Method and system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user's condition

• US 20060053377A1
• Filed: 02/28/2005
• Published: 03/09/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tangis Corporation
• Inventors: Newell, Dan, Abbott, Kenneth H. III
• Granted Patent: US 7,512,889 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/744
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/606 by securing the transmission between two devices or processes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/6245 Protecting personal data, e.g. for financial or medical purposes
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/032 Protect output to user by software means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 2221/2149 Restricted operating environment
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/011 Arrangements for interaction with the human body, e.g. for user immersion in virtual reality blind teaching G09B21/00
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/016 Input arrangements with force or tactile feedback as computer generated output to the user

Abstract

A system for controlling presentation of information to a user based on the user'"'"'s current condition. In particular, the system monitors the user and the user'"'"'s environment, and creates and maintains an updated model of the current condition of the user. The user condition can include a variety of condition variables, including abstract concepts such as the user'"'"'s current cognitive load, desired level of privacy for output information, and desired scope of audience for output information. Upon receiving output information to be presented to the user (e.g., from an application program), the system determines an appropriate output device and an appropriate format with which to present the information to the user, and then presents the output information. The system can also receive description information about the output information that describes relevant factors for determining when and how to present the output information (e.g., the importance and urgency of the output information, the consequences of the user not receiving or ignoring the output information, etc.). Some versions of the system execute on a wearable computer having a variety of available output display devices.

Claims

1-15. -15. (canceled)

16. A computer-implemented method for presenting output information to a user, the method comprising:

receiving information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user;

selecting an output device capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user property; and

presenting the output information on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled user property.

17. The method of claim 16 wherein the received information includes information related to a current condition of the user, and including modeling the user property based on the received information.

18. The method of claim 17 including monitoring the user to collect the received information.

19. The method of claim 16 wherein the received information includes information related to a surrounding environment, and including modeling the user property based on the received information.

20. The method of claim 19 including monitoring the surrounding environment to collect the received information.

22. The method of claim 16 including before the presenting of the output information, receiving the output information.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein an information provider transmits information to various computers within a transmission range of the information provider, wherein the method is performed by a transportable computer transported by the user, wherein the user transports the transportable computer within the transmission range, and wherein the received output information is the transmitted information.

30. The method of claim 16 wherein the modeled user property is an indication of ability of the user to devote attention to the presenting of the output information.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein the ability of the user to devote attention is influenced by information being received by the user via one user sense, and wherein the presenting of the output information is selected to be via a distinct user sense.

32. The method of claim 30 including deferring the presenting of the output information when the ability of the user to devote attention is low.

33. The method of claim 30 wherein the indication of the ability of the user to devote attention is an estimate of an amount of attention devoted by the user to other current activities.

34. The method of claim 16 wherein the modeled user property is a preference of the user for an amount of people to perceive presented information.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein the selected output device includes a range of information presentation capabilities, wherein others can perceive information presented using some of the information presentation capabilities, and including selecting those information presentation capabilities to be used for the presenting when the modeled user property indicates that the others are within the amount of people to perceive the output information.

36. The method of claim 34 wherein the selected output device includes a range of information presentation capabilities, wherein others nearby cannot perceive information presented using some of the information presentation capabilities, and including selecting those information presentation capabilities to be used for the presenting when the modeled user property indicates that the others exceed the amount of people to perceive the output information.

37. The method of claim 16 wherein the modeled user property is a preference of the user for how to receive sensitive information.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the selected output device includes a range of information presentation capabilities, wherein others can perceive information presented using some of the information presentation capabilities, and including selecting those information presentation capabilities to be used for the presenting when the modeled user property indicates that sensitivity of the output information allows the others to perceive the output information.

39. The method of claim 37 wherein the selected output device includes a range of information presentation capabilities, wherein others nearby cannot perceive information presented using some of the information presentation capabilities, and including selecting those information presentation capabilities to be used for the presenting when the output information is sufficiently sensitive that the modeled user property indicates that the others are not allowed to perceive the output information.

47. The method of claim 16 wherein a plurality of output devices are available to present information via distinct senses of the user, and wherein the selecting of the output device includes determining a user sense which is capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user property.

21. (canceled)

24-29. -29. (canceled)

40-46. -46. (canceled)

48-83. -83. (canceled)

84. A computer-readable medium containing instructions for presenting output information to a user by:

receiving information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output information to the user;

selecting an output device capable of presenting the output information in accordance with the modeled user property; and

presenting the output information on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled user property.

85-88. -88. (canceled)

89. A computer system for presenting output to a user, comprising:

an output device selector module that receives information about a modeled property of the user which affects appropriateness of presenting output to the user, that selects an output device capable of presenting the output in accordance with the modeled property, and that presents the output on the selected output device in accordance with the modeled property.

90-101. -101. (canceled)