This disclosure relates generally to a computerized communication system, and, more particularly, to a system, a method and an article of manufacture of association of context data with a text message component.
A computer system such as a mobile device (e.g. a smart phone) may include sensors. The sensors may detect attributes of the computer system's environment and transform the attributes into context data. The computer system may also be communicatively coupled with an external server and/or database (e.g. via the Internet). The external server and/or database may provide additional context data to the computer system. For example, the computer system may use the external server and/or database to acquire additional information about the context data acquired by the sensors.
At the same time, the computer system may also include a text messaging application. A user of the computer system may compose and send text messages. Portions of the text messages may be related to certain context data available and/or stored in the computer system. This context data may be useful to a receiver when reviewing the text message. Without the available context data, the receiver may not understand the text message. The receiver may need to query the sending user with additional questions (e.g. other text messages, cell phone calls, etc.) to clarify the meaning of the text message.
A system, method, and article of manufacture of an association of context data with a text-message component are disclosed. In one aspect, a context data is associated with a text-message component. The association between the context data and the text-message component may be indicated with a user interface. The association between the context data and the text-message component may be embedded in a text-message signal. The association between the context data and the text-message component may be embedded in a short message service (SMS) signal.
In another aspect, a computer system having a graphical user interface (GUI) comprising a display and a selection device renders a text-message component on a GUI. A context-data icon is rendered on the GUI. A context-data measurement associated with the text-message component is rendered. The context-data icon is transformed according to the context-data measurement.
The computer system may comprise a mobile device. The context-data icon may be transformed if a user-controlled pointer is passed over the text-message component. The context-data icon may be rendered as a set of bars. The context-data measurement may be provided by a sending mobile device or a server communicatively coupled to a text messaging network through which the text-message component is transmitted to the computer system. A window in the GUI that comprises information related to the context data may be rendered. A hyperlink to a webpage comprising additional information related to the context data may be provided. The webpage may comprise a social networking webpage of a sender of the text-message component. An interface element of the GUI may be rendered to allow selection of the text-message component. A GUI widget may be provided to enable selection of a context-data icon graphic.
In yet another aspect, a computer system comprises at least one processor configured to render a text-message component on a GUI. The processor also renders a context-data icon on the GUI and retrieves a context data availability associated with the text-message component. The processor transforms a context data indicator according to the context data availability. The computer system also includes a processor readable memory and a context data sensor configured to acquire a context data current to a context of the computer system. A user input device is also included in the computer system along with a display device.
The computer system may comprise a smart phone. The context data indicator may comprise a graphical icon rendered in the GUI by the processor. The computer system may include a speaker. The context data indicator may comprise an audio signal propagated by the speaker of the smart phone.
In still yet another aspect, a text message application is provided. A portion of a text message generated by the text message application is analyzed. A context data that relates to the portion of the text message is acquired. The context data is linked to the portion of the text message.
A linkage of the context data and the portion of the text message may be signified with a user interface. The context data may be acquired with a sensor of a mobile device. The context data may be acquired from a database in the mobile device. The context data may be acquired from a third-party database. The portion of the text message may be linked to the context data after the text message has been generated. The portion of the text message may be linked to the context data during the composition of the text message. The linkage of the context data and the portion of the text message may be transmitted to another mobile device. The linkage of the context data and the portion of the text message may be transmitted to a server.
The embodiments of this invention are illustrated by way of example and not limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which like references indicate similar elements and in which:
Other features of the present embodiments will be apparent from the accompanying drawings and from the detailed description that follows.
Disclosed are a system, method, and article of manufacture of an association of context data with a text-message component. Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, it will be evident that various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various claims.
The mobile devices 100101 and 102 are mobile computing devices (e.g. a smart phone such as the iPhone™, Motorola Droid™, Blackberry™, or Nexus One™) such as the one described in conjunction with
The mobile devices 100101 and 102 can be communicatively coupled to the wide area/local area network (WAN and LAN respectively) 104 and the cellular network 108. The mobile devices 100101 and 102 are capable of interfacing with the WAN/LAN 104 utilizing a wireless, packet-based communication service such as the General Packet Radio Services (GPRS). The mobile devices 100101 and 102 are also capable of utilizing a Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM) standard for other circuit/switch network communications such as voice and SMS. It should be noted that the embodiments should not be limited to GPRS and GSM only. For example, in certain example embodiments, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE), LTE Advanced, IEEE 802.16, an IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS), and/or other wireless broadband standards and communication technologies may be utilized to improve data transmission rates.
