Method and apparatus for providing contextual services

Abstract

Provided are systems and methods for contextually providing services via a portable computer at a selected location. According to some embodiments, the systems and methods include processes for determining location-specific information about the selected location, determining status information about a user of the portable computer interface, and displaying an available service to the user on a display screen of the portable computer, the available service being selected based on the location-specific information and the status information.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 - 20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . A computer implemented method to configure a plurality of portable computers at a premises for a plurality of transient users, the method comprising:
 determining, by a computer system, location-specific information about the premises, the location specific information including a location of each portable computer of the plurality of portable computers at the premises;   assigning, by the computer system, for each portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, a respective configuration based on the location specific information about the premises, whereby a first configuration is assigned to a first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers based on the location of the first portable computer and a second configuration is assigned to a second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers based on the location of the second portable computer;   determining, by the computer system, status information about a first transient user, wherein the first transient user is a visitor at the premises and the status information about the first transient user includes visitor information of the first transient user; and   displaying, by an interface of the first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, digital content based on the first configuration assigned to the first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers and the status information about the first transient user.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising determining time-based information;
 wherein the digital content is selected based on the first configuration assigned to the first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, the status information about the first transient user, and the time-based information.   
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 determining, by the computer system, status information about a second transient user, wherein the second transient user is a visitor at the premises and the status information about the second transient user includes visitor information of the second transient user; and   displaying, by an interface of the second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, digital content based on the status information about the second transient user and the second configuration assigned to the second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers.   
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 23 , wherein:
 the premises is a hotel;   the location of the first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers is at a first area of the premises;   the location of the second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers is at a second area of the premises; and   the first configuration and the second configuration derive from a common configuration associated with the premises.   
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the location-specific information further includes services offered at the hotel. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein the location-specific information includes at least one of weather information, news, and an event at the premises. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 21 , further comprising:
 accepting an interaction from the first transient user via the interface of the first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers to allow the first transient user to accept an available service; and   updating a user profile of the first transient user based on one or more interactions of the first transient user with the first portable computer.   
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 27 , wherein displaying the digital content is further based on the user profile of the first transient user, wherein the digital content comprises a home view comprising a plurality of cards each configured to provide access to associated content. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28 , further comprising:
 terminating a user session responsive to one of a termination action taken by the first transient user and/or expiration of a time-out period;   erasing the user profile of the first transient user on the first portable computer responsive to the termination of the user session; and   redisplaying, by the interface of the first portable computer, a default view of the first portable computer based on the location of the first portable computer, wherein the default view is independent of the status information of the first transient user.   
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 29 , further comprising storing the user profile of the first transient user on a remote computer storage. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 30 , further comprising:
 displaying, by an interface of a second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, a default view of the second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, the default view including a log-in page;   determining that the first transient user is logged in via the log-in page;   responsive to determining that the first transient user is logged in, accessing the user profile of the first transient user on the remote computer storage;   updating a home view of the second portable computer based on the user profile of the first transient user; and   displaying the home view of the second portable computer on the interface of the second portable computer.   
     
     
         32 . A system for configuring a plurality of portable computers located at a facility, the system comprising at least one processor configured to:
 determine location-specific information about the facility, the location specific information including a location of each portable computer of the plurality of portable computers at the facility;   assign, for each portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, a respective configuration based on the location specific information about the facility, whereby a first configuration is assigned to a first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers based on the location of the first portable computer and a second configuration is assigned to a second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers based on the location of the second portable computer;   determine status information about a first transient user, wherein the first transient user is a visitor at the premises and the status information about the first transient user includes visitor information of the first transient user; and   cause to display, at an interface of the first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, digital content based on the first configuration assigned to the first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers and the status information about the first transient user.   
     
     
         33 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to determine time-based information;
 wherein the digital content is selected based on the first configuration assigned to the first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, the status information about the first transient user, and the time-based information.   
     
     
         34 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 determine status information about a second transient user, wherein the second transient user is a visitor at the premises and the status information about the second transient user includes visitor information of the second transient user; and   cause to display, at an interface of the second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, digital content based on the status information about the second transient user and the second configuration assigned to the second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers.   
     
     
         35 . The system of  claim 34 , wherein:
 the premises is a hotel;   the location of the first portable computer of the plurality of portable computers is at a first area of the premises;   the location of the second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers is at a second area of the premises; and   the first configuration and the second configuration derive from a common configuration associated with the premises.   
     
     
         36 . The system of  claim 32 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to:
 cause to accept an interaction from the first transient user via the interface of the first of the plurality of portable computers to allow the first transient user to accept an available service; and   cause to update a user profile of the first transient user based on one or more interactions of the first transient user with the first portable computer.   
     
     
         37 . The system of  claim 36 , wherein the at least one processor is configured to cause to display the digital content further based on the user profile, wherein the digital content comprises a home view comprising a plurality of cards each configured to provide access to associated content. 
     
     
         38 . The system of  claim 37 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause to:
 terminate a user session responsive to one of a termination action taken by the first transient user and/or expiration of a time-out period;   erase the user profile of the first transient user on the first portable computer responsive to the termination of the user session; and   redisplay, at the interface of the first portable computer, a default view of the first portable computer based on the location of the first portable computer, wherein the default view is independent of the status information of the first transient user.   
     
     
         39 . The system of  claim 38 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause to store the user profile of the first transient user on a remote computer storage. 
     
     
         40 . The system of  claim 39 , wherein the at least one processor is further configured to cause to:
 display, at an interface of a second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, a default view of the second portable computer of the plurality of portable computers, the default view including a log-in page;   determine that the first transient user is logged in via the log-in page;   responsive to determining that the first transient user is logged in, access the user profile of the first transient user on the remote computer storage;   update a home view of the second portable computer based on the user profile of the first transient user; and   display the home view of the second portable computer on the interface of the second portable computer.