Classifications

• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W84/00—Network topologies
  • H04W84/18—Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks
  • H04W84/22—Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks with access to wired networks
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
  • H04L67/34—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications involving the movement of software or configuration parameters 
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
  • H04L67/50—Network services
  • H04L67/56—Provisioning of proxy services
  • H04L67/565—Conversion or adaptation of application format or content
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L9/00—Cryptographic mechanisms or cryptographic arrangements for secret or secure communications; Network security protocols
  • H04L9/40—Network security protocols
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L67/00—Network arrangements or protocols for supporting network services or applications
  • H04L67/2866—Architectures; Arrangements
  • H04L67/2895—Intermediate processing functionally located close to the data provider application, e.g. reverse proxies
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04L—TRANSMISSION OF DIGITAL INFORMATION, e.g. TELEGRAPHIC COMMUNICATION
  • H04L69/00—Network arrangements, protocols or services independent of the application payload and not provided for in the other groups of this subclass
  • H04L69/30—Definitions, standards or architectural aspects of layered protocol stacks
  • H04L69/32—Architecture of open systems interconnection [OSI] 7-layer type protocol stacks, e.g. the interfaces between the data link level and the physical level
  • H04L69/322—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions
  • H04L69/329—Intralayer communication protocols among peer entities or protocol data unit [PDU] definitions in the application layer [OSI layer 7]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W84/00—Network topologies
  • H04W84/02—Hierarchically pre-organised networks, e.g. paging networks, cellular networks, WLAN [Wireless Local Area Network] or WLL [Wireless Local Loop]
  • H04W84/10—Small scale networks; Flat hierarchical networks
  • H04W84/12—WLAN [Wireless Local Area Networks]
• • H—ELECTRICITY
  • H04—ELECTRIC COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE
  • H04W—WIRELESS COMMUNICATION NETWORKS
  • H04W84/00—Network topologies
  • H04W84/18—Self-organising networks, e.g. ad-hoc networks or sensor networks

Definitions

• the invention relates to a context management system and method for a user of a local information transmission network. More particularly, for a local network comprising a heterogeneous set of terminals interconnected with one another.
• local network here is meant not only a LAN type network
• PAN Personal Area Network
• WPAN Wireless Personal Area Network
• This information can include data in different forms, for example text, image or sound.
• This terminal may have a limited information processing capacity and is not necessarily capable of processing the various forms of data which are returned to it in response to the request it has issued.
• FIG. 5 shows such a system which includes a server 2 connected to an external network 4 for transmitting information.
• the server thus has access to websites 6 through the external network 4.
• the server 2 is accessible by a master terminal 8, also connected to the network 4.
• This master terminal 8 is also connected with other terminals 12, 14, 16 and 18 located in its vicinity, by means of a local network 10 information transmission.
• These terminals are provided with means of communication with each other through the local network 10, for example supporting Bluetooth communication technology. They thus form a pico-net 20 of terminals capable of exchanging information with one another over the air.
• the master terminal 8 includes means 22 for determining the composition of terminals of the local network 10 and their information processing capacity.
• the master terminal 8 comprises means which make it possible to define the context, that is to say means for detecting or defining at a given instant the set of terminals capable of being able to render a service in the environment where finds the user.
• the server 2 includes processing means 24 for determining the most suitable subset of terminals for processing information originating from the Web 6 and responding to a request sent by the master terminal 8.
• the server 2 also includes adaptation means 28 for adapting the formats and sizes of the information to the information processing capacities of each of the terminals. This information is then directed to the subset of terminals of the pico-net 20 by routing means 26.
• the invention aims to remedy these drawbacks, and to simplify and automate the management of contexts for users of a heterogeneous set of terminals by offering them at any time the choice of the most appropriate context.
• a context management system proposing to a user the most suitable context for processing information, comprising: a heterogeneous set of terminals connected to each other by means of a local information transmission network , including a master terminal; a computer server comprising processing means for determining the most appropriate context for processing information by said heterogeneous set of terminals; an external information transmission network connecting the server to at least the master terminal; characterized in that, the server further comprises a transformation module intended to send an application to the master terminal intended to allow the user to recover said most appropriate context on the master terminal.
• the most appropriate context can be retrieved by the user without it being necessary to have part of the system on the master terminal.
• the application sent to the master terminal is intended to detect among said heterogeneous set of terminals, the terminal or terminals accessible by the master terminal.
