Patent Application
20180316634
Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure relate to data processing and, more specifically, but without limitation, to extending application functionality via conversational interfaces.
In order to access functionality provided by various applications or services (e.g., via mobile devices such as smartphones), such applications/services can provide downloadable applications or ‘apps.’ Users can then access functionality provided by an application/service by launching a corresponding ‘app’ on the user's device.
The following presents a shortened summary of various aspects of this disclosure in order to provide a basic understanding of such aspects. This summary is not an extensive overview of all contemplated aspects, and is intended to neither identify key or critical elements nor delineate the scope of such aspects. Its purpose is to present some concepts of this disclosure in a compact form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
In one aspect of the present disclosure, systems and methods are disclosed for extending application functionality via conversational interfaces. In one implementation, a first communication is received from an interaction engine. The first communication is processed to identify an application that the communication is directed to. The first communication is provided to an application extension engine associated with the first application. A second communication is received from the application extension engine. The second communication is provided to the interaction engine.
In another implementation, a first communication directed to an application is received. The first communication is formatted in accordance with an API of the application. The first communication, as formatted, is provided in accordance with the API, to the application. A second communication is received from the application. The second communication is provided in response to the first communication.
Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure will be understood more fully from the detailed description given below and from the accompanying drawings of various aspects and implementations of the disclosure, which, however, should not be taken to limit the disclosure to the specific aspects or implementations, but are for explanation and understanding only.
Aspects and implementations of the present disclosure are directed to extending application functionality via conversational interfaces.
Various applications and services (such as those deployed across one or more servers or within a ‘cloud’ framework) can provide functionality to end users through downloadable applications or ‘apps.’ For example, many applications and services provide dedicated mobile apps that can be installed on mobile devices smartphones, tablet computers, etc.). Once such an app is installed, a user can access functionality provided by an application/service by launching/running the mobile app on the device. However, developing mobile apps for multiple platforms can be expensive and time consuming. As a result, dedicated mobile apps are often not available for certain platforms.
Accordingly, described herein in various implementations are technologies, including methods, machine readable mediums, and systems, that extend application functionality (e.g., in lieu of utilizing a dedicated mobile app associated with such an application). As described herein, the described technologies provide the functionality, features, etc. of such services/applications via an interaction engine (e.g., a conversational interface such as an intelligent personal assistant, chat interface, etc.). In certain implementations, a communication coordination engine can relay/route communication(s) between such a conversational interface and a server at which the desired service/application is implemented. For example, a user communication received via a chat interface can be processed to identify an application/service to which it is directed. The communication can then be formatted in accordance with an application programming interface (API) associated with the identified application/service, and relayed to the application/service itself. Subsequent communication(s) provided in response by the application/service can be formatted in accordance with a conversational (e.g., chat) API and relayed back to the conversational interface for presentation to the user. In doing so, many aspects of the functionality, features, etc. of the service/application can be provided via the conversational interface, without the need for a dedicated/standalone ‘app.’
The described approach can be advantageous in numerous scenarios. For example, with respect to devices for which a standalone ‘app’ has not been developed (or cannot be obtained), the described technologies can enable users to access corresponding functionality via an intelligent personal assistant, chat/messaging interface, etc. Additionally, the described technologies can provide the features, functionality, etc., of multiple applications/services via a single conversational interface.
It can therefore be appreciated that the described technologies are directed to and address specific technical challenges and longstanding deficiencies in multiple technical areas, including but not limited to communication interfaces, mobile applications, and intelligent personal assistants. As described in detail herein, the disclosed technologies provide specific, technical solutions to the referenced technical challenges and unmet needs in the referenced technical fields and provide numerous advantages and improvements upon conventional approaches. Additionally, in various implementations one or more of the hardware elements, components, etc., referenced herein operate to enable, improve, and/or enhance the described technologies, such as in a manner described herein.
As shown in
In certain implementations, interaction engine 116 can also enable user 130 to initiate and/or configure other application(s). For example, user 130 can provide a command/communication to interaction engine 116 (e.g., ‘play jazz music’). In response to such command, interaction engine 116 can initiate an application (e.g., a media player application) that fulfills the request provided by the user. Additionally, while in certain implementations various aspects of interaction engine 116 can execute/operate on device 110, in other implementations interaction engine 116 can operate or execute on a remote device (e.g., on a server, as described below).
