Managing interactions between computer users' context models

• US 7,058,893 B2
• Filed: 06/27/2001
• Issued: 06/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Tangis Corporation
• Inventors: Robarts, James O., Newell, Dan, Abbott, Kenneth H., Freedman, Joshua M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hailu, Tadesse
• Application Number:
  US09/894,281
• Publication Number:
  US 20020083158A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,805 Days
• Field of Search: 345/700, 345/716, 345733-748, 703/10, 703/13, 700 28- 31, 700/91, 700/93, 706/10, 706/11, 706 45- 50, 706 60- 61, 709201-207, 709223-226, 715/700, 715/716, 715/733, 715/734, 715/736, 715/740, 715/741, 715/744, 715745-748
• US Class Current: 715/744
• 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 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
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/038 Control and interface arrangements therefor, e.g. drivers or device-embedded control circuitry
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2358/00 Arrangements for display data security
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2360/121 using a cache memory
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/022 Centralised management of display operation, e.g. in a server instead of locally
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 2370/042 for monitor identification
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 707/99943 Generating database or data structure, e.g. via user interface

Abstract

Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is represented with multiple attributes. In some situations, the providing includes a first computer receiving indications of multiple characterization modules, each characterization module executing on a computer to model an aspect of a current state related to that computer; receiving an indication of one of the multiple attributes of the represented current state; determining multiple of the characterization modules whose modeled aspects are related to the indicated one attribute; and gathering information about the modeled aspects related to the indicated one attribute from the determined characterization modules so that a value for the indicated one attribute can be generated based on the gathered information.

Claims

1. A method in a wearable computer for providing information about a current state of a predefined group having multiple distributed members, the current state modeled with multiple state attributes that each represent an aspect of the current state, the modeling of the current state of the group using information from multiple remote characterization systems that each model a current state of one of the members of the group and that each include modules to supply values related to the current state of that one group member, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of one of the multiple state attributes that model the current state of the predefined group;

determining multiple of the members of the group that have current states that are related to the current state aspect represented by the indicated one state attribute;

for each of the determined group members, identifying the characterization system that models the current state of that group member;

repeatedly modeling a changing current state of the predefined group, by

gathering current state information for each of the determined group members from the identified characterization system for that group member, the gathered current state information related to the current state aspect represented by the indicated one state attribute; and

in response to the gathering, generating a current value for the indicated one attribute based on the gathered state information to model an aspect of the current state of the predefined group; and

providing an indication of one or more of the generated current values of the indicated one state attribute so as to provide information about the modeled current state of the group.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein a user of the wearable computer is one of the members of the group, and including executing a characterization system that models the current state of the user with server modules that supply values related to the current state of the user and client modules that process the supplied values.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the gathering of the current state information from an identified characterization system includes the executing characterization system obtaining that current state information from the identified characterization system.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the remote characterization systems executes on a distinct wearable computer.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the determined members of the group include all of the members.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the characterization systems executes on a distinct computer having a user, and wherein the group includes the users of the distinct computers.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the characterization systems executes on a distinct computer, and wherein the group includes the distinct computers.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the current state aspect represented by the indicated one state attribute includes information about a physical environment shared by the members of the group.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the current state aspect represented by the indicated one state attribute includes information about a cyber-environment shared by the members of the group.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the characterization systems are hierarchically organized such that the identified characterization systems are supervisors each having an associated group of other subordinate characterization systems, and wherein the current state aspect represented by the indicated one state attribute is related to a current state of the hierarchical organization.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein each of the characterization systems is specialized to model a portion of a current state of a single user, and wherein the current state aspect represented by the indicated one state attribute is an aspect of the current state of the user that is represented by a combination of information for multiple of the modeled portions.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the generated value represents an aggregation of the gathered state information.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the generated value represents a collective aspect of the members.

