Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput – Computer-to-computer session/connection establishing – Network resources access controlling
Reexamination Certificate
1998-05-11
2001-12-04
Harrell, Robert (Department: 2152)
Electrical computers and digital processing systems: multicomput
Computer-to-computer session/connection establishing
Network resources access controlling
Reexamination Certificate
active
06327623
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Technical Field
This invention relates in general to computing and control devices and, more particularly, to an environment manager for computing and control devices.
2. Description of the Related Art
The advent of the personal computer has changed the ways in which people work. While only a small percentage of people had access to computers fifteen years ago, almost everyone has access to a computer today. Further, the computer has become an important tool in both the professional and private lives of many people.
The mobile computer allows people to have computing power on demand. In turn, the computer has become, for many people, a tool which is used in a variety of places and in a variety of different ways. It may be used in the office for document production, in meeting rooms and in the field for presentations, on airplanes for administrative tasks, and in the home for entertainment, education, household management, and off-hours work.
While the computer has empowered users in many ways, the complexity of operation often offsets, or overcomes, its benefits. In particular, today's computers are directed towards a single user at a single location. In fact, computers are often used by multiple people and in multiple workplaces. As the users and/or workplaces change, today's computer requires user interaction to adapt to the new circumstances.
For example, a user at the office may need resources such as a printer, scanner, or group-ware computing environments, and have access to a docking station with a large, high-resolution monitor, whereas the same user on an airplane needs batteries, small footprints and ease of access to local data. At home, the user may connect to a different printer and a smaller monitor. While in the office the user may use word processing, spreadsheet and scheduling software heavily, while he or she may use a financial program and entertainment software at home.
The interaction required by a user due to changing circumstances may take many forms, from changing an electronic-mail (e-mail) address to modifying network connections. As the difficulty of the interaction increases, the value of the computer decreases. Accordingly, many users avoid portable computers, even though the realize the benefits of mobility, to avoid the complexity of operating the computer in various circumstance, or under-use the power of portable computer.
Accordingly, a need has arisen for a method and apparatus for enhanced computing functionality.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In the present invention, a computer includes detection circuitry for detecting environmental factors and processing circuitry coupled to said detection circuitry. The processing circuitry executes one or more software informants for receiving information on environmental factors from the detection circuitry and executes one or more applications in communication with said software informants, the operation of the application programs being responsive to said information.
The present invention provides significant advantages over the prior art. The operation of the computer and the programs executing on the computer can adapt to changing environments with little or no user interaction. Therefore, the ease of using the computer is greatly increased.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5555376 (1996-09-01), Theimer et al.
patent: 5910799 (1999-06-01), Carpenter et al.
Brady III Wade J.
Harrell Robert
Neerings Ronald O.
Telecky Frederick J.
Texas Instruments Incorporated
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