Method and system for prioritizing tasks made available by devices in a network

• US 8,510,737 B2
• Filed: 08/09/2005
• Issued: 08/13/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kunjithapatham, Anugeetha, Sheshagiri, Mithun, Messer, Alan
• Primary Examiner(s): Puente, Emerson
• Assistant Examiner(s): SWIFT, CHARLES M
• Application Number:
  US11/200,547
• Publication Number:
  US 20060156307A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,926 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 718/100
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/4843 by program, e.g. task dispatcher, supervisor, operating system
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2803 Home automation networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/281 indicating a format for calling an appliance service function in a home automation network for remote control or remote monitoring of applications H04L67/025
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 12/2814 Exchanging control software or macros for controlling appliance services in a home automation network arrangements for maintenance or administration involving configuration of the network and network elements H04L41/08

Abstract

A method and system that facilitates prioritization of tasks available through the devices in a home network. The tasks are user level descriptions of the high-level actions a user and underlying devices can perform. By prioritizing tasks for a user, the present invention aims to minimize the effort required to compare and comprehend the usefulness and feasibility of tasks. In doing so, the number of tasks possible to a user can be reduced and the highest priority task for a given user and device can be used by the application software as the suggested ‘most likely’ task for the user.

Claims

1. A method of prioritizing tasks in a network of devices, comprising:

obtaining task combinations, wherein each task combination identifies a set of devices that can perform tasks for a specific task combination together; and

employing a processor for;

generating a proximity ranking for each task combination based on proximity between devices of said task combination;

determining a degree of user relevance for each specific task combination based on user context and device context;

determining a device score for each device based on attributes of said device;

prioritizing the task combinations based on at least one proximity ranking, at least one degree of user relevance, and at least one device score; and

presenting the prioritized task combinations as suggestions via a client user interface.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes prioritizing the task combinations based on user context.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes prioritizing the task combinations based on context of the devices needed for performing the task combinations.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes prioritizing the task combinations based on attributes of the devices in the network.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes prioritizing the task combinations based on context of a client user interface including a location of the client user interface.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes prioritizing the task combinations based on a user device for browsing and/or selecting task combinations.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes prioritizing the task combinations based on a location and/or type of devices used for performing task combinations.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes prioritizing the task combinations based on attributes of the devices that are needed to execute the task combinations.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes assigning a score for each task combination based on an inferred degree of user relevance.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes assigning a score for each task combination based on an inferred degree of user relevance, and presenting the device combinations to a client user interface based on the scores, as available tasks.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein each task combination represents a set of user tasks based on one or more device function descriptions and task descriptions.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein obtaining device combinations further includes:

obtaining device function descriptions, wherein each device function description describes a function that a device can perform;

obtaining task descriptions, wherein each task description describes the device functionality a certain task requires; and

generating task combinations based on the obtained task descriptions and device function descriptions.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

discovering the devices in the network; and

obtaining device function descriptions that describe functions that a device can perform.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein device location is provided by each device.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritizing the task combinations includes prioritizing the task combinations based on location of content in the network, and the location information is provided by each content in the network.

16. The method of claim 15, further comprising:

correlating location of content with user location, wherein prioritizing the task combinations is based on correlations of content location and user location.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity rankings of task combinations are based on the proximity of the set of devices with respect to a client device.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity rankings of task combinations including ranking a plurality of devices in a same room location higher than task combinations including devices in different room locations.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein prioritization of task combinations are user dependent.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein prioritization of task combinations are based on user device access limitations.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the proximity ranks of task combination include ranking a set of devices that is in the same room as the client device higher than other task combinations having at least some devices located in different room locations.

22. A controller for prioritizing tasks in a network of devices extending over a plurality of rooms on at least one floor of a building, comprising:

a processor coupled with;

a task generation module configured to generate task combinations, wherein each task combination identifies a set of devices that can perform tasks for a specific task combination together; and

a prioritizing module configured to;

generate a proximity ranking for each task combination based on proximity between devices of said task combination;

determine a degree of user relevance for each specific task combination based on user context and device context;

determine a device score for each device based on attributes of said device; and

prioritize the task combinations based on at least one proximity ranking, at least one degree of user relevance, and at least one device score.

23. The controller of claim 22, wherein the prioritizing module prioritizes the task combinations based on user context.

24. The controller of claim 22, wherein the prioritizing module prioritizes the task combinations based on context of the devices needed for performing the task combinations.

25. The controller of claim 22, wherein the prioritizing module prioritizes the task combinations based on attributes of the devices in the network.

26. The controller of claim 25, wherein the prioritizing module prioritizes the task combinations based on context of a client user interface including a location of the client user interface.

27. The controller of claim 22, wherein the prioritizing module prioritizes the task combinations based on a user device for browsing and/or selecting task combinations.

28. The controller of claim 22, wherein the prioritizing module prioritizes the task combinations based on a location and/or type of devices used for performing task combination.

29. The controller of claim 22, wherein the prioritizing module prioritizes the task combinations based on attributes of the devices that are needed to execute the task combinations.

30. The controller of claim 22, wherein the prioritizing module prioritizes the task combinations based on an inferred degree of user relevance.

31. The controller of claim 22, wherein the prioritizing module prioritizes the task combinations based on an inferred degree of user relevance, and presenting the device combinations to a client user interface based on the scores, as available tasks.

32. The controller of claim 22, wherein each task combination represents a set of user tasks based on one or more device function descriptions and task descriptions.

33. The controller of claim 32 wherein the task generation obtains device combinations by:

obtaining device function descriptions, wherein each device function description describes a function that a device can perform;

obtaining task descriptions, wherein each task description describes the device functionality a certain task requires; and

generating task combinations based on the obtained task descriptions and device function descriptions.

34. The controller of claim 22 further comprising an application module for presenting the prioritized task combinations to a client user interface.

35. The controller of claim 22, wherein the proximity ranking of task combinations are based on the proximity of the set of devices with respect to a client device.

36. The controller of claim 22, wherein the proximity ranking of task combination includes ranking a set of devices that is in the same room as the client device higher than other task combinations having at least some devices located in different room locations.

37. A network extending over a plurality of rooms on at least one floor of a building, comprising:

a plurality of devices interconnected via a communication link;

a controller for prioritizing tasks in the network, the controller comprising;

a task generation module configured to generate task combinations, wherein each task combination identifies a set of devices that can perform tasks for a specific task combination together; and

a prioritizing module configured to;

generate a proximity ranking for each task combination based on proximity between devices of said task combination;

determine a degree of user relevance for each specific task combination based on user context and device context;

determine a device score for each device based on attributes of said device; and

prioritize the task combinations based on at least one proximity ranking, at least one degree of user relevance, and at least one device score.

38. The network of claim 37, wherein the proximity ranking of task combinations are based on the proximity of the set of devices with respect to a client device.