14. A method in a first computer for providing information about a current state of a group that is represented with multiple attributes, the group having multiple members, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of one of the attributes that models a first aspect of the state of the group;

determining multiple characterization modules that each have access to aspects of state information for at least one of the members of the group such that the aspects are related to the indicated one attribute;

gathering current information about the aspects of the state information that are related to the indicated one attribute from the determined characterization modules; and

in response to the gathering, generating a current value for the indicated one attribute based on the gathered current information to represent the current state of the group for the modeled first aspect, so that additional action may be dynamically taken in response to the current state of the group.

15. The method of claim 14 including:

generating a value for the indicated one attribute based on the gathered information; and

providing an indication of the generated value of the one attribute.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein each of the determined characterization modules executes on a distinct computer and models a state of a user of that computer, and wherein the group includes the users of the distinct computers.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein each of the determined characterization modules executes on a distinct computer and models a state of that computer, and wherein the group includes the distinct computers.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein the group includes the determined characterization modules.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents information about a physical environment common to computers on which the determined characterization modules are executing or common to users of those computers.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents information about a cyber-environment common to computers on which the determined characterization modules are executing or common to users of those computers.

21. The method of claim 14 wherein the determined characterization modules are hierarchically organized such that at least some of the characterization modules are supervisors each having an associated group of other subordinate characterization modules, and wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute is related to a state of the hierarchical organization.

22. The method of claim 14 wherein each of the determined characterization modules is specialized to model a portion of a state of a single user, and wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute is related to a state of the user that is represented by a combination of information for multiple of the modeled portions.

23. The method of claim 14 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents an aggregation of state information for each of the members of the group.

24. The method of claim 14 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a collective aspect of the members of the group.

25. The method of claim 14 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents state information for a selected subset of the members of the group.

26. The method of claim 14 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a state shared by each of the members of the group.

27. The method of claim 14 wherein the received indication of the one attribute additionally includes an indication of characterization modules, and wherein the determining of the characterization modules includes selecting the indicated characterization modules.

28. The method of claim 14 wherein the determined characterization modules are remote from each other such that the gathering of the information involves gathering distributed information.

29. The method of claim 14 wherein a user of the first computer is one of the members of the group.

30. The method of claim 14 wherein the first computer is one of the members of the group.

31. The method of claim 14 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a mental state of the members of the group.

32. The method of claim 14 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a physical environment of the members of the group.

33. The method of claim 14 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a cyber-environment of the members of the group.

34. The method of claim 14 wherein the indicated one attribute models a current prediction about a future state.

35. The method of claim 14 including receiving a request from a client for a value of the indicated one attribute and supplying the value to the client.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein receiving of the supplied value by the client prompts the client to present information to a user.

37. The method of claim 14 wherein the determining of the multiple characterization modules is based on previously received registration messages from each of the multiple characterization modules that indicate the accessible aspects.

38. The method of claim 14 wherein security information must be received for a determined characterization module before any information is accepted from that characterization module.

39. The method of claim 14 including providing security information to at least some of the determined characterization modules to facilitate the gathering of the information from those determined characterization modules.

40. The method of claim 14 wherein the group having multiple members is a predefined group, and including receiving an indication of the predefined group.

41. The method of claim 14 wherein the group having multiple members is a transient group that is identified after the received indication of the one attribute.

42. A method in a first computer for providing information about a state of a group that is represented with multiple attributes, the group having multiple members, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of one of the attributes that models a first aspect of the state of the group;

determining multiple characterization modules that each have access to aspects of state information for at least one of the members of the group such that the aspects are related to the indicated one attribute;

gathering information about the aspects of the state information that are related to the indicated one attribute from the determined characterization modules so that a value for the indicated one attribute can be generated based on the gathered information;

determining whether the information gathered from one of the determined characterization modules satisfies a criteria; and

when it is determined that the gathered information does not satisfy the criteria, obtaining additional information from the one determined characterization module that satisfies the criteria and replacing the gathered information from the one determined characterization module with the obtained additional information.

