System, mobile station, method and computer program product for managing context-related information

• US 7,603,112 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Issued: 10/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/03/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Nokia Technologies Oy (Nokia Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nokia Corporation
• Inventors: Jalkanen, Janne, Huomo, Heikki, Suomela, Riku, Lakkala, Harri, Salminen, Ilkka
• Primary Examiner(s): RAMPURIA, SHARAD K
• Application Number:
  US10/817,401
• Publication Number:
  US 20050003804A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,020 Days
• Field of Search: 4554141-4143, 4554121-4122, 455410-411, 455418-420, 455/456.3, 455/3.06, 379/88.25, 379 8811- 15, 709/223, 709203-206, 725/32, 707/10, 705/1, 705/64
• US Class Current: 455/414.2
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 20/382 insuring higher security of transaction
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/04 specially adapted for terminals or networks with limited capabilities; specially adapted for terminal portability
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72412 using two-way short-range wireless interfaces
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72454 according to context-related or environment-related conditions
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 1/72457 according to geographic location
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/10 including a GPS signal receiver
• CPC Class Codes: H04M 2250/12 including a sensor for measuring a physical value, e.g. temperature or motion telephones including GPS signal receivers H04M2250/10
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/50 Service provisioning or reconfiguring
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 88/06 adapted for operation in multiple networks or having at least two operational modes, e.g. multi-mode terminals

Abstract

A mobile station for managing context-related information includes at least one sensor capable of measuring at least a portion of at least one condition of the mobile station. The mobile station also includes a context engine capable of storing context-related information based upon the portion of the condition(s), where the context engine is also capable of managing an exchange of the context-related information with at least one context consumer. The mobile station further includes a privacy engine, a script engine and a communication manager. The privacy engine can provide security and/or privacy to the exchange of the context-related information. The script engine can execute at least one context rule relating to at least a portion of the context-related information. And the communication manager can communicate with at least one context consumer external to the mobile station for the exchange of context-related information.

Claims

1. A mobile station comprising:

a context engine configured to store context-related information, the context-related information having been created based upon at least a portion of at least one condition measured by at least one sensor, wherein the context engine is also configured to manage an exchange of the context-related information with at least one context consumer;

a communication manager configured to communicate with at least one context consumer to receive at least one context rule and exchange context-related information, the at least one context consumer located external to the mobile station, wherein at least one context rule includes at least one condition value relating to at least a portion of context-related information, and at least one action to be performed; and

a script engine configured to execute at least a portion of at least one context rule, including being configured to perform at least a portion of a respective at least one action, based on a comparison of the respective at least one condition value and the at least one condition measured by the at least one sensor.

2. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein the context engine comprises:

a blackboard configured to store the context-related information; and

a subscription manager configured to provide at least one subscription to at least a portion of the context-related information to at least one context consumer.

3. A mobile station according to claim 2, wherein the context-related information is retrievable from or stored by the blackboard.

4. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein the context-related information is stored as at least one context atom that comprises at least a name and an associated value.

5. A mobile station according to claim 4, wherein the at least one context atom further comprises at least one of a timestamp, a source identifier, a reliability of the respective value, or an accuracy of the respective value.

6. A mobile station according to claim 5, wherein at least a portion of the context-related information is based upon at least one of a timestamp, a source identifier, a reliability of the respective value, or an accuracy of the respective value.

7. A mobile station according to claim 1 further comprising:

a subscription manager configured to permit at least one context consumer to subscribe to at least one event regarding at least a portion of the context-related information.

8. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein the context engine is configured to store context-related information from at least one context producer, and wherein the at least one context producer comprises at least one of an application internal to the mobile station, an application external to the mobile station or a user of the mobile station.

9. A mobile station according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one sensor configured to measure at least a portion of at least one condition of at least one of the mobile station or a user of the mobile station.

10. A mobile station according to claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor is further configured to process the portion of the at least one condition into context-related information.

11. A mobile station according to claim 1 further comprising:

a privacy engine configured to provide at least a portion of at least one of security or privacy to the exchange of the context-related information.

