Patent ID: 8677248

Claim:
A method in a computer for providing information about a current state that is modeled with multiple state attributes, comprising: through an application programming interface on the computer, receiving from a first source an indication of one of the state attributes of the modeled current state for which the first source is adapted to supply values, the modeled current state indicating a context of at least one of the computer, a user of the computer, and/or a surrounding physical environment; through the application programming interface, receiving from a second source an indication of the state attributes of the modeled current state for which the second source is adapted to supply values; and in response to receiving a request from a first client for a value of the indicated one attribute and to receiving an indication of a condition from the first client for testing 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.