Managing interactions between computer users' context models

• US 7,058,894 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tangis Corporation
• Inventors: Robarts, James O., Newell, Dan, Abbott, Kenneth H., Freedman, Joshua M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US09/894,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20020052930A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 345733-748, 709223-225, 700/65, 700/66
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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: G06N 20/00 Machine learning
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/121 using a cache memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/022 Centralised management of display operation, e.g. in a server instead of locally
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/042 for monitor identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is represented with multiple attributes. In some situations, the providing includes a first computer receiving indications of multiple characterization modules, each characterization module executing on a computer to model an aspect of a current state related to that computer; receiving an indication of one of the multiple attributes of the represented current state; determining multiple of the characterization modules whose modeled aspects are related to the indicated one attribute; and gathering information about the modeled aspects related to the indicated one attribute from the determined characterization modules so that a value for the indicated one attribute can be generated based on the gathered information.

Claims

1. A method in a wearable computer for an executing user characterization system to provide information about a current state of a user of the wearable computer, the user characterization system modeling the current state with multiple state attributes and including state server modules (SSMs) to supply values for the state attributes, state client modules (SCMs) to process values for the state attributes, and an intermediary module to facilitate exchange of state attribute values, each of the multiple state attributes having a distinct local name used by the SSMs, the SCMs and the intermediary module, the method comprising:

under control of each SSM,

generating values for at least one of the multiple state attributes; and

sending generated values for a state attribute to the intermediary module along with an indication of that state attribute using the local name of that state attribute;

under control of each SCM,

requesting from the intermediary module values for at least some of the state attributes that are indicated using the local names of those state attributes; and

receiving at least some of the requested values from the intermediary module; and

under control of the intermediary module, facilitating exchange of values by,

receiving the sent values for the indicated state attributes from the SSMs and storing the received values in a manner associated with those indicated state attributes;

receiving from a first other characterization system an indication of a first attribute and at least one value for the indicated first attribute, the first other characterization system executing on another computer to model a current state related to that computer;

storing the received first attribute value by determining whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a local name that differs from that indication, and when the first attribute is determined to correspond to the one state attribute having the differing local name, storing the received first attribute value in a manner associated with the one state attribute having the differing local name; and

receiving from the SCMs the requests for values of state attributes indicated using the local names of the state attributes, and sending to the SCMs stored values that are associated with those indicated state attributes, so that the user characterization system can interact with modules and other characterization systems in order to exchange values of state attributes.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of the SCMs requests the value of the one state attribute having the differing local name, and wherein the sending to the SCM of the stored value that is associated with that state attribute includes sending the first attribute value received from the first other characterization system.

3. The method of claim 1 including, under the control of the intermediary module:

receiving from a second other characterization system an indication of a second attribute and a request for at least one value of the indicated second attribute, the second other characterization system executing on another computer to model a current state related to that computer;

determining whether the second attribute corresponds to a second one of the multiple state attributes having a local name that differs from that indication; and

when the second attribute is determined to correspond to the second one state attribute having a differing local name, sending at least one value of the second one state attribute to the second other characterization system.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein the second one state attribute having a differing local name is the one state attribute having a differing local name, and wherein the sending to the second other characterization system of the value includes sending the first attribute value received from the first other characterization system.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name includes translating the indication of the first attribute into the differing local name.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name includes renaming the indicated first attribute so as to use the differing local name.

7. The method of claim 1 including, when the first attribute is determined to correspond to the one state attribute having the differing local name, notifying the first other characterization system of the differing local name for the first attribute.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name is performed only if the indication of the first attribute does not match the local name of any of the multiple state attributes.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name is performed only if the indication of the first attribute is a name that is relative to the first other characterization system.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name is not performed if the indication of the first attribute is a name that is relative to the executing user characterization system.

11. The method of claim 1 including, before the storing of the received values from the first other characterization system, verifying authorization information for the first other characterization system.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein at least some of the SSMs are available to supply values for additional state attributes of a current state other than for the user, and wherein the intermediary module additionally sends values for the additional state attributes to SCMs.

