Methods and Apparatus for Estimating Departure Time Based on Known Calendar Events

• US 20110090078A1
• Filed: 10/19/2009
• Published: 04/21/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Qualcomm, Inc.
• Inventors: Kim, Frederick D., Daley, Robert S.
• Granted Patent: US 8,451,112 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/522
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/109 Time management, e.g. calendars, reminders, meetings or time accounting

Abstract

A method and apparatus generating a departure alert for an event based on a current location. The method may comprises: obtaining scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value, obtaining a device location value, obtaining a current time value, determining if the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than a event location threshold, upon a determination that the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating a first travel time value from the device location and the first event location, generating a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value, and generating a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value.

Claims

1. A method for generating at least one departure alert for at least one event, the method comprising:

obtaining scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

obtaining a device location value;

obtaining a current time value;

determining if the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

upon a determination that the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating a first travel time value from the device location and the first event location;

generating a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value; and

generating a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining if the departure time value temporally exceeds the current time value;

upon a determination that the departure time value temporally exceeds the current time value, generating a tardiness alert associated with the first event.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the scheduling data associated with the first event further comprises contact information for one or more participants to the first event;

and

further comprising, transmitting the tardiness alert to at least one of the one or more participants to the first event.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the transmitting further comprises:

prompting a user that the tardiness alert has been generated; and

receiving an input selecting which of the one or more participants will receive the tardiness alert.

5. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

obtaining scheduling data associated with a second event, wherein the second event scheduling data includes a second event time value and a second event location value;

determining if a scheduling conflict exists between the second event and the first event; and

upon a determination that there is a scheduling conflict between the second event conflicts and the first event, generating a scheduling conflict alert.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining if a scheduling conflict exists further comprises:

generating a first event scheduling buffer time value from the first event time value and the estimated first travel time;

determining if the second event time value conflicts with the first event scheduling buffer time value.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining if a scheduling conflict exists further comprises:

determining if the second event time value occurs temporally after the first event time value;

upon a determination that the second event time value occurs temporally after the first event time value, determining if the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than a second event location threshold;

upon a determination that the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than the second event location threshold, estimating a second travel time value from the first event location and the second event location;

generating a second departure time value by comparing at least one of the second event time value and the estimated second travel time value; and

generating a second departure alert by comparing the second departure time value and the current time value.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the determining if a scheduling conflict exists further comprises:

determining if the second event time value is temporally before the first event time value;

upon a determination that the second event time value is temporally before the first event time value, determining if at least one of the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than a second event location threshold, or if the second event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold;

upon a determination that at least one of the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than the second event location threshold or the second event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating at least one of a second travel time value from the device location and the second event location or a third travel time value from the second event location and the first event location;

generating at least one departure time value by comparing at least one of the second event time value and the estimated second travel time value or the second event time value and the estimated third time value; and

generating one or more departure alerts by comparing at least one of the generated departure time values and the current time value.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining scheduling data associated with the first event further comprises at least one of:

receiving the data associated with the first event from a user input, or

receiving the data associated with the first event from a network, wherein the receiving from the network is associated with a synchronizing process to uniformly present one or more scheduled events for the user.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the first event time value further comprises at least one of a first event start time, and a first event end time.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the obtaining the device location, further comprises at least one of:

receiving the device location from a user input, or

receiving the device location through a location detecting sensor associated with the device, or

receiving the device location from a network provided value.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the event location threshold includes at least one of:

a predefined distance, wherein the predefined distance is defined by at least one of;

a user, or a default device setting;

a trigger event, wherein the trigger event includes at least one of;

a determination that device is located in a foreign locality, or a determination that the device operated in airplane mode within a predefined duration of time, or a user selection.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the estimating the travel time further comprises:

determining at least one route between the device location and the first event location;

obtaining at least one of;

traffic conditions for said at least one route and modifying the estimated travel time based on an estimated time influence associated with the obtained traffic conditions, or

mode of transportation information to be used for said at least one route and modifying the estimated travel time based on an estimated time influence associated with the obtained mode of transportation information, or

a user selection of one route from the at least one routes and estimating the travel time value for the selected route; and

displaying the selected route on the device.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the mode of transportation information includes determining whether movement of the device is to be associated with at least one of:

walking, or moving in a personal transportation vehicle, or moving in a public transportation vehicle.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the determining a departure time further comprises modifying the estimated travel time value by a predefined buffer time prior to comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value.

