Context aware computing devices and methods

• US 7,483,944 B2
• Filed: 11/29/2004
• Issued: 01/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Reus, Edward F., Parupudi, Gopal
• Primary Examiner(s): Barqadle; Yasin M
• Application Number:
  US10/998,406
• Publication Number:
  US 20050080800A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,520 Days
• Field of Search: 709203-205, 709217-219, 709222-226, 709/230, 455/414.1, 455/456.1, 455/550.1
• US Class Current: 709/203
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9027 Trees
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 61/4552 Lookup mechanisms between a plurality of directories; Synchronisation of directories, e.g. metadirectories
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 63/123 received data contents, e.g. message integrity
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/51 Discovery or management thereof, e.g. service location protocol [SLP] or web services
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal

Abstract

Context-aware computing systems and methods are described. In particular embodiments, location aware systems and methods are described. In at least some embodiments, hierarchical tree structures are utilized to ascertain a device context or location. The tree structures can be stored on or accessible to mobile computing devices so that the devices can determine their own particular context or location. A computing device can automatically determine its context or location by ascertaining a node on one or more of the tree structures and then traversing the tree structure to ascertain the complete context.

Claims

1. One or more computer-readable media comprising:

a context service module executable to automatically receive context information from one or more context providers and process the information to determine a current device context for a computer device on which the one or more computer-readable media are embodied by determining, from the context information, at least one node associated with the context information and traversing at least a portion of a hierarchical tree structure of which said at least one node comprises a part, and

wherein as the context of a computing device changes, the context service module processes the information to determine a new current device context,

wherein the context service module is executable to receive at least one event registration from one or more applications that pertains to an event for which the application is to receive information pertaining to the current context of the computing device and to return information pertaining to the current context of the computing device to the one or more applications responsive to the occurrence of the event,

wherein said context service module is configured to traverse multiple different, independent hierarchical tree structures, individual tree structures having different root nodes, and

wherein at least one hierarchical tree structure is linked with and touch points into another of the hierarchical tree structures, and wherein said at least one hierarchical tree structure comprises multiple nodes in which individual ones of the multiple nodes represent physical or logical locations unique to an entity associated with one or more context providers, and said another of the hierarchical tree structures comprises multiple nodes individual ones of which represent standardized geographical divisions of the Earth.

2. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 embodied in a mobile computing device.

3. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 embodied as in a desktop computing device.

4. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the context service module is configured to request context information from one or more of the context providers.

5. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1, wherein the context service module is configured to provide information concerning a current device context to one or more applications.

6. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 5, wherein the context service module is configured to receive a request from the one or more applications that request the current device context information.

7. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 further comprising a context provider interface associated with the context service module, the context provider interface comprising a common interface that is capable is receiving context information from multiple different context providers.

8. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 1 further comprising one or more application program interfaces (APIs) operably associated with the context service module, the one or more APIs being callable by one or more applications to acquire information concerning the current device context.

9. One or more computer-readable media comprising:

a location service module executable to automatically receive standardized location information from one or more location providers and process the information to determine a current device location, for a computing device on which the one or more computer-readable media are embodied, by determining, from the standardized location information,

at least one node associated with the standardized location information and traversing at least a portion of a hierarchical tree structure of which said at least one node comprises a part, and

wherein as the location of the computing device changes, the location service module processes the information to determine a new current device location,

wherein the location service module is executable to receive at least one event registration from one or more applications that pertains to an event for which the application is to receive information pertaining to the current location of the computing device and to return information pertaining to the current location of the computing device to the one or more applications responsive to the occurrence of the event,

wherein said location service module is configured to traverse multiple different, independent hierarchical tree structures, individual tree structures having different root nodes, and

wherein at least one hierarchical tree structure is linked with and touch points into another of the hierarchical tree structures, and wherein said at least one hierarchical tree structure comprises multiple nodes in which individual ones of the multiple nodes represent unique physical or logical locations specific to an organization, and said another of the hierarchical tree structures comprises multiple nodes individual ones of which represent standardized geographical divisions of the Earth.

10. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 9 embodied on a mobile computing device.

11. The one or more cumputer-readable media of claim 9 embodied on a desktop computing device.

12. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 9 further comprising a location provider interface associated with the location service module, the location provider interface comprising a common interface that is capable is receiving location information from multiple different location providers.

13. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 9 further comprising one or more application program interfaces (APIs) operably associated with the location service module, the one or more APIs being callable by one or more applications to acquire information concerning the current device location.

14. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 9 further comprising one or more events that are configured for use by one or more applications so that the applications can register to receive information concerning a current device location responsive to the occurrence of one or more events.

