Automated generation of context information

• US 7,606,583 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2006
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SAP SE
• Original Assignee: SAP AG (SAP SE)
• Inventors: Spriestersbach, Axel
• Primary Examiner(s): Kincaid; Lester
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lai; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/395,713
• Publication Number:
  US 20070232323A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,299 Days
• Field of Search: 455/456, 455/414, 455/414.2
• US Class Current: 455/456.1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

A method includes determining geographic coordinates of a plurality of entities, the plurality of entities including a first set of entities that have each been associated with a respective context information item and a second set of entities that have each not been associated with a respective context information item. The geographic coordinates of the first set of entities are used to identify geographic coordinates located within a first geographic area associated with a first context information item. The geographic coordinates of the second set of the entities are used to identify a first entity of the second set of entities that is located within the first graphic area associated with the first context information item. The first entity is associated with the first context information item.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

determining geographic coordinates of a plurality of entities, the plurality of entities including a first set of entities that have each been associated with a respective context information item and a second set of entities that have each not been associated with a respective context information item;

utilizing the geographic coordinates of the first set of entities, identifying geographic coordinates located within a first geographic area associated with a first context information item;

utilizing the geographic coordinates of the second set of the entities, identifying a first entity of the second set of entities that is located within the first geographic area associated with the first context information item, wherein the identification of the first entity is performed responsive to an assignment of more than a threshold number of context information items to entities of the first set of entities; and

associating the first entity with the first context information item.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of entities comprises a plurality of business objects, the first context information item comprises a first cellular identifier, and the first geographic area is located within a first cellular coverage area.

3. The method of claim 1, including:

receiving, at an application server, context information items from mobile devices connected through a mobile communications network to the application server; and

associating the context information items with the first set of entities responsive to the receipt thereof by the application server.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the determination of the geographic coordinates of the plurality of entities includes:

communicating address information for each of the plurality of entities to a geographic coordinates service; and

receiving the geographic coordinates from the geographic coordinates service.

5. The method of claim 4, the geographic coordinates are Global Positioning Service (GPS) coordinates.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the identifying of the geographic coordinates located within a first geographic area includes:

geometrically identifying the geographic coordinates located within the first geographic area.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the geometric identification of the geographic coordinates located within the first geographic area includes:

calculating a polygon, defining the first geographic area, utilizing the geographic coordinates of at least three entities of the first set of entities.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the identification of the first entity of the second set of entities that is located within the first geographic area includes:

comparing geographic coordinates of the first entity to the geographic area defined by the polygon; and

determining that the geographic coordinates of the first entity are located within the first geographic area defined by the polygon.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the identification of the first entity is performed responsive to an assignment of a context information item to an entity of the first set of entities.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein identification of the first entity is performed on a periodic basis.

11. The method of claim 1, including:

receiving a target context information item in association with an information request from a mobile client application executing on a mobile device;

identifying entities of the plurality of entities that are associated with the target context information item; and

processing the identified entities for communication to the mobile client application.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing of the identified entities includes selecting the identified entities for communication to the mobile client application.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the processing of the identified entities includes prioritizing the identified entities for utilization by the mobile client application.

14. A system comprising:

a business application server to host a business application

a database to store a plurality of business objects of the business application;

a geographic coordinates determination module to determine geographic coordinates of the plurality of business objects, the plurality of business objects including a first set of business objects each associated with a respective cellular identifier and a second set of business objects each not associated with a respective cellular identifier; and

a cellular identifier assignment module to;

determine geographic coordinates located within a first cellular coverage area associated with a first cellular identifier, utilizing the geographic coordinates of the first set of business objects;

identify a first business object of the second set of business objects that is located within the first cellular coverage area associated with the first cellular identifier, utilizing the geographic coordinates of the second set of the business objects, wherein the identification of the first business object is performed responsive to an assignment of more than a threshold number of cellular identifiers to business objects of the first set of business objects; and

associate the first business object with the first cellular identifier.

15. The system of claim 14, wherein the cellular identifier assignment module is to receive cellular identifiers associated with the first set of business objects from mobile devices connected through a cellular network to the business application server, and to associate the cellular identifiers with the first set of business objects.

16. The system of claim 14, wherein the geographic coordinates determination module is to:

provide address information for at least one of the plurality of business objects to a geographic coordinates service; and

receive geographic coordinates for the at least one of the plurality of business objects from the geographic coordinates service.

17. The system of claim 14, wherein the geographic coordinates are Global Positioning Service (GPS) coordinates.

18. The system of claim 14, wherein the cellular identification assignment module is to geometrically identify the geographic coordinates located within the first cellular coverage area.

19. The system of claim 18, wherein the cellular identification assignment module is to calculate a polygon, defining an included geographic area that is within the first cellular coverage area, utilizing the geographic coordinates of at least three business objects of the first set of business objects.

20. The system of claim 19, wherein the cellular identification assignment module is to compare geographic coordinates of the first business object to the included geographic area defined by the polygon, and to determine that the geographic coordinates of the first business object are located within the included geographic area defined by the polygon.

21. The system of claim 14, wherein the business application includes a business object localization module to:

receive a target cellular identifier in association with an information request from a mobile client application executing on a mobile device;

identify business objects of the plurality of business objects that are associated with the target cellular identifier; and

process the identified business objects for communication to the mobile client application.

22. A system comprising:

first means for determining geographic coordinates of a plurality of entities, the plurality of entities including a first set of entities that have each been associated with a respective context information item and a second set of entities that have each not been associated with a respective context information item;

second means, utilizing the geographic coordinates of the first set of entities, for identifying geographic coordinates located within a first geographic area associated with a first context information item; and

third means, utilizing the geographic coordinates of the second set of the entities, for identifying a first entity of the second set of entities that is located within the first geographic area associated with the first context information item, wherein the identification of the first entity is performed responsive to an assignment of more than a threshold number of context information items to entities of the first set of entities, and for associating the first entity with the first context information item.

23. A machine-readable medium having instructions, that when executed by a machine, cause the machine to perform a method including:

determining geographic coordinates of a plurality of entities, the plurality of entities including a first set of entities that have each been associated with a respective context information item and a second set of entities that have each not been associated with a respective context information item;

utilizing the geographic coordinates of the first set of entities, identifying geographic coordinates located within a first geographic area associated with a first context information item;

utilizing the geographic coordinates of the second set of the entities, identifying a first entity of the second set of entities that is located within the first geographic area associated with the first context information item, wherein the identification of the first entity is performed responsive to an assignment of more than a threshold number of context information items to entities of the first set of entities; and

associating the first entity with the first context information item.