Method and system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user's condition
First Claim
1. A method for a computer to present information to a user on one of a plurality of available output devices, the method comprising:
- (a) monitoring the user to collect information about a current state of the user;
(b) modeling a current user condition based on the collected information by, determining a current level of privacy desired by the user, the level of privacy indicating a group of people allowed to perceive information presented by the computer;
determining a current scope of audience desired by the user, the scope of audience indicating how many people are intended to perceive information presented by the computer;
or determining a current cognitive load of the user, the cognitive load indicating ability of the user to devote attention to the computer;
(c) receiving output information to be presented to the user; and
(d) presenting the output information in a manner consistent with the modeled current user condition by, selecting one of the plurality of output devices such that information presentation capabilities of the selected output device support the determined current desired level of privacy, the determined current desired scope of audience, and the determined current cognitive load; and
presenting the output information to the user on the selected output device, and wherein step (d) is deferred when the output information cannot be presented on any of the available output devices in a manner consistent with the modeled current user condition, so that the presentation of information by the computer satisfies the modeled current user condition.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user'"'"'s current condition. In particular, the system monitors the user and the user'"'"'s environment, and creates and maintains an updated model of the current condition of the user. The user condition can include a variety of condition variables, including abstract concepts such as the user'"'"'s current cognitive load, desired level of privacy for output information, and desired scope of audience for output information. Upon receiving output information to be presented to the user (e.g., from an application program), the system determines an appropriate output device and an appropriate format with which to present the information to the user, and then presents the output information. The system can also receive description information about the output information that describes relevant factors for determining when and how to present the output information (e.g., the importance and urgency of the output information, the consequences of the user not receiving or ignoring the output information, etc.). Some versions of the system execute on a wearable computer having a variety of available output display devices.
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Citations
88 Claims
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1. A method for a computer to present information to a user on one of a plurality of available output devices, the method comprising:
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(a) monitoring the user to collect information about a current state of the user;
(b) modeling a current user condition based on the collected information by, determining a current level of privacy desired by the user, the level of privacy indicating a group of people allowed to perceive information presented by the computer;
determining a current scope of audience desired by the user, the scope of audience indicating how many people are intended to perceive information presented by the computer;
ordetermining a current cognitive load of the user, the cognitive load indicating ability of the user to devote attention to the computer;
(c) receiving output information to be presented to the user; and
(d) presenting the output information in a manner consistent with the modeled current user condition by, selecting one of the plurality of output devices such that information presentation capabilities of the selected output device support the determined current desired level of privacy, the determined current desired scope of audience, and the determined current cognitive load; and
presenting the output information to the user on the selected output device, and wherein step (d) is deferred when the output information cannot be presented on any of the available output devices in a manner consistent with the modeled current user condition, so that the presentation of information by the computer satisfies the modeled current user condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for a computer to present information to a user on one of a plurality of available output devices, the method comprising:
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(a) monitoring the user to collect information about a current state of the user;
(b) modeling a current user condition based on the collected information by, determining a current level of privacy desired by the user, the level of privacy indicating a group of people allowed to perceive information presented by the computer;
determining a current scope of audience desired by the user, the scope of audience indicating how many people are intended to perceive information presented by the computer;
ordetermining a current cognitive load of the user, the cognitive load indicating ability of the user to devote attention to the computer;
(c) receiving output information to be presented to the user;
receiving description information for the output information describing importance and deferability of the output information; and
(d) presenting the output information in a manner consistent with the modeled current user condition and in a manner consistent with the description information by, selecting one of the plurality of output devices such that information presentation capabilities of the selected output device support the determined current desired level of privacy, the determined current desired scope of audience, and the determined current cognitive load; and
presenting the output information to the user on the selected output device, so that the presentation of information by the computer satisfies the modeled current user condition.
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15. A computer-implemented method for presenting output information to a user, the method comprising:
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receiving information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user;
receiving description information indicating importance or deferability of the output information, and presenting the output information on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled user property; and
when no selectable output device is capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user property, deferring the presenting of the output information. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 84)
receiving first information about a current state of the user; and
for at least one of a plurality of properties of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user, modeling the property by determining whether the received first information relates to the property; and
when the received first information relates to the property, determining a current value for the property based at least in part on the received first information.
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49. The method of claim 48 including:
receiving the output information, and wherein the presenting of the output information is to the user and is in accordance with the modeled user properties.
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50. The method of claim 48 including when a program has output information to present to the user, supplying the determined current values of the modeled user properties to the program so that the output information can be presented to the user by the program in accordance with the modeled user properties.
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51. The method of claim 48 including when determined current values of the modeled user properties change, automatically supplying the changed current values to the program so that the output information can be presented in accordance with the changed current values of the modeled user properties.
