Methods and system for providing context sensitive information

• US 7,620,621 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2001
• Issued: 11/17/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Dougherty, John James, Anger, Bernardo, Fuselier, Christopher Scott, Digate, Thomas A., Fisher, Joseph John, Carpenter, Richard Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu; Kuen S
• Application Number:
  US09/681,574
• Publication Number:
  US 20060184508A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,122 Days
• Field of Search: 707/10, 707/3
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99933 Query processing, i.e. searching

Abstract

A method and system are described for providing context sensitive data to a system user. The method includes the steps of identifying the user and querying databases to create a user context. Information is aggregated from the network databases and filtered using the user context. Providing the correct data needed by the user for that particular time, location and job function.

Claims

1. A method for providing context sensitive information comprising:

identifying a user associated with a business operation;

defining a query related to the business operation;

defining an alarm criteria for the query information;

periodically querying at least one database;

retrieving query information from the at least one database;

comparing the query information to the alarm criteria;

retrieving user information from the at least one database in response to the querying;

obtaining a location of the user within a facility, the location of the user related to the user'"'"'s duties within the business operation;

creating a context sensitive subset of the query information based on the user information and the location of the user within the facility, the query information related to the user'"'"'s duties within the business operation;

transmitting at least one of the context sensitive subset query information to the user; and

notifying the user if the alarm criteria is met.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the query definition includes data on a desired format of the information.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the query definition includes data on a desired format of the information.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the query definition includes information on a period of time between the queries.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of:

defining an alarm criteria for the query information;

periodically querying the at least one database;

comparing the query information to the alarm criteria; and

,

notifying the user if the alarm criteria is met.

6. A system for providing context sensitive information to a user, said system comprising:

a server;

at least one database connected to said server;

a query means for executing a predefined query on said at least one database, said query means creating a set of data that is related to a business operation, said query means configured to periodically query said at least one database;

a means for a user to request said set of data from said server, the user associated with the business operation;

an application program on said server, said application program determining the identity of the user, obtaining a location of the user within a facility, and creating a context sensitive subset of said set of data based on the users identity and the location of the user within the facility, the location of the user and said context sensitive subset of said set of data related to the user'"'"'s duties within the business operation, said application program configured to retrieve query information from said at least one database; and

a means for transmitting one or more of said context sensitive subset of said set of data and a notification if predetermined alarm criteria is met to the user.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said application program creates said context sensitive data subset from a set of rules predefined by the user.

8. The system of claim 6 further comprising at least one node accessible by the user and remote from said server.

9. The system of claim 8 wherein said at least one node is a computer.

10. The system of claim 8 wherein said at least one node is a personal digital assistant.

11. The system of claim 8 wherein said at least one node is a portable communications device.

12. The system of claim 8 wherein said transmission means is a computer network.

13. The system of claim 8 wherein said transmission means is a cellular network.

14. The system of claim 8 wherein said transmission means is via a radio system.

15. The system of claim 8 further comprising:

a network, said server located on said network; and

a plurality of databases on said network, said query means accessing said plurality of databases to retrieve said set of data.

16. The system of claim 15 wherein said application program queries at least one database to determine the identified user'"'"'s predefined preferences, said application program creating said context sensitive subset of said set of data in response to said predefined preferences.

17. The system of claim 16 wherein said application program queries at least one database to determine the identified user'"'"'s schedule, said application program creating said context sensitive subset of said set of data in response to the identified user'"'"'s schedule.

18. The system of claim 17 wherein said application program queries at least one database to determine the identified user'"'"'s personnel information, said application program creating said context sensitive subset of said set of data in response to the identified user'"'"'s personnel information.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein said personnel information includes the identified user'"'"'s job assignment.

20. A storage medium encoded with machine readable program code for providing context sensitive information to a user, said program code including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method comprising:

identifying a user associated with a business operation;

defining a query related to the business operation;

defining an alarm criteria for the query;

transmitting said query and said user identity to a server;

periodically querying at least one database;

retrieving query information from said at least one database;

retrieving user information from said at least one database;

obtaining a location of the user within a facility, the location of the user related to the user'"'"'s duties within the business operation;

creating a subset of said query information based on said user information and the location of the user within the facility, said query information related to the user'"'"'s duties within the business operation;

formatting said subset query information; and

,

transmitting one or more of said formatted subset query information and a notification that an alarm criteria is met to the user.

21. The storage medium of claim 20 wherein said query definition includes data on a desired format of the information.

22. The storage medium of claim 20 wherein said query definition includes data on a desired format of the information.

23. The storage medium of claim 20 wherein said query definition includes information on a period of time between said queries.

24. The storage medium of claim 20 wherein said program code including instructions for causing a computer to implement a method further comprises:

comparing said query information to said alarm criteria; and

,

notifying said user if said alarm criteria is met based on the comparison.

25. A method of encoding a data signal that is propagated over a propagation medium, the data signal being context sensitive to a particular user, said method comprising:

identifying a user associated with a business operation;

defining a query related to the business operation;

defining an alarm criteria for said query;

transmitting said query and said user identity to a server;

periodically querying at least one database;

retrieving, at least periodically, query information from said at least one database;

retrieving user information from said at least one database;

obtaining a location of the user within a facility, the location of the user related to the user'"'"'s duties within the business operation;

encoding the data signal with a context sensitive subset of said query information that is based on said user information and the location of the user within the facility, the query information related to the user'"'"'s duties within the business operation; and

determining if an alarm criteria is met.