16. At least one processor configured to generate at least one departure alert for at least one event:

a first module for obtaining scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

a second module for obtaining a device location value;

a third module for obtaining a current time value;

a fourth module for determining if the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

a fifth module for estimating a first travel time value from the device location and the first event location upon a determination that the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold;

a sixth module for generating a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value; and

a seventh module for generating a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value.

17. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to obtain scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to obtain a device location value;

a third set of codes for causing the computer to obtain a current time value;

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to determine if the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

a fifth set of codes for causing the computer to estimate a first travel time value from the device location and the first event location upon a determination that the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold;

a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to generate a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value; and

a seventh set of codes for causing the computer to generate a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value.

18. An apparatus, comprising:

means for obtaining scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

means for obtaining a device location value;

means for obtaining a current time value;

means for determining if the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

means for estimating a first travel time value from the device location and the first event location upon a determination that the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold;

means for generating a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value; and

means for generating a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value.

19. An apparatus, comprising:

a communications module for;

obtaining scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

obtaining a device location value;

obtaining a current time value; and

a departure alert module for;

determining if the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

upon a determination that the first event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating a first travel time value from the device location and the first event location;

generating a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value; and

generating a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value.

20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

determining if the departure time value temporally exceeds the current time value;

upon a determination that the departure time value temporally exceeds the current time value, generating a tardiness alert associated with the first event.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the scheduling data associated with the first event further comprises contact information for one or more participants to the first event;

and

wherein the departure alert module is further operable for transmitting the tardiness alert to at least one of the one or more participants to the first event.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the communications module is further operable for:

prompting a user that the tardiness alert has been generated; and

receiving an input selecting which of the one or more participants will receive the tardiness alert.

23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the communications module is further operable for:

obtaining scheduling data associated with a second event, wherein the second event scheduling data includes a second event time value and a second event location value; and

wherein the departure alert module is further operable for;

determining if a scheduling conflict exists between the second event and the first event; and

upon a determination that there is a scheduling conflict between the second event conflicts and the first event, generating a scheduling conflict alert.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

generating a first event scheduling buffer time value from the first event time value and the estimated first travel time;

determining if the second event time value conflicts with the first event scheduling buffer time value.

25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

determining if the second event time value occurs temporally after the first event time value;

upon a determination that the second event time value occurs temporally after the first event time value, determining if the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than a second event location threshold;

upon a determination that the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than the second event location threshold, estimating a second travel time value from the first event location and the second event location;

generating a second departure time value by comparing at least one of the second event time value and the estimated second travel time value; and

generating a second departure alert by comparing the second departure time value and the current time value.

26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

determining if the second event time value is temporally before the first event time value;

upon a determination that the second event time value is temporally before the first event time value, determining if at least one of the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than a second event location threshold or if the second event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold;

upon a determination that at least one of the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than the second event location threshold or the second event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating at least one of a second travel time value from the device location and the second event location or a third travel time value from the second event location and the first event location;

generating at least one departure time value by comparing at least one of the second event time value and the estimated second travel time value or the second event time value and the estimated third time value; and

generating one or more departure alerts by comparing at least one of the generated departure time values and the current time value.

27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the communications module is further operable for:

receiving the data associated with the first event from a user input, or

receiving the data associated with the first event from a network, wherein the receiving from the network is associated with a synchronizing process to uniformly present one or more scheduled events for the user.

28. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first event time value further comprises at least one of a first event start time, and a first event end time.

29. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the communications module is further operable for:

receiving the device location from a user input, or

receiving the device location through a location detecting sensor associated with the device, or

receiving the device location from a network provided value.

30. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the event location threshold includes at least one of:

a predefined distance, wherein the predefined distance is defined by at least one of;

a user, or a default device setting;

a trigger event, wherein the trigger event includes at least one of;

a determination that device is located in a foreign locality, or a determination that the device operated in airplane mode within a predefined duration of time, or a user selection.

31. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

determining at least one route between the device location and the first event location;

obtaining at least one of;

traffic conditions for said at least one route and modifying the estimated travel time based on an estimated time influence associated with the obtained traffic conditions, or

mode of transportation information to be used for said at least one route and modifying the estimated travel time based on an estimated time influence associated with the obtained mode of transportation information, or

a user selection of one route from the at least one routes and estimating the travel time value for the selected route; and

wherein the communication module is further operable for displaying the selected route on the device.

32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the mode of transportation information includes determining whether movement of the device is to be associated with at least one of:

walking, or moving in a personal transportation vehicle, or moving in a public transportation vehicle.

33. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for modifying the estimated travel time value by a predefined buffer time prior to comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value.

