Local personal daemon

• US 9,473,944 B2
• Filed: 02/24/2014
• Issued: 10/18/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Cohen, Michael F, Burger, Douglas C., Roseway, Asta, Wilson, Andrew D., Aguera y Arcas, Blaise Hilary, Massey, Daniel Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Siddiqui, Kashif
• Application Number:
  US14/187,567
• Publication Number:
  US 20150245216A1
• Time in Patent Office: 967 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3013 where the computing system is an embedded system, i.e. a combination of hardware and software dedicated to perform a certain function in mobile devices, printers, automotive or aircraft systems testing or monitoring of control systems or parts thereof G05B23/02
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3024 where the computing system component is a central processing unit [CPU]
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3438 monitoring of user actions tracking the activity of the user H04L67/535
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3476 Data logging G06F11/14, G06F11/2205 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2201/86 Event-based monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/0255 based on user history
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/306 User profiles
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/535 Tracking the activity of the user network monitoring arrangements H04L43/00; recording of computer activity G06F11/34
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 12/02 Protecting privacy or anonymity, e.g. protecting personally identifiable information [PII]
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

Systems and methods of a personal daemon, executing as a background process on a mobile computing device, for providing personal assistant to an associated user is presented. While the personal daemon maintains personal information corresponding to the associated user, the personal daemon is configured to not share the personal information of the associated user with any other entity other than the associated user except under conditions of rules established by the associated user. The personal daemon monitors and analyzes the actions of the associated user to determine additional personal information of the associated user. Additionally, upon receiving one or more notices of events from a plurality of sensors associated with the mobile computing device, the personal daemon executes a personal assistance action on behalf of the associated user.

Claims

1. A mobile computing device configured to provide personal assistance to an associated user, the computing device comprising a processor and a memory, wherein the processor executes instructions to provide personal assistant to the associated user, the additional components comprising at least:

a personal daemon configured to;

operate in the background of the mobile computing device;

maintain a data store of personal information regarding the associated user;

monitor actions of the associated user made in conjunction with the mobile computing device;

analyze the actions of the associated user to determine additional personal information of the associated user and update the personal information regarding the associated user according to the determination;

receive notice of events from a plurality of sensors, each of the plurality of sensors being configured to sense one of more conditions; and

execute a personal assistance action on behalf of the associated user in response to a received notice of an event and according to the personal information regarding the associated user maintained by the personal daemon; and

an on{event} framework configured to;

monitor the plurality of sensors;

identify a set of subscribing processes of a sensed condition by one of the plurality of sensors; and

generate a notice of event to the subscribing processes upon the sensing of the sensed condition;

wherein the personal daemon is further configured to not share the personal information of the associated user with any other entity other than the associated user except under conditions of rules established by the associated user.

2. The computing device of claim 1,

wherein the personal daemon subscribes to a plurality of sensed conditions with the on{event} framework.

3. The computing device of claim 2, wherein at least some of the plurality of sensors are configured to detect conditions relating to aspects of the current context of the associated user.

4. The computing device of claim 3, wherein the on{event} framework is configured to monitor the plurality of sensors comprising both hardware and software sensors.

5. The computing device of claim 4, wherein the on{event} framework is configured to permit software apps or applications to publish to the framework as a software sensor.

6. The computing device of claim 2, wherein the personal daemon provides personal assistance to the associated user based on the current context of the associated user and according to the personal information of the associated user.

7. The computing device of claim 6, wherein the personal information of the associated user comprises rules for providing personal assistance according to the current context of the associated user.

8. The computing device of claim 7, wherein providing personal assistance to the associated user comprises executing one or more actions on the computing device for the benefit of the associated user.

9. The computing device of claim 7, wherein determining additional personal information of the associated user comprises inferring rules for providing assistance to the associated user according to the current context of the associated user.

10. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the personal daemon is configured to analyze the actions of the associated user to determine additional personal information of the associated user at periods of low processor use of the computing device by the associated user.

11. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the personal daemon is configured to provide the personal assistance to the associated user irrespective of network connectivity.

12. The computing device of claim 1, wherein the personal daemon is further configured to not share the personal information of the associated user with any other entity other than the associated user or with sibling personal daemons executing on other computing devices of the associated user, or except under the conditions of rules established by the associated user.

13. The computing device of claim 1, wherein providing personal assistance to the associated user comprises any of:

providing a recommendation to the associated user that the associated user take a particular action on the computing device;

confirming an inference of personal information from analysis of the associated user'"'"'s activities;

confirming authorization for the personal daemon to take an action on behalf of the associated user;

providing a notification to the associated user regarding one or more events sensed by one of the plurality of sensors;

providing alternatives to current user activities; and

executing a predetermined action on behalf of the user on the computing device.

14. The computing device of claim 13, wherein the predetermined action is determined according to an inference derived from analyzing the actions of the associated user to determined additional personal information of the associated user.

15. A computing device-implemented method for providing personal assistance to a user, the method comprising each of the following as implemented by a personal daemon process running in the background on a mobile computing device:

recording a user actions with regard to using the computing device;

analyzing the user actions and, based on the analysis, generating one or more personal assistance rules identifying one or more actions to be taken on behalf of the user in regard to receiving one or more corresponding subscribed events;

storing the generated one or more personal assistance rules in a set of personal assistance rules in a store of personal information of the user;

receiving a notice of a subscribed event relating to the user;

consulting the set of personal assistance rules in the store of personal information of the user to identify one or more actions to be taken on behalf of the user in regard to receiving the subscribed event;

executing, without user input, the identified actions on the computing device on behalf of the user.

16. The computing device-implemented method of claim 15, wherein generating the one or more persona assistance rules is based on an inference, and wherein the method further comprises presenting a confirmation dialog to the user to confirm the inference.

17. The computing device-implemented method of claim 16, wherein providing personal assistance to the associated user comprises any of:

providing a recommendation to the user that the user take a particular action on the mobile computing device;

confirming authorization for the personal daemon to take an action on behalf of the user; and

executing a predetermined action on behalf of the user on the mobile computing device.

18. A computer-readable medium bearing computer-executable instructions which, when executed on a mobile computing device having at least a processor and a memory, carry out method for providing personal assistance to a user, the method comprising:

recording a user actions with regard to using the computing device;

analyzing the user actions and, based on the analysis, generating one or more personal assistance rules identifying one or more actions to be taken on behalf of the user in regard to receiving one or more corresponding subscribed events;

storing the generated one or more personal assistance rules in a set of personal assistance rules in a store of personal information of the user;

receiving a notice of a subscribed event relating to the user;

consulting the set of personal assistance rules in the store of personal information of the user to identify one or more actions to be taken on behalf of the user in regard to receiving the subscribed event;

executing, without user input, the identified actions on the computing device on behalf of the user.