Soliciting information based on a computer user's context
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A method for soliciting information based on a computer user'"'"'s context information, said method when coupled to a computer readable storage medium executing the following steps:
- receiving a user search request;
identifying context information for the user, the context information including at least an inferred focus of attention for the user;
determining search criteria corresponding to the user search request by combining the user search request and the context information, the context information relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s physical environment or a user'"'"'s mental environment;
generating a product interest characterization having a plurality of fields, wherein one or more of the plurality of fields includes the search request received from the user corresponds to the user search request, and wherein another one or more of the plurality of fields includes data received from a context awareness model that provides context information for the user;
performing a search based on the request and the determined search criteria; and
providing a search result to said user.
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Abstract
A user search request is received and context information for the user is identified. The user search request and the context information are then combined to generate search criteria corresponding to the user search request, providing for information solicitation based on a computer user'"'"'s context.
119 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A method for soliciting information based on a computer user'"'"'s context information, said method when coupled to a computer readable storage medium executing the following steps:
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receiving a user search request; identifying context information for the user, the context information including at least an inferred focus of attention for the user; determining search criteria corresponding to the user search request by combining the user search request and the context information, the context information relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s physical environment or a user'"'"'s mental environment; generating a product interest characterization having a plurality of fields, wherein one or more of the plurality of fields includes the search request received from the user corresponds to the user search request, and wherein another one or more of the plurality of fields includes data received from a context awareness model that provides context information for the user; performing a search based on the request and the determined search criteria; and providing a search result to said user. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A computer-readable storage media storing computer-executable instructions for soliciting information based on a computer user'"'"'s context information that, said executable instructions when executed by a computer system, causing said computer system to perform the following steps:
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receiving a user search request; identifying context information for the user, the context information including at least an inferred focus of attention for the user; determining search criteria corresponding to the user search request by combining the user search request and the context information, the context information relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s physical environment or a user'"'"'s mental environment; generating a product interest characterization having a plurality of fields, wherein one or more of the plurality of fields includes the search request received from the user corresponds to the user search request, and wherein another one or more of the plurality of fields includes data received from a context awareness model that provides context information for the user; performing said search based on the request and the determined search criteria; and providing a search result to said user.
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18. A system embodied on a computer-readable storage medium that facilitates context-based searching, comprising:
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a characterization module configured to characterize a user'"'"'s context, the context including at least an inferred focus of attention of the user; a search criteria generator configured to generate search criteria corresponding to a user search request and the user'"'"'s context, the search criteria is coupled to receive a user search request via one or more input devices, and to receive the user'"'"'s context from the characterization module, wherein the context relating to at least one of the user'"'"'s mental environment or physical environment, the search criteria generator generating a product interest characterization having a plurality of fields, wherein one or more of the plurality of fields includes the search request received from the user and wherein another one or more of the plurality of fields includes the context data received from the characterization module; performing said search based on the request and the determined search criteria; and providing a search result to said user.
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Specification