43. The method of claim 42 further comprising generating a value for the indicated one attribute based on the gathered information, and providing an indication of the generated value of the one attribute.

44. The method of claim 42 wherein each of the determined characterization modules executes on a distinct computer and models a state of a user of that computer, and wherein the group includes the users of the distinct computers.

45. The method of claim 42 wherein each of the determined characterization modules executes on a distinct computer and models a state of that computer, and wherein the group includes the distinct computers.

46. The method of claim 42 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents an aggregation of state information for each of the members of the group.

47. The method of claim 42 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a collective aspect of the members of the group.

48. The method of claim 42 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents state information for a selected subset of the members of the group.

49. The method of claim 42 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a state shared by each of the members of the group.

50. The method of claim 42 wherein a user of the first computer is one of the members of the group.

51. The method of claim 42 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a mental state of the members of the group.

52. The method of claim 42 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a physical environment of the members of the group.

53. The method of claim 42 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a cyber-environment of the members of the group.

54. The method of claim 42 including receiving a request from a client for a value of the indicated one attribute and supplying the value to the client.

55. The method of claim 42 wherein receiving of the supplied value by the client prompts the client to present information to a user.

56. The method of claim 42 wherein the determined characterization modules are hierarchically organized such that at least some of the characterization modules are supervisors each having an associated group of other subordinate characterization modules, and wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute is related to a state of the hierarchical organization.

57. The method of claim 42 wherein each of the determined characterization modules is specialized to model a portion of a state of a single user, and wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute is related to a state of the user that is represented by a combination of information for multiple of the modeled portions.

58. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing device to provide information about a current state of a group that is represented with multiple state attributes, the group having multiple members, by performing a method comprising:

receiving an indication of one of the state attributes that models a first aspect of the state of the group;

determining multiple modules that each have access to aspects of state information for a member of the group such that the aspects are related to the indicated one attribute;

gathering current information about the aspects of the state information that are related to the indicated one attribute from the determined modules; and

providing the gathered current information to a client so that a current value for the indicated one attribute can be generated based on the gathered information to reflect the current state of the group for the modeled first aspect.

59. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the computer-readable medium is a memory of the computing device.

60. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the computer-readable medium is a data transmission medium transmitting a generated data signal containing the contents.

61. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a collective aspect of the members of the group.

62. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein each of the determined modules executes on a distinct computer and models a state of a user of that computer, and wherein the group includes the users of the distinct computers.

63. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a mental state of the members of the group.

64. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a physical environment of the members of the group.

65. The computer-readable medium of claim 58 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents state information for a selected subset of the members of the group.

66. A computing device for providing information about a current state of a group that is represented with multiple attributes, the group having multiple members, comprising:

a memory,

a receiver component that when executed in the memory is configured to receive an indication of one of the attributes that models a first aspect of the current state of the group; and

a group state component that when executed in the memory is configured to determine multiple characterization modules that each have access to aspects of state information for at least one of the members of the group such that the aspects are related to the indicated one attribute and configured to gather current information about the aspects of the state information that are related to the indicated one attribute from the determined characterization modules so that a value for the indicated one attribute can be generated based on the gathered information to model the first aspect of the current state of the group.

67. The computing device of claim 66 wherein the receiver component and the group state component each include software instructions for execution in the memory of the computing device.

68. The computing device of claim 66 further comprising multiple sources and multiple clients executing in memory of the computing device.

69. The computing device of claim 66 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a collective aspect of the members of the group.

70. The computing device of claim 66 wherein each of the determined modules executes on a distinct computer and models a state of a user of that computer, and wherein the group includes the users of the distinct computers.

71. The computing device of claim 66 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a mental state of the members of the group.

72. The computing device of claim 66 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a physical environment of the members of the group.

73. The computing device of claim 66 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents state information for a selected subset of the members of the group.

