Management of data received by a mobile user or mobile users

• US 20090012936A1
• Filed: 07/06/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Edinburgh
• Original Assignee: University of Edinburgh
• Inventors: Leidner, Jochen Lothar
• Application Number:
  US11/825,342
• Publication Number:
  US 20090012936A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/29 Geographical information databases

Abstract

An apparatus including: a memory storing a map having a plurality of access points at different respective locations on the map and storing metadata for each of the access points that includes data received by a user at the respective location of the access point; a communications port for receiving data relating to a user that indicates a location of the user and data received by the user at that location; and a processor configured to generate a new access point on the stored map at a location when the user, at the location, has received data and the location does not have an existing access point and configured to generate metadata for an access point for a location using the data received by the user at that location.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a memory storing a map comprising a plurality of access points at different respective locations on the map and storing metadata for each of the access points that includes data received by a user at the respective location of the access point;

a communications port for receiving data relating to a user that indicates a location of the user and data received by the user at that location; and

a processor configured to generate a new access point on the stored map at a location when the user, at the location, has received data and the location does not have an existing access point and configured to generate metadata for an access point for a location using the data received by the user at that location.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate a new access point on the map when the user, at a location, receives an answer in response to a user generated query and the location does not have an existing access point

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to generate a new access point on the map only when the user, at a location, receives an answer in response to a user generated query and the location does not have an existing access point

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to determine that a location has an existing access point when the location lies within a threshold distance of the location of an existing access point.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the threshold distance is variable.

6. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the processor is configured to reuse an existing access point on the map when the user, at a location, receives data and the location has an existing access point, wherein the processor is configured to reuse an existing access point by generating metadata for the existing access point using the data received by the user.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the map is a user personal map that comprises metadata for each of the access points that includes only data provided to a single user.

8. A method of manufacturing a knowledge map comprising:

maintaining a map comprising a plurality of access points at different respective locations;

generating a new access point on the map at a location when the user, at the location, receives data and the location does not have an existing access point; and

associating with an access point for a location at least a portion of the data received by the user at that location.

9. A method as claimed in claim 8, comprising:

generating a new access point on the map when the user, at a location, receives an answer in response to a user generated query and the location does not have an existing access point

10. A method as claimed in claim 8, comprising:

generating a new access point on the map only when the user, at a location, receives an answer in response to a user generated query and the location does not have an existing access point

11. A method as claimed in claim 8, comprising:

determining that a location has an existing access point when the location lies within a threshold distance of the location of an existing access point.

12. A method as claimed in claim 11, wherein the threshold is variable.

13. A method as claimed in claim 8, comprising:

re-using an existing access point on the map when the user, at a location, receives data and the location has an existing access point, wherein the access point is re-used by associating with the existing access point at least a portion of the data received by the user.

14. A storage device embodying a knowledge map comprising:

a map comprising a plurality of access points at different respective locations; and

metadata for each of the access points that includes data received by a user at location of the access point.

15. A method comprising:

receiving a query from a user when the user is at a location;

providing data to the user in response to the query;

automatically creating an association between at least the location of the user and the provided data; and

using the association to enable access to the provided data at a later time.

16. A method as claimed in claim 15, wherein access is via a map comprising a plurality of access points at different respective locations on the map and metadata for each of the access points that includes data provided to a user at the respective location of the access point.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein a new access point is generated automatically on the map at a location when a user, at the location, is provided with data and the location does not have an existing access point.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, wherein metadata for an access point at a location is generated automatically using the data provided to the user at that location.

19. A method as claimed in claim 16, comprising reusing an existing access point on the map when a user, at a location, is provided with data and the location has an existing access point by generating metadata for the existing access point using the data provided to the user.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, further comprising:

determining that a location has an existing access point when the location lies within a threshold distance of the location of an existing access point.

21. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the map is a user personal map that comprises metadata for each of the access points that includes only data provided to a single user.

22. A method as claimed in claim 16, wherein the map is a shared map that comprises metadata that includes data provided to a multiple users.

23. A method as claimed in claim 22, wherein the shared map enables communication with other users.

24. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising automatically downloading to a user data associated with a location when the user is at that location.

25. A method as claimed in claim 16, comprising automatically downloading to a user'"'"'s mobile communication device metadata for an access point when the user is located at the access point.

26. A method as claimed in claim 16, comprising automatically updating which portion of the map is displayed to a user to include a current location of the user.

27. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising the automatic sharing of data associated with a first location with another mobile user when a location of the another mobile user corresponds with the first location.

28. A method as claimed in claim 15, comprising the automatic sharing of data for a mobile user with other users, taking into account the user profile associated with the user.

29. An apparatus comprising:

an input for receiving a query from a user when the user is at a location;

an output for providing data to the user in response to the query;

a processor configured to automatically create an association between at least the location of the user and the provided data and configured to use the association to enable access to the provided data at a later time.

30. A storage device embodying computer program instructions which, when loaded into a processor, enables the processor to

automatically create an association between a location of a user and data provided to the user at that location;

and

use the association to enable access to the provided data at a later time.