Environment-interactive context-aware devices and methods

• US 8,117,547 B2
• Filed: 11/25/2008
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Parupudi, Gopal, Evans, Stephen S., Reus, Edward F.
• Primary Examiner(s): Pillai, Namitha
• Application Number:
  US12/323,135
• Publication Number:
  US 20090094527A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,176 Days
• Field of Search: 715/703
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries

Abstract

Location-aware methods and systems are described. In one embodiment, a portable computing device determines its location by accessing one or more hierarchical tree structures each of which comprising multiple nodes that represent physical or logical locations, and traversing at least one node on the one or more hierarchical tree structures to ascertain the location. The device then acquires digital data associated with the determined location and that can permit the device to interact with a location environment. The device then enables interaction with the location environment based, at least in part, on the acquired digital data.

Claims

1. A computer-program product comprising one or more computer-usable media having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code configured to be executed to implement a method for facilitating operation of a portable computing device, said method comprising:

determining a location of the portable computing device, wherein the determining comprises;

receiving location information from a location provider, the location information pertaining to a current location of the portable computing device;

accessing one or more hierarchical tree structures each of which comprising multiple nodes that represent physical or logical locations, each node having a unique identifier; and

traversing at least one node on the one or more hierarchical tree structures responsive to the receiving of the location information to ascertain a device location;

wherein the multiple hierarchical tree structures further comprise;

a first hierarchical tree structure having multiple nodes associated with first locations, the first hierarchical tree structure having a uniform standardized representation;

a second hierarchical tree structure having multiple nodes associated with second locations,

wherein the second hierarchical tree structure has a proprietary representation,

each node has a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), and

at least one node from the second hierarchical tree structure is linked with one node on the first hierarchical tree structure by a link that is configured to enable a complete location to be derived from the first and second locations;

acquiring digital data associated with the determined location and that can permit the portable computing device to interact with an application associated with a location environment; and

interacting with the application that queries the portable computing device about the current location by supplying the application with information that pertains to the determined location.

2. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, wherein said accessing comprises locally accessing said one or more hierarchical tree structures.

3. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, wherein said accessing comprises accessing said one or more hierarchical tree structures from a source that is remote from the device.

4. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, wherein said accessing comprises wirelessly accessing said one or more hierarchical tree structures.

5. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises receiving location information from multiple different location providers and, based on the location information, determining the location.

6. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, wherein said determining comprises wirelessly receiving location information from multiple different location providers and, based on the location information, performing said acts of accessing and traversing.

7. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital data comprises data that is used to render a Web page.

8. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital data comprises code download pointers that reference software code that can be wirelessly downloaded on the device.

9. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, wherein the digital data comprises one or more applets that can be executed on the device.

10. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, wherein said acquiring comprises wirelessly acquiring the digital data via the Internet.

11. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, further comprising computer-readable program code configured to be executed to implement the method further comprising generating a service query that is configured to identify services that are associated with the location.

12. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, further comprising computer-readable program code configured to be executed to implement the method further comprising sending a service query that is configured to identify services that are associated with the location.

13. A computer-program product as recited in claim 1, further comprising computer-readable program code configured to be executed to implement the method further comprising:

receiving a response to a service query configured to identify services that are associated with the location, the response containing digital data associated with applets that can be executed by the device and that provide a location-specific service; and

executing the one or more applets to interact with the location specific service.

14. A portable handheld computing device comprising:

one or more processors;

a memory;

a location service module stored in the memory and having processor-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, receive location information from a location provider, the location information pertaining to a current location of the portable handheld computing device, the location service module being further configured to;

receive location information from a location provider, the location information pertaining to a current location of the portable computing device;

access one or more hierarchical tree structures each of which comprising multiple nodes that represent physical or logical locations, each node having a unique identifier; and

traverse at least one node on the one or more hierarchical tree structures responsive to the receiving of the location information to ascertain a device location;

wherein the multiple hierarchical tree structures further comprise;

a first hierarchical tree structure having multiple nodes associated with first locations, the first hierarchical tree structure having a uniform standardized representation;

a second hierarchical tree structure having multiple nodes associated with second locations, wherein the second hierarchical tree structure has a proprietary representation,

each node has a URL (Uniform Resource Locator), and

at least one node from the second hierarchical tree structure is linked with one node on the first hierarchical tree structure by a link that is configured to enable a complete location to be derived from the first and second locations.

15. A portable handheld computing device as recited in claim 14, wherein the location service module being further configured to access the one or more hierarchical tree structures comprises at least one of:

being configured to locally access the one or more hierarchical tree structures;

being configured to locally access the one or more hierarchical tree structures from a source that is remote from the device;

or

being configured to wirelessly access the one or more hierarchical tree structures.

16. A portable handheld computing device as recited in claim 14, wherein the location service module being further configured to determine comprises at least one of:

being configured to receive location information from multiple different location providers and, based on the location information, determine the location;

or

being configured to wirelessly receive location information from multiple different location providers and, based on the location information, the portable handheld computing device being configured to perform the access and the traverse.

17. A portable handheld computing device as recited in claim 14, wherein the digital data comprises at least one of:

data that is used to render a Web page;

code download pointers that reference software code that can be wirelessly downloaded on the device;

or

one or more applets that can be executed on the device.

18. A portable handheld computing device as recited in claim 14, further comprising the location service module being further configured to at least one of:

acquire digital data associated with the determined location and that can permit the portable computing device to interact with an application associated with a location environment;

or

interact with the application that queries the portable computing device about the current location by supplying the application with information that pertains to the determined location.

19. A portable handheld computing device as recited in claim 14, further comprising the location service module being further configured to:

acquire digital data associated with the determined location;

permit the portable computing device to interact with an application associated with a location environment; and

interact with the application that queries the portable computing device about the current location by supplying the application with information that pertains to the determined location.

20. A portable handheld computing device as recited in claim 14, further comprising the location service module being further configured to:

generate a service query that is configured to identify services that are associated with the location;

send the service query that is configured to identify services that are associated with the location;

receive a response to the service query, wherein when the response contains digital data associated with applets that can be executed by the device and that provide a location-specific service, the portable handheld computing device executes the one or more applets to interact with the location specific service.