13. A method for providing information about a current state that is represented with multiple state attributes, each of the multiple state attributes having a local identifier, the method comprising:

under control of a computing system,

receiving from a remote module an indication of a state attribute and an instruction related to that state attribute;

determining whether the indication of the state attribute is one of the local identifiers; and

when the indication of the state attribute is not one of the local identifiers,

translating the indication of the state attribute into one of the local identifiers;

obtaining from a source an indication of a value for the indicated state attribute and of descriptive information indicating a time at which the indicated value is most accurate, the obtaining using the one local identifier for the indicated state attribute;

determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropriate to be provided; and

when it is determined that the indicated value is appropriate, providing the indicated value to the remote module.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein each of the multiple state attributes has a unique local identifier.

15. The method of claim 13 wherein the local identifiers are names of the state attributes.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein the names are specified in an absolute manner.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein the names are specified in a relative manner.

18. The method of claim 13 wherein the remote module is a characterization module executing on a remote computer in order to model a state related to that remote computer.

19. The method of claim 18 wherein the method is performed by a distinct local characterization module.

20. The method of claim 13 including:

receiving from a local module an indication of one of the multiple state attributes of the represented current state and an instruction related to the one state attribute, the indication of the one state attribute using the local identifier for that one state attribute; and

without translating the indication of the one state attribute, performing the instruction for the one state attribute.

21. The method of claim 13 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the state attribute is one of the local identifiers is performed only if the indication is received from a remote module.

22. The method of claim 13 wherein the multiple state attributes represent information about a user of the computer.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein the represented information reflects a modeled mental state of the user.

24. The method of claim 13 wherein the multiple state attributes represent information about the computer.

25. The method of claim 13 wherein the multiple state attributes represent information about a physical environment of a user of the computer.

26. The method of claim 13 wherein the multiple state attributes represent information about a cyber-environment of a user of the computer.

27. The method of claim 13 wherein the multiple state attributes represent a current prediction about a future state.

28. The method of claim 13 wherein the translating of the indication includes converting an indication specified in a manner relative to a sender of the indication into an indication specified in a manner relative to a receiver of the indication.

29. The method of claim 13 wherein the translating of the indication includes converting an indication specified in a manner relative to a sender of the indication into an indication specified in an absolute manner.

30. The method of claim 13 wherein the translating of the indication includes converting an indication specified in a manner relative to a receiver of the indication into an indication specified in an absolute manner.

31. The method of claim 13 wherein the indicated time at which the indicated value is most accurate is a time at which the indicated value is generated.

32. The method of claim 13 wherein the indicated time at which the indicated value is most accurate is a time at which the indicated value is obtained from the source.

33. The method of claim 13 wherein the indicated instruction related to the indicated state attribute includes to establish a condition that monitors values for the indicated state attribute.

34. The method of claim 13 wherein the indicated instruction related to the indicated state attribute includes a request to provide a notification if a specified change related to the indicated state attribute occurs.

35. The method of claim 13 wherein the indicated instruction related to the indicated state attribute includes a request to update an indicated ability of the remote module to receive and/or provide values for the indicated state attribute.

36. The method of claim 13 wherein the indicated instruction related to the indicated state attribute includes a request to perform the providing of the indicated value to the remote module.

37. The method of claim 36 wherein the request is further for a value of the indicated state attribute that has an associated time that satisfies an indicated criterion, and wherein the determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropiate includes determining that a time associated with the indicated value satisfies the indicated criterion.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the indicated criterion is related to an age of the requested value of the indicated state attribute, and wherein the time associated with the indicated value that satisfies the indicated criterion is the indicated time at which the indicated value is most accurate.

39. The method of claim 13 wherein the indicated instruction related to the indicated state attribute includes to perform the translating of the indication of the state attribute into one of the local identifiers.

40. The method of claim 13 further comprising performing the indicated instruction related to the indicated state attribute.

41. The method of claim 13 wherein the received indication of the state attribute indludes a name of the state attribute, and wherein the translating of the indication of the state attribute includes renaming the indicated state attribute.

42. The method of claim 13 further comprising, if it is determined that the indication of the state attribute is one of the local identifiers,

determining an identifier used by the remote module for the indicated state attribute, the determined identifier distinct from the local identifier of the state attribute;

and

providing to the remote module an indication of the determined identifier and a value obtained for the indicated state attribute.

43. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing device to provide information about a current state that is represented with multiple attributes, each of the multiple attributes having a local name, by performing a method comprising:

receiving from a module an indication of one of the multiple attributes of the represented current state and an instruction related to a value for that one attribute;

determining whether the indication of the one attribute is one of the local names; and

when the indication of the one attribute is not one of the local names,

translating the indication of the one attribute into one the local names;

obtaining from a source an indication of a value for the indicated attribute and of descriptive information indicating a time at which the indicated value is most accurate, the obtaining using the one local name for the indicated attribute;

determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropriate; and

when it is determined that the indicated value is appropriate, performing the instruction for the attribute having that one local name.

44. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of the computing device.

45. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium transmitting a generated data signal containing the contents.

46. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the method is performed by a module executing on the computing device, and wherein the local names are specified in a manner relative to the module.

47. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the method further comprises, when the indication of the one attribute is one of the local names, performing the instruction for the attribute having the one local name without translating the indication of the one attribute.

48. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the multiple attributes represent information about multiple of a physical activity of a user of the computing device, a modeled mental state of the user, a physical environment of the user, a cyber-environment of the user, and a current state of the computing device.

49. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the indicated time at which the indicated value is most accurate is at least one of a time at which the indicated value is obtained from the source.

50. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the determining of whether the indicated value is appropriate is based at least in part on whether the indicated value is appropriate to be provided to the module, and wherein the performing of the instruction for the attribute having the one local name including providing the indicated value to the module.

51. The computer-readable medium of claim 43 wherein the received indication of the one attribute indludes a name of the one attribute used by the module, and wherein the translating of the indication of the one attribute includes renaming the one attribute.

52. A computing device for providing information about a current state that is represented with multiple attributes, each of the multiple attributes having a local identifier, comprising:

an input module that is capable of receiving from a remote module an indication of one of the multiple attributes of the represented current state and an instruction related to a value for that one attribute; and

a response module that is capable of determining whether the indication of the one attribute is one of the local identifiers, and of, when the indication of the one attribute is not one of the local identifiers,

translating the indication of the one attribute into one of the local identifiers,

obtaining from a source an indication of a value for the indicated attribute and of descriptive information indicating a time at which the indicated value is most accurate, the obtaining using the one local identifier for the indicated attribute,

determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropriate to be provided, and

when it is determined that the indicated value is appropriate, performing the instruction for the attribute having the one local identifier.

53. The computing device of claim 52 wherein the input module and the response module are executing in memory of the computing device.

54. The computing device of claim 52 wherein the multiple attributes represent information about multiple of a physical activity of a user of the computing device, a modeled mental state of the user, a physical environment of the user, a cyber-environment of the user, and a current state of the computing device.

55. The computing device of claim 52 wherein the indicated time at which the indicated value is most accurate is at least one of a time at which the indicated value is generated and a time at which the indicated value is sent by the source.

56. The computing device of claim 52 wherein the determining of whether the indicated value is appropriate is based at least in part on whether the indicated value is appropriate to be provided to the remote module, and wherein the performing of the instruction for the attribute having the one local identifier includes providing the indicated value to the remote module.

57. The computing device of claim 52 wherein the received indication of the one attribute includes a name of the one attribute used by the remote module, and wherein the translating of the indication of the attribute includes renaming the one attribute to reflect a distinct local name of the one attribute.

58. A computing device for providing information about a current state that is represented with multiple attributes, each of the multiple attributes having a local identifier, comprising:

means for receiving from a remote module an indication of one of the multiple attributes of the represented current state and an instruction related to a value for that one attribute;

means for determining whether the indication of the one attribute is one of the local identifiers; and

means for, when the indication of the one attribute is not one of the local identifiers,

translating the indication of the one attribute into one of the local identifiers,

obtaining from a source an indication of a value for the indicated attribute and of descriptive information indicating a time at which the indicated value is most accurate, the obtaining using the one local identifier for the indicated attribute;

determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropriate to be provided; and

when it is determined that the indicated value is appropriate, performing the instruction for the attribute having the one local identifier.

59. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that when executed cause a portable computing device to provide information about a context that is modeled with multiple context attributes each having a distinct name, by performing a method comprising:

receiving a request related to a value for a context attribute that is identified with an indicated name;

when the indicated name is related to the name of one of the multiple context attributes, responding to the received request in a manner related to that one context attribute; and

when the indicated name is not related to the name of one of the multiple context attributes,

determining the name of one of the multiple context attributes to which the indicated name corresponds;

obtaining from a source an indication of a value for the one context attribute and of descriptive information indicating a time at which the indicated value is most accurate, the obtaining using the determined name for the one context attribute;

determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropriate to be provided; and

when it is determined that the indicated value is appropriate, responding to the received request in a manner related to the context attribute having the determined name.

60. A portable computer for providing information about a context that is represented with multiple modeled attributes each having a distinct name, comprising:

a request receipt module that is capable of receiving a request related to a value for a context attribute that is identified with an indicated name; and

a request response module that is capable of responding to the received request in a manner related to one of the multiple context attributes when the indicated name is the name of that one context attribute, and of, when the indicated name is not the name of one of the multiple context attributes,

determining the name of one of the multiple context attributes to which the indicated name corresponds;

obtaining from a source an indication of a value for the one context attribute and of descriptive information indicating a time at which the indicated value is most accurate, the obtaining using the determined name for the indicated state attribute;

determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropriate to be provided; and

when it is determined that the indicated value is appropriate, responding to the received request in a manner related to the context attributes having the determined name.

61. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a wearable computing device for an executing user characterization system to provide information about a current state of a user of the wearable computing device, the user characterization system modeling the current state with multiple state attributes and including state server modules (SSMs) to supply values for the state attributes, state client modules (SCMs) to process values for the state attributes, and an intermediary module to facilitate exchange of state attribute values, each of the multiple state attributes having a distinct local name used by the SSMs, the SCMs and the intermediary module, by performing a method comprising:

under control of each SSM,

generating values for at least one of the multiple state attributes; and

sending generated values for a state attribute to the intermediary module along with an indication of that state attribute using the local name of that state attribute;

under control of each SCM,

requesting from the intermediary module values for at least some of the state attributes that are indicated using the local names of those state attributes; and

receiving at least some of the requested values from the intermediary module; and

under control of the intermediary module, facilitating exchange of values by,

receiving the sent values for the indicated state attributes from the SSMs and storing the received values in a manner associated with those indicated state attributes;

receiving from a first other characterization system an indication of a first attribute and at least one value for the indicated first attribute, the first other characterization system executing on another computer to model a current state related to that computer;

storing the received first attribute value by determining whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a local name that differs from that indication, and when the first attribute is determined to correspond to the one state attribute having the differing local name, storing the received first attribute value in a manner associated with the one state attribute having the differing local name; and

receiving from the SCMs the requests for values of state attributes indicated using the local names of the state attributes, and sending to the SCMs stored values that are associated with those indicated state attributes.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of the wearable computing device.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium transmitting a generated data signal containing the contents.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the contents are instructions that when executed cause the wearable computing device to perform the method.

65. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein at least one of the SCMs requests the value of the one state attribute having the differing local name, and wherein the sending to the SCM of the stored value that is associated with that state attribute includes sending the first attribute value received from the first other characterization system.

66. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 including, under the control of the intermediary module:

receiving from a second other characterization system an indication of a second attribute and a request for at least one value of the indicated second attribute, the second other characterization system executing on another computer to model a current state related to that computer;

determining whether the second attribute corresponds to a second one of the multiple state attributes having a local name that differs from that indication; and

when the second attribute is determined to correspond to the second one state attribute, having a differing local name, sending at least one value of the second one state attribute to the second other characterization system.

67. The computer-readable medium of claim 66 wherein the second one state attribute having a differing local name is the one state attribute having a differing local name, and wherein the sending to the second other characterization system of the value includes sending the first attribute value received from the first other characterization system.

68. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name includes translating the indication of the first attribute into the differing local name.

69. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name includes renaming the indicated first attribute so as to use the differing local name.

70. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 including, when the first attribute is determined to correspond to the one state attribute having the differing local name, notifying the first other characterization system of the differing local name for the first attribute.

71. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name is performed only if the indication of the first attribute does not match the local name of any of the multiple state attributes.

72. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name is performed only if the indication of the first attribute is a name that is relative to the first other characterization system.

73. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a differing local name is not performed if the indication of the first attribute is a name that is relative to the executing user characterization system.

74. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 including, before the storing of the received values from the first other characterization system, verifying authorization information for the first other characterization system.

75. The computer-readable medium of claim 61 wherein at least some of the SSMs are available to supply values for additional state attributes of a current state other than for the user, and wherein the intermediary module additionally sends values for the additional state attributes to SCMs.

76. A wearable computing device configured to execute a user characterization system so as to provide information about a current state of a user of the wearable computing device, the executing user characterization system modeling the current state with multiple state attributes and including state sever modules to supply values for the state attributes, state client modules to process values for the state attributes, and an intermediary module to facilitate exchange of state attribute values, each of the multiple state attributes having a distinct local name used by the state server modules, the state client modules and the intermediary module, comprising:

multiple state server modules (SSMs) that are each configured to generate values for at least one of the multiple state attributes and to send generated values for a state attribute to the intermediary module along with an indication of that state attribute using the local name of that state attribute;

multiple state client modules (SCMs) that are each configured to request from the intermediary module values for at least some of the state attributes that are indicated using the local names of those state attributes and to receive at least some of the requested values from the intermediary module; and

an intermediary module that is configured to facilitate exchange of values by,

receiving the sent values for the indicated state attributes from the SSMs and storing the received values in a manner associated with those indicated state attributes;

receiving from a first other characterization system an indication of a first attribute and at least one value for the indicated first attribute, the first other characterization system executing on another computer to model a current state related to that computer;

storing the received first attribute value by determining whether the indication of the first attribute corresponds to one of the multiple state attributes having a local name that differs from that indication, and when the first attribute is determined to correspond to the one state attribute having the differing local name, storing the received first attribute value in a manner associated with the one state attribute having the differing local name; and

receiving from the SCMs the requests for values of state attributes indicated using the local names of the state attributes, and sending to the SCMs stored values that are associated with those indicated state attributes.

77. A method in a computer for providing information about a current state that is represented with multiple state attributes, each of the multiple state attributes having a local identifier, the method comprising:

under control of the computer,

receiving from a remote module an indication of estate attribute;

determining whether the indication of the state attribute is one of the local identifiers; and

when the indication of the state attribute is not one of the local identifiers,

translating the indication of the state attribute into one of the local identifiers;

obtaining from a source an indication of a value for the indicated state attribute and of descriptive information indicating a time at which the indicated value is most accurate and a value for an uncertainty of the indicated value, the obtaining using the one local identifier for the indicated state attribute;

determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropriate to be provided; and

when it is determined that the indicated value is appropriate, providing the indicated value and the uncertainty value to the remote module.

78. The method of claim 77 wherein the local identifiers are names of the state attributes.

79. The method of claim 78 wherein the received indication of the state attribute includes a name of the state attribute, and wherein the translating of the indication of the state attribute indludes renaming the indicated state attribute.

80. The method of claim 77 wherein the translating of the indication includes converting an indication specified in a manner relative to a sender of the indication into an indication specified in a manner relative to a receiver of the indication.

81. The method of claim 77 wherein the remote module is a charaterization module executing on a remote computer in order to model a state related to that remote computer.

82. The method of claim 77 including:

receiving from a local module an indication of the state attribute indicated by the remote module such that the received indication from the local module uses the local identifier for that state attribute; and

without translating the received indication from the local module, providing a value for that state attribute to the local module.

83. The method of claim 77 wherein the determining of whether the indication of the state attribute is one of the local identifiers is performed onyl if the indication is received from a remote module.

84. The method of claim 77 wherein the multiple state attributes represent information about a user of the computer.

85. The method of claim 84 wherein the multiple state attributes represent information about multiple of a physical activity of the user, a modeled mental state of the user, a physical environment of the user, and a cyber-environment of the user.

86. The method of claim 77 wherein the indicated time at which the indicated value is most accurate is a time at which the indicated value is generated.

