Apparatus and method for generating context-aware information using local service information

• US 8,984,026 B2
• Filed: 06/08/2011
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd.
• Inventors: Kim, Su Myeon
• Primary Examiner(s): ALAM, SHAHID AL
• Application Number:
  US13/156,137
• Publication Number:
  US 20120066269A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,378 Days
• Field of Search: 707/802, 707/804, 707/E17.044, 707/736, 707/737, 707/758, 707/899, 705/6, 705/22, 705/44
• US Class Current: 707/804
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/284 Relational databases
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/951 Indexing; Web crawling techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/9537 Spatial or temporal dependent retrieval, e.g. spatiotemporal queries
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/02 Services making use of location information
• CPC Class Codes: H04W 4/029 Location-based management or tracking services

Abstract

An apparatus and method for generating context-aware information based on local service information are provided. In one embodiment, a hardware apparatus for generating context-aware information may include an information receiver configured to receive local service information from a local server; and a context-aware information generator configured to generate context-aware information associated with a user based on sensor information and the received local service information.

Claims

1. A hardware apparatus for generating context-aware information, the apparatus comprising:

an information receiver configured to receive local service information from a local server; and

a context-aware information generator configured to generate context-aware information associated with activities of a user based on sensor information and the received local service information,

wherein the context-aware information generator comprises;

a service information generating unit configured to generate new service information based on basic service information that is stored in advance and the received local service information; and

a context inferring unit configured to infer a context associated with activities of the user based on the new service information and the sensor information,

wherein the context-aware information generator is configured to generate the context-aware information associated with activities of the user based on basic service information and the sensor information when a local service is terminated.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the context-aware information generator further comprises:

an information providing unit configured to provide the context-aware information associated with activities of the user, the context-aware information being used to describe the inferred context associated with activities of the user.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

an information deleting unit configured to delete the new service information when a local service provided by the local server is terminated.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the local service information is defined as an element corresponding to the sensor information based on a local service provided by the local server, and

wherein the context-aware information generator is configured to generate the context-aware information associated with activities of the user based on the element corresponding to the sensor information.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sensor information comprises one or more of:

speed information, illumination information, noise level information, weather information, traffic information or a combination thereof, and

wherein the context-aware information generator is configured to generate the context-aware information associated with activities of the user based on local service information corresponding to the sensor information.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor information receiver configured to receive the sensor information measured using a sensor.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the sensor information receiver is configured to receive the sensor information from the sensor via a network connection.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the local server is located in a predetermined area where the context-aware information generation apparatus is located.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is moveable relative to the local server such that the apparatus moves into and/or out of a coverage range of the local server.

10. A method of generating context-aware information using a hardware apparatus, the method comprising:

receiving local service information from a local server; and

generating context-aware information associated with activities of a user using sensor information and the received local service information,

wherein the generating comprises generating new service information based on basic service information that is stored in advance and the received local service information,

wherein the generating comprises inferring a context associated with activities of the user based on the new service information and the sensor information, and

wherein the generating comprises generating the context-aware information associated with activities of the user based on basic service information and the sensor information when a local service is terminated.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the generating further comprises:

providing the context-aware information associated with activities of the user, the context-aware information being used to describe the inferred context associated with activities of the user.

12. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

deleting the new service information when a local service provided by the local server is terminated.

13. The method of claim 10, wherein the local service information is defined as an element corresponding to the sensor information based on a local service provided by the local server, and

wherein the generating comprises generating the context-aware information associated with activities of the user based on the element corresponding to the sensor information.

14. The method of claim 10, wherein the sensor information comprises one or more of:

speed information, illumination information, noise information, weather information, traffic information or a combination thereof, and

wherein the generating comprises generating the context-aware information associated with activities of the user based on local service information corresponding to the sensor information.

15. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

receiving the sensor information measured using a sensor.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the sensor information is received from the sensor via a network connection.

17. The method of claim 10, wherein the local service information is related to an area where a context-aware information generation apparatus is located.

18. The method of claim 10, wherein the apparatus is moveable relative to the local server such that the apparatus moves into and/or out of a coverage range of the local server.

19. The method of claim 10, further comprising:

providing a service or service information to the user based on the generated context-aware information.

20. A non-transitory computer-readable medium having computer-readable instructions that when executed by a processor configured to implement a method of generating context-aware information, the method comprising:

receiving local service information from a local server; and

generating context-aware information associated with activities of a user using sensor information and the received local service information,

wherein the generating comprises generating new service information based on basic service information that is stored in advance and the received local service information,

wherein the generating comprises inferring a context of associated with activities the user based on the new service information and the sensor information, and

wherein the generating comprises generating the context-aware information associated with activities of the user based on basic service information and the sensor information when a local service is terminated.