34. A method of generating at least one departure alert for a device for at least one event, the method comprising:

obtaining scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

receiving a device location value;

obtaining a current time value;

determining if the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

upon a determination that the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating a first travel time value from the received device location and the first event location;

generating a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value;

generating a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value; and

transmitting the departure alert to the device.

35. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

determining if the departure time value temporally exceeds the current time value;

upon a determination that the departure time value temporally exceeds the current time value, generating a tardiness alert associated with the first event; and

transmitting the tardiness alert to the device.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein the scheduling data associated with the first event further comprises contact information for one or more participants to the first event;

and

further comprising, transmitting the tardiness alert to at least one of the one or more participants to the first event.

37. The method of claim 36, wherein the transmitting the tardiness alert to at least one of the one or more participants further comprises:

receiving a user selection selecting to which of the one or more participants will receive the tardiness alert;

transmitting the tardiness alert to the selected one or more participants.

38. The method of claim 34, further comprising:

obtaining scheduling data associated with a second event, wherein the second event scheduling data includes a second event time value and a second event location value;

determining if a scheduling conflict exists between the second event and the first event;

upon a determination that there is a scheduling conflict between the second event conflicts and the first event, generating a scheduling conflict alert; and

transmitting the scheduling conflict alert to the device.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein the determining if a scheduling conflict exists further comprises:

generating a first event scheduling buffer time value from the first event time value and the estimated first travel time; and

determining if the second event time value conflicts with the first event scheduling buffer time value.

40. The method of claim 38, wherein the determining if a scheduling conflict exists further comprises:

determining if the second event time value occurs temporally after the first event time value;

upon a determination that the second event time value occurs temporally after the first event time value, determining if the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than a second event location threshold;

upon a determination that the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than the second event location threshold, estimating a second travel time value from the first event location and the second event location;

generating a second departure time value by comparing at least one of the second event time value and the estimated second travel time value;

generating a second departure alert by comparing the second departure time value and the current time value; and

transmitting the second departure alert to the device.

41. The method of claim 38, wherein the determining if a scheduling conflict exists further comprises:

determining if the second event time value is temporally before the first event time value;

upon a determination that the second event time value is temporally before the first event time value, determining if at least one of the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than a second event location threshold or if the second event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold;

upon a determination that at least one of the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than the second event location threshold or the second event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating at least one of a second travel time value from the device location and the second event location or a third travel time value from the second event location and the first event location;

generating at least one departure time value by comparing at least one of the second event time value and the estimated second travel time value or the second event time value and the estimated third time value;

generating one or more departure alerts by comparing at least one of the generated departure time values and the current time value; and

transmitting the one or more departure alerts to the device.

42. The method of claim 34, wherein the first event time value further comprises at least one of a first event start time, and a first event end time.

43. The method of claim 34, wherein the event location threshold includes at least one of:

a predefined distance, wherein the predefined distance is defined by at least one of;

a user, or a default device setting;

a trigger event, wherein the trigger event includes at least one of;

a determination that device is located in a foreign locality, or a determination that the device previously operated in airplane mode within a predefined duration of time, or a user selection.

44. The method of claim 34, wherein the estimating the travel time further comprises:

determining at least one route between the device location and the first event location;

obtaining at least one of;

traffic conditions for said at least one route and modifying the estimated travel time based on an estimated time influence associated with the obtained traffic conditions, or

mode of transportation information to be used for said at least one route and modifying the estimated travel time based on an estimated time influence associated with the obtained mode of transportation information, or

a user selection of one route from the at least one routes and estimating the travel time value for the selected route; and

displaying the selected route on the device.

45. The method of claim 44, wherein the mode of transportation information includes determining whether movement of the device is to be associated with at least one of:

walking, or moving in a personal transportation vehicle, or moving in a public transportation vehicle.

46. The method of claim 34, wherein the determining a departure time further comprises modifying the estimated travel time value by a predefined buffer time prior to comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value.

47. At least one processor configured to generate at least one departure alert for a device for at least one event:

a first module for obtaining scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

a second module for receiving a device location value;

a third module for obtaining a current time value;

a fourth module for determining if the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

a fifth module for upon a determination that the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating a first travel time value from the received device location and the first event location;

a sixth module for generating a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value;

a seventh module for generating a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value; and

a eighth module for transmitting the departure alert to the device.

48. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer-readable medium comprising;

a first set of codes for causing a computer to obtain scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

a second set of codes for causing the computer to receive a device location value;

a third set of codes for causing the computer to obtain a current time value;

a fourth set of codes for causing the computer to determine if the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

a fifth set of codes for causing the computer to estimate a first travel time value from the received device location and the first event location upon a determination that the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than the event location threshold;

a sixth set of codes for causing the computer to generate a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value;

a seventh set of codes for causing the computer to generate a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value; and

a eighth set of codes for causing the computer to transmit the departure alert to the device.