As shown in
As shown in
It should also be noted that while various components (e.g., interaction engine 116, communication coordination engine 118, etc.) are depicted (e.g., in
As also shown in
Each server can include an application such as application 144A and application 144B, respectively (collectively applications 144). Each application can be a program, module, set of instructions etc. stored on and/or executed by the server. The application can configure the server to provide various services, such as via communications to/from device 110. By way of illustration, application 144A can be an application that configures server 140A to provide a taxi dispatch service through which taxis can be dispatched in response to user requests/communications. By way of further illustration, application 144B can be an application that configures server 140B to provide a food delivery service through which restaurant orders can be placed in response to user requests/communications. It should be understood that the referenced applications/services are provided only by way of example and that any number of other applications, services, etc. can also be implemented in the manner described herein.
As also shown in
By way of illustration, in a scenario in which application 144A is an application that provides a taxi dispatch service, API 143A can define the manner, format, protocols, etc. in which communications (e.g., requests for taxi pickup at a location, booking confirmations, etc. are provided to/received from application 144A. Accordingly, application extension engine 142A can, for example, receive a communication originating from a conversational interface (e.g., interaction engine 116) and format such a communication such that the communication can be provided to application 144A in accordance with API 143A. In doing so, the application extension engine (e.g., application extension engine 142A) enables communication(s) originating from other sources/contexts (such as interaction engine 116) to be provided to the corresponding application (e.g., application 144A). The application extension engine also enables communication(s) originating from the corresponding application to be provided to other applications (such as interaction engine 116).
It should be note that while
Further aspects and features of device 110 and server 140 are described in more detail in conjunction with
By way of further illustration,
In certain implementations, communication coordination engine 118 can also be initialized by interaction engine 216. For example,
Moreover, in certain implementations, upon accessing a first application/service (e.g., within interaction engine 116, as described herein), a user can later decide to change or switch to another application/service. For example,
Having identified the application that the user wishes to access, the communication 230A received at interaction engine 216 can be routed, relayed, etc. to the identified application (here, ‘TaxiServiceApp’). In certain implementations, communication coordination engine 118 (as shown in
In certain implementations, supplemental content (e.g., content, information, etc., that is not initially included in the communication as received from the user) can be incorporated into and/or otherwise associated with the communication. For example, prior to relaying communication 230A to the server at which the corresponding application (‘TaxiServiceApp’) is executing, communication coordination engine 118 can incorporate or associate additional/supplemental content, information, etc. By way of illustration, supplemental content such as the current location of device 110, various specifications of the device (e.g., model number), a user account/profile associated with the user, etc. can be incorporated into or associated with communication 230A (and then relayed to the identified application/server). In doing so, subsequent communications with the application can be enhanced and/or streamlined (e.g., by providing content appropriately formatted for the device). It should be understood that, in certain implementations, device 110 and/or interaction engine 116 can be configured to incorporate and/or otherwise provide content such as the supplemental content referenced above.
As shown in FIG, 1, communication coordination engine 118 can transmit, provide, relay, etc. the referenced communication (e.g., communication 230A as shown in
By, way of illustration, application extension engine 142A can receive communication 230A from communication coordination engine 118 (e.g., via network 120). As noted above, the referenced communication 230A (‘I want to . . . ’) originated from a conversational interface (e.g., interaction engine 216 of
Upon receiving the referenced communication, application 144A (‘TaxiServiceApp’ in the scenario depicted in
In certain implementations, application extension engine 142A can format or otherwise process the response received from application 144A prior to providing the response to communication coordination engine 118. For example, application extension engine 142A can receive a response/communication from application 144A in accordance with API 143A (e.g., an API associated with taxi service instructions/operations). Application extension engine 142A can then format and/or otherwise modify this communication and provide the formatted/modified communication to coordination engine 118. By way of illustration, the response received from application 144A (which, as noted, is provided/received in accordance with API 143A) can be formatted in accordance with API 117 (e.g., a conversational API associated with presentation of communications within interaction engine 116). Communication coordination engine 118 can then provide the received communication to interaction engine 116 (e.g., an intelligent personal assistant, chat interface, etc.) within which the communication can be presented/provided (e.g., to user 130).
