COLLECTION BIN FOR DATA MANAGEMENT AND TRANSFORMATION

• US 20080301137A1
• Filed: 05/31/2007
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Grieb, Doreen Nelson, Bauman, Thomas Robert, Piper, Robert Warren
• Granted Patent: US 7,895,246 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 707/7
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

An electronic collection bin is provided for assisting users in managing their personal information. The electronic collection bin provides a common location for collecting and organizing a user'"'"'s information. The electronic collection bin may receive information items of varying data types and from disparate sources. After receiving an information item, the electronic collection bin analyzes the item to determine a suggested treatment, which may include conversion of the item to a new data type located at another location. A user may access the electronic collection bin, sort through the information items, and select placement of the information items. The user may view the suggested treatments of information items in the electronic collection bin and choose whether to accept the suggested treatments.

Claims

1. A computerized method for managing information, the method comprising:

providing an electronic collection bin for receiving and storing information items of varying data types and from disparate sources;

receiving at least one information item at the electronic collection bin;

storing the at least one information item;

determining a suggested treatment for the at least one information item; and

communicating the at least one information item and the suggested treatment for the at least one information item for presentation to a user.

2. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the varying data types include one or more of the following:

plain text, an email, an instant message, a short message service text message, a voice message, an appointment, a to-do item, a contact, and a list item.

3. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein receiving at least one information item at the electronic collection bin comprises at least one of receiving text typed directly into the collection bin, receiving an email, receiving an instant message, receiving a short message service text message, and receiving a voice message.

4. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein determining the suggested treatment for the at least one information item comprises identifying one or more elements of the at least one information item, comparing the one or more elements against one or more known elements for one or more data types, and determining at least one suggested data type for the at least one information item based on the comparison.

5. The computerized method of claim 1, wherein the method further comprises receiving a user selection of a treatment for the at least one information item.

6. The computerized method of claim 5, wherein receiving the user selection of the treatment for the at least one information item comprises receiving a user selection of the suggested treatment for the at least one information item.

7. The computerized method of claim 5, wherein the method further comprises converting the at least one item to a new data type based on the user selection.

8. The computerized method of claim 7, wherein the new data type comprises at least one of an appointment, a to-do item, a contact, and a list item.

9. A computerized system including one or more computer-readable media having a plurality of software components for providing an electronic collection bin, the plurality of software components comprising:

a receiving component that receives a plurality of information items of varying data types from a plurality of disparate sources;

a suggestion component that determines a suggested treatment for at least one information item of the plurality of information items; and

a presentation component that communicates at least a portion of the plurality of information items and the suggested treatment for the at least one information item for presentation to a user.

10. The computerized system of claim 9, wherein the software components further comprise a conversion component that creates at least one new item at one or more locations using data contained in the first information item.

11. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the software components further comprise a selection component that receives a user selection of a treatment for the at least one information item.

12. The computerized system of claim 11, wherein the conversion component creates the at least one new item at the one or more locations based on the user selection of the treatment for the at least one information item.

13. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the at least one new item comprises at least one of a to-do item, an appointment, a contact, and a list item.

14. The computerized system of claim 10, wherein the one or more locations comprise at least one of a to-do list, a calendar, a contact list, and a project list.

15. The computerized system of claim 9, wherein the software components further comprise a sorting component that sorts information items based on user input.

16. The computerized system of claim 15, wherein the sorting component is configured to sort the information items based on at least one of time of entry, time assigned, method of entry, file type, alpha, number of times viewed, tags, and user.

17. One or more computer-readable media embodying computer-useable instructions for performing a method for organizing information, the method comprising:

receiving an information item at an electronic collection bin configured to receive information items of varying data types from a plurality of disparate sources;

determining a suggested treatment for the information item;

receiving a user selection accepting the suggested treatment for the information item; and

creating a new item at a location other than the collection bin based on the suggested treatment.

18. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the at least one new item comprises at least one of a to-do item, an appointment, a contact, and a list item.

19. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the location other than the collection bin comprises at least one of a calendar, a to-do list, a contact list, and a project list.

20. The one or more computer-readable media of claim 17, wherein the method further comprises removing the information item from the collection bin.