Adaptive communication method

• US 6,886,039 B1
• Filed: 08/23/2000
• Issued: 04/26/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
• Inventors: Kawano, Katsumi, Kawamichi, Hiroaki, Sameshima, Shigetoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Follansbee, John
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chang, Jungwon
• Application Number:
  US09/643,758
• Time in Patent Office: 1,707 Days
• Field of Search: 709/224, 709/230, 340/506, 714/25, 702/177, 702/182, 702/188, 706/55
• US Class Current: 709/224
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/087 Inventory or stock management, e.g. order filling, procurement or balancing against orders

Abstract

In a distributed system having a plurality of equipment that are interconnected over transmission medium and that include one or more arithmetic units, any of the plurality of equipment notifies a person to be notified about a function of the any of the equipment in accordance with an adaptive communication method in which the notification method is determined by the following steps. A first step that any of the plurality of equipment obtains environment information of that equipment and another equipment if necessary and a second step that any of the equipment determines the notification method depending on the environment information obtained by the first step and a contents of information concerning the function of any of the equipment.

Claims

1. An adaptive communication method for notifying information to a person to be notified of the information, which relates to a function of any of a plurality of equipment forming a distributed system of which each of the plurality of equipment is interconnected over a transmission medium and includes one or more arithmetic units, said adaptive communication method comprising the steps of:

a first step in which any of the plurality of equipment acquires environmental information indicating an environment in which the plurality of equipment is installed before the time when the information of the function is informed to the person;

a second step in which any of the plurality of equipment determines a notification method notifying the information to be notified to the person according to the environment information acquired by the first step and the contents of information to be notified before the time at when the information of the function is informed to the person; and

a third step in which one of the plurality of equipment notifies the information to be notified to the person according to the notification method determined by the second step,

wherein the environment information comprises an attention level at which the person is attracted attention and an attention objection, and

wherein, when the attention level of the attention object is low, a control instruction is set to make the attention level of the attention object higher than the low attention level, as a part of the notification method.

2. An adaptive communication method for notifying information to a person to be notified of the information, which relates to a function of any of a plurality of equipment forming a distributed system of which each of the plurality of equipment is interconnected over a transmission medium and includes one or more arithmetic units, said adaptive communication method comprising the steps of:

a first step in which any of the plurality of equipment acquires environmental information indicating an environment in which the plurality of equipment is installed before the time when the information of the function is informed to the person;

a second step in which any of the plurality of equipment determines a notification method notifying the information to be notified to the person according to the environment information acquired by the first step and the contents of information to be notified before the time at when the information of the function is informed to the person; and

a third step in which one of the plurality of equipment notifies the information to be notified to the person according to the notification method determined by the second step,

wherein the notification method comprises at least one of changing a condition for notification to the person according to the environment information, changing the contents of information, changing the apparatus used to notify information, changing a range of information notification, changing a priority given to information notification, and splitting the contents of notified information is carried out in order to determine the notification method.

3. Equipment used in a distributed system, having a plurality of equipment being interconnected over a transmission medium and including one or more arithmetic units and that notifies predetermined information, comprising:

a means for acquiring environment information indicating an environment in which the plurality of equipment are installed, by a sensor or other equipment if necessary; and

a means for determining a notification method notifying an information to be notified a person of the information according to the acquired environment information and contents of the information to be notified,

wherein the environment information comprises an attention level at which the person is attracted attention and an attention objection, and

wherein, at least one of the equipment comprises means for setting control instruction to make the attention level of the attention object higher when the attention level of the attention object is low.

4. Equipment used in a distributed system, having a plurality of equipment being interconnected over a transmission medium and including one or more arithmetic units and that notifies predetermined information, comprising:

a means for acquiring environment information indicating an environment in which the plurality of equipment are installed, by a sensor or other equipment if necessary; and

a means for determining a notification method notifying an information to be notified a person of the information according to the acquired environment information and the contents of the information to be notified,

wherein the means for determining the notification method carries out at least one of changing a condition for notification to the person according to the environment information, changing the contents of information, changing the apparatus used to notify information, changing a range of information notification, changing a priority given to information notification, changing the frequency of information notification, and splitting the contents of notified information is carried out in order to determine the notification method.

5. A distributed system having a plurality of equipment, each of which is interconnected over transmission medium and includes one or more arithmetic units, and notifying predetermined information, wherein at least one of the plurality of equipment comprises:

a means for acquiring environment information indicating an environment in which the plurality of equipment are installed before the time when the information is notified; and

a means for determining a notification method notifying an information to be notified to the person of the information according to the acquired environment information and the contents of information to be notified before the time at when the information of the function is informed to the person, and

wherein the environment information comprises an attention level at which the person is attracted attention and an attention objection, and

wherein, at least one of the equipment comprises means for setting control instruction to make the attention level of the attention object higher than the attention level, when the attention level of the attention object is low.

6. Equipment forming a distributed system, having a plurality of equipment being interconnected over a transmission medium and including one or more arithmetic units and that notifies predetermined information, comprising:

a memory in which programs are stored; and

a processor to perform the programs for acquiring environment information indicating an environment of the plurality of equipment before the time instant at which the information is notified to the person, and for determining a notification method notifying the information to the person to be notified of the information according to the acquired environment information and the contents of the information to be notified,

wherein said processor carries out at least one of changing a condition for notification of the person of the information according to the environment information, changing the contents of information, changing the apparatus used to notify information, changing a range of information notification, changing the frequency of information notification, and splitting the contents of notified information.