• the processing means are intended to determine the most appropriate context as a function of events which they receive from the master terminal and / or from previously programmed data.
• the processing means comprise a rule engine associated with a rule base and a context base, the rule engine being intended to browse all the rules available in the rule base in association with the data in the context base and in function of events received from the master terminal and / or of data previously programmed, thus determining the most appropriate context.
• the events received from the master terminal include regular detection by said application of the terminal or terminals accessible by the master terminal.
• the events received from the master terminal may include a geographic location of the master terminal.
• the previously programmed data may include schedules for changing the context.
• the context database includes a list of a plurality of contexts defining for each of the contexts the terminals likely to be accessible, the type of connection adapted between the local network and the external network and the manner of restoring the information to the terminals. according to their capacity.
• the rule base may include a list of rules based on terminals accessible by the master terminal and / or context change schedules and / or geographic locations of the master terminal.
• the system can include a peripheral device intended for read / write access to the rule engine and to the rule base.
• the system may further include a session management module for monitoring the system.
• the local network is a wireless communications network.
• the local network is a communications network with infrared transmission.
• the local network is a wired network.
• the heterogeneous set of terminals may include mobile and / or fixed terminals.
• the external network includes a plurality of interconnected networks.
• the external network includes an Internet network and a telephone network.
• the invention also relates to a context management method proposing to a user the most suitable context for processing information, comprising a step of determining the most suitable context for processing information by a heterogeneous set of connected terminals between them by means of a local information transmission network, including a master terminal, characterized in that it comprises an additional step of sending an application by a computer server to the master terminal, through a external information transmission network connecting the computer server to at least one the master terminal, in order to allow the user to retrieve said most appropriate context on the master terminal.
• the application detects among said heterogeneous set of terminals, the terminal or terminals which are accessible by the master terminal.
• the most appropriate context is determined by browsing rules available in a rule base in association with data available in a context base and according to events that the computer server receives from the master terminal and / or from previously programmed data.
• FIG. 1 is a very schematic view of a context management system according to the invention
• FIG. 2 is a very schematic view of a context management system showing a few steps of exchanging information carried out between different means or elements of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 3 is a very schematic view showing in more detail certain elements of FIG. 1;
• FIG. 4 is a diagram showing an overall kinetics of the different stages of information exchange carried out between different means or elements of FIG. 3; and FIG. 5 is a very schematic view of an information management system according to the prior art.
• FIG. 1 illustrates a context management system proposing to a user the most appropriate context for information processing.
• the system includes a computer server 102 connected to an external network 104 for transmitting information and a heterogeneous set 120 of terminals 108, 112, 114, 116 and 118.
• the latter are connected to each other by means of a local network 110 of transmission of information.
• This heterogeneous set 120 of terminals comprises a master terminal 108 provided with a browser 144.
• the heterogeneous set 120 of terminals can comprise mobile and / or fixed terminals. Indeed, this set depends on the environment of the user.
• the master terminal 108 can be a computer and the other terminals are a microcomputer 112, headphones 114, a fax machine 116 and a PDA digital personal organizer 118.
• the master terminal 108 can be a digital personal organizer PDA and the other terminals are for example a car radio 112, speakers 114, a mobile telephone 116 or the like 118.
• the local area network 110 can be a wireless communications network of the Bluetooth type, an infrared transmission network or a wired network.
• the external information transmission network 104 connects the computer server 102 to at least the master terminal 108.
• the terminals 116 and 118 are also connected to the computer server 102 through the external network 104.
• This computer server 102 has access to websites 106 through the external network 104. It is a “proxy” type server mandated to make a request on the web in place of the master terminal 108.
• This external network 104 may include a plurality of networks interconnected with one another. For example, it can include among others, an Internet network and a telephone network.
• the computer server 102 includes processing means 130 for determining the most appropriate context for processing information by the heterogeneous set of terminals.
• This computer server 102 also includes a transformation module 140 intended to send an application to the master terminal 108 in order to allow the user to recover the most appropriate context on the master terminal 108.
• FIG. 2 illustrates the mechanism for sending the application to the master terminal 108.
• the transformation module 140 sends this identical request to the website 106 which hosts the request desired by the user (arrow b).
• the transformation module 140 receives, from the website 106, the corresponding data (arrow c). Then, the transformation module 140 adds to this data, an application 142 in the form of a message or banner comprising a program, called an “applet” known per se and sends it to the browser of the master terminal.