15. One or more computer-readable media comprising:

a location provider interface that is configured to automatically receive standardized location information;

a location service module communicatively associated with the location provider interface and configured to receive the standardized location information from multiple different location providers and process the information to ascertain a current device location, for a computing device on which the one or more computer-readable media are embodied, by determining, from the location information, at least one node associated with the location information and traversing at least a portion of a hierarchical tree structure of which said at least one node comprises a part, and

wherein as the location of the computing device changes, the location service module processes the information to determine a new current device location,

wherein the location service module is executable to receive at least one event registration from one or more applications that pertains to an event for which the application is to receive information pertaining to the current location of the computing device and to return information pertaining to the current location of the computing device to the one or more applications responsive to the occurrence of the event,

wherein said location service module is configured to traverse multiple different, independent hierarchical tree structures, individual tree structures having different root nodes, and

wherein at least one hierarchical tree structure is linked with and touch points into another of the hierarchical tree structures, and wherein said at least one hierarchical tree structure comprises multiple nodes in which individual ones of the multiple nodes represent unique entity specific physical or logical locations, and said another of the hierarchical tree structures comprises multiple nodes individual ones of which represent uniform geographical divisions of the Earth; and

one or more application program interfaces (API) or events associated with the location service module and defining a mechanism through which information concerning a current device location can be provided to one or more applications that are configured to provide location-specific services.

16. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15 embodied on a mobile computing device.

17. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15 embodied on a desktop computing device.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the location provider interface is configured to receive location information from multiple different location providers.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 15, wherein the location provider interface is configured to receive location information from multiple different location providers, the location service module being configured to poll one or more of the location providers so that the polled location provider can provide location information to the location provider interface.

20. A system comprising:

means for receiving, with a computing device, information that pertains to a current context of the device;

means for processing the information on the device to ascertain the current context of the computing device by determining, from the information, and at least one node associated with the information and traversing at least a portion of a hierarchical tree structure of which said at least one node comprises a part, wherein said means for receiving and means for processing are embodied on a computing device for which the current context is to be determined;

means for receiving at least one event registration from one or more applications that pertains to an event for which the one or more applications is to receive information pertaining to the current context of the computing device; and

means for returning information pertaining to the current context of the computing device to the one or more applications responsive to the occurrence of an event, and

wherein said means for processing is configured to traverse multiple different, independent hierarchical tree structures, individual tree structures having different root nodes,

wherein as the context of the computing device changes, said means for processing processes the information to determine a new current context of the device, and

wherein at least one hierarchical tree structure is linked with and touch points into another of the hierarchical tree structures, and wherein said at least one hierarchical tree structure comprises multiple nodes in which individual ones of the multiple nodes represent physical or logical locations according to an entity'"'"'s unique view of the current context, and said another of the hierarchical tree structures comprises multiple nodes individual ones of which represents standardized geographical divisions of the Earth.

21. The system of claim 20, wherein said means for receiving comprises means for receiving the information with a mobile computing device.

22. The system of claim 20, wherein said means for receiving comprises means for receiving the information with a hand-held computing device.

23. The system of claim 20, wherein said means for receiving comprises means for receiving the information with a desktop computing device.

24. The system of claim 20, wherein the current context is the device location.

25. The system of claim 24, wherein the means for receiving the information comprises means for receiving information from multiple different location providers.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the information that is received from the multiple different location providers is received in different forms.

27. The system of claim 25, wherein the means for receiving the information comprises means for receiving the information through a common interface.

28. The system of claim 20, wherein the means for receiving the information comprises means for receiving information from multiple different context providers.

29. The system of claim 28, wherein the information that is received from the multiple different location providers is received in different

30. The system of claim 28, wherein the means for receiving the information comprises means for receiving the information through a common interface.

31. The system of claim 20 further comprising means for receiving a request from an application for information that pertains to the current context of the mobile computing device and means for returning at least some information to the application.

32. A system comprising:

means for maintaining multiple, independent hierarchical tree structures on a mobile computing device, one of the tree structures comprising multiple nodes each of which represent standardized geographical divisions of the Earth, another of the tree structures comprising multiple nodes in which individual ones of of the multiple nodes represent an entity'"'"'s specific view of physical or logical locations, wherein the tree structures comprise different root nodes, and wherein a node on one of the tree structures is linked with and touch points into another of the tree structures;

means, on the mobile computing device, for automatically receiving information from multiple different location providers that describe aspects of a current device location;

means, on the mobile computing device, for processing the information with the mobile device and as the location of the mobile computing device changes, process the information to determine a new current device location, to ascertain a node on one of the tree structures that likely constitutes a current device location;

means for receiving at least one event registration from one or more applications that pertains to an event for which the one or more applications is to receive information pertaining to the current context of the computing device; and

means for returning information pertaining to the current context of the computing device to the one or more applications responsive to the occurrence of an event; and

means for traversing nodes of the tree structures to ascertain additional entity unique location information that is associated with the current device location.

33. The system of claim 32 further comprising means for receiving a request from one or more applications for information that pertains to a current device location and means for providing the one or more applications with the information that pertains to the current device location.

34. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for receiving of the request comprises means for receiving a call to an application program interface (API).

35. The system of claim 33, wherein the means for receiving of the request comprises means for receiving an event registration.

36. The system of claim 33 further comprising means for applying a security policy to the information that pertains to the current device location before providing the information to the one or more applications.

37. The system of claim 32 further comprising means for resolving conflicts that might exist between information that is received from different location providers.