87. The method of claim 77 wherein the indicated time at which the indicated value is most accurate is a time at which the indicated value is most accurate is a time at which the indicated value is obtained from the source.

88. The method of claim 77 further comprising receiving from the remote module an indication of an instruction related to the indicated state attribute, and performing the instruction.

89. The method of claim 88 wherein the indicated instruction related to the indicated state attribute includes a request to perform the providing of the indicated value to the remote module.

90. The method of claim 89 wherein the request is further for a value of the indicated state attribute that has an associated time that satisfies an indicated age-related criterion, and wherein the determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropiate includes determining that the indicated time at which the indicated value is most accurate satisfies the indicated criterion.

91. The method of claim 89 wherein the request is further for a value of the indicated state attribute that has an uncertainty value that satisfies an indicated criterion, and wherein the determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropriate includes determining that the indicated time at which the indicated value is most accurate satisfies the indicated criterion.

92. The method of claim 77 further comprising, if it is determined that the indication of the state attribute is one of the local identifiers, determining an identifier used by the remote module for the indicated state attribute, the determined identifier distinct from the local identifier of the state attribute, and wherein the providing of the indicated value to the remote module includes providing an indication of the determined identifier.

93. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing device to provide information about a current state that is represented with multiple attributes, each of the multiple attributes having a local name, by performing a method comprising:

under control of the computing device,

receiving from a module an indication of one of the multiple attributes;

determining whether the indication of the one attribute is one of the local names; and

when the indication of the one attribute is not one of the local names,

translating the indication of the one attribute into one of the local names;

obtaining a value for the one attribute and an indication of descriptive information indicating a time at which the obtained value is most accurate and a value for an uncertainty of the obtained value, the obtaining using the one local name for the attribute;

determining based at least in a part on the descriptive information whether the obtained value is appropriate; and

when it is determined that the obtained value is appropriate, performing an instruction related to the one attribute in a manner that is based at least in part on the obtained value and/or on the descriptive information.

94. The computer-readable medium of claim 93 wherein the method is performed by a module executing on the computing device, and wherein the local names are specified in a manner relative to the module.

95. The computer-readable medium of claim 93 wherein the method further comprises, when the indication of the one attribute is one of the local names, performing the instruction for the attribute having the one local name without translating the indication of the one attribute.

96. The computer-readable nedium of claim 93 wherein the multiple attributes represent information about multiple of a physical activity of a user of the computing device, a modeled mental state of the user, a physical environment of the user, a cyber environment of the user, and a current state of the computing device.

97. The computer-readable medium of claim 93 wherein the indicated time at which the obtained value is most accurate is at least one of a time at which the obtained value is generated and a time at which the obtained value is obtained from a source.

98. The computer-readable medium of claim 93 wherein the determining of whether the obtained value is appropriate is based at least in part on whether the obtained value is appropriate to be provided to the module, and wherein the performing of the instruction includes providing the obtained value to the module.

99. The computer-readable medium of claim 93 wherein the received indication of the one attribute includes a name of the one attribute used by the module, and wherein the translating of the indication of the one attribute includes renaming the one attribute.

100. The computer-readable medium of claim 93 wherein the instruction is received from the module and includes a request to provide a value of the one attribute to an indicated recipient.

101. The computer-readable medium of claim 100 wherein the request is for a value of the one attribute that has an associated time satisfying an age-related criterion, and wherein the determining whether the obtained value is appropriate includes determining that the indicated time at which the obtained value is most accurate satisfies the criterion.

102. The computer-readable medium of claim 100 wherein the request is for a value of the one attribute that has an uncertainty value that satisfies a criterion, and wherein the determining whether the obtained value is appropriate includes determining that the uncertainty value for the obtained value satisfies the criterion.

103. The computer-readable medium of claim 93 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of the computing device.

104. The computer-readable medium of claim 93 wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium transmitting a generated data signal containing the contents.

105. The computer-readable medium of claim 93 wherein the contents are instructions that when executed cause the computing device to perform the method.