Each mobile device includes a context-meter application 103. According to one embodiment, the context-meter application 103 provides context data metrics of a text message (e.g. an association between a context data with a component of a text message). The context-meter application 103 renders a user interface (e.g. a GUI) that represents context data information, text message information and/or context data metrics. In one example embodiment, the context-meter application 103 of the sending mobile device may algorithmically determine the association of the context data with the component of a text message during and/or after the composition of the text message. In another example embodiment, the context-meter application 103 allows a user to manually determine the association of the context data with the component of a text message. For example, the context-meter application 103 may render a context meter icon in a window of the GUI. The context-meter application 103 may also present interface elements (e.g. widgets such as windows, pointers, text boxes, buttons, hyperlinks, drop-down lists, check boxes, radio buttons and datagrids) that allow a user to provide input to the context-meter application 103. In response to the input, the context-meter application 103 may render additional information (e.g. maps, blogs, social networking website information, user biographical information, sender biographical information) related to the text message component. Additional examples of the functionality of the context-meter application 103 and the GUI are provided infra.
The WAN/LAN 104 may include various combinations of (e.g. WANs, LANs, metropolitan area networks, the Internet, etc.) according to the various embodiments. For example, the WAN may be utilized to interconnect various LANs and/or to connect a LAN to the Internet. In certain example embodiments, text messages may be transmitted between the mobile devices 100101 and 102 via the WAN/LAN 104 as well as the Internet.
The gateway 106 routes messages between the WAN/LAN 104 and the cellular network 108 (or, other example embodiments, between the cellular network 108 and the Internet). For example, the mobile device 100 may send an email mobile device 101. The gateway 106 provides a means for transporting the email from the WAN/LAN 104 to cellular network 108. The gateway 106 also allows hyperlink text protocol (HTTP) messages to be transferred between WAN/LAN 104 (or the Internet) and the cellular network 108. The gateway 106 may interface different protocols used by the WAN/LAN 104 and the cellular network 108. For example, the gateway 106 may include protocol translators, impedance matching devices, rate converters, fault isolators and/or signal translators as necessary to provide system interoperability between the WAN/LAN 104 and the cellular network 108.
The mobile devices 100101 and 102 can be communicatively coupled to the cellular network 108. An example cellular network 108 is a radio network made up of a number of radio cells each served by at least one transceiver located in a base station. The cellular network 108 delivers SMS messages, context data and context data metrics to and from the mobile devices 100101 and 102 and the SMS/context data server 110. The cellular network 108 may also include other components such as a network switching subsystem (NSS), a short message server center (SMSC) to provide SMS services, a mobile switching center (MSC) and/or a public switched telephone network (PSTN). In one example embodiment, the SMSC receives and services incoming SMS messages, context data and context data metrics. The SMSC then forwards the SMS message, context data and context data metrics to the SMS/context data server 110. It should be noted that in certain example embodiments, the cellular network 108 can also transmit other types of a text messaging and media utilizing other technologies such as Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), Enhanced Messaging Service (EMS) and/or Instant Message (IM).
In one embodiment, the SMS/Context Data Server 110 is configured as a server according to the description of
The mobile device 100 also includes storage 208 within the memory 204. In an example embodiment, the storage 208 may be a non-volatile form of computer memory. The storage 208 may be used to store persistent information which should not be lost if the mobile device 100 is powered down. In another example embodiment, the storage 208 may store context data information such as data derived from a context-data sensor described infra.
The applications 210 may use and store information in the storage 208, such as e-mail or other messages used by an e-mail application, contact information used by a PIM, appointment information used by a scheduling program, documents used by a word processing program, instant messaging information used by an instant messaging program, context data, context data metrics and the like. The mobile device 100 has a power supply 216, which may be implemented as one or more batteries. The power supply 216 might further include an external power source, such as an AC adapter or a powered docking cradle that supplements or recharges the batteries. The mobile device 100 is also shown with an audio interface 218 and a haptic interface 220. The audio interface 218 may be used to provide audible signals to and receive audible signals from the user. For example, the audio interface 218 may be coupled to a speaker for providing audible output and to a microphone for receiving audible input, such as to facilitate a telephone conversation. The haptic interface 220 may be used to provide haptic signals to the user. In another example embodiment, the context-meter application 103 may generate an audio and/or a haptic signal with a magnitude related to a value of a context data metric. The mobile device 100 also includes a radio interface layer 222 that performs the function of transmitting and receiving radio frequency communications. The radio interface layer 222 facilitates wireless connectivity between the mobile device 100 and the outside world, via a communications carrier or a service provider. Transmissions to and from the radio interface layer 222 are conducted under control of the operating system 206. In other words, communications received by the radio interface layer 222 may be disseminated to application programs 216 via the operating system 206, and vice versa.
