System and method for providing spatially distributed device interaction

• US 6,791,583 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2001
• Issued: 09/14/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/09/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Oracle America, Inc. (Oracle Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Sun Microsystems Incorporated (Oracle Corporation)
• Inventors: Li, Francis C., Van Kleek, Max G., Begole, James M. A., Mordecai, Nicole Y., Tang, John C., Bhalodia, Janak R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phu K.
• Application Number:
  US10/011,535
• Publication Number:
  US 20020101446A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,036 Days
• Field of Search: 345/473, 345/474, 345/475, 345/751, 345/752, 345/753, 345/759
• US Class Current: 715/751
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

In a plurality of electronic devices, a system and method is provided for providing interfaces on the plurality of electronic devices for interacting with at least one source of dynamically changing awareness information. Each of the plurality of electronic devices communicates with the at least one source to update the at least one source with individual awareness information for the electronic device in communication with the at least one source. Each of the plurality of electronic devices communicates with the at least one source to receive awareness information relating to others of the plurality of electronic devices. The awareness information can be a summary of electronic device statuses relating to a selected user. The awareness information can also include an indication of time since each of a plurality of electronic devices relating to a selected user has been in use. The awareness information can further include an indication of one or more of each of a plurality of electronic devices relating to a selected user being contemporaneously in use.

Claims

1. In an electronic device, a method for providing one or more interfaces with a second electronic device for interacting with at least one source of dynamically changing awareness information, comprising:

the second electronic device communicating with the at least one source to update the at least one source with individual awareness information for the second electronic device; and

the second electronic device communicating with the at least one source to receive awareness information relating to a third electronic device;

wherein the awareness information comprises an indication of time since the second electronic device relating to a selected user has been in use.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device periodically communicates with the at least one source to update the at least one source with individual awareness information.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device periodically communicates with the ax least one source to receive awareness information.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one source initiates the communication with the second electronic device.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the second electronic device initiates the communication with the at least one source.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the awareness information comprises a summary of electronic device statuses relating to a selected user.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the awareness information comprises an indication of the second electronic device relating to a selected user being contemporaneously in use.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising the second electronic device providing an indication of a location of a selected user based at least in part on the awareness information.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising a user identifying the location of another selected user based on the awareness information provided to the second electronic device.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one source comprises a telephone dialer system.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating to update the at least one source and the step of communicating to receive awareness information occur during a same communication transaction.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of communicating to update the at least one source and the step of communicating to receive awareness information comprise the transmission of at least one of data and voice.

13. In a mobile electronic device in communication with at least one source, a method of an initiating user interacting with a selected user, comprising:

communicating with the at least one source to receive awareness information relating to the selected user and at least one corresponding selected user device; and

attempting to initiate a communication with the selected user based at least partially on the awareness information relating to the selected user;

the at least one corresponding selected user device indicating to the selected user a willingness to communicate of the initiating user.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of attempting to initiate a communication comprises the initiating user selecting an icon representing a selected form of communication.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of indicating to the selected user a willingness to communicate comprises providing a preview window on a display of the selected user device of the initiating user'"'"'s communication.

16. The method of claim 14, further comprising the selected user responding with an indication of one of a willingness to communicate and an unwillingness to communicate with the initiating user.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the indication of a willingness to communicate comprises the selected user clicking on one of a preview window and a button to join an IM chat session with the initiating user.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the indication of an unwillingness to communicate comprises the selected user clicking on a button to one of reply later and close the preview window.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising the selected user participating in a communication session with the initiating user.

20. The method of claim 19, further comprising at least one of the selected user and the initiating user indicating a desire to terminate the communication session.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising providing the selected user and the initiating user an opportunity for one or more of the selected user and the initiating user to submit a last-minute thought prior to termination of the communication session.

22. The method of claim 13, further comprising the initiating user obtaining a status of the selected user and the at least one corresponding selected user device based at least partially on the awareness information.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising the selected user receiving notification of the initiating user obtaining the status of the selected user and the at least one corresponding selected user device.

24. The method of claim 13, wherein the mobile electronic device is one of a data processing device and a telephonic device.

