Abstract: The current status of a list of tasks to be performed is dynamically displayed. The tasks may be performed by a user (e.g., data entered by the user, words spoken by the user, actions taken by the user, and so forth) or alternatively by a computer (e.g., the steps it follows in carrying out a programmed task). At least a portion of the list is displayed at any given time along with an indication of which task is the next task to be performed. As the tasks are completed, the current status of the progression through the items on the list is dynamically updated so as to readily inform the user (or someone else) as to what the current task is that needs to be performed, as well as what tasks have already been performed and/or what tasks remain to be performed.

Abstract: Techniques for providing information about a current state modeled with multiple attributes is described. The providing of information can include receiving from a first source an indication of an ability to supply values for one of the state attributes of the modeled current state, and supplying to a client a value for the one attribute received from the first source. After the supplying of the value, the providing can include receiving from a second source a value supplying ability for the one attribute and supplying of a value for the one attribute based on values received for the one attribute from the first and second sources. After the supplying of that value, the providing can include receiving from the first source an indication of a value supplying inability for the one attribute and supplying a value for the one attribute received from the second source.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations the providing includes receiving from a first client an indication of an interest in receiving values for an indicated one of the state attributes of the modeled current state, receiving from a second client an indication of an interest in receiving values for another of the state attributes of the modeled current state, and, in response to receiving a value for the indicated one attribute from a first source, determining that the first client has an interest in receiving the received value and supplying the received value to the first client.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing includes receiving from a module a request related to the modeling of the current state with the multiple state attributes. In such situations, the providing further includes, without further intervention related to the request by the module, determining that the request cannot currently be satisfied, and indicating to the module that the request cannot currently be satisfied, monitoring at later times after the indicating to determine whether the request can be satisfied, and indicating to the module that the request can be satisfied if it is determined at one of the later times that the request can currently be satisfied.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing includes receiving from a module a request related to the modeling of the current state with the multiple state attributes. In such situations, the providing further includes, without further intervention related to the request by the module, determining that the request cannot currently be satisfied, and indicating to the module that the request cannot currently be satisfied, monitoring at later times after the indicating to determine whether the request can be satisfied, and indicating to the module that the request can be satisfied if it is determined at one of the later times that the request can currently be satisfied.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations the providing includes receiving from a first client an indication of an interest in receiving values for an indicated one of the state attributes of the modeled current state, receiving from a second client an indication of an interest in receiving values for another of the state attributes of the modeled current state, and, in response to receiving a value for the indicated one attribute from a first source, determining that the first client has an interest in receiving the received value and supplying the received value to the first client.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing includes receiving from first and second sources indications of an ability to supply values for, respectively, an indicated one of the state attributes and another of the state attributes. In such situations, the providing also includes, in response to receiving a request from a first client for a value of the indicated one attribute, determining that the first source is available to supply the value, obtaining the value from the first source, and supplying a value obtained from the first source to the first client.

Abstract: An electronic programming guide (EPG) resides in a user interface unit memory and is executable on the processor of the user interface unit to organize programming information that is descriptive of the programs supplied over an interactive entertainment system. The EPG supports a user interface (UI) which visually correlates programs titles to scheduled viewing times. A hyperlink browser also resides in memory and is executable on the processor. One or more hyperlinks, which reference target resources containing interactive content related to the video programs, are integrated as part of the EPG UI. When a viewer activates a hyperlink within the EPG, the user interface unit launches the browser to activate the target resource specified by the hyperlink. The instruction might cause the visual display unit to tune to the program or channel represented by the particular label, or to initiate procedures to record the program when it begins playing, or to jump to a related target resource, such as a Web site.

Abstract: Techniques for providing information about a current state modeled with multiple attributes is described. The providing of information can include receiving from a first source an indication of an ability to supply values for one of the state attributes of the modeled current state, and supplying to a client a value for the one attribute received from the first source. After the supplying of the value, the providing can include receiving from a second source a value supplying ability for the one attribute and supplying of a value for the one attribute based on values received for the one attribute from the first and second sources. After the supplying of that value, the providing can include receiving from the first source an indication of a value supplying inability for the one attribute and supplying a value for the one attribute received from the second source.