The mobile device 100 further includes at least one context data sensor. In other example embodiments, the mobile device 100 may include a plurality of context-data sensors 224226 and 228. In one embodiment, the context-data sensor 224 may be a device that measures an attribute of the mobile device's environment and then converts the attribute into a signal which can be read by the mobile device 100. Examples of a context-data sensor include, inter alia, global positioning system receivers, accelerometers, inclinometers, position sensors, near-field communication (NFC) sensors, barometers, WiFi sensors, RFID sensors, gyroscopes, pressure sensor, pressure gauges, time pressure gauges, torque sensors, ohmmeters, thermometers, infrared sensors, microphones, image sensors (e.g. digital cameras), biosensors (e.g. photometric biosensors, electrochemical biosensors), capacitance sensors, radio antennas and/or capacitance probes. It should be noted that the other sensor devices other than those listed may also be utilized to sense context data. In other certain example embodiments, context data may also include a signal comprising information about another mobile device and/or an external computing system such as the SMS/Context Data Server 110, a third-party server (e.g. an internet map server) or a database (e.g. the storage 208 and/or a database external to the mobile device 100).
The SMS/Context Data Server 110 may also include communication connections 318 that allow the device to communicate with other computing devices over a network (e.g. the Internet, the WAN/LAN 104 and the cellular network 108). Communication connections 318 are one example of communication media. Communication media may typically be embodied by computer readable instructions, data structures, program modules, or other data in a modulated data signal, such as a carrier wave or other transport mechanism, and includes any information delivery media (e.g. see the description of the exemplary customized SMS message provided infra in the description of
Generally, there are three types of SMS messages: GSM character set-encoded messages (effectively 7-bit encoded text), UCS2-encoded messages (Unicode encoded 16-bit text), and 8-bit binary-encoded messages. Typically, GSM-encoded messages and UCS2-encoded messages are textual and are displayed to the user by a messaging application as soon as they are received, whereas 8-bit binary encoded messages are generally directed at providing device-specific information, such as device configuration messages.
As shown, the sample customized SMS message 400 includes a user data header field 402, a source field 406, a destination field 408, a concatenation field 410 and a message field 412. The user data header field 402 includes a message type field 404. In accordance with an example embodiment, the message type field 404 stores an identifier identifying the SMS message 400 as a context-enriched SMS message. Additionally, in one embodiment, context data metrics 414 may be included in the message field 412. It should be noted that other example embodiments utilizing MMS and/or EMS text messaging technology may use other modalities to transmit a text message and associated context data metrics. Moreover, other certain example embodiments utilizing IMS technology may use other modalities to transmit a text message and associated context data metrics.
It should also be noted, that the context meter icons may be rendered in a variety of graphical designs, audio and/or haptic patterns. Furthermore, in some example embodiments, the context-meter application 103 may provide an application for customization of the context data meter.
In another embodiment, the context-meter application 103 of the sending device 102 may have embedded a reference to the location context data in the text message and transmitted the location context data to the server 110. The receiving device 100 may then utilized the reference information to obtain the location context data from the server 110.
Although the present embodiments have been described with reference to specific example embodiments, various modifications and changes may be made to these embodiments without departing from the broader spirit and scope of the various embodiments. For example, the various devices, modules, etc. described herein may be enabled and operated using hardware circuitry (e.g., CMOS based logic circuitry), firmware, software or any combination of hardware, firmware, and software (e.g., embodied in a machine readable medium).
