System and method to provide a centralized alerting and awareness system through the use of an ear piece or other user interface

• US 9,300,605 B2
• Filed: 04/15/2013
• Issued: 03/29/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Brillhart, David C., Dawson, Christopher J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, Kendzierski, Michael D., Seaman, James W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Edwards, Linglan
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECHTEL, KEVIN M
• Application Number:
  US13/863,050
• Publication Number:
  US 20130318179A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 705/7.15, 705 719- 721, 709/203, 709206-207
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9535 Search customisation based on user profiles and personalisation
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 51/00 User-to-user messaging in packet-switching networks, transmitted according to store-and-forward or real-time protocols, e.g. e-mail

Abstract

The personal information manager system comprises a centralized information manager (CIM) and a personal information manager (PIM) device. The centralized information manager is encoded on a server and is accessable by the PIM device through Internet protocols over a wireless medium. The PIM, to be carried by a user, is connected to the CIM by a wireless transmitter, receives context-sensitive, customized, prioritized, filtered, and aggregated information from the CIM, and can directly receive GPS data and other sources of local information.

Claims

1. A computer system for managing a message queue, the computer system comprising:

one or more computer processors, one or more computer-readable memories, a set of external sensor devices incorporated into the computer system and configured to communicate with the one or more computer processors, one or more computer-readable storage devices, and program instructions stored on at least one of the one or more storage devices that, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising;

receiving, from a user, a selection of a type of transmission medium, an originator that sends data to the user, a designation of an external factor, and a priority, wherein the external factor is at least one of the time of day, the user'"'"'s location, the weather, or a computerized calendar entry of the user;

creating and displaying a rule based upon the received user selections;

prompting the user to accept or reject the displayed rule;

receiving a message;

determining an applicable rule to apply to the message and assigning a priority and transmission time to the message;

storing the message in the message queue;

receiving external information that comprises a present time of day, a user'"'"'s geographical location, a description of weather conditions at the user'"'"'s geographical location, a traffic alert, an identification of whether a stock exchange is currently open, and a computerized calendar entry;

determining whether a new rule needs to be applied to messages in the message queue based upon the received present time of day, user'"'"'s geographical location, description of weather conditions at the user'"'"'s geographical location, traffic alert, identification of whether a stock exchange is currently open, and computerized calendar entry;

assigning a new priority and transmission time to the message if a change in the message queue position is required by applying the new rule;

processing the message in the message queue and other messages in the message queue in an order based on the relative positions of the respective messages in the message queue; and

alerting the user to the message via an in-ear device.

2. A method for managing a message queue, the method comprising:

receiving, from a user at a computerized system comprising one or more computer processors, one or more computer-readable memories, a set of external sensor devices configured to communicate with the one or more computer processors, and one or more computer-readable storage devices, a selection of a type of transmission medium, an originator that sends data to the user, a designation of an external factor, and a priority, wherein the external factor is at least one of the time of day, the user'"'"'s location, the weather, or a computerized calendar entry of the user;

creating and displaying, by the computerized system, a rule based upon the received user selections;

prompting, by the computerized system, the user to accept or reject the displayed rule;

receiving, by the computerized system, a message;

determining, by the computerized system, an applicable rule to apply to the message and assigning a priority and transmission time to the message;

storing, by the computerized system, the message in the message queue;

receiving external information that comprises a present time of day, a user'"'"'s geographical location, a description of weather conditions at the user'"'"'s geographical location, a traffic alert, an identification of whether a stock exchange is currently open, and a computerized calendar entry;

determining whether a new rule needs to be applied to messages in the message queue based upon the received present time of day, user'"'"'s geographical location, description of weather conditions at the user'"'"'s geographical location, traffic alert, identification of whether a stock exchange is currently open, and computerized calendar entry;

assigning a new priority and transmission time to the message if a chance in the message queue position is required by applying the new rule;

processing the message in the message queue and other messages in the message queue in an order based on the relative positions of the respective messages in the message queue; and

alerting the user to the message via an in-ear device.

3. A computer program product, comprising a computer-readable hardware storage device having a computer-readable program code stored therein, the program code configured to be executed by a computerized system comprising one or more computer processors, one or more computer-readable memories, and a set of external sensor devices configured to communicate with the one or more processors to implement a method for managing a message queue, wherein the program code, when executed by the one or more computer processors, cause the one or more computer processors to perform operations comprising:

receiving, from a user, a selection of a type of transmission medium, an originator that sends data to the user, a designation of an external factor, and a priority, wherein the external factor is at least one of the time of day, the user'"'"'s location, the weather, or a computerized calendar entry of the user;

creating and displaying a rule based upon the received user selections;

prompting the user to accept or reject the displayed rule;

receiving a message;

determining an applicable rule to apply to the message and assigning a priority and transmission time to the message;

storing the message in the message queue;

receiving external information that comprises a present time of day, a user'"'"'s geographical location, a description of weather conditions at the user'"'"'s geographical location, a traffic alert, an identification of whether a stock exchange is currently open, and a computerized calendar entry;

determining whether a new rule needs to be applied to messages in the message queue based upon the received present time of day, user'"'"'s geographical location, description of weather conditions at the user'"'"'s geographical location, traffic alert, identification of whether a stock exchange is currently open, and computerized calendar entry;

assigning a new priority and transmission time to the message if a change in the message queue position is required by applying the new rule;

processing the message in the message queue and other messages in the message queue in an order based on the relative positions of the respective messages in the message queue; and

alerting the user to the message via an in-ear device.