The present invention relates generally to the field of wireless data communications and more particularly to XML based infrared data communications for facilitating context sensitive computing in handheld devices.
Proliferation of the Internet has made it possible for users to access vast amounts of data almost effortlessly. For example, with only a few mouse clicks users may inundate themselves with data such as; commercial data, scientific data, educational data, financial data, and data on general areas of interest such as sports and hobbies. Ease of access to networked data has helped fuel demand for even more types of data. Accompanying users' demand for data is a desire to have it sorted based on user preferences before the data is viewed or utilized. Failure to deliver data to users in a sorted manner wastes the users' time, leads to network congestion because of repeated requests for new data, and wastes processing and storage resources if large amounts of data must be processed to present a user with relevant information.
Problems associated with unfiltered data are especially challenging when users wish to take advantage of information while remaining mobile. These users are increasingly relying on wireless devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs), handheld computers and web enabled cell phones for processing information when on the go. An example would be a wireless device used to store personal contact information, calendars, email, business information, and financial information. While wireless devices have some processing capabilities, they are very limited when compared to desktop computing devices. Since wireless devices normally run on batteries, efforts must be made to reduce power consumption. Typically, slow speed processors and reduced memory sizes are employed to reduce power consumption. In addition, reducing the use of, or eliminating power hungry add-on components such as radio frequency transceivers (e.g. cellular and wireless Ethernet), modems, global positioning system (GPS) receivers, and the like, help to extend the life of batteries in wireless devices.
Context sensitive computing may be employed to address some of the shortcomings associated with providing unfiltered data to wireless devices. More specifically, context sensitive computing attempts to send users only data that is relevant to their needs. Context as used herein is comprised of two parts. The first part is an environmental context that describes the physical location of a user (e.g. an airport, a car, or a store) and the second part is referred to as a personal context and is associated with a user's personal preferences (e.g. a particular colored shirt, a favorite author, etc). In principle, context sensitive computing makes it possible to provide users of wireless devices having limited processing capabilities with relevant information.
To aid in the understanding of how contextual computing can aid users of wireless devices by providing them with relevant information an example will be presented. In this example a consumer would like to make a purchase at a shopping mall. In addition, the consumer would like to have relevant information, such as the latest sale price and industry reviews for a desired product, and the consumer also would like to know which merchant carries a particular style or color of the item sought. In this scenario, the consumer has two primary options for using data to facilitate selection of a product and a possible purchase. For example, the consumer may first review data in their home or at a library and make notes or print copies of the materials to then take shopping with them. The disadvantage with this approach is that the consumer may be using outdated information when attempting to make the purchase at the merchant's location. Alternatively, a consumer trying to avoid using outdated information for facilitating a purchase may attempt to ask various merchants for the latest pricing and selection options of the desired product. This later approach has a disadvantage in that it does not use the consumer's time efficiently.
In the example above, the consumer would be better served if they employed wireless computing devices to ensure that the latest data is presented to them in the most efficient manner. The wireless device should be able to determine the relevant environmental context within which the consumer is operating so that only relevant information is provided to the consumer. As previously discussed, environmental context refers to the physical environment in which the consumer, or user, is operating. In this example, environmental context may be a mall or a particular store within a mall. In addition, the wireless device should be able to sort available information so that a consumer is presented only with information that is relevant to their interests.
Prior art techniques for determining environmental context rely on the wireless device for processing information to determine position; or, alternatively, they use the infrastructure (i.e. ground based transmitters) to process information received from a wireless device to establish the location. When the wireless device processes data to establish position, global positioning receivers (GPS) are normally used. Some disadvantages associated with GPS receivers are that they typically require additional power and generally do not work well indoors. When the network infrastructure attempts to determine position, radio-frequency (RF) ranging techniques are used. RF ranging techniques normally employ beacons that transmit data to, and receive data from, wireless devices. Some of the disadvantages associated with RF beaconing techniques are that their locational accuracy is not very good and the wireless device consumes excessive power when transmitting beacon signals or when processing received beacon signals.
Prior art techniques for communicating data to wireless devices also have shortcomings. RF signals are the primary means for transmitting data to, and from, wireless devices. Since RF signals such as cellular, wireless Ethernet, Bluetooth™, and microwave consume large amounts of power, they do not efficiently utilize available power in wireless devices.