User proxy server

Abstract

One embodiment of the present invention provides a system that facilitates interacting with a user through a user proxy server. During operation, the system receives a request to interact with the user, wherein the request is received at a user proxy server, which services requests for interactions with users. This request specifies data or data types involved in the user interaction, as well as the purpose of the user interaction, but does not specify details of how the user interaction takes place. In response to this request, the system interacts with the user in a manner which is consistent with context information associated with the user.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for facilitating an application to initiate an interaction with a user at a client device, comprising:
 the application initiating the interaction with the user at the client device by sending an interaction request to a user proxy server (UPS) system, wherein the interaction request specifies data, data types, and/or semantic metadata for interacting with the user, but does not specify details of a user interface that is to be used for said interaction;   the UPS system queuing the interaction request in a queue;   the UPS system processing the interaction request and contextual information stored at the UPS system to create a graphical user interface;   the UPS system interacting with the user using the graphical user interface, wherein said interacting is performed through the client device in a manner that is consistent with the contextual information; and   the UPS system sending a result of said interacting to the application.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein interacting with the user involves one or more of:
 obtaining data from the user;   presenting data to the user;   receiving a selection of an option from the user; and   receiving a confirmation of an action from the user.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein interacting with the user involves one or more of:
 receiving a response from the user; and   returning a corresponding response to the requester.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the context information associated with the user includes one or more of:
 user preferences;   other activities that the user is associated with;   history information associated with the user; and   characteristics of a device through which the user interacts with the user proxy server.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the interaction request affects an earlier interaction request. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein affecting the earlier interaction request involves updating or canceling the earlier interaction request. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein queuing the interaction request involves placing the interaction request in the queue according to a priority of the interaction request. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein if the user is unavailable, said interacting takes place at a later time when the user becomes available. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the client device is a pudgy client device that is configured to interact with the user in a device-specific manner. 
     
     
         10 . A distributed system for facilitating an application to initiate an interaction with a user at a client device, comprising:
 a computer system executing an application, wherein the application initiates the interaction with the user at the client device by sending an interaction request to a user proxy server (UPS) system, wherein the interaction request specifies data, data types, and/or semantic metadata for interacting with the user, but does not specify details of a user interface that is to be used for said interaction; and   the UPS system configured to:
 queuing the interaction request in a queue; 
 process the interaction request and contextual information stored at the UPS system to create a graphical user interface; 
 interact with the user using the graphical user interface, wherein said interacting is performed through the client device in a manner that is consistent with the contextual information; and 
 send a result of said interacting to the application. 
   
     
     
         11 . The distributed system of  claim 10 , wherein interacting with the user involves one or more of:
 obtaining data from the user;   presenting data to the user;   receiving a selection of an option from the user; and   receiving a confirmation of an action from the user.   
     
     
         12 . The distributed system of  claim 10 , wherein interacting with the user involves one or more of:
 receiving a response from the user; and   returning a corresponding response to the requester.   
     
     
         13 . The distributed system of  claim 10 , wherein the context information associated with the user includes one or more of:
 user preferences;   other activities that the user is associated with;   history information associated with the user; and   characteristics of a device through which the user interacts with the user proxy server.   
     
     
         14 . The distributed system of  claim 10 , wherein the interaction request affects an earlier interaction request. 
     
     
         15 . The distributed system of  claim 14 , wherein affecting the earlier interaction request involves updating or canceling the earlier interaction request. 
     
     
         16 . The distributed system of  claim 10 , wherein queuing the interaction request involves placing the interaction request in the queue according to a priority of the interaction request. 
     
     
         17 . The distributed system of  claim 10 , wherein if the user is unavailable, said interacting takes place at a later time when the user becomes available. 
     
     
         18 . The distributed system of  claim 10 , wherein the client device is a pudgy client device that is configured to interact with the user in a device-specific manner.