In addition, it will be appreciated that the various operations, processes, and methods disclosed herein may be embodied in a machine-readable medium and/or a machine accessible medium compatible with a data processing system (e.g., a computer system), and may be performed in any order (e.g., including using means for achieving the various operations). Accordingly, the specification and drawings are to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
This application is also a continuation-in-part of and claims priority to patent application Ser. No. 12/422,313 filed on Apr. 13, 2009 which claims priority from provisional application 61/161,763 filed on Mar. 19, 2009, patent application Ser. No. 12/422,313 is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 11/519,600 filed Sep. 11, 2006, which was patented as U.S. Pat. No. 7,551,935, which is a continuation-in-part of Ser. No. 11/231,575 filed Sep. 21, 2005 which was patented as U.S. Pat. No. 7,580,719.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4959785 | Yamamoto et al. | Sep 1990 | A |
5493692 | Theimer et al. | Feb 1996 | A |
5517409 | Ozawa et al. | May 1996 | A |
5797098 | Schroeder et al. | Aug 1998 | A |
5818447 | Wolf et al. | Oct 1998 | A |
6169911 | Wagner et al. | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6405225 | Apfel et al. | Jun 2002 | B1 |
6473621 | Heie | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6560456 | Lohtia et al. | May 2003 | B1 |
6704772 | Ahmed et al. | Mar 2004 | B1 |
6731940 | Nagendran | May 2004 | B1 |
6750883 | Parupudi et al. | Jun 2004 | B1 |
6785869 | Berstis | Aug 2004 | B1 |
6813507 | Gress et al. | Nov 2004 | B1 |
6816578 | Kredo et al. | Nov 2004 | B1 |
6847892 | Zhou et al. | Jan 2005 | B2 |
6898518 | Padmanabhan | May 2005 | B2 |
6963839 | Ostermann et al. | Nov 2005 | B1 |
6964020 | Lundy | Nov 2005 | B1 |
6966035 | Suess et al. | Nov 2005 | B1 |
6990180 | Vuori | Jan 2006 | B2 |
6993553 | Kaneko et al. | Jan 2006 | B2 |
6996520 | Levin | Feb 2006 | B2 |
7013155 | Ruf et al. | Mar 2006 | B1 |
7072956 | Parupudi et al. | Jul 2006 | B2 |
7155173 | Leung et al. | Dec 2006 | B2 |
7177902 | Hubbard | Feb 2007 | B2 |
7181387 | Ju et al. | Feb 2007 | B2 |
7207004 | Harrity | Apr 2007 | B1 |
7254773 | Bates et al. | Aug 2007 | B2 |
7272406 | Chava et al. | Sep 2007 | B2 |
7293074 | Jellinek et al. | Nov 2007 | B1 |
7305230 | Zhigang | Dec 2007 | B2 |
7315902 | Kirkland | Jan 2008 | B2 |
7328251 | Ahmed et al. | Feb 2008 | B2 |
7346501 | Mathur et al. | Mar 2008 | B2 |
7359714 | Parupudi et al. | Apr 2008 | B2 |
7363357 | Parupudi et al. | Apr 2008 | B2 |
7366500 | Yalovsky et al. | Apr 2008 | B1 |
7424682 | Pupius et al. | Sep 2008 | B1 |
7503007 | Goodman et al. | Mar 2009 | B2 |
7551935 | Karmarkar | Jun 2009 | B2 |
7580719 | Karmarkar | Aug 2009 | B2 |
20020077135 | Hyon | Jun 2002 | A1 |
20020110248 | Kovales et al. | Aug 2002 | A1 |
20020123899 | Hall et al. | Sep 2002 | A1 |
20020173294 | Nemeth et al. | Nov 2002 | A1 |
20020187794 | Fostick et al. | Dec 2002 | A1 |
20020193996 | Squibbs et al. | Dec 2002 | A1 |
20020198715 | Belrose | Dec 2002 | A1 |
20030023424 | Weiner | Jan 2003 | A1 |
20030078033 | Sauer et al. | Apr 2003 | A1 |
20030085989 | Tay | May 2003 | A1 |
20030125927 | Seme | Jul 2003 | A1 |
20030144895 | Aksu et al. | Jul 2003 | A1 |
20030186716 | Dorenbosch et al. | Oct 2003 | A1 |
20030207701 | Rolnik et al. | Nov 2003 | A1 |
20030236658 | Yam | Dec 2003 | A1 |
20040024683 | Morciniec et al. | Feb 2004 | A1 |
20040034561 | Smith | Feb 2004 | A1 |
20040044517 | Palmquist | Mar 2004 | A1 |
20040092272 | Valloppillil | May 2004 | A1 |
20040102201 | Levin | May 2004 | A1 |
20040102956 | Levin | May 2004 | A1 |
20040110493 | Alvarez et al. | Jun 2004 | A1 |
20040122979 | Kirkland | Jun 2004 | A1 |
20040158471 | Davis et al. | Aug 2004 | A1 |
20040179545 | Erola et al. | Sep 2004 | A1 |
20040194141 | Sanders | Sep 2004 | A1 |
20040215526 | Luo et al. | Oct 2004 | A1 |
