Environment-Interactive Context-Aware Devices and Methods

Abstract

Location-aware methods and systems are described. In one embodiment, a portable computing device determines its location by accessing one or more hierarchical tree structures each of which comprising multiple nodes that represent physical or logical locations, and traversing at least one node on the one or more hierarchical tree structures to ascertain the location. The device then acquires digital data associated with the determined location and that can permit the device to interact with a location environment. The device then enables interaction with the location environment based, at least in part, on the acquired digital data.

1 . A method comprising:
 receiving location information;   ascertaining a location associated with the location information;   establishing wireless communication with a network;   receiving, via a wireless connection, applets that pertain to the location;   caching the applets for use in connection with the location being ascertained; and   executing the applets to interact with an environment of the location being ascertained.   
     
     
         2 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising receiving the location information from a provider, the location information pertaining to a current location of a device. 
     
     
         3 . A method as recited in  claim 2 , further comprising accessing one or more hierarchical tree structures comprising multiple nodes, each node having a unique identifier. 
     
     
         4 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , at least one of the multiple nodes representing a physical location. 
     
     
         5 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , at least one of the multiple nodes representing a logical location. 
     
     
         6 . A method as recited in  claim 3 , further comprising traversing at least one node on the one or more hierarchical tree structures to ascertain a device location, 
     
     
         7 . A method as recited in  claim 6 , the traversing being responsive at least in part to the receiving of the location information to ascertain a current location of the device. 
     
     
         8 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the location information being received from multiple different providers. 
     
     
         9 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , the location associated with the location information representing a location of a portable computing device. 
     
     
         10 . A method as recited in  claim 1 , further comprising:
 generating a service query that is configured to identify services that are associated with the location;   wirelessly sending the query to one or more servers; and   receiving a response from the one or more servers that contains digital data including the applets that provide services including a location-specific service.   
     
     
         11 . A computer-program product comprising one or more computer-usable media having computer-readable program code embodied therein, the computer-readable program code configured to be executed to implement a method for facilitating operation of a portable computing device, said method comprising:
 determining a location of the portable computing device;   generating a service query that is configured to identify services that are associated with the location;   wirelessly sending the query to one or more servers;   receiving a response from the one or more servers that contains digital data associated with applets that can be executed by the device and that provide a location-specific service; and   locally executing the one or more applets to interact with a location environment.   
     
     
         12 . A computer-program product as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the determining the location of the portable computing device comprises:
 receiving location information from a location provider, the location information pertaining to a current location of the portable computing device,   accessing one or more hierarchical tree structures each of which comprising multiple nodes that represent physical or logical locations, each node having a unique identifier, and   traversing at least one node on the one or more hierarchical tree structures responsive to the receiving of the location information to ascertain a device location.   
     
     
         13 . A computer-program product as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the portable computing device to determine its location by:
 receiving location information from multiple different location providers, the location information pertaining to a current location; and   accessing said one or more hierarchical tree structures each of which comprising multiple nodes that represent physical or logical locations; and   traversing at least one node on the one or more hierarchical tree structures, based at least in part on the location information, to ascertain a device location.   
     
     
         14 . A computer-program product as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the response comprises one or more URLs associated with applets that can be executed by the device, and further comprising using the URLs to wirelessly access one or more associated applets. 
     
     
         15 . A computer-program product as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the portable computing device to:
 receive one or more digitally signed applets; and   authenticate the one or more applets prior to executing them on the device.   
     
     
         16 . A computer-program product as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the instructions cause the portable computing device to maintain an applet cache in which applets can be cached for future use on the device. 
     
     
         17 . A computer-program product as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the instructions cause the portable computing device to remove one or more applets from the applet cache when a device location changes such that the one or more applets are no longer needed. 
     
     
         18 . A portable computing device embodying the computer-program product of  claim 12 . 
     
     
         19 . A handheld computing device comprising:
 a location service module configured to receive location information and ascertain a location associated with the location information;   an applet manager operably associated with the location service module and configured to receive and manage applets that can be wirelessly received and that pertain to a location that is ascertained by the location service module;   an applet runtime environment in which applets that are received can execute to enable a user of the device to interact with a location environment;   an applet cache in which applets can be cached for use in connection with an ascertained location; and   a network component configured to establish wireless communication with a network so that applets can be wirelessly received.   
     
     
         20 . A handheld computing device as recited in  claim 19 , the location service module being configured to receive location information and ascertain a location associated with the location information by:
 receiving location information from a location provider, the location information pertaining to a current location of the portable computing device,   accessing one or more hierarchical tree structures each of which comprising multiple nodes that represent physical or logical locations, each node having a unique identifier, and   traversing at least one node on the one or more hierarchical tree structures responsive to the receiving of the location information to ascertain a device location.