Invented by Robert Sanford Havoc Pennington, Aaron Tang, John H. Chuang, Chris Bambacus, Eben Eliason, Chris Moody, Johan Bilien, LITL LLC
One of the key drivers of this market is the growing need for seamless and personalized user experiences. Consumers today expect services that are tailored to their specific needs and preferences. Contextual services enable businesses to deliver highly targeted and relevant content, recommendations, and assistance, thereby enhancing user satisfaction and engagement.
The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies has also played a crucial role in the development of contextual services. These technologies enable the analysis of vast amounts of data in real-time, allowing businesses to understand user behavior, preferences, and context more accurately. By leveraging AI and ML, companies can deliver personalized recommendations, location-based offers, and proactive assistance, thereby enhancing the overall user experience.
The market for contextual services is not limited to a particular industry or sector. It spans across various domains, including e-commerce, healthcare, transportation, hospitality, and entertainment. In the e-commerce sector, for example, contextual services can help businesses provide personalized product recommendations, targeted advertisements, and real-time inventory updates based on the user’s browsing history, location, and preferences.
In the healthcare industry, contextual services can assist healthcare providers in delivering personalized patient care. For instance, wearable devices can collect real-time health data, which can be analyzed to provide timely alerts, reminders, and personalized treatment plans. Contextual services can also be utilized in transportation to offer real-time traffic updates, personalized route suggestions, and location-based services such as nearby gas stations or restaurants.
The market for methods and apparatuses for providing contextual services is highly competitive, with numerous players offering a wide range of solutions. These solutions may include software platforms, APIs (Application Programming Interfaces), SDKs (Software Development Kits), and hardware devices such as sensors and wearables. Companies are continuously investing in research and development to enhance their offerings and stay ahead of the competition.
However, there are certain challenges that need to be addressed for the market to reach its full potential. Privacy and security concerns are one of the primary challenges associated with contextual services. As these services rely on collecting and analyzing user data, there is a need to ensure that user privacy is protected, and data is securely stored and transmitted.
Another challenge is the complexity of integrating contextual services into existing systems and infrastructure. Businesses need to invest in robust IT infrastructure and ensure compatibility with various devices and platforms to deliver seamless contextual experiences.
In conclusion, the market for methods and apparatuses for providing contextual services is experiencing rapid growth, driven by the increasing demand for personalized and context-aware experiences. With advancements in AI, ML, and IoT technologies, businesses have the opportunity to deliver highly targeted and relevant content, recommendations, and assistance. However, addressing privacy concerns and ensuring seamless integration will be crucial for the market’s continued success.
The LITL LLC invention works as follows
The present invention provides systems and methods of contextually providing services using a portable computer in a selected location. In some embodiments, systems and methods are used to determine location-specific data about a selected location, to determine status information of a portable computer user, and to display a service available to the user via a portable computer’s display screen.
Background for Methods and apparatuses for providing contextual services
1. “1.
The present invention is a computer and, in particular, relates to portable computers that can be used in public environments.
2. “2.
Conventional computer systems include some form of storage such as a ‘hard drive.’” For storing data and files, such as documents and programs, or system configurations. In general, some data on a computer is owned by or personal to its owner or primary user. Users may be concerned about the privacy of data stored on conventional computers. “Conventional computers also offer very little passive functionality when they aren’t being actively used. They can be an inconvenience in public spaces when they’re not being used.
Aspects” and “embodiments” are directed at methods and apparatuses for providing public computing, multi-dimensional contextual advertising and/or service provision. In one embodiment, the form factor of a portable computer designed for public computing environments is unique. It can be configured between laptop mode and easel mode where it has an inverted “V” shape. appearance. The computer allows for an active experience where the user actively uses a computer and a passive one where the computer displays the content without much or any user intervention. In one embodiment (discussed in greater detail below), the portable computer can be configured to only be used for a short time in sessions. At the end of each session, the computer is reset back to its default configuration, and the history of that session is deleted, protecting the privacy of transient users. In another aspect, the portable computer, depending on its connectivity to the Internet and the information about users that can be derived from the location and/or the type of access granted to the portable computers during a session, can be configured to deliver dynamically variable and targeted promotional content. This is discussed more in detail below.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is a method for configuring a mobile computer so that it can be used transiently by a number of guests in a particular location. The method includes displaying a selection of first content on a screen of a portable computer. It also comprises initiating a session in response to a guest accessing the computer through the user interface. In one embodiment, the method includes displaying photographs that are associated with the location selected. In another embodiment, displaying a first selection of content also includes displaying data associated with the chosen location. In another embodiment of the invention displaying information includes at least one service available at the chosen location, weather data associated with that location, or current events associated with that location. In another embodiment, launching the first session involves displaying an information screen about the user interface on the portable computer.