12. A mobile station according to claim 11, wherein the privacy engine is configured to operate in accordance with the at least one received rule to one of grant or deny permission to exchange context-related information with at least one context consumer.

13. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein the communication manager is configured to manage connectivity with at least one context producer for the exchange of context-related information, and wherein the communication manager is further configured to abstract at least one communication technology such that the context engine is configured to operate independent of the at least one communication technology.

14. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein the context engine is configured to transmit at least a portion of the context-related information to at least one context consumer external to the mobile station such that the at least one context consumer is configured to determine a context of the mobile station based upon the transmitted portion of the context-related information.

15. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein the context engine is configured to communicate with at least one external device according to a context exchange protocol that defines a format in which the context-related information is at least one of transmitted or received.

16. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein a context consumer comprises an application configured to monitor a health of a user of the mobile station, wherein at least one context rule relates to the health of the user, and wherein the respective at least one context rule comprises at least a portion of at least one condition relating to the health of the user, and an alert to be issued when the respective portion of the at least one condition is satisfied.

17. A mobile station according to claim 1 further comprising:

at least one application program interface configured to facilitate at least one of the transmission or reception of context-related information.

55. A mobile station according to claim 1, wherein the context-related information is stored as at least one context atom that comprises at least a name and an associated value, the mobile station further comprising:

a subscription manager configured to provide a context consumer with a subscription to a context atom to thereby permit the respective context consumer to receive a notification when the respective context atom changes.

18. A system comprising:

at least one context producer configured to create context-related information based upon at least a portion of at least one condition measured by at least one sensor;

at least one context consumer configured to determine a context based upon the context-related information; and

a mobile station configured to store context-related information created by the at least one context producer, wherein the mobile station is also configured to receive at least one context rule from at least one context consumer located external to the mobile station, and manage an exchange of the context-related information between the at least one context producer and the at least one context consumer, and wherein at least one context rule includes at least one condition value relating to at least a portion of context-related information, and at least one action to be performed,

wherein the mobile station comprises a script engine configured to execute at least a portion of at least one context rule, including being configured to perform at least a portion of a respective at least one action, based on a comparison of the respective at least one condition value and the at least one condition measured by the at least one sensor.

19. A system according to claim 18, wherein the mobile station comprises a context engine configured to store the context-related information, and provide at least one subscription to at least a portion of the context-related information to the at least one context consumer.

20. A system according to claim 19, wherein the context-related information is retrievable from or stored by the context engine.

21. A system according to claim 18, wherein the mobile station is configured to store context-related information as at least one context atom that comprises at least a name and an associated value.

22. A system according to claim 21, wherein the mobile station is configured to store context-related information as at least one context atom that further comprises at least one of a timestamp, a source identifier, a reliability of the respective value, or an accuracy of the respective value.

23. A system according to claim 22, wherein at least a portion of the context-related information is based upon at least one of a timestamp, a source identifier, a reliability of the respective value, or an accuracy of the respective value.

24. A system according to claim 18, wherein the mobile station comprises a subscription manager configured to permit at least one context consumer to subscribe to at least one event regarding at least a portion of the context-related information.

25. A system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one context producer comprises at least one of an application internal to the mobile station, an application external to the mobile station or a user of the mobile station.

26. A system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one context producer comprises at least one sensor configured to measure at least a portion of at least one condition of at least one of the mobile station or a user of the mobile station.

27. A system according to claim 26, wherein the at least one sensor is further configured to process the portion of the at least one condition into context-related information.

28. A system according to claim 18, wherein the mobile station comprises a privacy engine configured to provide at least a portion of at least one of security or privacy to the exchange of the context-related information.

29. A system according to claim 28, wherein the privacy engine is configured to operate in accordance with at least one rule to one of grant or deny permission to exchange context-related information with the at least one context consumer.

30. A system according to claim 18, wherein the mobile station comprises a communication manager configured to manage connectivity with the at least one context producer for the exchange of context-related information, and wherein the communication manager is further configured to abstract at least one communication technology such that the mobile station is configured to operate independent of the at least one communication technology.