106. A computing device for providing information about a state that is represented with multiple state attributes, each of the multiple state attributes having a local name, comprising:

an input module that is capable of receiving from a remote module an indication of a name corresponding to one of the multiple state attributes of the represented state and an instruction related to that one attribute; and

a response module that is capable of determining whether the indicated name of the one attribute is one of the local names, and of, when the indicated name is not one of the local names,

renaming the indicated name into the local name of the one attribute to which the indicated name corresponds;

obtaining a value for the one attribute and an indication of descriptive information indicating a time at which the indicated value is most accurate and a value for an uncertainty of the obtained value, the obtaining using the local name of the one attribute;

determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the obtained value is appropriate; and

if it is determined that the obtained value is appropriate, providing the obtained value to the remote module.

107. The computing device of claim 106 wherein the multiple attributes represent information about a physical activity of a user of the computing device, a modeled mental state of the user, a physical environment of the user, and a cyber-environment of the user.

108. The computing device of claim 106 wherein the indicated time at which the obtained value is most accurate is at least one of a time at which the obtained value is generated and a time at which the obtained value is obtained from a source.

109. The computing device of claim 106 wherein the input module and the response module are executing in memory of the computing device.

110. The computing device of claim 106 wherein the input module consists of a means for receiving from a remote module an indication of a name corresponding to one of the multiple state attributes of the represented state and an instruction related to that one attribute, and wherein the response module consists of a means for determining whether the indicated name of the one attribute is one of the local names, and for, when the indicated name is not one of the local names, renaming the indicated name into the local name of the one attribute to which the indicated name corresponds, obtaining using the local name of the one attribute a value for the one attribute and an indication of descriptive information indicating a time at which the indicated value is most accurate and a value for an uncertainty of the obtained value is appropriate, and providing the obtained value to the remote module if it is determined that the obtained value is appropriate.

111. A method for a computing device to provide information about a context that is modeled with multiple context attributes each having a distict name, the method comprising:

under control of the computing device,

receiving a request for a value of a context attribute that is identified with an indicated name;

if the indicated name is the name of one of the multiple context attributes, responding to the received request by providing a value for that one context attributes,

determining one of the multiple context attributes to which the indicated name corresponds;

obtaining a value for the determined context attribute and an indication of descriptive information indicating a time at which the obtained value is most accurate, the obtaining using the name for the determined context attribute;

determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the obtained value is appropriate; and

when it is determined that the obtained value is appropriate, responding to the received request by providing the obtained value for the determined context attribute.

112. The method of claim 111 including determining whether the indicated name is the name of one of the multiple context attributes based at least in part on analyzing the indicated name.

113. The method of claim 112 wherein the determining includes analyzing a sender of the request.

114. The method of claim 111 wherein the names of the multiple context attributes are local to a module performing the method, wherein a sender of the request is a remote module, and wherein the indicated name is locally used by the sender to refer to one of the multiple context attributes whose local name differs from the indicated name.

115. The method of claim 114 wherein the local names are specified relative to the module performing the method, and wherein the indicated name is specified relative to the sender of the request.

116. The method of claim 114 wherein the remote module is a characterization module executing on a remote computer in order to model a state related to that remote computer.

117. The method of claim 116 wherein the module performing the method is a distinct local characterization module.

118. The method of claim 111 wherein the determining of the one context attribute to which the indicated name corresponds includes renaming the indicated name into the local name of the one context attribute.

119. The method of claim 111 wherein the context that is represented is a current context.

120. The method of claim 111 wherein the context attributes represent information about a user of the computing device.

121. The method of claim 120 wherein the context attributes represent information about a physical activity of the user, a modeled mental state of the user, a physical environment of the user, and a cyber-environment of the user.

122. The method of claim 111 wherein the context attributes represent information about the computing device.

123. The method of claim 111 wherein the indicated time at which the obtained value is most accurate is a time at which the obtained value is generated.

124. The method of claim 111 wherein the indicated time at which the obtained value is most accurate is a time at which the obtained value is obtained from a source.

125. The method of claim 111 wherein the request for the value is received from a remote module, and further comprising receiving from the remote module an indication of an instruction related to the context attribute identified with the indicated name, and performing the instruction.

126. The method of claim 125 wherein the request is further for a value that has an associated time satisfying an indicated age-related criterion, and wherein the determining whether the obtained value is appropriate includes determining that the indicated time at which the obtained value is most accurate satisfies the indicated criterion.