Adaptive, context-driven telephone number dialing
A technique is disclosed that enables a context-driven, adaptive technique for generating a list of telephone numbers. The technique of the illustrative embodiment of the present invention seeks to dynamically anticipate what telephone numbers a user might want to dial—even before the user knows—and presents the names of the parties and their telephone numbers to the user at his or her terminal. In particular, the technique monitors a user, the user's locale, and one or more terminals in that locale; selects one or more telephone numbers from a master set of numbers, based on the monitored information; and presents the selected numbers to the user—for example, in the form of a speed-dial list or a one-touch dial list. The user can then examine the presented telephone numbers and decide if he or she wants to call one of them. The technique can be implemented at the user's computer, telephone, private branch exchange, or other device in the relevant telecommunications system.
1. A method comprising:
detecting a change in a physiological parameter of a user of a telecommunications terminal based on a signal from a sensor used to monitor the physiological parameter;
sending the signal to at least one data-processing system;
modifying, in response to the change in the physiological parameter of the user of a telecommunications terminal, the membership of a telephone number in a first non-empty set of telephone numbers; and
presenting, by the telecommunications terminal, the first non-empty set of telephone numbers to the user of the telecommunications terminal, wherein the first non-empty set of telephone numbers is presented after the membership of the telephone number is modified;
wherein the telephone number is a member of a second non-empty set of telephone numbers that has more members than the first non-empty set of telephone numbers.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the physiological parameter is heart rate and the sensor is a heart rate monitor.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein the physiological parameter is blood pressure and the sensor is a blood pressure monitor.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the physiological parameter is body temperature of the user and the sensor is a body temperature monitor.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein the physiological parameter is brain activity and the sensor is a brain activity monitor.
6. A method comprising:
detecting a change in an environmental parameter of the locale of a first telecommunications terminal based on a first signal from a sensor used to monitor the environmental parameter;
sending the signal to at least one data-processing system;
modifying, in response to the change in the environmental parameter, the membership of a telephone number in a first non-empty set of telephone numbers;
presenting, by the first telecommunications terminal, the first non-empty set of telephone numbers to a first user of the first telecommunications terminal, wherein the first non-empty set of telephone numbers is presented after the membership of the telephone number is modified; and
wherein the telephone number is a member of a second non-empty set of telephone numbers that has more members than the first non-empty set of telephone numbers.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein the environmental parameter is temperature and the sensor is a thermometer.
8. The method of claim 6 wherein the environmental parameter is humidity and the sensor is a hygrometer.
9. The method of claim 6 wherein the environmental parameter is air pressure and the sensor is a barometer.
10. The method of claim 6 wherein the environmental parameter is sound intensity and the sensor is a sound level meter.
11. The method of claim 6 wherein the environmental parameter is light intensity and the sensor is a photometer.
12. The method of claim 6 wherein:
the telephone number identifies a second telecommunications terminal; and
the modification of the membership the telephone number is also based on a second signal that depends on monitoring of a factor at a locale that comprises the second telecommunications terminal.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the factor is the calendrical time at the second telecommunications terminal.
14. The method of claim 12 wherein the factor is a property of a second user of the second telecommunications terminal.
15. A method comprising:
receiving a signal, wherein the signal represents information about a state of a factor at a locale that comprises a first telecommunications terminal;
sending the signal to at least one data-processing system;
modifying, in response to a change in the state of the factor, the membership of a telephone number in a first non-empty set of telephone numbers, wherein the change in the state of the factor is detected based on the signal; and
presenting, by a second telecommunications terminal, the first non-empty set of telephone numbers to a user of the second telecommunications terminal, wherein the first non-empty set of telephone numbers is presented after the membership of the telephone number is modified;
wherein the telephone number is also a member of a second non-empty set of telephone numbers that has more members than the first non-empty set of telephone numbers.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the factor is a property of a user of the first telecommunications terminal.
17. The method of claim 15 wherein the factor is a relationship between the user of the second telecommunications terminal and a user of the first telecommunications terminal.
18. A method comprising:
including, by a first telecommunications terminal, a telephone number into a first non-empty set of telephone numbers and presenting the first non-empty set of telephone numbers to a user of the first telecommunications terminal, wherein:
(i) a signal from an environmental sensor is sent from the first telecommunications terminal to at least one data-processing system,
(ii) the first non-empty set of telephone numbers is a proper subset of a second non-empty set of telephone numbers that is stored in memory of the first telecommunications terminal, and
(iii) the telephone number is selected by the first telecommunications terminal, from the second non-empty set of telephone numbers, for inclusion into the first non-empty set of telephone numbers based on the signal from the environmental sensor; and
initiating, by the first telecommunications terminal, a telecommunications session with a second telecommunications terminal that is identified by the telephone number, wherein the telecommunications session is initiated when the user of the first telecommunications terminal selects the telephone number from the presented first non-empty set of telephone numbers.
19. The method of claim 18 wherein the environmental sensor is part of the first telecommunications terminal.
20. The method of claim 18 wherein the environmental sensor is a thermometer.
21. The method of claim 18 wherein the environmental sensor is a hygrometer.
22. The method of claim 18 wherein the environmental sensor is a barometer.
23. The method of claim 18 wherein the environmental sensor is a sound level meter.
24. The method of claim 18 wherein the environmental sensor is a photometer.
25. The method of claim 18 wherein the telephone number is included in the first non-empty set of telephone numbers in response to a change in an environmental parameter that is monitored by the environmental sensor.
26. A method comprising:
including, by a first telecommunications terminal, a telephone number into a first non-empty set of telephone numbers and presenting the first non-empty set of telephone numbers to a user of the first telecommunications terminal, wherein:
(i) a signal from a physiological sensor is sent from the first telecommunications terminal to at least one data-processing system,
(ii) the first non-empty set of telephone numbers is a proper subset of a second non-empty set of telephone numbers that is stored in memory of the first telecommunications terminal, and
(iii) the telephone number is selected by the first telecommunications terminal, from the second non-empty set of telephone numbers, for inclusion into the first non-empty set of telephone numbers based on the signal from the physiological sensor; and
initiating, by the first telecommunications terminal, a telecommunications session with a second telecommunications terminal that is identified by the telephone number, wherein the telecommunications session is initiated when the user of the first telecommunications terminal selects the telephone number from the presented first non-empty set of telephone numbers.
27. The method of claim 26 wherein the physiological sensor is a heart rate monitor.
28. The method of claim 26 wherein the physiological sensor is a blood pressure monitor.
29. The method of claim 26 wherein the physiological sensor is a respiration rate monitor.
30. The method of claim 26 wherein the physiological sensor is a body temperature monitor.
31. The method of claim 26 wherein the physiological sensor is a brain activity monitor.