Computer system with environmental detection

• US 6,327,623 B2
• Filed: 05/11/1998
• Issued: 12/04/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Texas Instruments, Inc.
• Inventors: Watts, LaVaughn
• Primary Examiner(s): HARRELL, ROBERT B
• Application Number:
  US09/076,368
• Publication Number:
  US 20010003835A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 709/200, 709/209, 709/220, 709/224, 709/229, 345/333
• US Class Current: 709/229
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/3203 Power management, i.e. event-based initiation of a power-saving mode
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2203/04802 3D-info-object: information is displayed on the internal or external surface of a three dimensional manipulable object, e.g. on the faces of a cube that can be rotated by the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/04817 using icons graphical or visual programming using iconic symbols G06F8/34
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0486 Drag-and-drop

Abstract

A computer uses an environmental manager (20) to detect and respond to changing environmental conditions, in order to enhance and simplify a users interaction with the computer. Environment changes are detected by a plurality of informants (22), each of which has a specified function. Informants communicate through a CIM (26). The CIM (26) establishes communication channels with each informant regarding which information will be provided by the informant and which information that informant needs from other informants. Informants (22) may receive environmental information from a number of sources, including physical location detectors, hardware configurations, software configurations, and network connections. As environmental conditions change, the informants and applications may respond to the changes. A particular capability to respond is the autolaunch capability which detects user behavior and uses this knowledge to automatically load a program responsive to changing environmental conditions.

Claims

1. A computer comprising:

location circuitry for detecting changes in an environment associated with the computer, said changes including;

a change in the user of said computer;

a change in physical and electrical connections made to said computer;

a change in the peripherals in said computer;

a change in the location of said computer;

a change in the operational status of said computer; and

a change in the set of programs being run in the computer;

processing circuitry coupled to said location circuitry, said processing circuitry for executing;

one or more software informants for receiving information on environmental factors associated with said changes from the location circuitry; and

one or more applications in communication with said software informants, the operation of said applications being responsive to said information.

2. The computer of claim 1 wherein said detection circuitry comprises circuitry for determining the presence of a network.

3. The computer of claim 2 wherein said determining circuitry comprises circuitry for determining the presence of a wired network.

4. The computer of claim 3 wherein said processing circuitry communicates with the wired network to determine a location.

5. The computer of claim 3 wherein said processing circuitry communicates with the wired network to determine a location.

6. The computer of claim 2 wherein said determining circuitry comprises circuitry for determining the presence of a wireless network.

7. The computer of claim 1 wherein said location circuitry comprises a global positioning system.

8. The computer of claim 1 wherein said location circuitry comprises circuitry for receiving a signal indicative of a physical location.

9. A method of executing programs in a computer comprising the steps of:

detecting changes in an environment associated with the computer, said changes including;

a change in the user of said computer;

a change in physical and electrical connections made to said computer;

a change in the peripherals in said computer;

a change in the location of said computer;

a change in the operational status of said computer; and

a change in the set of programs being run in the computer;

distributing information associated with environmental factors resulting from said changes to one or more software applications; and

executing said one or more software applications responsive to the information associated with environmental factors resulting from said changes.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of detecting the physical location of the computer comprises the step of detecting the physical location of the computer by reference to a global positioning system circuit.

11. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of detecting the physical location of the computer comprises the step of detecting the physical location of the computer by receiving a signal from a sensor placed in the physical location.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein said step of detecting the physical location of the computer comprises the step of detecting the physical location of the computer by communicating with a network.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein said detecting step comprises the step of determining a physical location for the computer by reference to a scheduling database.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein said detecting step comprises the step of determining a physical location for the computer by referencing another active computer.

15. A portable electronic device, comprising:

detection circuitry within said device for detecting changes in environmental factors;

processing circuitry within said device and coupled to said detection circuitry, said processing circuitry for executing;

one or more software informants for receiving information on said environmental factors from said detection circuitry; and

one or more application in communication with said software informants, the operation of said applications being responsive to said information.

16. The device of claim 15, wherein an environmental factor is a change in the location of the device.

17. The device of claim 15, wherein an environmental factor is a change in scheduling information associated with said device.

18. The device of claim 15, wherein an environmental factor is a change in information associated with time/date circuitry within said device.

19. A computer comprising:

input/output circuitry;

processing circuitry coupled to said input/output circuitry for determining a physical location for and a change in the operational status of the computer, said processing circuitry being capable of executing;

one or more software informants for generating information on the physical location for and said change in the operational status of the computer; and

one or more applications in communication with said software informants for executing a program responsive to said information.

20. The computer of claim 19 wherein said processing circuitry executes at least one software informant for determining a physical location for the computer by reference to a data base used for scheduling appointments and tasks.

21. The computer of claim 19 wherein said processing circuitry executes at least one informant for determining a physical location for the computer by reference to another active computer.