By way of illustration,
In certain implementations, user 130 can interact with (e.g., click, tap, select, etc. via an input device of device 110 such as a touchscreen) various elements of communication 230B. In doing so, another communication (corresponding to such interaction/selection) can be generated and provided to application 144A (e.g., via communication coordination engine 118 and application extension engine 142A, as described above). For example, user 130 can select a location within multimedia content 236B (here, an interactive map) and then tap, click, etc. selectable control 238B. A communication reflecting such a selection can then be generated and/or provided to application 144A.
It can therefore be appreciated that the described technologies (e.g., communication coordination engine 118 and application extension engine 142A) enable user 130 to access functionality, features, etc. of application 144A via interaction engine 116 (e.g., an intelligent personal assistant, chat interface, etc.). While certain applications/services may provide standalone applications (‘apps’) that execute locally on device 110 and communicate directly with server 144A, the described technologies can provide a comparable experience to the user without a dedicated ‘app’ executing on device 110. As described herein, communication coordination engine 118 relays/routes communications between interaction engine 116 and a remote server on which the desired application/service is implemented. In doing so, user 130 can access the functionality, features, etc. of the service/application via interaction engine 116. In certain implementations, such a server can be owned, operated, controlled, etc. (in whole or in part) by other entities such as application/service providers, developers, etc. (e.g., entities other than the entity that develops/provides communication coordination engine 118). Additionally, the referenced network 120 (through which various communications are transmitted/received) should be understood to be merely illustrative. Accordingly, as noted herein, in certain implementations interaction engine 116, communication coordination engine 118 and/or application extension engine 142A may execute on a device (e.g., a single device) and thus may not necessarily be separated by a physical network.
The described approach can be advantageous in numerous scenarios. For example, with respect to devices for which a standalone ‘app’ has not been developed (or cannot be obtained), the described technologies can enable users to access corresponding functionality via interaction engine 116 (e.g., an intelligent personal assistant, chat/messaging interface, etc.). Additionally, the described technologies can provide the features, functionality, etc., of multiple applications/services via a single interaction engine 116.
For example, as also shown in
By way of illustration,
As described in detail above, application 144B (here, ‘FoodDeliveryApp’) can generate a follow-up communication that, for example, prompt(s) the user for additional input (e.g., a cuisine type, price range, etc.). The follow-up communication can then be provided back to application extension engine 142B in accordance with API 143B. Application extension engine 142B can format and/or modify the communication (e.g., in accordance with a conversational API) and then provide the communication to communication coordination engine 118 for presentation to user 130.
For example, as shown in
Accordingly, the described technologies (e.g., communication coordination engine 118) can enable user 130 to access the respective features, functionalities, etc., of multiple applications/services via interaction engine 116 (e.g., an intelligent personal assistant, messaging interface, etc.). For example, as shown in
By way of illustration,
Communication 430A can be processed (e.g., as described above with respect to
Communication coordination engine 118 can then route, relay, etc. communication 4304 and communication 430B from interaction engine 416 to a server 140A on which the identified application 144A (‘TaxiServiceApp’) executes. Additionally, as noted above, in certain implementations coordination engine 118 can incorporate or otherwise associated various supplemental content with the referenced communication(s). Such supplemental content can be content, information, etc., that is not initially included in a communication as received from the user. For example, having determined (e.g., as described above) that interaction engine 416 received communications originating from multiple users and further determining that the respective communications are directed to a single application/service (here, ‘TaxiServiceApp’), communication coordination engine 118 can incorporate or associate additional/supplemental content, information, etc. For a particular communication (e.g., communication 430A) such supplemental content can include, for example, a user identifier (e.g., an account/profile name—here ‘User1’) associated with the user that provided the communication. Accordingly, in the scenario depicted in
Additionally, in certain implementations communication coordination engine 118 can associate various communication(s) with a particular application session (e.g., application session 150A and application session 150B as shown in
Associating communication(s) with a respective application session can be advantageous in scenarios such as are reflected in
As shown in
By way of illustration, application extension engine 142A can receive communication 430A and communication 430B from communication coordination engine 118 (e.g., via network 120). Application extension engine 142A can format such communications such that they can be provided to application 144A (here, ‘TaxiServiceApp’) in accordance with API 143A.