74. A computing device for providing information about a current state of a group that is represented with multiple attributes, the group having multiple members, comprising:

a memory;

means for receiving an indication of one of the attributes that models a first aspect of the state of the group;

means for determining multiple characterization modules that each have access to aspects of state information for at least one of the members of the group such that the aspects are related to the indicated one attribute; and

means for gathering current information about the aspects of the state information that are related to the indicated one attribute from the determined characterization modules so that a current value for the indicated one attribute can be generated based on the gathered information to reflect the current state of the group for the modeled first aspect.

75. A method in a portable computer for providing information about a current shared context of a predefined group of multiple users of portable computers, the context of the group modeled with multiple context attributes, the method comprising:

receiving indications of the predefined group of multiple portable computer users and of one of the context attributes that represents a characteristic of the shared context of the group;

for each of the users of the predefined group, identifying a module that can provide context information for that user; and

repeatedly modeling a current shared context of the predefined group, by

gathering from the identified modules current context information for the users that is related to the represented characteristic;

in response to the gathering, generating a current value for the one context attribute based on the gathered current context information to represent the current shared context of the group for the represented characteristic; and

providing the generated current value, so that additional action may be dynamically taken in response to the current shared context of the group.

76. The method of claim 75 including modeling the represented characteristic of the shared context of the group based on the gathered context information.

77. The method of claim 75 wherein receiving of a provided generated current value by a client prompts the client to present information to a user.

78. The method of claim 75 wherein each of the identified modules executes on a distinct computer and models a context of a user of that computer, and wherein the multiple users include the users of the distinct computers.

79. The method of claim 75 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a physical environment shared by the multiple users.

80. The method of claim 75 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a cyber-environment shared by the multiple users.

81. The method of claim 75 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a mental state shared by the multiple users.

82. The method of claim 75 wherein the represented characteristic reflects an emotional state shared by the multiple users.

83. The method of claim 75 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a physical state shared by the multiple users.

84. The method of claim 75 wherein the multiple users are part of a hierarchical organization, and wherein the represented characteristic reflects a context of the hierarchical organization.

85. The method of claim 75 wherein the represented characteristic reflects an aggregation of context information for the users.

86. The method of claim 75 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a collective characteristic of the users.

87. The method of claim 75 wherein the represented characteristic reflects information for a selected subset of the users.

88. The method of claim 75 wherein each of the identified modules is specialized to model the same aspect of a context of a user, and wherein the represented characteristic reflects an aggregate of the modeled aspects of the contexts of the multiple users.

89. The method of claim 75 further comprising repeatedly modeling a current shared context of a transient group of multiple users who are dynamically identified.

90. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that when executed cause a computing device to provide information about a current context of a predefined group of multiple users that is modeled with multiple context attributes, by performing a method comprising:

receiving an indication of one of the context attributes that represents a characteristic of the context of the predefined group of multiple users;

determining at least some of the multiple users of the predefined group whose contexts are related to the represented characteristic;

for each of the determined users, identifying a module that can provide context information for that user; and

repeatedly modeling a current context of the predefined group, by

gathering from the identified modules current context information for the determined users that is related to the represented characteristic;

modeling the represented characteristic of the current context of the group based on the gathered current context information.

91. A portable computer for providing information about a current context of a predefined group of multiple users, the context of the group modeled with multiple context attributes, comprising:

a memory;

an input module that when executed in the memory is configured to receive an indication of one of the context attributes that represents a characteristic of the current shared context of the predefined group; and

a group context modeler component that when executed in the memory is configured to repeatedly model the current shared context of the predefined group based on current context information for the determined users related to the represented characteristic that is gathered from modules identified for each of the users.

92. The portable computer of claim 91 further comprising a context information provider component capable of providing the gathered context information.

