Mediating conflicts in computer user's context data

• US 7,444,594 B2
• Filed: 04/14/2004
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Robarts, James O., Newell, Dan, Abbott, Kenneth H., Freedman, Joshua M., Apacible, Johnson
• Primary Examiner(s): HAILU, TADESSE
• Application Number:
  US10/824,636
• Publication Number:
  US 20050034078A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,658 Days
• Field of Search: 715/708, 715/709, 715744-748, 715/734, 715/736, 709/224, 709/206, 709/202, 709/203, 709/201, 709/223, 719/318, 706/14, 706/15, 706/60, 706/61, 706/45, 706/65, 706/49
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/27 Replication, distribution or synchronisation of data between databases or within a distributed database system; Distributed database system architectures therefor
• 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 3/0481 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

Abstract

Techniques are described providing mediated information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing includes receiving from a first source an indication of a first value for an indicated one of the state attributes of the modeled current state, receiving from a second source an indication of a second value for the indicated state attribute, and, after an indication from a client for a value for the indicated state attribute, sending to the client a mediated value for the indicated state attribute that is produced by mediating between available values for the indicated state attribute including at least the first and second values.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method for providing mediated information about a current user state that is modeled with multiple state attributes, comprising:

receiving from a first source an indication of a first value for an indicated one of the state attributes of the modeled current user state;

receiving from a second source an indication of a second value for the indicated state attribute;

after an indication from a client for a value for the indicated state attribute wherein the client indication is a request for the value for the indicated state attribute, and after receiving the request from the client and before sending a produced mediated value, determining for each of the first and second values whether the respective first or second value satisfies an indicated criteria;

when it is determined that neither of the first and second values satisfy the indicated criteria, requesting at least one of the first and second sources to supply at least one additional value for the indicated state attribute that satisfies the indicated criteria;

receiving the at least one additional value for the indicated state attribute that satisfies the indicated criteria;

producing a mediated value to be sent to the client by mediating between the received at least one additional value; and

sending to the client the mediated value for the indicated state attribute.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicated state attribute represents information about a user of the computer.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the represented information reflects a modeled mental state of the user.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicated state attribute represents information about a physical environment of a user of the computer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicated state attribute represents information about a cyber-environment of a user of the computer.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicated state attribute represents information about the computer.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the indicated state attribute represents a current prediction about a future user state.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the client indication is an indication of an interest in receiving values for the indicated state attribute, and wherein the produced mediated value is pushed to the client in response to the receiving of at least one of the first and second values.

9. The method of claim 7 wherein the client indication is a request for the value for the indicated state attribute, and including requesting the first and second sources to supply the first and second values in response to the receiving of the request.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the client indication is a request for the value for the indicated state attribute, and wherein the sending of the produced mediated value is in response to the receiving of the request.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the criteria is indicated by the client.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the criteria for the value is based on precision of the value.