and the un-executed agenda elements to identify, for each of at least some of the plurality of end users, task facilitation content having a highest level that is still commensurate with a given end user'"'"'s execution wherewithal.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the information regarding the task to be executed comprises a hierarchical task model for the task.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

automatically using information regarding the differing presentation modalities to determine a particular presentation of the task facilitation content to be provided to a given one of the end users via their respective task facilitation platform.