93. A method in a computing system for providing information about a current shared context of a group of multiple users of portable computers, the context of the group modeled with multiple context attributes, the method comprising:

receiving an indication of one of the context attributes that represents a characteristic of the shared context of the group;

determining at least some of the multiple users whose contexts are related to the represented characteristic;

for each of the determined users, identifying a module that can provide context information for that user; and

repeatedly modeling the current shared context of the group, by

gathering from the identified modules current context information for the users that is related to the represented characteristic;

generating a current value for the one context attribute based on the gathered current context information to represent the current shared context of the group for the represented characteristic; and

providing the generated current value.

94. The method of claim 93 including modeling the represented characteristic of the shared context of the group based on gathered context information.

95. The method of claim 93 wherein receiving of a provided generated current value by a client prompts the client to present information to a user.

96. The method of claim 93 wherein each of the identified modules executes on a distinct computer and models a context of a user of that computer, and wherein the multiple users include the users of the distinct computers.

97. The method of claim 93 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a physical environment shared by the multiple users.

98. The method of claim 93 further comprising repeatedly modeling a current shared context of a transient group of multiple users who are dynamically identified.

99. The method of claim 93 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a mental state shared by the multiple users.

100. The method of claim 93 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a physical state shared by the multiple users.

101. The method of claim 93 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a collective characteristic of the users.

102. The method of claim 93 wherein each of the identified modules is specialized to model the same aspect of a context of a user, and wherein the represented characteristic reflects an aggregate of the modeled aspects of the contexts of the multiple users.

103. The method of claim 93 wherein the multiple users are part of a hierarchical organization, and wherein the represented characteristic reflects a context of the hierarchical organization.

104. A computer-readable medium whose contents cause a computing device to provide information about a state of a group that is represented with multiple attributes, the group having multiple members, by performing a method comprising:

receiving an indication of one of the attributes that models a first aspect of the state of the group;

determining multiple characterization modules that each have access to aspects of state information for at least one of the members of the group such that the aspects are related to the indicated one attribute;

gathering information about the aspects of the state information that are related to the indicated one attribute from the determined characterization modules so that a value for the indicated one attribute can be generated based on the gathered information;

determining whether the information gathered from one of the determined characterization modules satisfies a criteria; and

when it is determined that the gathered information does not satisfy the criteria, obtaining additional information from the one determined characterization module that satisfies the criteria and replacing the gathered information from the one determined characterization module with the obtained additional information.

105. The computer-readable medium of claim 104 wherein the method further comprises generating a value for the indicated one attribute based on the gathered information, and providing an indication of the generated value of the one attribute.

106. The computer-readable medium of claim 104 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents an aggregation of state information for each of the members of the group.

107. The computer-readable medium of claim 104 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a collective aspect of the members of the group.

108. The computer-readable medium of claim 104 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a state shared by each of the members of the group.

109. The computer-readable medium of claim 104 wherein the determined characterization modules are remote from each other such that the gathering of the information involves gathering distributed information.

110. The computer-readable medium of claim 104 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a mental state of the members of the group.

111. The computer-readable medium of claim 104 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a physical environment of the members of the group.

112. The computer-readable medium of claim 104 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a cyber-environment of the members of the group.

113. The computer-readable medium of claim 104 wherein the method further comprises supplying a value of the indicated one attribute to the client, such that receiving of the supplied value by the client prompts the client to present information to a user.

114. A computing device for providing information about a state of a group that is represented with multiple attributes, the group having multiple members, comprising:

a memory;

a receiver component that when executed in the memory is configured to receive an indication of one of the attributes that models a first aspect of the state of the group;

a group state component that when executed in the memory is configured to determine multiple characterization modules that each have access to aspects of state information for at least one of the members of the group such that the aspects are related to the indicated one attribute and configured to gather information about the aspects of the state information that are related to the indicated one attribute from the determined characterization modules so that a value for the indicated one attribute can be generated based on the gathered information; and

at least one additional component that when executed in the memory is configured to determine whether the information gathered from one of the determined characterization modules satisfies a criteria and, when it is determined that the gathered information does not satisfy the criteria, configured to obtain additional information from the one determined characterization module that satisfies the criteria and replacing the gathered information from the one determined characterization module with the obtained additional information.