Upon receiving the referenced communications, application 144A (‘TaxiServiceApp’) in the scenario depicted in
By way of illustration, in the scenario depicted in
By way of illustration,
Additionally, in certain implementations communication 430C can also include text content 432C (‘Please provide . . . ’) which is directed to ‘User2’ (e.g., in response to communication 430B). In certain implementations, communication 430C can also include additional elements such as input field 434B and selectable control 438B through which a user (e.g., ‘User2’) can provide additional inputs, as described above. For example, having received communication 430B from ‘User2,’ application 144A can prompt or request additional information (e.g., for the destination to which the user wishes to travel). Such information can be provided by the user via input field 434B and selectable control 438B, as shown. In doing so, another communication (corresponding such interaction/selection) can be generated and provided to application 144A (e.g., via communication coordination engine 118 and application extension engine 142A, as described above).
Upon receiving the referenced additional inputs (e.g., a trip destination from ‘User2’—here, ‘SEA airport,’ as shown in
It can therefore be appreciated that the described technologies (e.g., communication coordination engine 118 and application extension engine 142A) enable user 130 to access functionality, features, etc. of application 144A via interaction engine 116 (e.g., an intelligent personal assistant, chat interface, etc.). Additionally, the described technologies can ensure that consistency is maintained across multiple communications, even in scenarios in which such communications are received at a single interface from different users with respect to different transactions (and subsequently relayed to a single application).
While many of the examples described herein are illustrated with respect to a single device 110 and/or server (e.g., server 140A), this is simply for the sake of clarity and brevity. However, it should be understood that the described technologies can also be implemented (in any number of configurations) across multiple servers and/or other computing devices/services.
FIG, 5 is a flow chart illustrating a method 500, according to an example embodiment, for extending application functionality via conversational interfaces. The method is performed by processing logic that can comprise hardware (circuitry, dedicated logic, etc.). software (such as is run on a computing device such as those described herein), or a combination of both. In one implementation, the method 500 is performed by one or more elements depicted and/or described in relation to
For simplicity of explanation, methods are depicted and described as a series of acts. However, acts in accordance with this disclosure can occur in various orders and/or concurrently, and with other acts not presented and described herein. Furthermore, not all illustrated acts may be required to implement the methods in accordance with the disclosed subject matter. In addition, those skilled in the art will understand and appreciate that the methods could alternatively be represented as a series of interrelated states via a state diagram or events. Additionally, it should be appreciated that the methods disclosed in this specification are capable of being stored on an article of manufacture to facilitate transporting and transferring such methods to computing devices. The term article of manufacture, as used herein, is intended to encompass a computer program accessible from any computer-readable device or storage media.
As used herein, the term “configured” encompasses its plain and ordinary meaning. In one example, a machine is configured to carry out a method by having software code for that method stored in a memory that is accessible to the processor(s) of the machine. The processor(s) access the memory to implement the method. In another example, the instructions for carrying out the method are hard-wired into the processor(s). In yet another example, a portion of the instructions are hard-wired, and a portion of the instructions are stored as software code in the memory.
At operation 510, a first communication is received. In certain implementations, such a communication can be received from interaction engine 116 (e.g., as depicted in
At operation 520, the first communication (e.g., as received at operation 510) is processed. In certain implementations, the communication can be parsed, analyzed, etc. to identify an application (or applications) that the first communication is directed to (e.g., using natural language processing and/or other such content processing techniques). For example, as shown in
As noted above, in certain implementations, the identified application(s) can be associated with application extension engine(s) (e.g., application extension engines 142A and 142B, as shown in
Moreover, in certain implementations the referenced communication (e.g., the communication received at operation 510) can be processed to identify a user that the communication is associated with (e.g., a user from which the communication originated from and/or otherwise pertains to). For example, as described above (e.g., with respect to
Additionally, in certain implementations the referenced communication can be associated with an application session (e.g., an application session of the first application). Such an application session can be a series/sequence of communications associated with a task, activity, transaction, etc. performed or facilitated by an application (e.g., application 144A). For example, as described above, communication coordination engine 118 can associate an application session (e.g., a corresponding identifier or indicator) to communication(s) that pertain to a particular transaction, task, etc. (e.g., a taxi ride). In doing so, consistency across multiple communications can be maintained even in a scenario in which multiple users (e.g., users 130A and 130B of
At operation 530, the communication (e.g., the communication received at operation 510) is provided. In certain implementations, the communication can be provided to an application extension engine, such as is associated with the application to which the referenced communication is directed. As describe above, such application extension engine(s) can extend various capabilities, functionality, etc., of the application to which the referenced communication is directed.