31. A system according to claim 18, wherein the mobile station is configured to transmit at least a portion of the context-related information to the at least one context consumer external to the mobile station such that the at least one context consumer is configured to determine a context of the mobile station based upon the transmitted portion of the context-related information.

32. A system according to claim 18, wherein the mobile station is configured to communicate with at least one external device according to a context exchange protocol that defines a format in which the context-related information is at least one of transmitted or received.

33. A system according to claim 18, wherein a context consumer comprises an application for monitoring a health of a user of the mobile station, wherein at least one context rule relates to the health of the user, and wherein the respective at least one context rule comprises at least a portion of at least one condition relating to the health of the user, and an alert to be issued when the respective portion of the at least one condition is satisfied.

34. A system according to claim 18, wherein the mobile station comprises at least one application program interface configured to facilitate at least one of the transmission or reception of context-related information.

35. A system according to claim 18 further comprising:

at least one electronic device configured to communicate with the mobile station, wherein the at least one electronic device comprises a context engine configured to store at least a portion of the context-related information stored by the mobile station.

36. A method for operating a mobile station, comprising:

storing context-related information, the context-related information having been created based upon the portion of the at least one condition measured by at least one sensor;

receiving at the mobile station at least one context rule from at least one context consumer located external to the mobile station, the at least one context rule including at least one condition value relating to at least a portion of context-related information, and at least one action to be performed; and

managing at the mobile station an exchange of the context-related information with at least one context consumer, wherein managing the exchange comprises;

receiving a request for at least a portion of the context-related information from a context consumer;

transmitting the requested portion of the context-related information to the respective context consumer in response to the request; and

executing at least one context rule, including performing at least a portion of a respective at least one action, based on a comparison of the respective at least one condition value and the at least one condition measured by the at least one sensor.

37. A method according to claim 36, wherein managing an exchange of the context-related information further comprises:

providing at least one subscription to at least a portion of the context-related information to the at least one context consumer.

38. A method according to claim 36, wherein storing context-related information comprises storing context-related information as at least one context atom that comprises at least a name and an associated value.

39. A method according to claim 38, wherein storing context-related information comprises storing context-related information as at least one context atom that further comprises at least one of a timestamp, a source identifier, a reliability of the respective value, or an accuracy of the respective value.

40. A method according to claim 39, wherein at least a portion of the context-related information is based upon at least one of a timestamp, a source identifier, a reliability of the respective value, or an accuracy of the respective value.

41. A method according to claim 36 further comprising measuring at least a portion of at least one condition, wherein measuring at least a portion of at least one condition comprises measuring at least a portion of at least one condition by at least one context producer comprising at least one of an application internal to the mobile station, an application external to the mobile station or a user of the mobile station.

42. A method according to claim 36 further comprising measuring at least a portion of at least one condition, wherein measuring at least a portion of at least one condition further comprises processing the portion of the at least one condition into context-related information.

43. A method according to claim 36, wherein managing an exchange of the context-related includes determining whether to grant permission to exchange context-related information in accordance with at least one rule.

44. A method according to claim 36, wherein transmitting the requested portion of the context-related information comprises transmitting the requested portion of the context-related information to at least one context consumer external to the mobile station such that the at least one context consumer is configured to determine a context of the mobile station based upon the transmitted portion of the context-related information.

45. A method according to claim 36, wherein a context consumer comprises an application for monitoring a health of a user of the mobile station, wherein at least one context rule relates to the health of the user, and wherein the respective at least one context rule comprises at least a portion of at least one condition relating to the health of the user, and an alert to be issued when the respective portion of the at least one condition is satisfied.

56. A method according to claim 36, wherein storing context-related information comprises storing context-related information as at least one context atom that comprises at least a name and an associated value, and wherein managing an exchange of the context-related information further comprises:

providing a context consumer with a subscription to a context atom to thereby permit the respective context consumer to receive a notification when the respective context atom changes.

57. A method according to claim 36, wherein managing an exchange further comprises:

determining whether to grant permission for the context consumer to receive the requested portion of the context-related information, and

wherein transmitting the requested portion comprises transmitting the requested portion of the context-related information when permission is granted.

