System and method for spatio-temporal-context aware interaction of users with an entity of interest

{
  "publication_number": "US2009125584A1",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "A1",
  "title": "System and method for spatio-temporal-context aware interaction of users with an entity of interest",
  "abstract": "A multifunctional interaction system which is capable of spatio-temporal context localization of users and of communication of audio/video streams to an entity of interest defined by the user, includes a communication domain supporting a predefined localization service, a server associated with the communication domain, client devices, and a dynamically changing context database which is customized in accord with the dynamics of interaction sessions of client devices with the server. The client communicates with the system to either request services therefrom or to send a message to the entity of interest. The system is provided with a panic alert mechanism which, upon actuation, transmits an audio/video data stream along with the client location tag, time stamp, and client ID, to a police precinct for prompt action.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A system for spatio-temporal-context aware interaction of users with an entity of interest, the system comprising: at least one communication domain covering an area of interest, at least one server operatively coupled with said at least one communication domain, a plurality of client devices, each client device interacting with said at least one server in at least one interactive session to transmit a data stream thereto, wherein each client device is associated with a respective user, a context entity operatively connected to said at least one server and customized substantially in real time in accordance with dynamics of said at least one interaction session of said each client device with said at least one server, wherein said at least one server communicates said data stream from said each client device to an authorized entity of interest in a controlled manner.",
    "2. The system of claim 1, wherein said each client device further includes a panic alert mechanism, wherein said data stream is selected from the group consisting of: video stream, audio stream, SMS, static photographs, and combinations thereof, wherein said authorized entity of interest includes an entity adapted to respond to emergency situations, and wherein, upon actuation of said panic alert mechanism by said respective user, said data stream along with a contextual information from said context entity is transmitted to said entity of interest for further actions thereof.",
    "3. The system of claim 1, wherein said contextual information transmitted to said entity of interest includes said each client device identification, location tag, and time stamp.",
    "4. The system of claim 1, wherein said context entity includes contextual information concerning said respective user, said each client device, communication channels characteristics, location of said each client device, temporal characteristics of said at least one interaction session, goals of said interaction session, privacy policy, security policy, networking information, data concerning events and services of interest, and said at least one communication domain specific information.",
    "5. The system of claim 1, wherein said entity of interest is defined by said respective user, said entity of interest including an entity from a group consisting of: target audience for distribution of the information, target location extent for distribution of the information, target temporal extent for distribution of the information, at least one client device, at least one user, an entity of interest outside said system, at least one server associated with another communication domain covering another area of interest, at least one service provider, at least one information bank, and at least one website.",
    "6. The system of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of service providers operatively coupled to said at least one server to provide at least one service requested by said each client device.",
    "7. The system of claim 6, wherein said at least one server operates for spatio-temporal-context localization of said each client device, collects and dynamically adjusts said contextual information, customizes said at least one interaction session based on said contextual information, and controls provision of said at least one service.",
    "8. The system of claim 1, wherein said entity of interest is granted an access to said data stream based on privileges and rights of said entity of interest.",
    "9. The system of claim 1, further comprising at least another communication domain and at least one another server associated therewith, said at least one server communicating with said at least one another server through a communication channel to provide seamless transition for location determination and to access services supported by each of said at least one and at least another communication domains",
    "10. The system of claim 9, wherein each of said at least one and another communication domains include first and second location management units, respectively, and wherein said at least one server and said at least another sever select one of said first and second location management units to use when said each client device moves between said communication domains to provide seamless location determination.",
    "11. The system of claim 1, further comprising an authentication unit operatively coupled to said at least one server and functioning to certify the location of said each client device and time of said interaction session.",
    "12. The system of claim 1, wherein said at least one communication domain is a substantially contiguous communication domain including communication technologies selected from a group consisting of: WiMAX, WiFi, Bluetooth, GPS, cellular, Ethernet, Internet, PinPoint, Horus.",
    "13. The system of claim 1, wherein said each client device is selected from a group consisting of: cellular phones, PDAs, tablets, Laptops, desktops, devices equipped with interface selected from a group consisting of: display, microphone, webcamera, speakers, earphones, pointing devices.",