115. The computing device of claim 114 further comprising at least one component that is capable of generating a value for the indicated one attribute based on the gathered information and of providing an indication of the generated value of the one attribute.

116. The computing device of claim 114 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents an aggregation of state information for each of the members of the group.

117. The computing device of claim 114 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a collective aspect of the members of the group.

118. The computing device of claim 114 wherein the first state aspect modeled by the one attribute represents a state shared by each of the members of the group.

119. The computing device of claim 114 wherein the determined characterization modules are remote from each other such that the gathering of the information involves gathering distributed information.

120. The computing device of claim 114 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a mental state of the members of the group.

121. The computing device of claim 114 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a physical environment of the members of the group.

122. The computing device of claim 114 wherein the indicated one attribute models information about a cyber-environment of the members of the group.

123. The computing device of claim 114 wherein the indicated one attribute models a current prediction about a future state.

124. A computer-readable medium containing instructions that when executed cause a computing device to provide information about a current shared context of a group of multiple users of computers, the context of the group modeled with multiple context attributes, by performing a method comprising:

receiving an indication of one of the context attributes that represents a characteristic of the shared context of the group;

determining at least some of the multiple users whose contexts are related to the represented characteristic;

for each of the determined users, identifying a module that can provide context information for that user; and

repeatedly modeling the current shared context of the group, by

gathering from the identified modules current context information for the users that is related to the represented characteristic;

generating a current value for the one context attribute based on the gathered current context information to represent the current shared context of the group for the represented characteristic; and

providing the generated current value.

125. The computer-readable medium of claim 124 wherein receiving of a provided generated current value by a client prompts the client to present information to a user.

126. The computer-readable medium of claim 124 wherein each of the identified modules executes on a distinct computer and models a context of a user of that computer, and wherein the multiple users include the users of the distinct computers.

127. The computer-readable medium of claim 124 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a physical environment shared by the multiple users.

128. The computer-readable medium of claim 124 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a cyber-environment shared by the multiple users.

129. The computer-readable medium of claim 124 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a mental state shared by the multiple users.

130. The computer-readable medium of claim 124 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a physical state shared by the multiple users.

131. The computer-readable medium of claim 124 wherein each of the identified modules is specialized to model the same aspect of a context of a user, and wherein the represented characteristic reflects an aggregate of the modeled aspects of the contexts of the multiple users.

132. A computing device for providing information about a current shared context of a group of multiple users of computers, the context of the group modeled with multiple context attributes, the computing device comprising:

a memory;

an input component that when executed in the memory is configured to receive an indication of one of the context attributes that represents a characteristic of the shared context of the group; and

at least one other component that when executed in the memory is configured to determine at least some of the multiple users whose contexts are related to the represented characteristic, configured to identify a module for each of the determined users that can provide context information for that user, and of repeatedly modeling the current shared context of the group by

gathering from the identified modules current context information for the users that is related to the represented characteristic;

generating a current value for the one context attribute based on the gathered current context information to represent the current shared context of the group for the represented characteristic; and

providing the generated current value.

133. The computing device of claim 132 wherein receiving of a provided generated current value by a client prompts the client to present information to a user.

134. The computing device of claim 132 wherein each of the identified modules executes on a distinct computer and models a context of a user of that computer, and wherein the multiple users include the users of the distinct computers.

135. The computing device of claim 132 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a physical environment shared by the multiple users.

136. The computing device of claim 132 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a cyber-environment shared by the multiple users.

137. The computing device of claim 132 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a mental state shared by the multiple users.

138. The computing device of claim 132 wherein the represented characteristic reflects a physical state shared by the multiple users.

139. The computing device of claim 132 wherein the multiple users are part of a hierarchical organization, and wherein the represented characteristic reflects a context of the hierarchical organization.