Abstract: A user search request is received and context information for the user is identified. The user search request and the context information are then combined to generate search criteria corresponding to the user search request, providing for information solicitation based on a computer user's context.

Abstract: Techniques are disclosed for creating, modifying, categorizing, modeling, distributing, purchasing, selling, and otherwise using themes and theme-related information. Themes can represent various types of contextual aspects or situations, and can model high-level concepts of activities or states not reflected in individual contextual attributes that each model a single aspect of the state of a user, their computing device, the surrounding physical environment, and/or the current cyber-environment. Such themes specify inter-relationships among a set of contextual attributes, and can have associated theme-related information such as theme-specific attributes, theme layouts used to present information and functionality, CSes that provide theme attribute values, and CCs that process theme information. Disclosed techniques can identify one or more themes that currently match the modeled context, select one of the matching themes as a current theme, and provide an appropriate response (e.g.

Abstract: Techniques for providing information about a current state modeled with multiple attributes is described. The providing of information can include receiving from a first source an indication of an ability to supply values for one of the state attributes of the modeled current state, and supplying to a client a value for the one attribute received from the first source. After the supplying of the value, the providing can include receiving from a second source a value supplying ability for the one attribute and supplying of a value for the one attribute based on values received for the one attribute from the first and second sources. After the supplying of that value, the providing can include receiving from the first source an indication of a value supplying inability for the one attribute and supplying a value for the one attribute received from the second source.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing includes receiving from first and second sources indications of an ability to supply values for, respectively, an indicated one of the state attributes and another of the state attributes. In such situations, the providing also includes, in response to receiving a request from a first client for a value of the indicated one attribute, determining that the first source is available to supply the value, obtaining the value from the first source, and supplying a value obtained from the first source to the first client.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing information about a context that is modeled with multiple context attributes. In some situations, at least some of the context attributes have values used by modules for generating values of other context attributes, and the providing includes determining that a first module is generating a first value of a first of the context attributes of the modeled context and determining that a circular reference exists when it is determined that a module is to generate another value of the first context attribute such that the generating of the another value is caused by the generating of the first value of the first context attribute.

Abstract: A user search request is received and context information for the user is identified. The user search request and the context information are then combined to generate search criteria corresponding to the user search request, providing for information solicitation based on a computer user's context.

Abstract: A facility for exchanging context attributes is described. A characterization module receives an invocation request to provide an attribute value that was generated by a requesting attribute consumer. The received invocation request identifies the attribute whose value is to be provided. In response to receiving the invocation request, the characterization module provides a value for the identified attribute to the requesting attribute consumer.

Abstract: Techniques are described providing mediated information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing includes receiving from a first source an indication of a first value for an indicated one of the state attributes of the modeled current state, receiving from a second source an indication of a second value for the indicated state attribute, and, after an indication from a client for a value for the indicated state attribute, sending to the client a mediated value for the indicated state attribute that is produced by mediating between available values for the indicated state attribute including at least the first and second values.

Abstract: Techniques are described for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes. In some situations, the providing of information includes receiving from first and second sources indications of ability to supply values for, respectively, an indicated one of the state attributes and another of the state attributes. In such situations, after receiving an indication of the indicated attribute from a first client, the providing of information further includes determining that the first source is available to supply a value for the indicated attribute, obtaining from the first source an indication of the value and information describing the indicated value, determining based at least in part on the descriptive information whether the indicated value is appropriate to be supplied to the client, and supplying the indicated value to the client when it is determined that the indicated value is appropriate.

Abstract: A facility for exchanging context attributes is described. A characterization module receives an invocation request to provide an attribute value that was generated by a requesting attribute consumer. The received invocation request identifies the attribute whose value is to be provided. In response to receiving the invocation request, the characterization module provides a value for the identified attribute to the requesting attribute consumer.

Abstract: A system filters received messages (e.g., unsolicited advertisements) to determine if they are appropriate for a user based on the non-static, constantly evolving, context of the user. The system can track the user's context by monitoring various environmental parameters, such as related to the user's physical, mental, computing and data environments, and can model the current context of the user based at least in part on the monitoring. The system selects a set of one or more filters to apply to incoming messages based on the user's context, and the selected filters can be updated as the user's context changes. Messages that survive the filters are then evaluated against the user's context to determine whether they should be presented immediately or stored for delayed presentation.