Infrastructure Entity Position-Based Context Awareness
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current context awareness solutions for portable terminal devices face challenges in scalability, flexibility, and configurability due to limitations in input capabilities and the need for centralized supplementary information storage, as well as high costs and maintenance requirements for distributed context information provision.
Innovation Solution
A method and system that utilize infrastructure entities to determine the position of portable terminal devices and provide context information associated with defined environments, allowing for flexible and scalable context awareness by selecting and transmitting context information based on terminal/object distances and positions, using a combination of terminal-based and network-based position technologies, and enabling centralized administration.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If distributed context providing entities are implemented to provide context information, then context awareness capability is improved, but system cost and maintenance complexity increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an infrastructure entity as an intermediary between context sensors and portable terminal devices. This intermediary collects context information from sensors, stores it centrally, and provides it to terminals when needed, eliminating the need for each terminal to implement its own context providing entities while maintaining context awareness capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the context information collection, storage, and provision functions into a single infrastructure entity that serves multiple portable terminal devices. This consolidation reduces system complexity by eliminating redundant components while preserving the ability to provide context-aware services
2Adaptability or versatility
If context sensors are implemented in portable terminal devices to detect context information, then local context detection capability is improved, but device weight and dimension increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the context information storage and provision functions from portable terminal devices and places them in external infrastructure entities. Terminals only retain minimal sensing capability while relying on the infrastructure for context data, significantly reducing device weight and dimension
Solution Approach 2:
The infrastructure entity serves as a universal context providing service for multiple portable terminal devices simultaneously. This multi-functional approach allows terminals to access context information without each device needing complete context sensing and processing capabilities
3Productivity
If centralized storage of supplementary context information is implemented, then information retrieval efficiency is improved, but system scalability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the centralized infrastructure into multiple independent infrastructure entities that can be distributed across different locations. Each entity maintains local context information storage and provision capabilities, enabling both efficient local retrieval and system scalability through modular deployment
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to location/position-based context awareness for devices and mobile terminal devices, respectively. In particularly, the present invention relates to an infrastructure entity performing the location/position-based context awareness for a portable terminal device. According to the present invention an infrastructure entity and a method operable therewith for serving distance-dependent context information relating to a defined environment is provided. For instance, terminal/object distances are determined in accordance with a position of a portable terminal, each position of a plurality of objects and a position of an infrastructure entity, which is adapted to serve the aforementioned distance-dependent context information. Context information, which is associated with each of the plurality of object, is provided for being selected. Context information is selected from provided context information on the basis of the determined terminal/object distances. The selected context information is finally transmitted to the portable terminal for being processed thereon.