Additionally, in certain implementations, various supplemental content can be incorporated into the first communication (and provided to the application referenced application extension engine). Such supplemental content can be content, information, etc., that is not initially included in the communication (e.g., as received from the user). For example, information such as various specifications of the device 110 (e.g., model number), a user account/profile associated with the user, a state of the device (e.g., the current location of device and/or other sensor information), etc. can be incorporated into or associated with the referenced communication, as described above. In doing so, subsequent communications can be enhanced and/or streamlined (e.g., by providing content appropriately formatted for the device).
Moreover, in certain implementations the referenced supplemental content can further include various selections or determinations that can be computed, e.g., in conjunction with providing the referenced communication. For example, in certain implementations a determination can be made to provide/supply user profile data (e.g., in conjunction with the referenced communication). By way of further example, a determination can be made to anonymize various identifying information (e.g., user ID, etc.) associated with the user (e.g., based on a selection/preference previously provided by the user). By way of yet further example, a determination can be made to select another network connection and/or to utilize an alternative communication protocol (e.g., SMS) in a scenario in which device 110 loses network connectivity.
At operation 540, a second communication is received. In certain implementations, such a communication can be received from an application extension engine. Additionally, in certain implementations such a second communication can be associated with or directed to the first user (e.g., the user from which the first communication originated). For example, as shown in
Moreover, in certain implementations the second communication can include various content item(s). For example, as shown in
Additionally, in certain implementations the second communication can be associated with a second application session of the first application. For example, as described above, various communications (e.g., those pertaining to different transactions) can be associated with different application sessions. Accordingly, various communications received by communication coordination engine 118 can be associated with different application sessions (e.g., as depicted in
At operation 550, the second communication (e.g., as received at operation 540) is provided to the interaction engine. In certain implementations, such a second communication can be provided to the interaction engine in accordance with a with an API associated with the interaction engine (e.g., a chat/messaging API). For example, a response received from application 144A can be formatted in accordance with API 117 (e.g., a conversational API) and provided to interaction engine 115 (e.g., an intelligent personal assistant, chat interface, etc.).
Additionally, in certain implementations a content item can be provided to the interaction engine based on a. determination that a device at which the interaction engine executes can present the first content item. For example, as shown in
At operation 610, a first communication is received. In certain implementations, such a communication can originate from an interaction engine (e.g., a conversational interface) and/or can be directed to an application. For example, as shown in
In certain implementations, such a communication can include various aspects, characteristics, etc. of a device from which the first communication originated. For example, communication coordination engine 118 can relay or otherwise provide a communication originating from interaction engine 116 (and directed to application 144A) to application extension engine 142A. As described in detail above, various supplemental content such as the current location of device 110, various specifications of the device (e.g., model number), a user account/profile associated with the user, etc. can be incorporated into or associated with the referenced communication.
At operation 620, the first communication (e.g., as received at operation 610) is formatted. In certain implementations, such a communication can be formatted in accordance with an API of the application. For example, as described above with respect to
At operation 630, the first communication, as formatted in accordance with the API (e.g., at operation 620) is provided to the application, as described herein.
At operation 640, a second communication is received. In certain implementations, such a communication can be received from the application. For example, as shown in
Additionally, in certain implementations the second communication can include content that is compatible with the one or more aspects, characteristics, etc. of the device from which the first communication originated. For example, as noted above, the first communication (e.g., as received at operation 610) can incorporate various aspects of the referenced device (e.g., whether or not the device can present media content, etc.). Accordingly, the second communication can include content that is compatible with such a device, as described above.
At operation 650, the second communication is provided in response to the first communication, e.g., as described above.
It should also be noted that while the technologies described herein are illustrated primarily with respect to extending application functionality via conversational interfaces, the described technologies can also be implemented in any number of additional or alternative settings or contexts and towards any number of additional objectives. It should be understood that further technical advantages, solutions, and/or improvements (beyond those described and/or referenced herein) can be enabled as a result of such implementations.
Certain implementations are described herein as including logic or a number of components, modules, or mechanisms. Modules can constitute either software modules (e.g., code embodied on a machine-readable medium) or hardware modules. A “hardware module” is a tangible unit capable of performing certain operations and can be configured or arranged in a certain physical manner. In various example implementations, one or more computer systems (e.g., a standalone computer system, a client computer system, or a server computer system) or one or more hardware modules of a computer system (e.g., a processor or a group of processors) can be configured by software (e.g., an application or application portion) as a hardware module that operates to perform certain operations as described herein.