25. In a mobile electronic device in communication with at least one source, a method of an initiating user interacting with a selected user, comprising:

communicating with the at least one source to receive awareness information relating to the selected user; and

attempting to locate the selected user based at least partially on the awareness information relating to the selected user.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of attempting to locate the selected user comprises the mobile electronic device executing an algorithm to provide an indication of the selected user location based at least partially on the awareness information.

27. The method of claim 25, wherein the step of attempting to locate the selected user comprises the initiating user reviewing awareness information provided to the mobile electronic device to determine the selected user location.

28. The method of claim 25, wherein the mobile electronic device is one of a data processing device and a telephonic device.

29. In a mobile electronic device, a method for interfacing with a central electronic device, comprising:

establishing communication with the central electronic device;

updating the central electronic device with individual awareness information for the mobile electronic device; and

receiving awareness information relating to at least an additional electronic device;

wherein the awareness information comprises an indication of time since the mobile electronic device relating to a selected user has been in use.

30. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of establishing communication comprises the mobile electronic device periodically initiating communication with the central electronic device.

31. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of establishing communication comprises the mobile electronic device periodically receiving communication from the central electronic device.

32. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of establishing communication comprises the mobile electronic device continuously communicating with the central electronic device.

33. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of establishing communication comprises the mobile electronic device continuously receiving communication from the central electronic device.

34. The method of claim 29, wherein the awareness information comprises a summary of electronic device statuses relating to a selected user.

35. The method of claim 29, wherein the awareness information comprises an indication of the mobile electronic device relating to a selected user being contemporaneously in use.

36. The meted of claim 29, further comprising the mobile electronic device providing an indication of a location of a selected user based at least in pan on the awareness information.

37. The method of claim 29, further comprising a user identifying the location of another selected user and the additional electronic device based on the awareness information provided to the mobile electronic device.

38. The method of claim 29, wherein the centralized electronic device is at least one of a centralized data processing system and a telephone dialer system.

39. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of updating the central electronic device and the step of receiving awareness information occur during a same communication transaction.

40. The method of claim 29, wherein the step of updating the central electronic device and the step of receiving awareness information comprise the transmission of at least one of data and voice.

41. A system for providing awareness information to one or more users, comprising:

a central data processing apparatus for managing the awareness information; and

at least one spatially distributed electronic device in communication with the central data processing apparatus;

a computer server;

a telephone dialer server;

a proxy to the computer server enabling communication with the at least one spatially distributed electronic device;

wherein the central data processing apparatus receives updates relating to awareness information concerning a status of the at least one spatially distributed electronic device, and the at least one spatially distributed electronic device receives updates relating to additional awareness information relating to one or more selected users.

42. The system of claim 41, wherein the computer server has one or more communication means.

43. The system of claim 42 wherein the one or more communication means comprises at least one of a modem, cable modem, network interface, telephone interface, infra-red interface, RF interface, audio interface, visual display, wired connection, and wireless connection.

44. The system of claim 41, wherein the central processing apparatus further comprises a transcoder for translating messages between the proxy and a pager network.

45. The system of claim 41, wherein the at least one spatially distributed electronic device comprises at least one of a computer workstation, notebook computer, personal digital assistant, information appliance, pager, telephone, mobile phone, communication appliance, and data processing device.

46. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for providing an interface with an electronic device for interacting with at least one source of dynamically changing awareness information, comprising:

the electronic device communicating with the at least one source to update the at least one source with individual awareness information for the electronic device in communication with the at least one source; and

the electronic device communicating with the at least one source to receive awareness information relating an additional electronic device;

wherein the awareness information comprises an indication of time since the electronic device has been in use.

47. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for initiating a user interacting with a selected user, comprising:

communicating with the at least one source to receive awareness information relating to the selected user and at least one corresponding selected user device; and

attempting to initiate a communication with the selected user based at least partially on the awareness information relating to the selected user;

the at least one corresponding selected user device indicating to the selected user a willingness to communicate of the initiating user.

48. A computer readable medium storing computer-executable instructions for initiating a user interacting with a selected user, comprising:

communicating with the at least one source to receive awareness information relating to the selected user; and

attempting to locate the selected user based at least partially on the awareness information relating to the selected user.