According to an embodiment of the invention, creating the initial guest profile involves accessing remote computer data storage connected to the portable computer through a network and storing the profile on remote computer data storage. In another embodiment, the method includes erasing the guest profile in response to the termination of the session. In another embodiment, erasing the history of the session includes deleting cookies and web histories created during the session, restoring the default configuration of user interface for displaying the first selection, and resetting the device configurations on the portable computer to default settings, including volume and screen brightness. Displaying the second selection includes displaying an interface comprising cards that each provide access to content associated with them.
According to an aspect of the invention, a portable computing system is configured for transient usage by a plurality guests. The portable system includes a portable with a display, a user interface that accepts inputs from guests, displays content on display, and a remote computer storage connected to the portable via a network. The portable is configured for a number of tasks, including initiating a session in response to input from a guest, storing a guest profile to remote storage, terminating the session upon a guest taking a termination action, or expiration of time out period. In one embodiment, the second selection includes a home screen comprising a plurality cards, each of which is configured to allow access to the associated content. In another embodiment, the plurality includes at least a web card that maps to an online page and at least a channel card.
According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the portable system also includes a communication component that is capable of accessing web-based contents, where the display manager displays the web-based information on the display screen in response to the selection by the guest of at least one webcard. In another embodiment, the portable computer system includes an execution component that is configured to perform a transformation from an unfocused card to a focused card in response to the computer focusing on the card. The execution component can also be configured to perform a transformation back to the unfocused card when the computer loses focus on the card. According to another embodiment, the focused view includes a header and body display. The header display may include at least one control, which is configured to execute computer functionality upon execution by the guest.
According to an embodiment of the invention, a portable computer is located at a first location in a partner facility. The portable computer further comprises at lease one additional computer located at a secondary location in the partner facility. A partner profile, which is stored on a remote computer storage and specifies a configuration for the first portable computer, as well as a configuration for the second portable computer, can be found in the partner profile. In one embodiment, the first card in the plurality is a branded or branded-looking card that corresponds to the brand of the partner facility. In another embodiment, the branded cards are configured so that they cannot be deleted. In another embodiment, the visual appearance of the invention includes at least a color scheme or a logo.
The method comprises displaying a first selection of content on a display screen of the portable computer, initiating a first session in response to a guest of the plurality of guests accessing the portable computer via a user interface of a portable computing device, creating a first guest profile responsive to a new session being initiated, and displaying a second selection of content on a display screen during a subsequent session. The method includes displaying a selection of first content on the screen of a portable computer. It also involves initiating a session in response to a guest accessing the computer through the user interface.
According to one embodiment, the display of the first selection of contents includes displaying a number of photographs associated with a selected location. In another embodiment, the display of information related to the selected location is included in the display of the first selection. In another embodiment of the invention displaying information includes at least one service available at the chosen location, weather data associated with that location, or current events associated with that location. In another embodiment, launching the first session involves displaying an information screen about the user interface on the portable computer.
According to an embodiment of the invention, creating the initial guest profile involves accessing remote computer data storage connected to the portable computer through a network and storing the profile on remote computer data storage. In another embodiment, the method includes erasing the guest profile in response to the termination of the session. In another embodiment, erasing the history of the session includes deleting cookies and web histories created during the session, restoring the default configuration of user interface for displaying the first selection, and resetting the device configurations on the portable computer to default settings, including volume and screen brightness. Displaying the second selection includes displaying an interface comprising cards that each provide access to content associated with them.
According to an aspect of the invention, a computer is configured for transient usage by a plurality guests at a chosen facility. Each portable computer includes a network connection, a display screen, a display manager and a user interface configured to receive inputs from the plurality of guest’s via the user interface. The computer system includes a plurality portable computers, including a 1st portable computer and 2nd portable computer. Each portable computer has a network, a screen, a manager and a user-interface configured to receive inputs and display digital content.
