Insight distribution
View Patent ↗The present invention relates to using authorization information provided by an asserting agent to control insight-related interactions between a receiving agent and an insight agent. The insight may be information that relates to an entity with whom or a device with which the asserting agent is associated. Such insight is generally referred to as insight of the asserting agent. An insight source maintains the insight of the asserting agent, and the insight agent provides controlled access to the insight by the receiving agent through the insight-related interactions. For others to gain access to at least certain of the asserting agent's insight, the asserting agent must authorize the insight agent to provide the asserting agent's insight to the receiving agent. Upon obtaining the proper authorization, the insight agent will interact with the receiving agent and distribute the asserting agent's insight to the receiving agent.
1. A method for operating an insight agent comprising:
receiving from a receiving agent, at a computer-implemented insight agent comprising a memory, authorization information that was originated from an asserting agent and sent from the asserting agent to the receiving agent, wherein the authorization information is configured to control an insight-related interaction between the insight agent and the receiving agent, wherein the insight-related interaction involves providing insight comprised of information about an entity on behalf of whom the asserting agent acts and is generated in a domain that is outside of direct control of the entity, such that the insight cannot be manipulated by the entity;
providing the insight-related interaction between the insight agent and the receiving agent; and
controlling, by the insight agent, delivery of the insight from the insight agent to the receiving agent during the insight-related interaction based on the authorization information.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the insight comprises information related to a device on behalf of which the asserting agent acts.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the insight is further comprised of information that is maintained in the domain that is outside of direct control of the entity.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the entity comprises a device on behalf of which the asserting agent acts.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the entity is comprised of a person.
6. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization information only authorizes delivery of certain of the insight to the receiving agent, and only the certain of the insight is delivered to the receiving agent during the insight-related interaction.
7. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization information is configured to authorize a single insight-related interaction between the insight agent and the receiving agent.
8. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization information is configured to authorize at least one insight-related interaction between the insight agent and the receiving agent for a limited duration.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization information is configured to authorize insight-related interactions between the insight agent and only the receiving agent.
10. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization information is configured to authorize at least one insight-related interaction for a defined purpose between the insight agent and the receiving agent.
11. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization information is configured to authorize at least one insight-related interaction for a defined purpose and for a limited duration.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the authorization information is configured to authorize only a single insight-related interaction for a defined purpose and for a limited duration.
13. The method of claim 1 wherein obtaining the authorization information comprises receiving the authorization information from the asserting agent.
14. The method of claim 1 wherein receiving the authorization information comprises receiving the authorization information from the receiving agent in association with the insight-related interaction.
15. The method of claim 1 wherein the insight-related interaction corresponds to a request for the insight, and controlling the insight-related interaction comprises:
determining whether to provide the insight-related interaction with the receiving agent based on the authorization information; and
providing at least certain of the insight to the receiving agent if the authorization information allows the at least certain of the insight to be provided to the receiving agent.
16. The method of claim 1 further comprising:
obtaining policy information that was provided by the asserting agent and configured to control distribution of the insight; and
further controlling delivery of the insight to the receiving agent based on the policy information.
17. The method of claim 1 wherein providing the insight-related interaction comprises receiving a request for the insight, and controlling the insight-related interaction comprises:
selecting the insight from available insight based on the authorization information; and
providing the insight to the receiving agent in the insight-related interaction, wherein the insight represents only a portion of the available insight.
18. The method of claim 1 wherein the asserting agent is provided by a first user terminal.
19. The method of claim 1 wherein the receiving agent is provided by a first user terminal.
20. The method of claim 1 wherein a granularity of the insight that is delivered to the receiving agent is controlled based on the authorization information.
21. An insight agent comprising:
a memory;
a communication interface; and
a control system associated with the communication interface and adapted to:
receive, from a receiving agent, authorization information that was originated from an asserting agent and sent from the asserting agent to the receiving agent, wherein the authorization information is configured to control an insight-related interaction between the insight agent and the receiving agent, wherein the insight-related interaction involves providing insight comprised of information about an entity on behalf of whom the asserting agent acts and is generated in a domain that is outside of direct control of the entity, such that the insight cannot be manipulated by the entity;
provide the insight-related interaction between the insight agent and the receiving agent; and
control delivery of the insight from the insight agent to the receiving agent during the insight-related interaction based on the authorization information.
22. The method of claim 1 wherein the insight further comprises presence information about the entity.
23. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving, at the insight agent from the receiving agent, at least one from the group consisting of: an identity of the asserting agent and an identity of the entity.
24. The method of claim 1 wherein the asserting agent controls a granularity of location information of the asserting agent provided from the insight agent to the receiving agent.
25. The method of claim 24 wherein the granularity of the location information of the asserting agent is selected from the group consisting of location coordinates, a building, a city, and a time zone.