In some implementations, a hardware module can be implemented mechanically, electronically, or any suitable combination thereof. For example, a hardware module can include dedicated circuitry or logic that is permanently configured to perform certain operations. For example, a hardware module can be a special-purpose processor, such as a Field-Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) or an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). A hardware module can also include programmable logic or circuitry that is temporarily configured by software to perform certain operations. For example, a hardware module can include software executed by a general-purpose processor or other programmable processor. Once configured by such software, hardware modules become specific machines (or specific components of a machine) uniquely tailored to perform the configured functions and are no longer general-purpose processors. It will be appreciated that the decision to implement a hardware module mechanically, in dedicated and permanently configured circuitry, or in temporarily configured circuitry (e.g., configured by software) can be driven by cost and time considerations.
Accordingly, the phrase “hardware module” should be understood to encompass a tangible entity, be that an entity that is physically constructed, permanently configured (e.g., hardwired), or temporarily configured (e.g., programmed) to operate in a certain manner or to perform certain operations described herein. As used herein, “hardware-implemented module” refers to a hardware module. Considering implementations in which hardware modules are temporarily configured (e.g., programmed), each of the hardware modules need not be configured or instantiated at any one instance in time. For example, where a hardware module comprises a general-purpose processor configured by software to become a special-purpose processor, the general-purpose processor can be configured as respectively different special-purpose processors (e.g., comprising different hardware modules) at different times. Software accordingly configures a particular processor or processors, for example, to constitute a. particular hardware module at one instance of time and to constitute a different hardware module at a different instance of time.
Hardware modules can provide information to, and receive information from, other hardware modules. Accordingly, the described hardware modules can be regarded as being communicatively coupled. Where multiple hardware modules exist contemporaneously, communications can be achieved through signal transmission (e.g., over appropriate circuits and buses) between or among two or more of the hardware modules. In implementations in which multiple hardware modules are configured or instantiated at different times, communications between such hardware modules can be achieved, for example, through the storage and retrieval of information in memory structures to which the multiple hardware modules have access. For example, one hardware module can perform an operation and store the output of that operation in a memory device to which it is communicatively coupled. A further hardware module can then, at a later time, access the memory device to retrieve and process the stored output. Hardware modules can also initiate communications with input or output devices, and can operate on a resource (e.g., a collection of information).
The various operations of example methods described herein can be performed, at least partially, by one or more processors that are temporarily configured (e.g., by software) or permanently configured to perform the relevant operations. Whether temporarily or permanently configured, such processors can constitute processor-implemented modules that operate to perform one or more operations or functions described herein. As used herein, “processor-implemented module” refers to a hardware module implemented using one or more processors.
Similarly, the methods described herein can be at least partially processor-implemented, with a particular processor or processors being an example of hardware. For example, at least some of the operations of a method can be performed by one or more processors or processor-implemented modules. Moreover, the one or more processors can also operate to support performance of the relevant operations in a “cloud computing” environment or as a “software as a service” (SaaS). For example, at least some of the operations can be performed by a group of computers (as examples of machines including processors), with these operations being accessible via a network (e.g., the Internet) and via one or more appropriate interfaces (e.g., an API).
The performance of certain of the operations can be distributed among the processors, not only residing within a single machine, but deployed across a number of machines. In some example implementations, the processors or processor- implemented modules can be located in a single geographic location (e.g., within a home environment, an office environment, or a server farm). In other example implementations, the processors or processor-implemented modules can be distributed across a number of geographic locations.
The modules, methods, applications, and so forth described in conjunction with
Software architectures are used in conjunction with hardware architectures to create devices and machines tailored to particular purposes. For example, a particular hardware architecture coupled with a particular software architecture will create a mobile device, such as a mobile phone, tablet device, or so forth. A slightly different hardware and software architecture can yield a smart device for use in the “internet of things,” while vet another combination produces a server computer for use within a cloud computing architecture. Not all combinations of such software and hardware architectures are presented here, as those of skill in the art can readily understand how to implement the inventive subject matter in different contexts from the disclosure contained herein.