• the application or applet is an interface comprising a menu and parameters for connecting to the processing means 130.
• This application 142 by the browser 144 of the master terminal 108 allows the user to retrieve, on the master terminal 108, the most appropriate context, from the processing means 130 of the computer server 102.
• the execution of the application 142 sends a message to the processing means 130 of the computer server 102 (arrow e).
• the processing means 130 send (arrow f) a response, comprising the most appropriate context, to the application 142 which in turn displays this response to the user.
• the processing means 130 determine the most appropriate context as a function of events they receive from the master terminal
• the application 142 sent to the master terminal 108 also allows the detection, among the heterogeneous set 120 of terminals, of the terminal or terminals accessible by the master terminal 108.
• One of the advantages of sending the application to the master terminal 108 is that none of the terminals need to have a specific means for dialoguing with the computer server 102 in order to recover the most appropriate context.
• Figure 3 shows the context management system detailing the means to determine the most appropriate context.
• the processing means 130 comprise a rule engine 132 which is associated with a rule base 134 and a context base 136.
• the bases of rules 134 and of contexts 136 may belong to the computer server 102 or be part of the external network 104.
• the rules engine 132 and the transformation module 140 may belong to the same computer server 102 or to different computer servers.
• the context base 136 includes a list of a plurality of contexts defining for each of the contexts the terminals likely to be accessible, the type of connection adapted between the local network 110 and the external network 104 and the manner of restoring the information to the terminals according to their capacity.
• the context database 136 includes an “office” context, a “car” context, a “home” context and a “walker” context.
• the accessible terminals are for example a computer and a fax machine
• the type of connection or gateway is an Ethernet terminal and the restitution of the information goes for example entirely on the computer.
• the accessible terminals are for example a car radio, a PDA and a mobile phone with GSM system
• the type of connection is the GSM gateway and the restitution of information is distributed between the various terminals so that the sound is reproduced on the radio and the rest on the PDA.
• the accessible terminal is for example a computer having an ADSL terminal
• the type of connection is the ADSL terminal and the restitution of the information goes entirely on the computer.
• the accessible terminals are for example a headset, a PDA and a mobile phone with GSM system
• the type of connection is the GSM gateway and the restitution of information is distributed between the different terminals so that the sound is reproduced on the headset and the rest, i.e. image, text, video on the PDA.
• the rule base 134 includes a list of rules based on terminals accessible by the master terminal and / or context change schedules and / or geographic locations of the master terminal.
• the data of these rules is structured for example in an extensible meta-language of the XML type.
• the available or accessible terminals or peripherals are a computer and an Ethernet terminal or if the time slot is between 9h and 18h, then the most appropriate context is the office context.
• the accessible terminal is a car radio
• the most appropriate context is the car context.
• the accessible terminals or peripherals are a computer and an ADSL terminal and the time slot is not between 9h and 18h, then the most appropriate context is the home context.
• the rule engine 132 determines the most appropriate context by browsing all the rules available in the rule base 134 in association with the data in the context base 136 and as a function of the events which it receives from the master terminal 108 or / and previously programmed data.
• the events that the rules engine 132 receives from the master terminal 108 may include the subset of accessible terminals which are detected regularly by the application 142 sent to the master terminal 108 by the transformation module 140.
• the events that the rules engine 132 receives from the master terminal 108 may include a geographic location of the master terminal 108, so that the most appropriate context is determined according to this location.
• the most appropriate context can be determined as a function of the previously programmed data comprising, for example, context change schedules. This data can be configured by the user.
• the context management system offers him to switch to the “office” context
• the system offers him to switch to the “car” context
• the system offers him to switch to the "home” context
• FIG. 3 shows that the context management system can also include a session management module 152 and a device 154 connected to the rules engine.
• the session management module 152 can belong to the server 102 or to another computer server and it is intended for monitoring the system. ,
• This module can also be used for billing the telecommunications service.
• the peripheral 154 is intended for read / write access to the rule engine and to the rule base. In general, it is a means of read / write access to the rules engine 132 and to the database. rules 134 not belonging to the heterogeneous set 120 of terminals. For example, it is a desktop computer that the user uses to modify their rules or else equipment of the telecommunications service operator to provide users with predefined rules.
