Dynamic, context sensitive desktop management

Publication Summary

Users who use any operating system that has a notion of "desktop" are facing the problem of information overload with regards to links and other resources that a placed on the desktop. This problem is especially acute for users who use the same computer for work, personal needs, travel, etc; due to sheer number of programs installed on the computer. Currently, different solutions exists that help users to categorize information available through the desktop and OS shell into manageable categories (these include multiple desktop views, virtual folders for desktop artifacts, etc), however these solutions rely on static user-predefined categorizations. Currently there is no way to enable dynamic, context sensitive management of desktop artifacts) Our invention proposes a technique for dynamic desktop management based on specific context and user defined rules. User can define multiple contexts, with appropriate condition, action and set of desktop resources. Based on conditions one or more contexts can be available to the user. For example, user can define "Work context" (to be active during the work hours) and "Home context" (to be active during evening hours and weekends). These two contexts could include different set of desktop resources and hence enable user to declatter UI of the desktop and therefore faster execute tasks at hand. The advantage of our approach is that desktop resources can be automatically hidden based on context, and hence allow user to use desktop more effectively. In particular, user is shown less desktop resources and only those that are important to the user based on context or user selection.

Country
Language	English (United States)

---

Continue to Text Preview →

Page 1 of 3

Dynamic, context sensitive desktop management

In general, our invention can be represented as following diagram, individual parts of which are described bellow:

Resource2

Pool of desktop resources

Resource1

Resource3

Pool of desktop resources

This is a set of desktop resources (for example Windows desktop shortcuts, quick link shortcuts, etc) which are available for manipulation by the context management system. Context Definition
The context model includes name, tags, conditions, actions, and reference to set of desktop resources that can be included in this context.

Name: name for the given context

Tags: Each desktop resource can be tagged. Context tags identify desktop resources which should be included in this context. Each context can have multiple tags and resource can be grouped in the context based on the tags.

Conditions: The condition is normally defined by such context parameters as time of day, geographic location, presence of internet connectivity, etc.

   Actions: Action defines what should be done if certain condition holds true or false. Set of desktop resources: a set of desktop resources from the pool of desktop resources that were manually set by the user or if tags are specified, Context Management System finds all desktop resources that have the same tags and add them to the context
For example user can define the following profiles:
Context 1
Name: At Work
Condition 1: if time is between 8AM and 5PM
Tags: work, development
Action : Hide shortcuts "Game 1 and Game 2" from the desktop

1

Resource1

Context management system

Resource4

Context 1

Context 2

Context 3

Page 2 of 3

Action : Move "most important work program" shortcut to the center of the desktop

Condition 1.2: if there is no Internet connectivity

    
Action : Hide shortcut and quick link to FireFox browser
Context 2
Name: At customer site
Condition 1: if location is not an office or home (for example for people who go to customer sites often)

Action: Enable more security features
Action: Put VPN access shortcut to the desktop
Context 3
Name: At Home
Condition 1: if time between 8AM and 5PM
Action: Display shortcuts to "Game 1" and "Game 2" on the desktop
Action: Hide "most impo...

Download This Document →

Back to Overview