The machine 700 can include processors 710, memory/storage 730, and I/O components 750, which can be configured to communicate with each other such as via a bus 702. In an example implementation, the processors 710 (e.g., a Central Processing Unit (CPU), a Reduced Instruction Set Computing (RISC) processor, a Complex Instruction Set Computing (CISC) processor, a Graphics Processing Unit (GPU), a Digital Signal Processor (DSP), an ASIC, a Radio-Frequency Integrated Circuit (RFIC), another processor, or any suitable combination thereof) can include, for example, a processor 712 and a processor 714 that can execute the instructions 716. The term “processor” is intended to include multi-core processors that can comprise two or more independent processors (sometimes referred to as “cores”) that can execute instructions contemporaneously. Although
The memory/storage 730 can include a memory 732, such as a main memory, or other memory storage, and a storage unit 736, both accessible to the processors 710 such as via the bus 702. The storage unit 736 and memory 732 store the instructions 716 embodying any one or more of the methodologies or functions described herein. The instructions 716 can also reside, completely or partially, within the memory 732, within the storage unit 736, within at least one of the processors 710 (e.g., within the processor's cache memory), or any suitable combination thereof, during execution thereof by the machine 700. Accordingly, the memory 732, the storage unit 736, and the memory of the processors 710 are examples of machine-readable media.
As used herein, “machine-readable medium” means a device able to store instructions (e.g., instructions 716) and data temporarily or permanently and can include, but is not limited to, random-access memory (RAM), read-only memory (ROM), buffer memory, flash memory, optical media, magnetic media, cache memory, other types of storage (e.g., Erasable Programmable Read-Only Memory (EEPROM)), and/or any suitable combination thereof. The term “machine-readable medium” should be taken to include a single medium or multiple media (e.g., a centralized or distributed database, or associated caches and servers) able to store the instructions 716. The term “machine-readable medium” shall also be taken to include any medium, or combination of multiple media, that is capable of storing instructions (e.g., instructions 716) for execution by a machine (e.g., machine 700), such that the instructions, when executed by one or more processors of the machine (e.g., processors 710), cause the machine to perform any one or more of the methodologies described herein. Accordingly, a “machine-readable medium” refers to a single storage apparatus or device, as well as “cloud-based” storage systems or storage networks that include multiple storage apparatus or devices. The term “machine-readable medium” excludes signals per se.
The I/O components 750 can include a wide variety of components to receive input, provide output, produce output, transmit information, exchange information, capture measurements, and so on. The specific I/O components 750 that are included in a particular machine will depend on the type of machine. For example, portable machines such as mobile phones will likely include a touch input device or other such input mechanisms, while a headless server machine will likely not include such a touch input device. It will be appreciated that the I/O components 750 can include many other components that are not shown in
In further example implementations, the I/0 components 750 can include biometric components 756, motion components 758, environmental components 760, or position components 762, among a wide array of other components. For example, the biometric components 756 can include components to detect expressions (e.g., hand expressions, facial expressions, vocal expressions, body gestures, or eve tracking), measure biosignals (e.g., blood pressure, heart rate, body temperature, perspiration, or brain waves), identify a person (e.g., voice identification, retinal identification, facial identification, fingerprint identification, or electroencephalogram based identification), and the like. The motion components 758 can include acceleration sensor components (e.g., accelerometer), gravitation sensor components, rotation sensor components (e.g., gyroscope), and so forth. The environmental components 760 can include, for example, illumination sensor components (e.g., photometer), temperature sensor components (e.g., one or more thermometers that detect ambient temperature), humidity sensor components, pressure sensor components (e.g., barometer), acoustic sensor components (e.g., one or more microphones that detect background noise), proximity sensor components (e.g., infrared sensors that detect nearby objects), gas sensors (e.g., gas detection sensors to detect concentrations of hazardous gases for safety or to measure pollutants in the atmosphere), or other components that can provide indications, measurements, or signals corresponding to a surrounding physical environment. The position components 762 can include location sensor components (e.g., a Global Position System (GPS) receiver component), altitude sensor components (e.g., altimeters or barometers that detect air pressure from which altitude can be derived), orientation sensor components (e.g., magnetometers), and the like.
Communication can be implemented using a wide variety of technologies. The I/O components 750 can include communication components 764 operable to couple the machine 700 to a network 780 or devices 770 via a coupling 782 and a coupling 772, respectively. For example, the communication components 764 can include a network interface component or other suitable device to interface with the network 780. In further examples, the communication components 764 can include wired communication components, wireless communication components, cellular communication components. Near Field Communication (NFC) components, Bluetooth® components (e.g., Bluetooth® Low Energy), Wi-Fi® components, and other communication components to provide communication via other modalities. The devices 770 can be another machine or any of a wide variety of peripheral devices (e.g., a peripheral device coupled via a USB).