• the computer server 102 also includes adaptation means 128 for adapting the formats and sizes of the information originating from the web 106, to the information processing capacities of each of the terminals, as well as routing means 126 for direct this information to the accessible terminals in the manner defined by the most appropriate context.
• FIG. 4 is a diagram showing overall kinetics of an example of the context management method proposing to a user 160 the most appropriate context.
• step E1 the user 160 requests to access a resource on the Internet by clicking on a link, or by entering the address or the URL, that is to say the format and the path access to a resource of the website that he wishes to display in his browser 144.
• step E2 the URL entered by the user is translated by the browser 144, into a request according to the corresponding protocol of the URL (for example http) and sends it to the computer server 102.
• the browser 144 is configured to systematically send all its requests to the server 102 which is responsible for making the request on the Internet or website in place of the browser 144 of the master terminal 108.
• step E3 the computer server 102 relays this request to identical to the transformation module 140.
• step E4 no modification is made and the transformation module 140 sends the request to the website 106 which hosts the URL desired by the user 160.
• step E5 the transformation module 140 receives, coming from the website 106, multimedia information corresponding to this request, for example in the form of a graphic page or “page web ”of type HTML.
• step E6 the transformation module 140 adds on this information, an application 142 in the form of a message or banner comprising a program which allows access to the most appropriate context and sends everything to the computer server 102.
• step E7 the computer server 102 transmits to the browser 144 of the master terminal 108 in the format suitable for this terminal, the web page and the application 142 for accessing the most appropriate context.
• the browser 144 On receipt of this page, the browser 144 displays the page and executes (step E8) the code of the application. In other words, the browser creates the instance for a logon that follows the same path as the request.
• step E9 the application 142 sends a logon message to the computer server 102.
• step E10 the computer server 102 sends this message to the session management module 152.
• step Eli the application detects the accessible terminals and sends this list to the computer server 102.
• step E12 the computer server 102 sends this list to the session management module 152 for updating the session.
• step E13 the session management module 152 sends the list of accessible terminals, the current time, location information, or in general all the elements which can intervene for the determination of a context, to the rules engine 132.
• step E14 the rule engine 132 scans the base of rules 134 until it finds a corresponding rule and sends the response to the session management module 152.
• step E15 the session management module 152 relays the response to the computer server 102.
• step E16 the computer server 102 relays the response to the application 142.
• step E17 the application then displays a message intended for the user to inform him of the most appropriate context.
• step E18 the user accepts or refuses the proposed context. If it refuses the system remains in the previous context and if it accepts, the new context will be considered as the current context.
• step E19 the user's response is sent to the computer server 102.
• step E20 the computer server 102 relays this response to the session management module 152 for updating the session.
• the following steps correspond to the detection of a new terminal in order to propose a new context. These steps can be replaced by an indication of change of location, or a change of time slot.
• step E21 the application has for example detected a new terminal accessible by the user 160 and sends this information to the computer server 102.
• step E22 the computer server 102 sends this information to the session management module 152 for updating the session.
• step E23 the session management module 152 sends the information on the new terminal accessible to the rules engine 132.
• step E24 the rule engine 132 scans the base of rules 134 until it finds a corresponding rule and sends the response to the session management module 152.
• step E25 the session management module 152 relays the response to the computer server 102.
• step E26 the computer server 102 relays the response to the application 142.
• step E27 the application then displays a message intended for the user to inform him of a new most suitable context.
• step E28 the user accepts or refuses the proposed context.
• step E29 the user's response is sent to the computer server 102.
• step E30 the computer server 102 relays this response to the session management module 152 for updating the session.

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Computer Networks & Wireless Communication (AREA)
• Signal Processing (AREA)
• Computer Security & Cryptography (AREA)
• Mobile Radio Communication Systems (AREA)
• Telephonic Communication Services (AREA)
• Computer And Data Communications (AREA)

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• 2003
  • 2003-05-22 FR FR0306167A patent/FR2855344A1/fr active Pending
• 2004
  • 2004-05-19 US US10/557,080 patent/US7743091B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-05-19 WO PCT/FR2004/001229 patent/WO2004107705A1/fr active Application Filing
  • 2004-05-19 KR KR1020057022271A patent/KR100765991B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-05-19 JP JP2006530365A patent/JP2007505417A/ja active Pending
  • 2004-05-19 CN CN200480017402A patent/CN100592736C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-05-19 EP EP04742773A patent/EP1625723A1/de not_active Withdrawn

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