Individualized presence context publishing

• US 10,448,204 B2
• Filed: 03/28/2017
• Issued: 10/15/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Inventors: Maloney, Christopher Scott, Blanquicet, Francisco O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Shedrick, Charles T
• Application Number:
  US15/472,112
• Publication Number:
  US 20180288567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 4554563, 705 2
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/12 specially adapted for proprietary or special-purpose networking environments, e.g. medical networks, sensor networks, networks in vehicles or remote metering networks
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/125 involving control of end-device applications over a network
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/34 involving the movement of software or configuration parameters network booting or remote initial program loading [RIPL] G06F9/4416
• CPC Class Codes: H04L 67/52 specially adapted for the location of the user terminal
• 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: H04L 67/54 Presence management, e.g. monitoring or registration for receipt of user log-on information, or the connection status of the users
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/023 using mutual or relative location information between multiple location based services [LBS] targets or of distance thresholds
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/38 for collecting sensor information

Abstract

Techniques for providing status information for a user are described. Data indicative of a physical status of a user, device usage of the user, and contextual information are received. The data is analyzed and a probable status of the user relative to a predetermined location is determined. The probable status is determined in part as a function of availability of the data. The probable status is sent to a interface device for presentation of the probable status.

Claims

1. A method for providing status information, the method comprising:

receiving, by a computing device from one or more Internet of Things (IoT) devices, first data indicative of a physical status of a user;

receiving, by the computing device from the IoT devices, second data indicative of a contextual condition;

receiving, by the computing device, third data indicative of the user'"'"'s computing device usage activity;

analyzing, by the computing device, the received first, second, and third data;

based on the analyzing, determining a probable status of the user relative to a predetermined location, the probable status probabilistically determined at least in part based on presence and absence of the first, second, and third data and whether the user was absent in relation to the predetermined location for at least a predetermined period of time; and

activating or deactivating at least one function based on the probable status, the at least one function comprising at least one of reducing system resource consumption, reducing power consumption, entering a sleeping mode, entering a low power mode, or activating a predetermined automated response to received messages, wherein the at least one function is associated with one or more of the IoT devices.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the first data is received from one or more sensors.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the sensors comprise luminosity sensors and proximity sensors.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the second data comprises data indicative of a status of a control device, input device, an output device, or a combination.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the control device, input device, or an output device comprises a lighting control, a microphone, a thermostat control, or an entertainment device.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the probable status is further based at least in part on one or more rules, one or more user preferences, or a combination.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the probable status comprises one of a present state, absent state, or an unknown state.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more rules a rule determines that a predetermined function should be enabled based on the probable status.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more rules determines that a predetermined function should be enabled based on the probable status and an associated probability of the probable status.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the third data is indicative of the user'"'"'s use of a computing device.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the third data is indicative of an active connection to a specified network.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising sending a notification to an interface device, the notification indicative of the probable status.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising deactivating at least one function based on a change to the probable status.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more user preferences comprises a time of day when the probable status is to be determined.

15. The method of claim 6, wherein the one or more user preferences comprises a location where the probable status is to be determined.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the probable status is determined based on a rule-based inference function that receives as input the first, second, and third data.

17. A system comprising one or more processors that are configured to execute one or more executable instructions that cause the system to perform operations comprising:

receiving sensor data associated with a predetermined location;

receiving data indicative of a user'"'"'s device usage;

receiving data indicative of a context associated with the user;

analyzing the received sensor data, data indicative of the user'"'"'s device usage, and data indicative of the context associated with the user;

based on the analyzing, probabilistically determining a probable status of the user relative to the predetermined location, the presence status determined based at least in part on whether the user was absent from the predetermined location for at least a predetermined period of time; and

activating or deactivating at least one function based on the probable status, the at least one function comprising at least one of reducing system resource consumption, reducing power consumption, entering a sleeping mode, entering a low power mode, or activating a predetermined automated response to received messages, wherein the at least one function is associated with one or more devices of an IoT network.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the one or more processors are configured to execute one or more executable instructions that cause the system to perform operations comprising activating at least function based on a change to the presence status.

19. The system of claim 17, wherein the presence status is based at least in part on a determined distance from the predetermined location.

20. A computing device comprising at least one memory having stored therein computer instructions that, upon execution by one or more processors of the computing device, at least cause the computing device to:

analyze data received from one or more data sources comprising IoT devices, the data indicative of a user'"'"'s physical presence, status of a device, device usage associated with the user, or a combination;

based on the analyzing, determine a proximity or absence of the user relative to a predetermined location for at least a predetermined period of time;

determine a user status based at least in part on the determined proximity or absence and one or more criteria; and

enable or disable at least one function based on the user status, the at least one function comprising at least one of reducing system resource consumption, reducing power consumption, entering a sleeping mode, entering a low power mode, or activating a predetermined automated response to received messages, wherein the at least one function is associated with one or more of the IoT devices.