Dynamic environment evaluation and service adjustment based on multiple user profiles including data classification and information sharing with authorized other users

• US 7,689,524 B2
• Filed: 09/28/2006
• Issued: 03/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Glasgow, Dane A., Cheng, Lili, MacLaurin, Matthew B., Meijer, Henricus Johannes Maria, Ozzie, Raymond E., Flake, Gary W., Bolosky, William J., Zaner-Godsey, Melora, Gates, William H. III, Larus, James R., Brumme, Christopher W., Blinn, Arnold N., Gounares, Alexander G., Glasser, Daniel S., Mital, Amit, Bergstraesser, Thomas F., Snyder, Ira L. Jr., Mishra, Debi P., Connolly, Michael, Thekkath, Chandramohan A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Vincent; David R
• Assistant Examiner(s): BUSS, BENJAMIN J
• Application Number:
  US11/536,488
• Publication Number:
  US 20080082464A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,279 Days
• Field of Search: 706/12, 706/45, 706/52, 709206-207
• US Class Current: 706/45
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 5/02 Knowledge representation; Symbolic representation
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/00 Administration; Management

Abstract

An intelligent personalized agent monitors, regulates, and advises a user in decision-making processes for efficiency or safety concerns. The agent monitors an environment and present characteristics of a user and analyzes such information in view of stored preferences specific to one of multiple profiles of the user. Based on the analysis, the agent can suggest or automatically implement a solution to a given issue or problem. In addition, the agent can identify another potential issue that requires attention and suggests or implements action accordingly. Furthermore, the agent can communicate with other users or devices by providing and acquiring information to assist in future decisions. All aspects of environment observation, decision assistance, and external communication can be flexibly limited or allowed as desired by the user.

Claims

1. A system that facilitates decision-making, comprising:

a memory;

one or more processors operatively coupled to the memory and disposed within one or more devices;

a monitoring component that collects and filters information from a user and a surrounding environment;

a decision-making component that receives the information and analyzes portions of the information based on user preferences stored in a user attribute store, the decision-making component generates a suggestion for implementing a decision to facilitate user decision making based on the analysis;

a classifier that utilizes the monitoring component, the decision-making component and the user attribute store to perform a plurality of functions, wherein the classifier is a support vector machine (SVM) that operates by finding a hypersurface in the space of possible inputs, the hypersurface splitting the information from the user attribute store into a plurality of triggering events and a plurality of non-triggering events to enable the automatic performing of the plurality of functions;

a mode selector that manages multiple personifications of the user when generating the suggestion, wherein the generated suggestion varies based on which of the multiple personifications the user selects; and

a broadcast device that provides information regarding the user to a plurality of other users and devices, wherein the broadcast device confirms authorization of the plurality of other users and devices before providing the information regarding the user and determines the type of authorization of the plurality of other users and devices based at least in part on current environment information, current user information and stored individual preferences of the plurality of other users.

2. The system of claim 1, the decision-making component determines a level of urgency addressed by the generated suggestion.

3. The system of claim 2, the decision-making component automatically implements the generated suggestion when the level of urgency is high.

4. The system of claim 1, the decision-making component comprises:

an environment processor that identifies an issue in need of the suggestion;

an analysis component that evaluates the relevant portions of the information in relation to user preferences; and

a decision generator that generates the suggestion in response to a user command.

5. The system of claim 4, the identified issue is inferred from the acquired information of the user and the surrounding environment.

6. The system of claim 1, the monitoring component is pluggable with external devices that acquire information from the surrounding environment.

7. The system of claim 1, the broadcast device interacts with the plurality of other users and devices when implementing the generated suggestion through at least one of a command from the user and an automatic action.

8. The system of claim 1, the broadcast device limits access to the system based on permissions provided by the user.

9. The system of claim 1, the broadcast device negotiates with the plurality of other users and devices on behalf of the user for permission to access the information.

10. The system of claim 1, the decision-making component avoids action or inaction that causes harm to the user.

11. The system of claim 1, the system is configurable, scriptable, and automatable at least in part by the user.