20040221256 | Martin et al. | Nov 2004 | A1 |
20040221260 | Martin et al. | Nov 2004 | A1 |
20040235503 | Koponen et al. | Nov 2004 | A1 |
20040236244 | Allen et al. | Nov 2004 | A1 |
20040236710 | Clary et al. | Nov 2004 | A1 |
20040248591 | Fish | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20040253963 | Park et al. | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20040266462 | Chava et al. | Dec 2004 | A1 |
20050003837 | Midkiff et al. | Jan 2005 | A1 |
20050004840 | Wanninger | Jan 2005 | A1 |
20050027608 | Wiesmuller et al. | Feb 2005 | A1 |
20050038892 | Huang et al. | Feb 2005 | A1 |
20050066044 | Chaskar et al. | Mar 2005 | A1 |
20050128967 | Scobbie | Jun 2005 | A1 |
20050164703 | Huynh | Jul 2005 | A1 |
20050171944 | Palmquist | Aug 2005 | A1 |
20050191963 | Hymes | Sep 2005 | A1 |
20050198304 | Oliver et al. | Sep 2005 | A1 |
20050262204 | Szeto et al. | Nov 2005 | A1 |
20050267749 | Yamada et al. | Dec 2005 | A1 |
20060019724 | Bahl et al. | Jan 2006 | A1 |
20060135181 | Dale et al. | Jun 2006 | A1 |
20060154642 | Scannell, Jr. | Jul 2006 | A1 |
20060167992 | Cheung et al. | Jul 2006 | A1 |
20060212621 | Ash et al. | Sep 2006 | A1 |
20070027673 | Moberg | Feb 2007 | A1 |
20070032244 | Counts et al. | Feb 2007 | A1 |
20070076877 | Camp et al. | Apr 2007 | A1 |
20070130170 | Forney | Jun 2007 | A1 |
20070208813 | Blagsvedt et al. | Sep 2007 | A1 |
20070271340 | Goodman et al. | Nov 2007 | A1 |
20080005068 | Dumais et al. | Jan 2008 | A1 |
20080025482 | Susama et al. | Jan 2008 | A1 |
20080043718 | Chu | Feb 2008 | A1 |
20080055264 | Anzures et al. | Mar 2008 | A1 |
20080059152 | Fridman et al. | Mar 2008 | A1 |
20080076409 | Hinrikus et al. | Mar 2008 | A1 |
20080133228 | Rao | Jun 2008 | A1 |
20080133336 | Altman et al. | Jun 2008 | A1 |
20080171555 | Oh et al. | Jul 2008 | A1 |
20080243619 | Sharman et al. | Oct 2008 | A1 |
20080311934 | Soderstrom | Dec 2008 | A1 |
20090036097 | Satou | Feb 2009 | A1 |
20090055739 | Murillo et al. | Feb 2009 | A1 |
20090082042 | Harendra et al. | Mar 2009 | A1 |
20090124272 | White et al. | May 2009 | A1 |
20090129372 | Pandey et al. | May 2009 | A1 |
20090147778 | Wanless et al. | Jun 2009 | A1 |
20090163183 | O'Donoghue et al. | Jun 2009 | A1 |
20090175499 | Rosenblatt | Jul 2009 | A1 |
20090254529 | Goldentouch | Oct 2009 | A1 |
20090282030 | Abbot et al. | Nov 2009 | A1 |
20100048290 | Baseley et al. | Feb 2010 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
WO-2007104487 | Sep 2007 | WO |
Entry |
---|
U.S. Appl. No. 11/742,242, filed Apr. 2007, Maloney, David. |
“About ContractBuddy”; http://www,contractbuddy.com/aboutCB/features.htm, Mar. 22, 2005. |
“Electronic negotiations, media, and transactions in socioeconomic interactions”; Yuan; http://intemeg.org!enegotiation|resources|online—info,html, Dec. 2002. |
“Distributed PeCo-Mediator: Finding Partners via Personal Connections” Ogata etal.; 0-7803-3280-6/95/$5.00 1996IEEE. |
“What Can Computer Programs Do to Facilitate Negotiation Processes?”; Chaudhury. et al.; 1991 ACM 0-89791-456-2/91/0010/0269. |
“Speech Centric Multimodal Interfaces for Mobile Communication Systems”; Kvale et al.; Telektronikk Feb. 2003; p. 104-117. |
“Google SMS: How to Use”; http://www.google.com/sms|howtouse.html, Feb. 4, 2005. |
Author(s) unknown, Voice SMS—Client & Clientless Solutions Fun Talk SMS, V2V SMS, VoiceSMSData Sheet 1 ,publication date unknown (copyright 2008), published by Movius. |
Yasuto Nakanishi et al “Context Aware Messaging Service:A Dynamic Messaging Delivery Using Location Information and Schedule Information,” Personal Technologies (2000)Abstract. |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20100120456 A1 | May 2010 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
61161763 | Mar 2009 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 12422313 | Apr 2009 | US |
Child | 12691705 | US | |
Parent | 11519600 | Sep 2006 | US |
Child | 12422313 | US | |
Parent | 11231575 | Sep 2005 | US |
Child | 11519600 | US |