INTEGRATED CALENDAR AND MAP APPLICATIONS IN A MOBILE DEVICE

• US 20090006994A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 01/01/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Original Assignee: Apple Inc.
• Inventors: Christie, Gregory N., Forstall, Scott, Chaudhri, Imran A., Borchers, Robert E.
• Granted Patent: US 9,175,964 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/20 Instruments for performing navigational calculations G01C21/24, G01C21/26 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 21/26 specially adapted for navigation in a road network
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

Techniques, computer programs and apparatus relating to an integrated calendar and map feature are described. In one implementation, one or more calendar entries are identified in a calendar. A calendar entry includes an associated time and an associated location. A display of a map is provided including a graphical representation indicating a location associated with at least one calendar entry. The location associated with the calendar entry is derived from the calendar entry and included in a request to a map application for the map.

Claims

1. A method comprising:

storing one or more calendar entries in a calendar, where a calendar entry includes at least one field for an associated time and an associated location; and

providing a display of a map including a graphical representation indicating a location associated with at least one calendar entry;

wherein the location associated with the at least one calendar entry is derived from the calendar entry and included in a request to a map application for the map.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the calendar includes a first calendar entry associated with a first time on a date and a second calendar entry associated with a later second time on the same date and the map includes a graphical representation indicating locations associated with both calendar entries, the method further comprising:

providing a route at least partially superimposed on the map indicating a route from a location associated with the first calendar entry to a location associated with the second calendar entry.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the display of the map and the route is automatic based on times associated with the calendar entries represented on the map.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein providing the display of the map and the route automatically based on the times associated with the calendar entries comprises providing the display of the map and the route at a predetermined time before the second time associated with the second calendar entry and after the first time associated with the first calendar entry has passed.

5. The method of claim 2, wherein providing the display of the map and the route is in response to a user request for map and route information.

6. The method of claim 2, wherein the route information includes a graphical display of the route superimposed on the map.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the route information includes textual directions for the route.

8. The method of claim 2, wherein the route information includes audio directions for the route.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

in response to a user input selecting a first calendar entry and selecting to send an automated message, automatically sending the automated message to a person associated with the first calendar entry.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein a content of the message comprises content indicating the user will be late for an appointment represented by the first calendar entry.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein the message comprises a voice message, an email message or a short message.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the calendar includes a first calendar entry having an associated first time and first location, the method further comprising:

determining a current location;

obtaining route information for a route from the current location to the first location, where the route information includes an estimated travel time; and

providing an alarm indication of the upcoming first calendar entry at an alarm time based on the estimated travel time.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a current location; and

providing route information corresponding to a route from the current location to the location associated with the at least one calendar entry.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the calendar includes a first calendar entry associated a person having a name, the method further comprising:

in response to a user input selecting the first calendar entry, searching a data structure including contact information corresponding to contacts for a contact having a same name as the person associated with the first calendar entry; and

if a contact is located, providing at least some of the contact information to the user.

15. A system comprising:

a calendar application operable to receive calendar entries, where a calendar entry includes at least one field for an associated time and location;

a map application operable to provide a display of a map;

a processor operable to provide a location associated with a calendar entry to the map application and request a map including a graphical representation of the location associated with the calendar entry; and

a display operable to display the map.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the processor is further configured to automatically request the map from the map application at a certain time before a time associated with the calendar entry.

17. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an engine operable to provide route information for a route between a first location associated with a first calendar entry and a second location associated with a later second calendar entry, the route information including an estimated travel time, wherein displaying the map comprises displaying the map with the route at least partially superimposed thereon and including indications of the first and second locations;

where the processor is further configured to automatically request a display of the map including the route at least partially superimposed thereon at least no less than the estimated travel time before a time associated with later second calendar entry.

18. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a positioning system operable to obtain a current location of a mobile device; and

an engine operable to provide a graphical display on the map of a route from the current location to a location associated with a first calendar entry, wherein the first calendar entry is the next calendar entry occurring in time from a current time.

19. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a telephony application;

where the processor is further configured to receive a user selection of a first calendar entry associated with a first person having a first telephone number and a user selection of the telephony application, and in response to the selections to automatically initiate a telephone call to the first telephone number.

20. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

an email application;

where the processor is configured to receive a user selection of a first calendar entry associated with a first person having a first email address and a user selection of the email application, and in response to the selections to automatically initiate an email message addressed to the first email address.

21. The system of claim 15, further comprising:

a short messaging service application;

where the processor is configured to receive a user selection of a first calendar entry associated with a first person and a user selection of the short messaging service application and in response to the selections to automatically initiate a short message addressed to the first person.