According to an aspect of the invention, a contextually providing service via a mobile computer at a chosen location is provided. The method includes determining location information about a selected location, determining user status information for the portable interface, and displaying a service available to the user on the display screen of a portable computer. In one embodiment, the method also includes determining time information. The available service is then selected using the location-specific data, the status data, and the time information. In another embodiment, the location selected is a hotel. The status information also includes the status of the user as a guest in the hotel. According to an embodiment of the invention the location-specific data includes information about the services provided by the hotel. “According to a different embodiment of the invention the location-specific data includes weather information, news and events at the selected location.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the method also comprises accepting an input via the portable computer’s interface from the user in order to allow the user purchase the service available, and updating the user profile to reflect the purchase. In another embodiment, the method includes linking multiple portable computers at a selected location into a group that includes a first and second portable computer. In another embodiment, the method includes updating the service available displayed on the screen of the second computer in response to the user activity on first portable computer. In another embodiment, user activity on the portable computer first includes the purchase of a service. In another embodiment, displaying a service is done by displaying it on each display of the portable computers in the group. The service displayed on each screen is selected based on location-specific data and status information about the user.
The method comprises 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 a portable computing device. The method includes determining location information about the chosen location, determining user status information for the portable interface, and displaying a service available to the user via a display of the computer. In one embodiment, the method also includes determining time information. The available service is then selected using the location-specific data, the status data, and the time information. In another embodiment, the location selected is a hotel. The status information also includes the user?s status as a guest in the hotel. According to an embodiment of the invention the location-specific data includes information about the services provided by the hotel. “According to another embodiment, the location-specific data includes weather information, news and events at the selected location.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the method also comprises accepting an input via the portable computer’s interface from the user in order to allow the user purchase the service available, and updating the user profile to reflect the purchase. In another embodiment, the method includes linking multiple portable computers at a selected location into a group that includes a first and second portable computer. In another embodiment, the method includes updating the service available displayed on the screen of the second computer in response to the user activity on first portable computer. In another embodiment, user activity on the portable computer first includes the purchase of a service. In another embodiment, displaying a service is done by displaying it on each display of the portable computers in the group. The service displayed on each screen is selected based on location-specific data and status information about the user.
According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided a computer system that can contextually provide services for a plurality transient users in a facility at a specific location. The computer system includes a plurality portable computers at the facility. Each portable computer has a network, a display and a user-interface configured to receive inputs and display digital content. Computer storage is separate from the portable computers but coupled to each one via their respective network connections.
According to a particular embodiment of the invention, the first mobile computer is configured to obtain the location-specific data from the Internet through the network connection. In another embodiment, the location specific information comprises at least one out of weather, news and events that are within a predetermined range of the specified location. In another embodiment, the available service is selected further based at least on a time or date that the first portable computer was accessed by the at-least one transient user. In another embodiment, facility-specific data includes information about an event that is held at the facility. In another embodiment, the facility is an hotel. The status information comprises the status of at least one transient as a guest in the hotel. In another embodiment, the plurality includes a second computer. The first and second computers are then linked together to form a single group. According to an embodiment of the invention the digital content displayed by the second portable includes the same service available displayed on display of the first portable. In another embodiment, the digital contents displayed on the screen of the second mobile computer are based on interactions of a transient first user with the first computer.
Below, we discuss in more detail “Other embodiments and aspects of these exemplary embodiments and aspects.” The embodiments disclosed herein can be combined in any way that is consistent with the objects, purposes, and needs described herein. References to “an embodiment” are also permissible. ?some embodiments,? ?an alternate embodiment,? ?various embodiments,? ?one embodiment? The terms or similar are not mutually exclusive, and they are meant to indicate that at least one embodiment can include a certain feature, structure or characteristic described with respect to the embodiment. These terms are not all necessarily referring to one embodiment. The drawings accompanying this specification are provided to illustrate and provide a better understanding of various aspects and embodiments. They are also incorporated into and form a part of it. Together with the rest of the specification, the drawings serve to explain the principles and operations of described and claimed aspects and embodied embodiments.
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