49. An apparatus, comprising:

means for obtaining scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

means for receiving a device location value;

means for obtaining a current time value;

means for determining if the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

means for estimating a first travel time value from the received device location and the first event location upon a determination that the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than the event location threshold;

means for generating a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value;

means for generating a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value; and

means for transmitting the departure alert to the device.

50. An apparatus, comprising:

a communications module for;

obtaining scheduling data associated with a first event, wherein the first event scheduling data includes a first event time value and a first event location value;

receiving a device location value;

obtaining a current time value;

a departure alert module for;

determining if the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than a event location threshold;

upon a determination that the first event location value and the received device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating a first travel time value from the received device location and the first event location;

generating a departure time value by comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value;

generating a departure alert by comparing the departure time value and the current time value; and

wherein the communication module is further operable for;

transmitting the departure alert to the device.

51. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

determining if the departure time value temporally exceeds the current time value;

upon a determination that the departure time value temporally exceeds the current time value, generating a tardiness alert associated with the first event; and

wherein the communication module is further operable for;

transmitting the tardiness alert to the device.

52. The apparatus of claim 51, wherein the scheduling data associated with the first event further comprises contact information for one or more participants to the first event;

and

wherein the communication module further comprises transmitting the tardiness alert to at least one of the one or more participants to the first event.

53. The apparatus of claim 52, wherein the communication module further comprises:

receiving a user selection selecting which of the one or more participants will receive the tardiness alert;

transmitting the tardiness alert to the selected one or more participants.

54. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

obtaining scheduling data associated with a second event, wherein the second event scheduling data includes a second event time value and a second event location value;

determining if a scheduling conflict exists between the second event and the first event;

upon a determination that there is a scheduling conflict between the second event conflicts and the first event, generating a scheduling conflict alert; and

wherein the communication module is further operable for transmitting the scheduling conflict alert to the device.

55. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

generating a first event scheduling buffer time value from the first event time value and the estimated first travel time; and

determining if the second event time value conflicts with the first event scheduling buffer time value.

56. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

determining if the second event time value occurs temporally after the first event time value;

upon a determination that the second event time value occurs temporally after the first event time value, determining if the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than a second event location threshold;

upon a determination that the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than the second event location threshold, estimating a second travel time value from the first event location and the second event location;

generating a second departure time value by comparing at least one of the second event time value and the estimated second travel time value;

generating a second departure alert by comparing the second departure time value and the current time value; and

wherein the communication module is further operable for transmitting the second departure alert to the device.

57. The apparatus of claim 54, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

determining if the second event time value is temporally before the first event time value;

upon a determination that the second event time value is temporally before the first event time value, determining if at least one of the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than a second event location threshold or if the second event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold;

upon a determination that at least one of the second event location value and the first event location value differ by more than the second event location threshold or the second event location value and the device location value differ by more than the event location threshold, estimating at least one of a second travel time value from the device location and the second event location or a third travel time value from the second event location and the first event location;

generating at least one departure time value by comparing at least one of the second event time value and the estimated second travel time value or the second event time value and the estimated third time value;

generating one or more departure alerts by comparing at least one of the generated departure time values and the current time value; and

transmitting the one or more departure alerts to the device.

58. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the first event time value further comprises at least one of a first event start time, and a first event end time.

59. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the event location threshold includes at least one of:

a predefined distance, wherein the predefined distance is defined by at least one of;

a user, or a default device setting;

or

a trigger event, wherein the trigger event includes at least one of;

a determination that device is located in a foreign locality, or a determination that the device previously operated in airplane mode within a predefined duration of time, or a user selection.

60. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

determining at least one route between the device location and the first event location;

obtaining at least one of;

traffic conditions for said at least one route and modifying the estimated travel time based on an estimated time influence associated with the obtained traffic conditions, or

mode of transportation information to be used for said at least one route and modifying the estimated travel time based on an estimated time influence associated with the obtained mode of transportation information, or

a user selection of one route from the at least one routes and estimating the travel time value for the selected route; and

displaying the selected route on the device.

61. The apparatus of claim 60, wherein the mode of transportation information includes determining whether movement of the device is to be associated with at least one of:

walking, or moving in a personal transportation vehicle, or moving in a public transportation vehicle.

62. The apparatus of claim 50, wherein the departure alert module is further operable for:

modifying the estimated travel time value by a predefined buffer time prior to comparing the first event time value and the estimated first travel time value.