Method and apparatus for deriving optimal physical space and ambiance conditions

• US 7,840,567 B2
• Filed: 01/17/2006
• Issued: 11/23/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/17/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LinkedIn Corporation (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Kumhyr, David Bruce, Childress, Rhonda L., Spisak, Michael John
• Primary Examiner(s): Breene; John E
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ly; Anh
• Application Number:
  US11/333,517
• Publication Number:
  US 20070168347A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,771 Days
• Field of Search: 707/748, 707/784, 707/758, 705/5, 705/10, 705/12
• US Class Current: 707/748
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/02 Reservations, e.g. for tickets, services or events
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/043 Optimisation of two dimensional placement, e.g. cutting of clothes or wood
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/06 Resources, workflows, human or project management; Enterprise or organisation planning; Enterprise or organisation modelling
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 50/12 Hotels or restaurants

Abstract

A computer implemented method, data processing system, and a computer program product are provided for deriving optimal physical space and ambiance conditions for a user. A physical space analyzer comprising an information sensor and an optimal space analyzer detects a broadcast of characteristics of a set of nearby physical spaces. In turn, the physical space analyzer produces a ranking of the set of nearby physical spaces using the characteristics based on preferences of the user as expressed by the user'"'"'s profile. An ambiance optimizer is provided to refine the ranking of the set of nearby physical spaces based on dynamically input preferences of the user.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method for deriving optimal physical space and ambiance conditions for a user, the computer implemented method comprising:

detecting a transmitted broadcast of characteristics from a set of physical spaces within a selected distance from the user;

producing a ranking of the set of physical spaces using the characteristics based on preferences of the user as expressed by a user profile for the user; and

refining the ranking of the set of physical spaces based on dynamically input preferences of the user;

adjusting characteristics of the selected physical space based on collective preferences of the plurality of users within the selected physical space; and

executing a voting algorithm based on the collective preferences of the plurality of users to identify the respective optimal location options; and

sending the respective optimal location options to a plurality of devices.

2. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the detecting, producing, and refining steps are performed by a physical space analyzer within a device of the user.

3. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein the characteristics of the set of physical spaces include at least one of architectural characteristics, design characteristics, or current physical state of the set of physical spaces.

4. The computer implemented method of claim 1, wherein producing a ranking of the set of physical spaces includes the optimal physical space.

5. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a user location of the user, wherein the user location is used to filter and rank the set of physical spaces.

6. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

receiving an offer to modify one of the set of physical spaces if the user confirms a reservation.

7. The computer implemented method of claim 1, further comprising:

deriving respective optimal location options within a selected physical space for each of a plurality of users based on respective preferences of the plurality of users.

8. The computer implemented method of claim 7, wherein the detecting step is performed by a physical awareness aggregator of an ambiance optimizer, and wherein the detecting step further comprises:

detecting properties of attributes of the characteristics from at least one of an interface or a description of an interface provided by other components within the selected physical space.

9. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications system connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to detect a transmitted broadcast of characteristics from a set of physical spaces within a selected distance from the user;

produce a ranking of the set of physical spaces using the characteristics based on preferences of the user as expressed by a user profile for the user; and

refine the ranking of the set of physical spaces based on dynamically input preferences of the user;

wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to adjust characteristics of the selected physical space based on collective preferences of the plurality of users within the selected physical space; and

wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to execute a voting algorithm based on the collective preferences of the plurality of users to identify the respective optimal location options; and

send the respective optimal location options to a plurality of devices.

10. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to determine a user location of the user, wherein the user location is used to filter and rank the set of physical spaces.

11. The data processing system of claim 9, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to derive respective optimal location options within a selected physical space for each of a plurality of users based on respective preferences of the plurality of users.

12. A computer program product comprising:

a computer usable storage medium having computer usable program code stored thereon for deriving optimal physical space and ambiance conditions for a user, the computer program product comprising;

computer usable program code for detecting a transmitted broadcast of characteristics from a set of physical spaces within a selected distance from the user;

computer usable program code for producing a ranking of the set of physical spaces using the characteristics based on preferences of the user as expressed by a user profile for the user; and

computer usable program code for refining the ranking of the set of physical spaces based on dynamically input preferences of the user;

computer usable program code for adjusting characteristics of the selected physical space based on collective preferences of the plurality of users within the selected physical space; and

computer usable program code for executing a voting algorithm based on collective preferences of the plurality of users to identify the respective optimal location options; and

computer usable program code for sending the respective optimal location options to a plurality of devices.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

computer usable program code for determining a user location of the user, wherein the user location is used to filter and rank the set of physical spaces.

14. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

computer usable program code for deriving respective optimal location options within a selected physical space for each of a plurality of users based on respective preferences of the plurality of users.