46. A computer-readable storage medium having computer-readable program code portions stored therein, the computer-readable program code portions comprising:

a first executable portion configured to store context-related information a mobile station, the context-related information having been created based upon the portion of the at least one condition measured by at least one sensor;

a second executable portion configured to receive at the mobile station at least one context rule from at least one context consumer located external to the mobile station, the at least one context rule including at least one condition value relating to at least a portion of context-related information, and at least one action to be performed; and

a third executable portion configured to manage at the mobile station an exchange of the context-related information with at least one context consumer, wherein the third executable portion is configured to receive a request for at least a portion of the context-related information from a context consumer, and provide for transmission of the requested portion of the context-related information to the respective context consumer in response to the request,

wherein the third executable portion is further configured to execute at least one context rule, including performing at least a portion of a respective at least one action, based on a comparison of the respective at least one condition value and the at least one condition measured by the at least one sensor.

47. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 46, wherein the third executable portion is further configured to provide at least one subscription to at least a portion of the context-related information to the at least one context consumer.

48. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 46, wherein the first executable portion is configured to store context-related information as at least one context atom that comprises at least a name and an associated value.

49. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 48, wherein the first executable portion is configured to store context-related information as at least one context atom that further comprises at least one of a timestamp, a source identifier, a reliability of the respective value, or an accuracy of the respective value.

50. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 49, wherein at least a portion of the context-related information is based upon at least one of a timestamp, a source identifier, a reliability of the respective value, or an accuracy of the respective value.

51. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 46, wherein the computer-readable program code portions further comprise a third executable portion configured to measure at least a portion of at least one condition, wherein the third executable portion is further configured to process the portion of the at least one condition into context-related information.

52. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 46, wherein the third executable portion being configured to manage an exchange further comprises being configured to determine whether to grant permission for the context consumer to receive the requested portion of the context-related information, and

wherein the third executable portion being configured to transmit the requested portion includes being configured to transmit the requested portion of the context-related information when permission is granted.

53. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 46, wherein the third executable portion is configured to provide for transmission of the requested portion of the context-related information to at least one context consumer external to the mobile station such that the at least one context consumer is configured to determine a context of the mobile station based upon the transmitted portion of the context-related information.

54. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 46, wherein a context consumer comprises an application for monitoring a health of a user of the mobile station, wherein at least one context rule relates to the health of the user, and wherein the respective at least one context rule comprises at least a portion of at least one condition relating to the health of the user, and an alert to be issued when the respective portion of the at least one condition is satisfied.

58. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 46, wherein the first executable portion is configured to store context-related information as at least one context atom that comprises at least a name and an associated value, and

wherein the third executable portion is further configured to provide a context consumer with a subscription to a context atom to thereby permit the respective context consumer to receive a notification when the respective context atom changes.

59. A computer-readable storage medium according to claim 52, wherein the third executable portion is configured to determine whether to grant permission in accordance with at least one rule.

60. A mobile station comprising a processor and a memory storing executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to at least perform the following:

storing context-related information, the context-related information having been created based upon the portion of the at least one condition measured by at least one sensor;

receiving at the mobile station at least one context rule from at least one context consumer located external to the mobile station, the at least one context rule including at least one condition value relating to at least a portion of context-related information, and at least one action to be performed; and

managing at the mobile station an exchange of the context-related information with at least one context consumer, wherein managing the exchange comprises;

receiving a request for at least a portion of the context-related information from a context consumer;

transmitting the requested portion of the context-related information to the respective context consumer in response to the request; and

executing at least one context rule, including performing at least a portion of a respective at least one action, based on a comparison of the respective at least one condition value and the at least one condition measured by the at least one sensor.

61. A mobile station according to claim 60, wherein managing an exchange of the context-related information further comprises:

providing at least one subscription to at least a portion of the context-related information to the at least one context consumer.

62. A mobile station according to claim 60, wherein the memory stores executable instructions that in response to execution by the processor cause the apparatus to further perform the following:

measuring at least a portion of at least one condition, wherein measuring at least a portion of at least one condition comprises measuring at least a portion of at least one condition by at least one context producer comprising at least one of an application internal to the mobile station, an application external to the mobile station or a user of the mobile station.