Context-Aware Layer for Presence Information Abstraction

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current presence-related applications face complexity and increased resource requirements due to the need for contextual interpretation of presence metadata, leading to interoperability issues and increased processing, memory, and network bandwidth usage.

Innovation Solution

A context-aware layer is introduced to abstract and manage presence aspects, reducing complexity by encapsulating service aspects and associating them with logic to support various applications, thereby simplifying the interpretation and processing of presence information.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Loss of information

If presence applications directly interpret and process presence metadata without abstraction, then they can access detailed presence information, but the application complexity and resource requirements (processing, memory, network bandwidth) increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepresence information accessibilityVSAvoidapplication complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces a context-aware layer as an intermediary component that sits between the presence platform and applications. This layer translates presence metadata into contextual aspects, shielding applications from the complexity of raw presence data while maintaining information accessibility. The intermediary handles the interpretation and transformation work, allowing applications to work with simplified contextual representations.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent segments the presence information system into distinct layers: the presence platform layer that generates raw metadata, the context-aware layer that processes and translates metadata into aspects, and the application layer that consumes simplified aspect information. This segmentation isolates complexity in the middle layer while keeping application interfaces simple.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If presence applications implement their own contextual interpretation logic, then they can derive presence aspects independently, but processing overhead and memory consumption increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepresence aspect derivation capabilityVSAvoidprocessing energy consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The context-aware layer serves as a shared intermediary service that multiple applications can utilize. Instead of each application implementing its own interpretation logic, they all interact with the same intermediary that handles the computationally intensive tasks of metadata translation and aspect derivation, reducing overall processing energy consumption across the system.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The context-aware layer provides universal service to multiple applications, performing the same metadata interpretation and aspect derivation functions for different applications. This multi-functionality eliminates redundant processing that would occur if each application implemented its own logic, thereby reducing total energy consumption.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

3Loss of information

If presence applications directly handle raw presence metadata, then they can access complete presence information, but network bandwidth usage increases due to unnecessary data transmission

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepresence data completenessVSAvoidnetwork bandwidth consumption
Core Design Contradiction:
Loss of informationVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

The context-aware layer extracts only the relevant contextual aspects from the complete presence metadata that applications need. Instead of transmitting all raw presence data to applications, the intermediary extracts and delivers only the necessary aspect information, reducing network bandwidth consumption while maintaining data completeness for application purposes.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The context-aware layer performs preliminary processing and translation of presence metadata into contextual aspects before delivering it to applications. This preliminary action prepares the data in advance, so applications receive pre-processed, ready-to-use aspect information rather than raw metadata that would require further processing and transmission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

4Adaptability or versatility

If presence applications are tightly coupled with presence platform semantics, then they can leverage platform-specific features, but interoperability issues arise when platform semantics change

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveplatform feature utilizationVSAvoidinteroperability stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The context-aware layer acts as a stable intermediary that decouples applications from presence platform semantics. It translates platform-specific metadata formats into standardized contextual aspects, allowing applications to utilize platform features through the intermediary without being directly coupled to platform semantics, thereby maintaining interoperability stability even when platforms change.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a new dimensional layer (the context-aware layer) between applications and the presence platform. This additional dimension provides an abstraction boundary that allows platform-specific implementations to vary without affecting applications, as long as they adhere to the standardized aspect interface defined at this new dimensional level.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentEP2220880B1Method, computer-readable medium and system for a context aware mechanism for use in presence and location
Publication Date: 2013.11.20 BLACKBERRY LTD
  • EP2220880B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2220880B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2220880B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A method for execution in a computing execution environment for the creation of aspects from a service or application, an aspect being an application level abstraction relevant to a source or service, the method comprising: defining related service aspects; inserting or encapsulating service aspects as named aspects into a context aware layer in the execution environment, the context aware layer adapted to be called from a plurality of application types or services; and associating the named aspects with logic in the context aware layer to support application or service function points.