22. A computer-readable medium having instructions stored thereon, which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

storing one or more calendar entries in a calendar, where a calendar entry includes at least one field for an associated time and an associated location; and

providing a display of a map including a graphical representation indicating a location associated with at least one calendar entry;

wherein the location associated with the at least one calendar entry is derived from the calendar entry and included in a request to a map application for the map.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the calendar includes a first calendar entry associated with a first time on a date and a second calendar entry associated with a later second time on the same date and the map includes a graphical representation indicating locations associated with both calendar entries, where the instructions further cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

providing a route at least partially superimposed on the map indicating a route from a location associated with the first calendar entry to a location associated with the second calendar entry.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23, wherein providing the display of the map and the route is automatic based on times associated with the calendar entries represented on the map.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 24, wherein providing the display of the map and the route automatically based on the times associated with the calendar entries comprises providing the display of the map and the route at a predetermined time before the second time associated with the second calendar entry and after the first time associated with the first calendar entry has passed.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, where the instructions further cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

in response to a first user input selecting a first calendar entry and selecting to send an automated message, automatically sending a message of predetermined content to a person associated with the first calendar entry.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the calendar includes a first calendar entry having an associated first time and first location, where the instructions further cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining a current location;

obtaining route information for a route from the current location to the first location, where the route information includes an estimated travel time; and

providing an alarm indication of the upcoming first calendar entry at an alarm time based on the estimated travel time.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the calendar includes a first calendar entry having an associated first time and first location, where the instructions further cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

determining a current location; and

providing route information to the user corresponding to a route from the current location to the location associated with the at least one calendar entry.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 22, wherein the calendar includes a first calendar entry associated with a person having a name, where the instructions further cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

in response to a user input selecting the first calendar entry, searching a data structure including contact information corresponding to contacts for a contact having the same name as the person associated with the first calendar entry; and

if a contact is located, providing at least some of the contact information to the user.

30. A system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device coupled to the processor and configurable for storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving one or more calendar entries in a calendar, where a calendar entry includes an associated time and an associated location; and

providing a display of a map including a graphical representation indicating a location associated with at least one calendar entry;

wherein the location associated with the at least one calendar entry is derived from the calendar entry and included in a request to a map application for the map.

31. A mobile device, comprising:

a calendar application operable to receive calendar entries, where a calendar entry includes an associated time and location;

a map application operable to provide a display of a map;

a processor operable to provide a location associated with a calendar entry to the map application and request a map including a graphical representation of the location associated with a calendar entry; and

a display operable to display the map.

32. A method comprising:

receiving a request from a mobile device for map information, the request including a location wherein the location was derived by the mobile device from an associated calendar entry included in a calendar residing on the mobile device; and

providing the map information to the mobile device, wherein the map information can be used by the mobile device to display a map including a graphical representation of the location.

33. The method of claim 32, further comprising:

receiving a request for route information from the mobile device for a route from a current location of the mobile device to the location, the request including the current location of the mobile device; and

providing the route information to the mobile device, wherein the route information can be used by the mobile device to display a map including a graphical representation of the route.

34. A system comprising:

a processor;

a storage device coupled to the processor and configurable for storing instructions, which, when executed by the processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising;

receiving a request from a mobile device for map information, the request including a location wherein the location was derived by the mobile device from an associated calendar entry included in a calendar residing on the mobile device; and

providing the map information to the mobile device, wherein the map information can be used by the mobile device to display a map including a graphical representation of the location.

35. The system of claim 34, wherein the instructions, when executed by the processor, further cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a request for route information from the mobile device for a route from a current location of the mobile device to the location, the request including the current location of the mobile device; and

providing the route information to the mobile device, wherein the route information can be used by the mobile device to display a map including a graphical representation of the route.

36. A machine implemented method for providing an interface between a calendar application and a map application, the method comprising:

providing first data, representing a first location and a second location, from the calendar application to the map application, wherein the first location is one of a current location and a location of a first calendar entry and wherein the second location is a location of a second calendar entry.

37. The method as in claim 36 wherein the providing is through an application program interface (API) between the calendar application and the map application and wherein the calendar application initiates the providing in response to a time which is related to a time of the second calendar entry.

38. The method as in claim 37, the method further comprising:

providing second data, representing a travel time between the first location and the second location, from the map application to the calendar application, wherein the calendar application sets a timer based upon the travel time and the time of the second calendar entry.

39. The method as in claim 38, the method further comprising:

causing, by the calendar application, the map application to display a map showing a route between the first location and the second location.

40. A data processing system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor, the processor being configured to provide an interface between a calendar application and a map application and wherein first data, representing a first location and a second location, is provided from the calendar application to the map application through the interface and wherein the first location is one of a current location and a location of a first calendar entry and wherein the second location is a location of a second calendar entry.

41. The system as in claim 40 further comprising:

an input device coupled to the processor;

a wireless transceiver coupled to the processor;

a display device coupled to the processor, and wherein the map application is one of a dedicated map application program or a web browser configured to provide an interactive display of maps.

42. The system as in claim 40 wherein the calendar application initiates the providing of the first data through the interface in response to a time which is related to a time of the second calendar entry.

43. A machine readable medium storing executable program instructions to cause a system to perform a method for providing an interface between a calendar application and a map application, the method comprising:

providing first data, representing a first location and a second location, from the calendar application to the map application, wherein the first location is one of a current location and a location of a first calendar entry and wherein the second location is a location of a second calendar entry.

44. The medium as in claim 43 wherein the providing is through an application program interface (API) between the calendar application and the map application and wherein the calendar application initiates the providing in response to a time which is related to a time of the second calendar entry.

45. The medium as in claim 44, the method further comprising:

providing second data, representing a travel time between the first location n and the second location, from the map application to the calendar application, wherein the calendar application sets a timer based upon the travel time and the time of the second calendar entry.

46. The medium as in claim 45, the method further comprising:

causing, by the calendar application, the map application to display a map showing a route between the first location and the second location.