GENERATING AND SUPPLYING USER CONTEXT DATA

• US 20090150535A1
• Filed: 12/08/2008
• Published: 06/11/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Robarts, James O., Newell, Dan, Abbott, Kenneth H., Freedman, Joshua M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,346,724 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/223
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 1/163 Wearable computers, e.g. on a belt
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/40 of multimedia data, e.g. slideshows comprising image and additional audio data retrieval of still image data G06F16/50; retrieval of audio data G06F16/60; retrieval of video data G06F16/70
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 21/00 Security arrangements for protecting computers, components thereof, programs or data against unauthorised activity
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/042 by opto-electronic means
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06N 20/00 Machine learning

Abstract

Techniques are described for providing information about a context that is modeled with multiple context attributes. In some situations, at least some of the context attributes have values used by modules for generating values of other context attributes, and the providing includes determining that a first module is generating a first value of a first of the context attributes of the modeled context and determining that a circular reference exists when it is determined that a module is to generate another value of the first context attribute such that the generating of the another value is caused by the generating of the first value of the first context attribute.

Claims

1-20. -20. (canceled)

21. A method, comprising:

employing a processor to carry out the following acts;

receiving an attribute value, wherein the attribute value is measured via a sensor or derived from one or more values received from one or more sensors;

processing the received attribute value;

identifying attribute value requests related to the received attribute value that meet predetermined criteria which cause the received attribute value to be pushed to one or more clients;

when one or more requests are identified and multiple instances of the attribute values are available, mediating the available multiple instances of the attribute values; and

pushing one of the received attribute value or a mediated value.

22. The method of claim 21, further comprising:

receiving an attribute value request, wherein the request specifies one or more criteria for the value;

identifying one or more attribute instances that match the one or more criteria;

pulling current values for the identified one or more attribute instances from a source of attribute values;

determining if an attribute value is received, and processing the attribute value when received;

determining whether multiple attribute values are available for the attribute instances that match the one or more criteria, and mediating the multiple values when available; and

delivering a mediated attribute value and additional information associated therewith.

23. The method of claim 22, further comprising delivering previously received and stored attribute values that match the one or more criteria.

24. The method of claim 22, wherein pulling current values for the identified one or more attribute instances from a source of attribute values includes:

requesting an attribute value form the source of attributes values when a unique request identification (ID) for the attribute value request is received; and

receiving at least one of an attribute value or an error message in response to the requesting an attribute value.

25. The method of claim 24, generating a unique request ID for the attribute value request when a request ID is not received with the attribute value request.

26. The method of claim 25, wherein the unique request ID facilitates detection of circular references during one or more attribute value requests.

27. The method of claim 21, processing the received attribute value further comprising:

determining whether the attribute for which the attribute value is received is registered, and conveying an error message when the attribute is not registered;

storing the received attribute value when it is determined that attribute values are retained; and

when it is determined that received attribute values are not retained, processing predetermined conditions related to the received value.

28. The method of claim 27, wherein the storing includes one of temporarily caching or retaining in a long-term manner the received attribute value.

29. The method of claim 28, wherein processing predetermined conditions related to the received value include:

selecting a condition;

sending a message to an entity associated with the condition to indicate the condition is satisfied; and

determining if the condition is to be removed or deactivated.

30. The method of claim 28, when additional information is received with the attribute value, further comprising processing the additional information.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein the additional information includes at least one of uncertainty or accuracy information, a timestamp of when the value was created or supplied or was most accurate, an indication that the value is a constant, indications of restrictions on whether the availability of the attribute instance or of the particular value is available to a specific client, data type, units, a format version, a name, or generic attribute property supplied by a client.

32. The method of claim 31, wherein the additional information further includes at least one of history information, an indication of the supplier of the attribute, an indications of equivalent attributes, indications of clients that have registered for the attribute or consumed values for the attribute, descriptions of clients in order to track statistics, information to be used to evaluate characterization module efficiency or to facilitate process optimization, an indication of a verification of accuracy, a consumer rating or reputation based on input from a set of clients, a cost to use the value, future availability of the attribute value, or a version of the attribute.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein processing the additional information includes:

when a time stamp is received, associating a time stamp to the attribute value;

when accuracy information is received, associating the accuracy information to the attribute value;

when accuracy decay information is received, associated the accuracy decay information to the attribute value;

when a constant attribute value is received, conveying that the received attribute value is a constant; and

when information associated with clients that are to have access to the received attribute value, associating the information with the received attribute value to restrict access thereof to the intended clients.

34. The method of claim 21, wherein pushing one of the received attribute value or a mediated value includes:

receiving an indication of the received attribute value or a mediated value;

receiving an indication of a client intended to received attribute value or mediated value;

determining if additional information is associated with the received attribute value or the mediated value, and retrieving the additional information; and

delivering at least one of the received attribute value or the mediated value or the additional information to the intended client.

35. The method of claim 21, mediating the available multiple instances of the attribute values further comprising:

determining available mediators that apply to available multiple instances of the attribute values, wherein mediators discriminate among multiple instances of attribute values and are specified based at least on one of a default value or an end user selection;

selecting one of the determined mediators; and

applying the selected mediator to the available multiple instances of the attribute values to at least one of select a value or generate an aggregate value.

36. A computing device that exchanges information between sources of context attribute values and consumers of context attribute values, the computing device comprising a processor that executes the following computer-executable components:

a component that receives one or more values for a context attribute;

a component that retains the received values to respond to a request for a value of the context attribute; and

a component that supplies an attribute value that meets at least one of a predetermined accuracy criteria or predetermined recency criteria when a request for a context attribute value is received.

37. The computing device of claim 36, when cached values of a context attribute do not meet at least one of the predetermined accuracy criteria or predetermined recency criteria, the component that catches the received values requests an updated value from the context attribute from the source of the context attribute.

38. The computing device of claim 36, a component that mediates multiple instances of the context attribute value when a request for a context attribute value for an attribute with the multiple instances is received, wherein the multiple instances of the context attribute value meet at least one of a predetermined accuracy criteria or predetermined recency criteria.

39. The computing device of claim 38, wherein the request for a context attribute value specifies one or more criteria for the value.

40. A computing device to monitor context information and provide context attribute values, the computing device comprising a processor that executes the following computer-executable components:

a component that registers with a characterization module and provides parameters that identifies the component;

a component that indicates an ability to supply one or more context attribute values, wherein context attributes values are at least one of received from an input source or derived from one or more values received from one or more input sources; and

a component that supplies the one or more context attribute values based at least in part on at least one of a request for data or production of a new context attribute value.