    "14. The system of claim 1, further comprising a location management unit operatively coupled to said at least one server and operating to determine the in-real-time location of said each client device.",
    "15. The system of claim 1, further comprising a device customization unit operatively coupled to said at least one server and operating to dynamically optimize communication between said each client device and said entity of interest based on the contextual information contained in said context entity.",
    "16. The system of claim 1, wherein during said interaction session said each client device includes a volatile memory block containing a redundant copy of said context entity available in said at least one server.",
    "17. A system for spatio-temporal-context aware interaction of users with an entity of interest, the system comprising: at least one communication domain covering an area of interest, at least one server operatively coupled with said at least one communication domain, said at least one server having an information bank allowed therein, at least one client device associated with a user, said at least one client device including an alert mechanism for being actuated by said user in a predetermined situation to initiate an interaction session, a context entity operatively coupled to said at least one server, said context entity including a context information concerning said at least one client device identification, location thereof, and temporal characteristics of said interaction session, and at least one entity of interest communicating with said at least one server in a controlled manner, wherein, upon activation of said alert mechanism, said at least one client device transmitting an audio/video data stream to said at least one server for being recorded in said information bank thereof, and wherein said at least one server forwards said audio/video data streams along with said contextual information to said at least one entity of interest.",
    "18. The system of claim 17, wherein said at least one entity of interest includes an emergency response unit, said emergency response unit responding with predetermined actions to the receipt of said audio/video data stream and said contextual information.",
    "19. A method for spatio-temporal-context aware interaction of users with an entity of interest, the method comprising the steps of: forming at least one communication domain covering an area of interest, coupling at least one server to said at least one communication domain, connecting a plurality of client devices to said at least one server, each client device being associated with a respective user, connecting a context entity to said at least one server, said context entity containing a spatio-temporal-contextual information concerning said respective user, client device and said interaction session, initiating an interaction session between at least one client device and an entity of interest for receiving services therefrom, customizing said context entity during said interaction session substantially in real time in accordance with the dynamics of said interaction session, and receiving said services from said entity of interest based on the content of said context entity.",
    "20. The method of claim 19, further comprising the steps of: initiating said interaction session by activating a panic alert mechanism provided on said client device, forwarding an audio/video data stream from said client device to said at least one server, and forwarding said audio/video data stream along with said spatio-temporal-contextual information of said context entity from said at least one server to said entity of interest, wherein said entity of interest includes a public safety unit."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "The present invention relates to a system for interaction between users and an entity of interest for receiving services therefrom, and more in particular, to an interaction system capable of providing spatio-temporal-context aware services to the users.\n\nEven more in particular, the present invention is directed to a situational awareness, authentication and querying system having an ability to effectively communicate the desired audio/video streams between individuals and chosen entities of interest.\n\nThe present invention also is directed to an interaction system equipped with a panic alert mechanism in which audio/video streams acquired or delivered on cell phones, along with their location tags and time stamps, are forwarded to a server and further to an emergency response unit, such as for example a police department and/or a police dispatcher for adequately responding to a situation and subsequent developments, with the possibility of dispatching a patrol car to the location of the incident.\n\nThe present invention is further directed to an interactive system where a user initiates a variety of queries to request services which are either supported by the system, or are requested by the system from a variety of external service providers.\n\nFurther, the present invention is directed to a flexible interaction system where the users define the entity of interest in accordance with their preferences. The entity of interest may include logical groups, social networks, or may be categorized by geographic locations, situational determinations, context-sensitive locations, or based on a temporal specification.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04L 67/563",
    "H04L 67/12",
    "H04L 67/51",
    "H04L 67/52",
    "H04L 67/568",
    "H04M 11/04",
    "H04W 4/02",
    "H04W 4/029"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "G06F 15/16",
    "G06F 15/173"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "University of Maryland Baltimore"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Ashok K. Agrawala",
    "Amitabh Varshney",
    "Christian B. Almazan"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2008-11-10",
  "publication_date": "2009-05-14",
  "priority_date": "2007-11-08",
  "application_number": "US-26792108-A",
  "family_id": "40624775",
  "cited_by_count": 65,
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}