Moreover, the communication components 764 can detect identifiers or include components operable to detect identifiers. For example, the communication components 764 can include Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tag reader components, NFC smart tag detection components, optical reader components (e.g., an optical sensor to detect one-dimensional bar codes such as Universal Product Code (UPC) bar code, multi-dimensional bar codes such as Quick Response (QR) code, Aztec code, Data Matrix, Dataglyph, MaxiCode, PDF417, Ultra Code, UCC RSS-2D bar code, and. other optical codes), or acoustic detection components (e.g., microphones to identify tagged audio signals). In addition, a variety of information can be derived via the communication components 764, such as location via Internet Protocol (IP) geolocation, location via Wi-Fi® signal triangulation, location via detecting an NFC beacon signal that can indicate a particular location, and so forth.
In various example implementations, one or more portions of the network 780 can be an ad hoc network, an intranet, an extranet, a virtual private network (VPN), a local area network (LAN), a wireless LAN (WLAN), a WAN, a wireless WAN (WWAN), a metropolitan area network (MAN), the Internet, a portion of the Internet, a portion of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN), a plain old telephone service (POTS) network, a cellular telephone network, a wireless network, a Wi-Fi® network, another type of network, or a combination of two or more such networks. For example, the network 780 or a portion of the network 780 can include a wireless or cellular network and the coupling 782 can be a Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) connection, a Global System for Mobile communications (GSM) connection, or another type of cellular or wireless coupling. In this example, the coupling 782 can implement any of a variety of types of data transfer technology, such as Single Carrier Radio Transmission Technology (1xRTT), Evolution-Data Optimized (EVDO) technology, General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) technology, Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution (EDGE) technology, third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) including 3G, fourth generation wireless (4G) networks. Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS), High Speed Packet Access (HSPA), Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access (WiMAX), Long Term Evolution (LTE) standard, others defined by various standard-setting organizations, other long range protocols, or other data transfer technology.
The instructions 716 can be transmitted or received over the network 780 using a transmission medium via a network interface device (e.g., a network interface component included in the communication components 764) and utilizing any one of a number of well-known transfer protocols (e.g., HTTP), Similarly, the instructions 716 can be transmitted or received using a transmission medium via the coupling 772 (e.g., a peer-to-peer coupling) to the devices 770. The term “transmission medium” shall be taken to include any intangible medium that is capable of storing, encoding, or carrying the instructions 716 for execution by the machine 700, and includes digital or analog communications signals or other intangible media to facilitate communication of such software.
Throughout this specification, plural instances can implement components, operations, or structures described as a. single instance. Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations can be performed concurrently, and nothing requires that the operations be performed in the order illustrated. Structures and functionality presented as separate components in example configurations can be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component can be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter herein.
Although an overview of the inventive subject matter has been described with reference to specific example implementations, various modifications and changes can be made to these implementations without departing from the broader scope of implementations of the present disclosure. Such implementations of the inventive subject matter can be referred to herein, individually or collectively, by the term “invention” merely for convenience and without intending to voluntarily limit the scope of this application to any single disclosure or inventive concept if more than one is, in fact, disclosed.
The implementations illustrated herein are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the teachings disclosed. Other implementations can be used and derived therefrom, such that structural and logical substitutions and changes can be made without departing from the scope of this disclosure. The Detailed Description, therefore, is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of various implementations is defined only by the appended claims, along with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
As used herein, the term “or” can be construed in either an inclusive or exclusive sense. Moreover, plural instances can be provided for resources, operations, or structures described herein as a single instance. Additionally, boundaries between various resources, operations, modules, engines, and data stores are somewhat arbitrary, and particular operations are illustrated in a context of specific illustrative configurations. Other allocations of functionality are envisioned and can fall within a scope of various implementations of the present disclosure. In general, structures and functionality presented as separate resources in the example configurations can be implemented as a combined structure or resource, Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single resource can be implemented as separate resources. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within a scope of implementations of the present disclosure as represented by the appended claims. The specification and drawings are, accordingly, to be regarded in an illustrative rather than a restrictive sense.