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52. The method of claim 48 wherein the determining of the current value for the property is based on a plurality of modeling rules.
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53. The method of claim 52 wherein when the user is in a specified class of users, using modeling rules specialized for the specified class.
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54. The method of claim 52 wherein when the user is not in a pre-determined class of users, using default modeling rules.
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55. The method of claim 52 including updating the modeling rules based on the received first information so as to better model the user.
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56. The method of claim 52 wherein the computer can communicate with another computer, and including receiving from the another computer new modeling rules to be used for the determining of the current value.
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57. The method of claim 48 wherein the computer can communicate with another computer, the another computer able to obtain information about the user via input devices of the another computer, and wherein the received first information is obtained information about the user from the another computer.
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58. The method of claim 48 wherein the computer can communicate with another computer, and including receiving from the another computer information about properties of the user to be added to the modeled user properties, the added properties distinct from the modeled user properties.
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59. The method of claim 48 wherein the computer can communicate with another computer, and including receiving from the another computer a value for one of the modeled user properties to be stored as the determined current value for the one property.
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60. The method of claim 48 wherein the plurality of properties of the user are modeled based on received information to create a model of a user condition.
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61. The method of claim 48 including monitoring the user to obtain the received first information.
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62. The method of claim 48 wherein multiple pieces of information are received which relate to a property of the user, wherein the multiple pieces of information are inconsistent as to the current value for the property, and wherein the determining of the current value involves mediating the inconsistencies.
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63. The method of claim 48 wherein a rating indicating quality of the received first information is received, and wherein the quality rating is reflected in the determined current values for the properties which relate to the received first information.
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64. The method of claim 48 including:
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determining that a current value for a user property is needed for presenting output information to the user; and
obtaining information related to the user property to allow determination of the current value.
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84. The computer system of claim 30 wherein the user characterization module further monitors the user or the surrounding environment to obtain the collected information.
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32. A computer-implemented method for presenting output information to a user, the method comprising:
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receiving information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user, the modeled user property being an indication of a degree of interruptibility of current activities of the user;
selecting an output device capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user property; and
presenting the output information on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled user property. - View Dependent Claims (33, 65, 66)
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34. A computer-implemented method for presenting output information to a user, the method comprising:
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receiving information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user, the modeled user property being a preference of the user for receiving information during current activities of the user;
selecting an output device capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user property; and
presenting the output information on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled user property. - View Dependent Claims (35, 36)
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37. A computer-implemented method for presenting output information to a user, the method comprising:
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receiving information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user;
selecting an output device capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user property, the selected output device including a range of information presentation capabilities;
formatting the output information to select information presentation capabilities of the selected output device to be used such that the selected information presentation capabilities are consistent with the modeled user property; and
after the formatting, presenting the output information on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled user property.
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67. A computer-implemented method for presenting output information to a user, the method comprising:
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receiving information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user, the modeled user property being an indication of appropriateness of presenting the output information in a manner perceivable by others;
selecting an output device capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user property; and
presenting the output information on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled user property. - View Dependent Claims (68, 69)
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70. A method for a wearable computer to present output information to a user wearing the wearable computer, the wearable computer having a plurality of output devices from which the user can receive information, the method comprising:
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monitoring the user to collect information;
characterizing the user based on the collected information so as to identify an ability of the user to currently receive the output information and a desire of the user of how to currently receive the output information;
receiving description information indicating importance or deferability of the output information;
selecting one of the plurality of output devices such that information presentation capabilities of the selected output device support the identified ability and desire and such that the selecting is performed in accordance with the description information; and
presenting the output information to the user on the selected output device consistently with the identified ability and desire. - View Dependent Claims (71, 72)
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73. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for presenting output information to a user, by performing a method comprising:
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receiving information about at least one modeled characteristic of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user;
receiving the output information;
receiving description information indicating importance and/or deferability of the output information, when a selectable output device is capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user characteristic and the description information, selecting the output device and presenting the output information on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled user characteristic; and
when no selectable output device is capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user characteristic deferring the presenting of the output information. - View Dependent Claims (74, 75, 77, 78, 79)
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76. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computer to present output information to a user by:
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receiving information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user;
selecting an output device capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user property, the selected output device including a range of information presentation capabilities;
formatting the output information, the formatting to select information presentation capabilities of the selected output device to be used such that the selected information presentation capabilities are consistent with the modeled user property; and
after the formatting, presenting the output information on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled user property.
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80. A computer system for presenting output to a user, comprising:
an output device selector module that receives information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output to the user, that receives description information indicating importance or deferability of the output, that selects an output device capable of presenting the output in accordance with the modeled property and in accordance with the description information, and that presents the output on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled property. - View Dependent Claims (81, 82, 83, 85, 86, 87, 88)
Specification